This section asks questions about performance measures and information.

For the purpose of this survey, performance measures collect data (i.e., performance information) to track progress towards achieving agency goals or objectives. These measures may also be used to assess the overall performance of a program/operation/ project.

The measures can be quantitative or qualitative, and can focus on different aspects of performance such as customer satisfaction, efficiency, or quality.

This first sub-section asks questions about your current role as a manager and the program(s) in which you are involved. When we say “program” we mean any program(s), operation(s), or project(s) for which you have management responsibilities.

This sub-section asks additional questions about performance measures and information. Please provide your opinion as it relates to other managers at your level in your agency.

This sub-section asks additional questions about performance measures and information. Please provide your opinion as it relates to your agency and your agency’s top leadership.

Please Note:

Quarterly performance reviews, which some agencies refer to as “stat” meetings or data-driven performance reviews, are regular meetings held at the highest levels of your agency. These reviews examine progress toward accomplishing agency priority goals, and in some cases, other agency performance goals.

Among other things, these reviews are typically used to assess agencies’ coordination efforts, activities and contributions to goals, and strategies for improvement, when applicable. Quarterly performance reviews are to involve key leadership and other relevant parties.

These reviews may be conducted more frequently than quarterly.

In the following questions, “quarterly performance reviews” refers to all aspects of these reviews, including preparation, review, and follow-up.

In the following question, “agency” refers only to your cabinet-level department (e.g., Department of Transportation) or independent agency (e.g., Environmental Protection Agency).

Please do not consider activities at the major component level (e.g., Federal Aviation Administration, Army, Internal Revenue Service).

As with prior questions, “program” means any program(s), operation(s), or project(s) for which you have management responsibilities.

Program evaluations are individual, systematic studies using research methods to assess how well a program, operation or project is achieving its objectives and the reasons why it may, or may not, be performing as expected. Program evaluations answer specific questions, typically associated with a single product or report, such as how well a program is operating, whether a program is reaching targeted recipients, why a program is not achieving its desired outcomes, or whether one approach is more effective than another.

Program evaluation as defined here does not include information gathered for more regular management use, such as routine program monitoring, performance information, or quarterly performance reviews. It also does not include an audit or review performed by GAO or your agency’s inspector general.

Please note: When we say “program” here we mean any program(s), operation(s), or project(s) for which you have management responsibilities.

Please Note:

This section focuses on additional types of information—beyond performance information and program evaluation covered in previous sections—that may be useful for the program(s) that you are involved with. As with prior questions, when we say “program” we mean any program(s), operation(s), or project(s) for which you have management responsibilities.

Among other things, these additional types of information can include the following:

Administrative data are collected by agencies, contractors, or grantees, among others, to carry out the basic operations and administration of a program. Examples could include data from nutrition assistance program applications, medical program payment records, school enrollment records, or local measurements of pollution collected to administer environmental laws.

Statistical data are collected for the purpose of describing or making estimates concerning society, the economy, or the environment, or relevant subgroups or components. They can consist of survey data, aggregate indicators, descriptive statistics, or other data collected by your agency or others to better understand a population or condition. Examples could include Census data, economic data, highway traffic statistics, or crime statistics.

Research and Analysis may provide information and insights pertinent to a program, its objectives, the populations it serves, or challenges it faces. Examples could include a study on mental health disorders and likelihood of employment, or an economic analysis on child support debt. An agency may conduct its own research and analysis, or it may contract for others to conduct it. The agency may also identify relevant research and analysis conducted by other entities, such as other federal, state or local government entities; academic researchers; or think tanks.

Please Note:

In addition to performance information, program evaluations, and other types of information addressed previously, government agencies produce a wide range of financial information. This section focuses specifically on the information submitted for and available on USAspending.gov, an official source of spending and spending-related data of the U.S. Government. In compliance with the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (FFATA), as amended by the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014 (DATA Act) requirements, USAspending.gov provides information on almost all types of federal spending including, but not limited to, agency budgetary and financial data as well as federal grants, contracts, and loans.

As with our prior questions, when we say “program” we mean any program(s), operation(s), or project(s) for which you have management responsibilities.

Beginning in March 2020, Congress and the President have taken a series of actions to respond to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Several laws, including the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, provide emergency financial support for our nation’s health care system, economy, and citizens. Funding is being provided through existing programs as well as new programs and funds.

In addition, through executive actions, the President has made additional federal funds available. This has included making disaster relief funding available through disaster declarations, and directing agencies and programs to reallocate existing funding—to the extent permissible by law—to help respond to the pandemic.

On March 17, 2020, consistent with the President’s declaration of a national emergency, the Office of Management and Budget issued guidance that directs agencies to adjust their operations and services to minimize face-to-face interactions while ensuring that government operations continue. Among other things, the guidance gives agencies the flexibility to reduce or postpone functions deemed non-mission-critical, or that require in-person interactions, and to realign individuals or work units to higher-priority activities. It also directs agencies to review and modify their policies and procedures to safeguard the health and safety of federal workplaces.

Please note: When we say “program” here and throughout this survey, we mean any program(s), operation(s), or project(s) for which you have management responsibilities.

On March 17, 2020, consistent with the President’s declaration of a national emergency, the Office of Management and Budget directed agencies to “maximize telework across the nation for the Federal workforce (including mandatory telework, if necessary), while maintaining mission-critical workforce needs.” Subsequent guidance from the Office of Personnel Management clarified that for certain employees that cannot safely travel to an approved work location, or work remotely due to their job function, the agency would provide a portable work assignment or provide leave.

As with prior questions, when we say “program” below we mean any program, operation, or project for which you have management responsibilities.