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The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (the Results Act) fundamentally change the focus of federal management and accountability from a preoccupation with inputs and processes to a greater emphasis on the outcomes and results that programs are achieving.
The Results Act established a legislative framework for having agencies 1) set strategic goals; 2) establish annual goals and measure performance; and 3) report on the degree to which goals were met. It requires every agency to prepare and publish a strategic plan which lays out its mission, long-term goals and objectives, and strategies for achieving those goals and objectives. The plan is intended to serve as the starting point and foundation of the agency's goal setting and performance measurement process.
The Results Act then requires each agency to prepare and publish an annual performance plan. This plan provides the direct linkage between the long-term strategic goals outlined in the agencies strategic plan and what managers and employees are expected to accomplish in a single fiscal year. Specifically, this plan contains annual performance goals to gauge the agency's progress towards meeting its longer term strategic goals and defines the performance measures and targets the agency will use to assess its progress.
Finally, the Results Act requires that each agency submit an annual performance report to the President and Congress covering the previous fiscal year. The report is to provide important feedback to managers, policy makers, and the public on what was actually accomplished in the agencies for the resources spent.
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