1. The GPRA Modernization Act
Public Law 111-352
SWIAF/SEIAF/MPIAF Joint Conference
Benjamin Licht, Senior Analyst
Strategic Issues
February 15, 2011
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Overview
• This presentation will provide an overview of
• the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA);
• GAO’s findings related to GPRA;
• the requirements of the GPRA Modernization Act (GPRAMA);
• GAO’s responsibilities under GPRAMA; and
• GAO resources related to GPRAMA’s requirements
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2. Government Performance and Results Act
of 1993 (Public Law 103-62)
• Part of a series of laws in the 1990s aimed at improving federal
government management
• Requires federal agencies to develop
• strategic plans with long-term goals
• performance plans with annual goals and measures
• performance reports on prior year performance
• Also requires a governmentwide performance plan, intended to
provide a single, cohesive picture of federal performance
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After Nearly 2 Decades of GPRA, GAO’s
Work Has Revealed…
• GPRA has established a solid foundation of results-oriented planning,
measurement, and reporting in the federal government
• Federal managers surveyed by GAO reported having significantly more
of the types of performance measures called for by GPRA
• However, we have not seen significant gains in the use of performance
information for decisionmaking
• To encourage greater use of performance information, agencies should:
• demonstrate leadership commitment
• align individual, program, and agency goals
• improve the usefulness of performance information
• build analytic capacity to analyze and use performance information
• communicate performance information frequently and effectively
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3. After Nearly 2 Decades of GPRA, GAO’s
Work Has Revealed…(cont.)
• Challenges facing the federal government cannot be effectively
addressed by individual programs and organizations working in
isolation.
• Yet agency GPRA plans and reports often contained little information on
how agencies work with others to accomplish goals that cut across
organizational lines.
• We have stated that GPRA’s requirement for a governmentwide
performance plan could help provide a more crosscutting view on
government performance and better integrate agency efforts, but OMB
has not fully implemented this provision.
• In addition, we have recommended that a governmentwide strategic
plan could provide a more integrated and long-term approach to
addressing the nation’s most significant challenges.
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GPRA Modernization Act of 2010
(Public Law 111-352)
• Among other things, GPRAMA
• Creates a new governmentwide planning and reporting
framework
• Amends agency level planning and reporting requirements
• Requires leadership involvement and accountability
• Requires the identification of key performance management
skills and competencies
• Creates an annual process to reduce duplicative and
outdated planning and reporting
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4. GPRAMA Adds Governmentwide Planning
and Reporting Requirements
• The Act creates a new governmentwide framework including
• long-term federal government priority goals
• revised federal government performance plan requirements
• quarterly priority progress reviews
• a governmentwide performance website
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Federal Government Priority Goals
• Long-term goals for the federal government covering
• select crosscutting policy areas
• management improvements needed governmentwide
• Developed every 4 years, beginning in a President’s 2nd year
• Informed by consultations with Congress at least every 2 years
• May be adjusted due to significant changes in the environment
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5. Federal Government Performance Plans
• Annual plan to make progress toward long-term federal
government priority goals
• Developed by OMB in coordination with agencies
• Comes out concurrent with the President’s Budget
• Plan identifies
• annual performance goals and their lead government officials
• federal agencies, programs and activities contributing to goals
• common crosscutting performance measures
• quarterly performance targets and milestones
• plans to address crosscutting major management challenges
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Federal Government Quarterly Priority
Progress Reviews
• At least quarterly, OMB supported by the Performance
Improvement Council will review with lead government officials
the progress made toward achieving each federal government
priority goal
• The review involves officials from the federal agencies, programs
and other activities that contribute to achieving each goal
• At the review, they
• assess how relevant federal agencies, programs and
activities are contributing to achieving each goal
• categorize goals by their risk of not being achieved
• for those at risk, identify strategies to improve performance
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6. Federal Government Performance Website
• Presents a coherent picture of
• all federal programs, with each agency sharing information
about each of its programs, including how it defines
“program,” the purposes of each program, how it contributes
to the agency’s mission, and recent funding information
• governmentwide performance by presenting information
about the federal government priority goals, performance
plans, and quarterly review results
• individual agency performance by consolidating information
from each agency’s GPRA plans and reports, as well as
highlighting the agency’s priority goals and quarterly results
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GPRAMA Changes Planning and Reporting
Requirements at the Agency Level
• The Act adds
• agency priority goals
• agency quarterly priority progress reviews
• The Act amends the existing process and content requirements
for
• strategic plans
• performance plans
• performance reports
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7. Agency Priority Goals
• Every 2 years, OMB determines the total number of goals across
the government, and how they are divided among agencies
• Agency priority goals
• reflect the priorities of the agency head
• are informed by the federal government priority goals and
Congressional consultations
• have ambitious targets that can be achieved within 2 years
• have a goal leader responsible for achieving each goal
• have quarterly performance targets and milestones
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Agency Quarterly Priority Progress Reviews
• At least quarterly, the agency head, Chief Operating Officer, and
Performance Improvement Officer will review with goal leaders
the progress made toward achieving each priority goal
• The review involves those who contribute to achieving the goal,
both within the agency and from outside the agency
• At the review, they
• assess how relevant programs and activities are contributing
to achieving the goal
• categorize goals by their risk of not being achieved
• for those at risk, identify strategies to improve performance
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8. Agency Strategic Planning Process
Amendments
Former GPRA Requirements: GPRA as Amended:
• Revised at least every 3 years • Revised every 4 years,
• Covers at least a 5-year period approximately 1 year after a new
Presidential term begins
• Consultations with Congress
• Consultations with relevant
• Involve other stakeholders Congressional committees at
• Submitted to OMB and Congress least every 2 years
• Made available online and notify
the President and Congress
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Agency Strategic Plan Content
Amendments
Previously Existing GPRA GPRA as Amended Adds:
Requirements: • Relationship to federal
• Mission statement government priority goals
• Strategic goals • Interagency coordination and
• Strategies and resources collaboration
• Relationship to performance • Identification of agency priority
goals goals
• External factors that could • Description of incorporation of
significantly affect the goals Congressional input
• Program evaluations
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9. Agency Performance Planning Process
Amendments
Former GPRA Requirements: GPRA as Amended:
• Covers the upcoming fiscal year • Covers 2 fiscal years—the
• No set timeframe (determined by current and upcoming
OMB) • Timeframe concurrent with the
• Submitted to OMB President’s Budget
• Made available online and notify
the President and Congress
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Agency Performance Plan Content
Amendments
Previously Existing GPRA GPRA as Amended Adds:
Requirements: • Relationship to agency strategic
• Performance goals in objective, and priority goals, and federal
quantifiable, measurable form government performance goals
• Cover all program activities • Coordination and collaboration
• Strategies and resources • Contributing programs & activities
• Performance measures • Milestones
• Basis for comparing actual • Goal leaders
results with performance goals • Balanced set of measures
• Means to verify/validate data • Data accuracy and reliability
• Major management challenges
• Low-priority programs
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10. Agency Performance Reporting Process
Amendments
Former GPRA Requirements: GPRA as Amended:
• Not later than 150 days after the • Not later than 150 days after the
end of a fiscal year end of a fiscal year; more
• Submitted to the President and frequently for data of “significant
Congress value”
• Made available online only
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Agency Performance Report Content
Amendments
Previously Existing GPRA GPRA as Amended Adds:
Requirements: • Trend information for 5 years
• Actual performance compared to • Data accuracy and reliability
planned performance
• Trend information for 3 years
• Evaluate current performance
plan based on last year’s
performance
• Explanations for and plans to
achieve unmet goals
• Summary findings of program
evaluations
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11. OMB Report on Unmet Agency Goals
• Each year, OMB determines which goals each agency did not meet,
based on targets set in performance plans
• OMB submits a report on unmet goals to Senate HSGAC, House OGR,
the head of each agency with unmet goals, and GAO
• GPRAMA requires different actions depending on how long a goal has
been unmet:
• 1st year – the agency submits a plan to meet unmet goals to OMB
• 2nd year – the agency submits a plan to meet unmet goals to
Congress, which may include any statutory and/or funding changes
• 3rd year – OMB submits recommendations to Congress, including
reauthorization proposals, statutory changes, executive actions or
program termination
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Implementation of GPRAMA’s Planning and
Reporting Requirements
• June 30, 2011 – Quarterly agency progress reviews, consistent with the Act,
begin for the goals listed in the President’s Budget for fiscal year 2011
• February 6, 2012 –
• OMB publishes interim federal government priority goals and prepares
federal government performance plans, consistent with the Act
• Agencies adjust their current strategic plans, prepare performance plans,
and identify new or update existing agency priority goals to make them
consistent with the Act
• No later than February 27, 2012 – Agencies make performance reporting
updates on FY2011 performance consistent with the Act
• June 30, 2012 – Quarterly federal government progress reviews begin
• No later than October 1, 2012 – OMB launches the governmentwide
performance website
• February 3, 2014 – Full Implementation with a new strategic planning cycle
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12. Other GPRAMA Requirements
• In addition to the governmentwide and agency level planning
requirements, GPRAMA also requires:
• Leadership involvement and accountability
• The identification of key performance management skills and
competencies
• An annual process to reduce duplicative and outdated
planning and reporting
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Governmentwide Leadership Involvement
and Accountability
• OMB – The Director has responsibilities for carrying out
provisions of the Act
• Performance Improvement Council (PIC) – Interagency
council, chaired by the OMB Deputy Director for Management
and composed of various agency Performance Improvement
Officers, with responsibility for improving the management and
performance of the federal government, and implementing the
governmentwide planning and reporting requirements of the Act
• Lead Government Officials – For each governmentwide
performance goal, the federal official responsible for coordinating
efforts to achieve the goal
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13. Agency Leadership Involvement and
Accountability
• Agency Head – Has responsibilities for carrying out various
provisions of the Act
• Chief Operating Officer (COO)– Deputy head of agency with
responsibilities to improve agency management and performance
• Performance Improvement Officer (PIO) – Agency senior
executive, chosen by agency head and COO, with responsibilities
to assist in implementing the agency requirements of the Act
• Agency Goal Leaders – For each performance goal, including
any priority goals, the agency official(s) responsible for achieving
the goal
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Federal Performance Management Skills
and Competencies
• The Act requires the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), in
consultation with the PIC, to identify key skills and competencies
needed by federal employees to carry out various performance
management activities
• After key performance management skills and competencies are
identified, OPM incorporates them into
• relevant federal position classifications
• existing agency training for relevant federal employees
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14. Reducing Duplicative and Outdated Agency
Planning and Reporting
• Creates the following annual process at each agency:
• Agency compiles a list of all plans and reports the agency
produces for Congress
• Agency analyzes the list and identifies duplicative or outdated
plans and reports
• Agency consults with Congressional committees that receive
the duplicative/outdated plans and reports to see if they are
no longer useful and could be consolidated or eliminated
• Agency submits a total count of all plans/reports and the list of
duplicative/outdated ones to OMB
• OMB proposes plan and report consolidation/elimination in
the President’s Budget, and may also submit draft legislation
aimed at this purpose
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GAO’s Responsibilities under GPRAMA
• June 30, 2013 – GAO report reviewing implementation of the
interim planning and reporting requirements (at the
governmentwide and agency levels), including any
recommendations to improve implementation
• September 30, 2015 and 2017 – GAO reports reviewing and
recommending needed improvements to implementation for
• the 24 CFO Act agencies
• the governmentwide planning and reporting processes
• September 30, 2021 and every 4 years thereafter – reviews of
the governmentwide planning and reporting processes
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15. Related GAO Reports
Comprehensive GPRA Reports
• Results-Oriented Government: GPRA Has Established a Solid Foundation for Achieving
Greater Results, GAO-04-38 (Washington, D.C.: March 10, 2004)
• Managing for Results: Federal Managers' Views on Key Management Issues Vary Widely
Across Agencies, GAO-01-592 (Washington, D.C.: May 25, 2001)
• The Government Performance and Results Act: 1997 Governmentwide Implementation
Will Be Uneven, GAO/GGD-97-109 (Washington, D.C.: June 2, 1997)
• Executive Guide: Effectively Implementing the Government Performance and Results Act,
GAO/GGD-96-118 (Washington, D.C.: June 1996)
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Related GAO Reports (cont.)
Using Performance Information
• Government Performance: Strategies for Building a Results-Oriented and Collaborative
Culture in the Federal Government, GAO-09-1011T (Washington, D.C.: September 24,
2009)
• Results-Oriented Management: Strengthening Key Practices at FEMA and Interior Could
Promote Greater Use of Performance Information, GAO-09-676 (Washington, D.C.:
August 17, 2009)
• Government Performance: Lessons Learned for the Next Administration on Using
Performance Information to Improve Results, GAO-08-1026T (Washington, D.C.: July 24,
2008)
• Managing for Results: Enhancing Agency Use of Performance Information for
Management Decision Making, GAO-05-927 (Washington, D.C.: September 9, 2005)
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16. Related GAO Reports (cont.)
Crosscutting Activities and Interagency Coordination/Collaboration
• Results-Oriented Government: Practices That Can Help Enhance and Sustain
Collaboration among Federal Agencies, GAO-06-15 (Washington, D.C.: October 21, 2005)
• Results-Oriented Management: Agency Crosscutting Actions and Plans in Border Control,
Flood Mitigation and Insurance, Wetlands, and Wildland Fire Management, GAO-03-321
(Washington, D.C.: December 20, 2002)
• Results-Oriented Management: Agency Crosscutting Actions and Plans in Drug Control,
Family Poverty, Financial Institution Regulation, and Public Health Systems, GAO-03-320
(Washington, D.C.: December 20, 2002)
• Managing for Results: Barriers to Interagency Coordination, GAO/GGD-00-106
(Washington, D.C.: March 29, 2000)
• The Results Act: Assessment of the Governmentwide Performance Plan for Fiscal Year
1999, GAO/AIMD/GGD-98-159 (Washington, D.C.: September 8, 1998)
• Managing for Results: Using the Results Act to Address Mission Fragmentation and
Program Overlap, GAO/AIMD-97-146 (Washington, D.C.: August 29, 1997)
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Related GAO Reports (cont.)
Congressional Involvement
• Managing for Results: Views on Ensuring the Usefulness of Agency Performance
Information to Congress, GAO/GGD-00-35 (Washington, D.C: January 26, 2000)
• Agencies' Annual Performance Plans Under the Results Act: An Assessment Guide to
Facilitate Congressional Decisionmaking, GAO/GGD/AIMD-10.1.18 (Washington, D.C.:
February 1998)
• Agencies' Strategic Plans Under GPRA: Key Questions to Facilitate Congressional
Review, GAO/GGD-10.1.16 (Washington, D.C.: May 1997)
• Managing for Results: Using GPRA to Assist Congressional and Executive Branch
Decisionmaking, GAO/T-GGD-97-43 (Washington, D.C.: February 12, 1997)
• Managing for Results: Achieving GPRA's Objectives Requires Strong Congressional Role,
GAO/T-GGD-96-79 (Washington, D.C.: March 6, 1996)
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17. Related GAO Reports (cont.)
Leadership Commitment to Results-Oriented Management
• Organizational Transformation: Implementing Chief Operating Officer/Chief Management
Officer Positions in Federal Agencies, GAO-08-34 (Washington, D.C.: November 1, 2007)
• Managing for Results: Federal Managers’ Views Show Need for Ensuring Top Leadership
Skills, GAO-01-127 (Washington, D.C.: October 20, 2000)
Strategic Planning Practices
• Results-Oriented Government: GPRA Has Established a Solid Foundation for Achieving
Greater Results, GAO-04-38 (Washington, D.C.: March 10, 2004)
• Managing for Results: Critical Issues for Improving Federal Agencies' Strategic Plans,
GAO/GGD-97-180 (Washington, D.C.: September 16, 1997)
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Related GAO Reports (cont.)
Performance Planning Practices
• Results-Oriented Government: GPRA Has Established a Solid Foundation for Achieving
Greater Results, GAO-04-38 (Washington, D.C.: March 10, 2004)
• Managing for Results: Opportunities for Continued Improvements in Agencies'
Performance Plans, GAO/GGD/AIMD-99-215 (Washington, D.C.: July 20, 1999)
• Performance Plans: Selected Approaches for Verification and Validation of Agency
Performance Information, GAO/GGD-99-139 (Washington, D.C.: July 30, 1999)
• Agency Performance Plans: Examples of Practices That Can Improve Usefulness to
Decisionmakers, GAO/GGD/AIMD-99-69 (Washington, D.C.: February 26, 1999)
• Managing for Results: An Agenda to Improve the Usefulness of Agencies' Annual
Performance Plans, GAO/GGD/AIMD-98-228 (Washington, D.C.: September 8, 1998)
• The Results Act: An Evaluator's Guide to Assessing Agency Annual Performance Plans,
GAO/GGD-10.1.20 (Washington, D.C.: April 1998)
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18. Related GAO Reports (cont.)
Performance Reporting Practices
• Results-Oriented Government: GPRA Has Established a Solid Foundation for Achieving
Greater Results, GAO-04-38 (Washington, D.C.: March 10, 2004)
• Performance Reporting: Few Agencies Reported on the Completeness and Reliability of
Performance Data, GAO-02-372 (Washington, D.C.: April 26, 2002)
• GPRA Performance Reports, GAO/GGD-96-66R (Washington, D.C.: February 14, 1996)
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