Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) Status

The Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) is a diagnostic tool to assess the performance of Federal programs and to drive improvements in program performance. Once completed, PART reviews help inform budget decisions and identify actions to improve results. Agencies are held accountable for implementing PART follow-up actions, also known as improvement plans, for each of their programs. The PART is designed to provide a consistent approach to assessing and rating programs across the Federal government. PART assessments review overall program effectiveness, from how well a program is designed to how well it is implemented and what results it achieves. As such, the PART examines factors that the program or agency may not directly control and/or may not be able to influence.  

The PART therefore looks at factors that affect and reflect program performance including program purpose and design; performance measurement, evaluations, and strategic planning; program management; and program results. Completed PARTs are available for public scrutiny at www.ExpectMore.gov. Each program that has been reviewed using the PART has a summary of results on ExpectMore.gov including key findings and the corresponding improvement plan. Every summary links to the detailed program assessment and the program’s website. Because PART information is easily accessible and searchable on ExpectMore.gov, it is more transparent. By increasing the transparency of the PART process, the Administration’s aim is to make all agencies more accountable for improving program performance every year.

Sections of the PART

The PART is a series of questions that assess different aspects of program performance. Each PART review is divided into four sections (see below). The answers to questions in each of the four sections result in a numeric score from 0 to 100 for the section. These numeric scores are tallied and translated into qualitative ratings: Effective, Moderately Effective, Adequate, and Ineffective. Regardless of the overall score, a rating of Results Not Demonstrated is given when programs do not have acceptable performance measures or lack baselines and performance data.

The PART sections are:

I) Program Purpose & Design: to assess whether the program’s purpose and design are clear and sound.

II) Strategic Planning: to assess whether the program has valid long-term and annual measures and targets.

III) Program Management: to rate program’s management, including financial oversight and program improvement efforts.

IV) Program Results/Accountability: to rate program performance on measures and targets reviewed in the strategic planning section and through other evaluations.

Sections I through III are scored in a Yes/No format. In Section IV, a four-level scale (Yes, Large Extent, Small Extent, and No) permits answers to reflect partial achievement of goals and evidence of results. Not Applicable (NA) may also be an appropriate answer as indicated in this guidance.

The Division of Cost and Performance Management supports the programs undergoing reviews in the Service. The following is a list of programs that have undergone PART or RePART reviews through FY 2007. Please click on each program to see the complete PART summary as it appears in ExpectMore.gov. Each summary includes the: Assessment Rating and Section Scores, Ongoing Program Improvement Plans, Program Performance Measures, and Questions and Answers (Detailed Assessment) for the four Sections.

Fisheries  (Rating: Performing/Effective)

Habitat Conservation  (Rating: Performing/Adequate)

National Wildlife Refuge System  (Rating: Performing/Adequate)

Migratory Bird Management and Conservation  (Rating: Not Performing/Results Not Demonstrated)

Endangered Species  (Rating: Not Performing/Results Not Demonstrated)

Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration  (Rating: Not Performing/Results Not Demonstrated)