Examining the operational effectiveness and accountability of federal agencies as indicated in the performance and accountability reports required by the Government Performance And Results Act of 1993

Abstract

The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA) was enacted to improve the confidence of the American people in the capability of the federal government and to initiate program performance improvement. The purpose of this project was to determine if GPRA initiatives have lead to indications of material performance improvements within three specific executive agencies. The agencies chosen were performing at different levels of effectiveness, according to the performance and accountability scorecard produced by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, a non-governmental citizen advocacy center. The analysis examined performance plans, performance reports and strategic plans from the previous five years. The intent was to determine if the reports indicated improvements in program effectiveness and accountability over the five year evaluation period. An evaluation tool was constructed to create a performance matrix based on the raw data in the agencies' annual performance and accountability reports. Four customized measures were used to evaluate the agencies' performance from year to year. The results of the analysis indicated material performance improvements in one of the three agencies. Analysis revealed the other two agencies did not clearly indicate improvement in performance effectiveness. Evidence of improved program effectiveness and accountability inferred that these improvements may relate to the transparency and accountability requirements of GPRA.