Summary

This testimony draws on GAO's review of the Agriculture Department's (USDA) May 1997 draft strategic plan. (See GAO/RCED-97-196R, July 1997.) That report found that significant work remained to be done before USDA's plan fulfilled the requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act. Specifically, the May 1997 draft strategic plan did not contain all six elements required by the Results Act, and it did not provide a comprehensive strategy to accomplish the Department's mission because it lacked key attributes that are essential to a quality strategic plan. GAO's review of the August draft strategic plan found that although USDA has made significant progress in addressing these concerns, additional work is needed in some areas.

GAO noted that: (1) GAO's July 1997 report stated that a significant amount of work remained to be done before USDA's plan fulfilled the requirements of the Results Act; (2) specifically GAO found that USDA's May 1997 draft strategic plan did not: (a) contain all six elements required by the Results Act; and (b) provide a comprehensive strategy to accomplish the Department's mission because it lacked some key attributes that are necessary for a quality strategic plan; and (3) GAO's review of the August revised draft strategic plan indicates that while USDA has made significant progress in addressing these concerns there remains a need for additional work in some areas.