President Issues Executive Order for Government Program Efficiency

On Tuesday, the President issued an Executive Order on “Improving Government Program Performance”. This Order sets forth a policy of spending “taxpayer dollars effectively, and more effectively each year. Agencies shall apply taxpayer resources efficiently in a manner that maximizes the effectiveness of Government programs in serving the American people.” The Order calls for the heads of the various executive agencies to approve clear annual and long-term goals defined by objectively measurable outcomes and specific plans for achieving the goals.


Plans should include assignments to specified agency personnel of the duties necessary to achieve the goals and the authority and resources necessary to fulfill such duties. The plans should also provide ways to measure progress toward achievement of the goals and efficiency in use of resources in making that progress. Finally, the plans should also include mechanisms for ensuring continuous accountability of the specified agency personnel to the head of the agency for both achieving the goal, as well as effectively using resources to do so. Agencies are also directed to keep their websites updated with information relating to program performance, as well as updates on implantation of the achievement goals.
Furthermore, the Order calls on heads of agencies to assist the Director of the Office of Managements in Budget (OMB) in making appropriations recommendations to Congress that are justified based on objective performance information and accurate estimates of the full costs of achieving the annual and long-term goals. The Director of OMB is instructed to keep the information relating to the various agencies’ efforts readily available to the public, through the internet or the Federal Register.
The Order directs heads of agencies to designate Performance Improvement Officers. These officers are employees of an agency who is a member of the Senior Executive Service or equivalent service. Their duties include:
• Supervising the performance management activities of the agency;
• Advising the head of the agency with respect to a program administered in whole or in part by the agency;
• Convening specified agency personnel or appropriate subgroups thereof regularly throughout each year to assess performance of each program administered in whole or in part by the agency;
• Assisting the head of the agency in the development and use within the agency of performance measures in personnel performance appraisals, and, as appropriate, other agency personnel and planning processes; and
• Reporting to the head of the agency on the implementation within the agency of the policy of effectively spending tax payer dollars.
Finally, the Order creates an Operation of Performance Improvement Council, under OMB. The council will consist of the OMB Deputy Director for Management (who shall serve as Chair), agency Performance Improvement Officers, and such other full-time or permanent part-time employees of an agency, as determined by the Chair with the concurrence of the head of the agency concerned. The Council’s objective is to effectively implement the policy set forth on the Order by:
• Developing and submitting recommendation to the OMB Director regarding performance management policies and requirements as well as criteria for evaluation of program performance;
• Facilitating the exchange among agencies of information on performance management, including strategic and annual planning and reporting, to accelerate improvements in program performance;
• Coordinating and monitoring a continuous review by heads of agencies of the performance and management of all Federal programs that assesses the clarity of purpose, quality of strategic and performance planning and goals, management excellence, and results achieved for each agency's programs, with the results of these assessments and the evidence on which they are based made available to the public on or through the internet;
• Developing an internet website that provides the public with information on how well each agency performs;
• Monitoring implementation by agencies and reporting to the OMB Director, together with any recommendations of the Council for more effective implementation of such policy;
• Promptly reviewing and providing advice, at the request of the head of an agency, on a proposed action by that agency to implement the policy; and
• Obtaining information and advice, as appropriate, in a manner that seeks individual advice and does not involve collective judgment or consensus advice or deliberation.

You can view the text of the Executive Order at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/11/20071113-9.html.
Author: SAS