Performance Reporting: Few Agencies Reported on the Completeness and Reliability of Performance Data
Abstract
The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) seeks to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability of federal programs by requiring federal agencies to set goals for program performance and to report on their annual progress toward achieving those goals. While no data are perfect, agencies need to have sufficiently credible performance data to provide transparency of government operations so that Congress, program managers, and other decisionmakers can use the information. However, limited confidence in the credibility of performance data has been one of the major weaknesses in GPRA implementation. To help improve the quality of agencies performance data, Congress included a requirement in the Reports Consolidation Act of 2000 that agencies assess the completeness and reliability of their performance data. Under the act, agencies were to begin including this assessment in the transmittal letter with their fiscal year 2000 performance reports. Agencies were also required to discuss in their report any material inadequacies in the completeness and reliability of their performance data and discuss actions to address these inadequacies.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA401748
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office