Overview of GPRA

The purpose of the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA or the Results Act) is to hold agencies accountable for program performance by requiring that they think strategically and set, measure and report on goals annually. GPRA was passed in response to concerns that:

• Waste and inefficiency in Federal programs undermine the confidence of the American people;
• Federal managers are disadvantaged in their efforts to improve program efficiency and effectiveness because of inadequate goal setting and performance measurement; and
• Congressional policy making, spending decisions and program oversight are handicapped by insufficient information about program performance and results.

Some elements of GPRA are familiar as they been found in other federal management reforms such as Management by Objectives, Zero-based Budgeting, or Program Planning and Budgeting System. In contrast to these short-lived management reforms, GPRA is a law with specific planning and reporting requirements. The requirements include a five-year strategic plan, an annual performance plan and an annual performance report. The following briefly describes the GPRA requirements and summarizes FDA's current status in meeting these requirements.

FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN (FY99-2004)

The Education Department submitted a Department-wide strategic plan to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in [date] to meet the GPRA requirements. The strategic plan provides the framework for the annual performance plan required by GPRA. .

Strategic plans should include a comprehensive mission statement and general goals and objectives covering the major functions and operations of the Agency. Agencies are expected to consult with Congress and stakeholders to solicit input in developing their strategic plans. Strategic plans must be updated every three years. Additional guidance for Strategic Plans is available.

ANNUAL PERFORMANCE PLAN

ED submitted its FY 1999 Performance Plan to OMB and Congress on [date] The performance plan includes annual performance goals and baseline data. The annual performance plan should describe the incremental progress that ED will make during the fiscal year toward achieving the broad goals and long-term objectives included in the strategic plan. The performance plan must: 1) be consistent with the Agency's strategic plan; 2) establish measurable performance goals; and 3) describe the operational processes, resources and technology required to meet the performance goals. Additional guidance for Performance Plans is available.

ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT

ED is required to submit an annual performance report to the OMB for the previous fiscal year. ED submitted an annual performance report in March 2000. The next report is due to the Congress by March 2001. The report due in 2001 will include actual results for the two preceding years, and the report due in 2002 and all subsequent reports will include actual results for the three preceding years.

The performance report compares the annual performance goals established for the fiscal year with the ED's actual performance achieved in that year. The report assesses the progress made in achieving the goals and explains factors causing deviations from the original goal targets.

Additional information and resources are available about GPRA and Performance Management.

In addition, guidance for ED staff preparing GPRA reports is also available.