Collaboration

Achieving meaningful national results in many policy and program areas requires some combination of coordinated efforts among various actors across federal agencies, often with other governments (for example, internationally and at state and local levels), nongovernmental organizations (NGO), for-profit and not-for-profit contractors, and the private sector. Examples of such results include

• taking additional action to protect the homeland,
• strengthening preparedness for large-scale public health emergencies,
• revamping oversight of food safety, and
• improving the United States' image abroad.

These and many other public issues vividly underscore the critical importance of employing broad governance perspective to meet global and national needs and will highlight challenges Congress and the new administration face in devising integrated solutions to such multidimensional problems.

These and many other public issues vividly underscore the critical importance of employing a broad governance perspective to meet global and national needs and will highlight challenges Congress and the new administration face in devising integrated solutions to such multidimensional problems.

A longer-term strategic plan for the federal government, along with key national indicators to assess performance, could also enable governmentwide re-examination of both existing programs and proposed new programs.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has a central role in overseeing the management of federal agencies and promoting the President's Management Agenda (PMA). While OMB has used the PMA to foster greater interagency collaboration, its efforts have been limited, and the agency could be doing much more to improve coordination among federal agencies.

The increasing complexity of how the government does its business—and who does it—presents new challenges to congressional decision making, as well. Throughout the nation's history, Congress has consistently shown the ability to respond to the nation's most technically complex and politically difficult challenges. Congress will increasingly need to rely on integrated approaches to help its decision making on the many issues requiring effective collaboration across federal agencies, levels of government, and sectors.

^ Back to topWhat Needs to Be Done

• OMB should fully implement the requirement of the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) to develop a governmentwide performance plan.

  Highlights of GAO-04-38 (PDF), Highlights of GAO-08-1026T (PDF)

• Congress should consider amending GPRA to require the President to develop a governmentwide strategic plan.

  Highlights of GAO-04-38 (PDF), Highlights of GAO-08-1026T (PDF)

• OMB should focus attention on additional areas in need of greater collaboration to achieve common outcomes and should promote key practices that can enhance and sustain collaboration. These practices include
  • establishing common strategies,
  • leveraging resources,
  • agreeing on roles and responsibilities, and
  • developing compatible policies and procedures.

    Highlights of GAO-06-15 (PDF)

• Congress should consider developing a more systematic vehicle for communicating its top performance concerns that could then better inform and guide its authorization, appropriations, and oversight processes. Congress could develop a congressional performance resolution identifying key oversight and performance goals that Congress wishes to set for its own committees and for the government as a whole. Such a resolution could be developed from currently used congressional budget resolutions, which are already organized by budget function. Congress and its leadership can also develop a list of key areas of congressional interest and emphasis. Senate and House committees could then be organized and directed to develop integrated oversight agendas that target those areas. Such a broad structured oversight agenda could better coordinate a congressional perspective on crosscutting issues as they are addressed by the individual committees. It can also elevate those issues that might best be served by scheduling joint hearings or crosscutting studies, investigations, or other initiatives.

  GAO-08-93SP (PDF)

^ Back to topKey Reports

A Call For Stewardship: Enhancing the Federal Government's Ability to Address Key Fiscal and Other 21st Century Challenges

GAO-08-93SP, December 17, 2007

Summary (HTML)   Full Report (PDF, 40 pages)   Accessible Text

Government Performance: Lessons Learned for the Next Administration on Using Performance Information to Improve Results

GAO-08-1026T, July 24, 2008

Summary (HTML)   Highlights Page (PDF)   Full Report (PDF, 32 pages)   Accessible Text

Results-Oriented Government: GPRA Has Established a Solid Foundation for Achieving Greater Results

GAO-04-38, March 10, 2004

Summary (HTML)   Highlights Page (PDF)   Full Report (PDF, 280 pages)   Accessible Text   Recommendations (HTML)

Results-Oriented Government: Practices That Can Help Enhance and Sustain Collaboration among Federal Agencies

GAO-06-15, October 21, 2005

Summary (HTML)   Highlights Page (PDF)   Full Report (PDF, 43 pages)   Accessible Text   Recommendations (HTML)