Government Performance and Results Act, P.L. 103-62: Implementation Through Fall 1996 and Issues for the 105th Congress

This document also available in PDF Image . The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993, P.L. 103-62 , encourages greater accountability, requiring agencies to set goals and use performance measures for management and budgeting. During FY1997, agencies will solicit information from stakeholders and consult with Congress to develop strategic goals, to be provided in final form to Congress in September 1997; GAO and OMB are to report in May and June 1997 (but may advance the date to March 1997) to Congress on agency readiness for full scale implementation and to recommend changes in the statute; and agencies are expected to comply with OMB's requirements to use more performance measurement information in FY1998 budget requests. OMB's Fall 1996 review is assessing agencies' progress in developing strategic plans and performance measures and whether they are integrated into budget formulation. Agencies are to transmit to OMB annual plans and set performance goals, beginning with the FY1999 budget request; OMB submits a government wide performance plan to Congress as part of the FY1999 budget request: in March 2000, agencies submit to Congress annual performance reports, which compare actual performance to stated goals. In March 2001, the OMB will report to Congress on the results of performance budgeting pilot activities and whether or not performance budgets should be required statutorily. OMB modified Circular A-11 to require agencies to accelerate the use of performance and outcome measures in budgets beginning with FY1996. Developing performance measurement and budgeting systems is difficult; Congress allowed agencies 7 years to develop procedures to respond to the law. Agencies initiated over 75 performance planning pilot projects, estimated to cover $50 billion worth of federal programs. Based on its assessment of the relatively poor quality of GPRA pilots, OMB improved training for agency staff and established interagency groups to share information. OMB is seeking to postpone for a year budget performance pilots, which were to begin for FY1998, and has sought to develop a unified performance-oriented budget to assist in GPRA implementation, and completed a reorganization which gave budget examiners more authority over GPRA activities. The National Academy of Public Administration and the Congressional Institute began training and assessment programs for congressional staff. Some committees have mandated agencies to use performance information for FY1998. Also during FY1997, Congress may seek to assess how well agencies consult with Congress and solicit stakeholders' views in developing goals; the costs and benefits of performance measurement systems; OMB policy to allow agencies to use narrative (as opposed to quantitative) measurements; and the difficulties of transitioning to performance-based budgeting. Hearings have been held by the Subcommittee on Government Management, Information and Technology of the House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight together with the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, and by the House Science Committee.