Agencies Have Elevated Performance Management Roles, but Performance Staff Competency Assessment and Training Are Needed

		Designation of Senior- Level Officials to Key Performance Management Roles Has Helped to Elevate Accountability for Agency Performance

The 24 CFO Act agencies have all assigned senior-level officials to the  key performance management roles—chief operating officer,  performance improvement officer, and goal leader—required under  GPRAMA, according to OMB and the results of our PIO survey. Performance improvement officer. According to  officials at HHS and NSF, responsibilities of deputy PIOs at these  agencies included, among other things, coordinating with priority goal  leaders, preparing for agency quarterly performance reviews, and  attending PIC meetings, as appropriate. PIOs generally reported that their staff had the competencies identified by  OPM to a large extent, although they reported that the competencies  below were not as widespread as others:
Performance measurement: the knowledge of the principles and  methods for evaluating program or organizational performance using  financial and nonfinancial measures. In addition, OPM worked  with the PIC’s Capability Building working group to develop position  descriptions for performance management staff. According to OPM, the 15 core competencies for performance  management staff are moderately to highly trainable, and OPM has taken  steps to work with agencies to incorporate the competencies into training  programs for relevant staff. PIOs and Selected Agencies Found the PIC Useful, but Additional Planning and Performance Assessment Are Needed

		PIOs Reported that the Most Helpful Aspects of the PIC Were Sharing of Best Practices and Development of Tips and Tools

PIOs we surveyed generally found the PIC’s work to be helpful to their  agencies. However, the PIC has not done this on a regular basis, or gathered  member feedback about its overall performance. Through our PIO  survey, we found that officials with responsibilities under GPRAMA were  greatly involved in central, key aspects of performance management. These officials were supported by performance management staff, and  PIOs reported that they were generally satisfied with their staff skills. OPM could also use this information to  ensure that its work with agencies to incorporate competencies into  training for agency staff, as required by GPRAMA, is effective. Both GPRAMA and related OMB guidance described  the PIC’s functions, but the PIC has not regularly collected member  feedback on its own performance, and has not updated its strategic plan  since GPRAMA was enacted in January 2011. To ensure that the PIC has a clear plan for accomplishing its goals and  evaluating its progress, we recommend that the Director of OMB work  with the PIC to take the following two actions:
Conduct formal feedback on the performance of the PIC from member  agencies, on an ongoing basis. OPM agreed with our  recommendation that it identify competency areas needing improvement  in agencies, and use this information to identify and share information  about training that focuses on needed performance management  competencies. Appendix I: Agencies Subject to the Chief Financial Officers Act

Appendix II: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

The Government Performance and Results Act Modernization Act of 2010  (GPRAMA) requires GAO to review the act’s implementation, and this  report is part of a series of reviews planned around the requirement. The  objectives of this report are to (1) examine the status of federal agency  implementation of the performance management leadership roles under  GPRAMA; and (2) evaluate the role of the PIC in facilitating the exchange  of best practices and improving program management and performance. To address both objectives, we conducted a survey of PIOs at the 24  CFO Act agencies. In addition, in order to understand GPRAMA implementation in more  detail and put survey results in context for both objectives, we conducted  in-depth studies of two agencies’ implementation of performance  management leadership roles under GPRAMA and participation in the  PIC—the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the  National Science Foundation (NSF). We also interviewed OPM officials about their work with the  PIC. The PIC is an interagency council made up of agency PIOs  that is charged with assisting OMB with topics related to GPRAMA and facilitating the exchange of useful practices among agencies.
Why GAO Did This Study

The performance of federal agencies is central to delivering meaningful results to the American public. GPRAMA, along with related guidance, assigned responsibilities for managing performance to key officials. It also provided a statutory basis for the existing PIC, a council made up of agency PIOs that is tasked with assisting OMB with topics related to GPRAMA. GPRAMA directed GAO to report on the act's implementation. This report, one of a series under that mandate, (1) examines the status of federal agencies' implementation of the performance management leadership roles under GPRAMA and (2) evaluates the role of the PIC in facilitating the exchange of best practices and improving agency program management and performance.
To address both objectives, GAO conducted a survey of PIOs at all 24 CFO Act federal agencies, as well as in-depth case studies of HHS and NSF, which were selected because they have differing characteristics such as size. GAO also interviewed and obtained documents from OMB staff and OPM officials.

What GAO Found

The designation of senior-level officials to key performance management roles with responsibilities under the Government Performance and Results Act Modernization Act of 2010 (GPRAMA) has helped elevate accountability for performance management within federal agencies and ensure high-level involvement, according to officials GAO interviewed. The 24 Chief Financial Officers (CFO) Act agencies have all assigned officials to the key management roles--chief operating officer, performance improvement officer (PIO), and goal leader--required under GPRAMA, according to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the results of GAO's PIO survey. PIOs GAO surveyed reported that most key officials were greatly involved in central aspects of performance management, such as agency quarterly performance reviews. PIOs GAO surveyed, and priority goal leaders GAO interviewed at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the National Science Foundation (NSF), reported they were supported in their responsibilities by their deputies and other staff. PIOs generally reported that their staff had competencies identified as relevant by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), such as reasoning, to a large extent, although PIOs reported that the competencies were not as widespread among their staff as the other competencies.
OPM has taken steps to work with agencies to incorporate performance management staff competencies into training. For example, OPM is working with the Performance Improvement Council (PIC) to develop a website that will include such training. However, at this time, it does not plan to assess competency gaps among agency performance management staff to inform its work. Without this information, it will be difficult for OPM, working with the PIC, to focus on the most-needed resources and facilitate their use by other agencies.
PIOs generally found that sharing of best practices and development of tips and tools are the most helpful aspects of the PIC, and reported strong agency attendance at meetings and participation in working groups. However, the PIC has not regularly collected member feedback about its performance. Additionally, although the PIC has a strategic plan in place, it has not updated it since GPRAMA was enacted. Routine member feedback and an updated strategic plan that reflects changes required by GPRAMA could help increase the PIC's effectiveness. Without these assessment tools, the PIC lacks an important basis and means for directing and evaluating its performance.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends that the Director of OPM work with the PIC to identify competency gaps for agency performance management staff and use this information to identify and share relevant agency training. GAO also recommends that the Director of OMB work with the PIC to gather regular feedback from members on its performance and update its strategic plan. OPM and OMB staff agreed with these recommendations.