performance

The original GPRA requires OMB to develop a governmentwide annual performance plan.  OMB chose to designate the President’s budget as meeting that requirement.   Separately, GAO’s 2004 report recommended a governmentwide strategic plan, but OMB saw that as infeasible.  The new law attempts another approach.

Agency Performance Updates.  According to the Senate committee report, the new law:

“. . . requires agencies to provide a performance update at least annually, occurring no later than 150 days after the end of the fiscal year. However, agencies are encouraged to provide more frequent updates that would provide significant value to the federal government, Congress, or – as noted in the statute:  “. . . program partners at a reasonable level of administrative burden.” 

Agency Annual Performance Plans.  The Senate committee report notes:  “GPRA requires executive agencies to develop annual performance plans covering each program activity in the agencies’ budgets.”

It continues, noting that the new law:

Agency Strategic Plans.  According to the Senate committee report accompanying the new law:

1.      Congress Hits Refresh Button on the Results Act (October 5, 2010)

Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) summarized the need for a refresh when he introduced his bill with bipartisan support:  "Producing information does not by itself improve performance and experts from both sides of the aisle agree that the solutions developed in 1993 have not worked.”

Safe Place for Ideas? FedScoop reports: “Federal Chief Information Officer Tony Scott would like to see a better system in place by which the government could solicit ideas for improvement without those ideas being stolen by competitors looking for an edge in landing a lucrative federal contract.  . . .

Michael J. Keegan

Obama weighs in on VA Commission’s health care suggestions. The Obama administration said it agreed with most of the VA Commission on Care’s recommendations to improve veterans health care, adding that the department had started efforts to implement many of them already. President Barack Obama said he disagreed with three of the 18 suggestions.

Transition Underway.  According to Government Executive: “An org chart floated around the capital showed that the Trump team has set up six prongs for agency action, as Politico reported. Work on these areas will be led by Boston Consulting Group adviser Ron Nicol.

Improving the cost, quality, and performance of financial management operations and systems is one of the Obama’s administration’s top management priorities. While the financial management community has made significant progress over the years, it continues to face challenges in meeting some of the basic standards for accounting and reporting.

I left DC at a chilly 25 degrees a couple days ago and arrived in a place with a temperature of 77 degrees with flowers, sunshine, and palm trees.  While only on the ground less than 48 hours, it was a treat!  I’d never been there before and found quickly that the islanders live in a hilly place, with narrow, windy roads and drive on the left (like the British).  And the streets don’t have names or addresses! Fortunately, I didn’t rent a car!