The overall efforts of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are directed at promoting and protecting the health and well being of all Americans and providing world leadership in the biomedical sciences and public health. HHS administers some 300 program activities, in the realms of basic and applied science, public health, income support, child development, and the financing and regulation of health and social services. HHS is comprised of ten operating divisions (e.g., NIH, FDA, CDC, ACF) and various major offices within the Office of the Secretary.

Under GPRA, HHS prepares a single, unified HHS Strategic Plan, covering the programs and activities of all the operating divisions and the Office of the Secretary. This plan is prepared under the general direction of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) in the Department, with input from the operating divisions and offices.

The Annual Performance Plans and Reports are prepared separately by each of the Department's operating divisions. This is done to facilitate appropriate linkage between program performance goals/measures and the budget submissions of the operating divisions responsible for program administration. In addition, the Assistant Secretary for Management and Budget (ASMB) assembles a HHS Performance Plan Summary each year to highlight the major elements of the Operating Divisions' Annual Plans.