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ExpectMore.govExpectMore.gov home pageEXPECT FEDERAL PROGRAMS TO PERFORM WELL, AND BETTER EVERY YEAR.

The Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART)

The Program Assessment Rating Tool, or PART, for short, is a questionnaire designed to help assess the management and performance of programs. It is used to evaluate a program’s purpose, design, planning, management, results, and accountability to determine its overall effectiveness.

Based on the evaluation, recommendations are made to improve program results.

To reflect that federal programs deliver goods and services using different mechanisms, the PART also has customized questions depending on the type of program. The seven PART categories are: Direct Federal, Competitive Grant, Block/Formula Grant, Regulatory, Capital Assets and Service Acquisition, Credit, and Research and Development.

Each PART questionnaire includes 25 questions that are divided up into four sections.

  • The first section of questions asks whether a program's purpose is clear and whether it is well designed to achieve its objectives.
  • The second section involves strategic planning, and weighs whether the agency establishes valid annual and long-term goals for its programs.
  • The third section rates the management of an agency’s program, including financial oversight and program improvement efforts.
  • The fourth section of questions focuses on results that programs can report with accuracy and consistency.

 

The answers to questions in each of the four sections result in a numerical score for each section from 0 to 100 (100 being the best score). Because reporting a single weighted numerical rating could suggest false precision, or draw attention away from the very areas most in need of improvement, numerical scores are translated into qualitative ratings. The bands and associated ratings are as follows:

Rating Range

Effective .............................................................. 85-100

Moderately Effective ............................................... 70-84

Adequate .............................................................. 50-69

Ineffective .............................................................. 0-49

Regardless of overall score, a rating of Results Not Demonstrated is given when programs do not have agreed-upon performance measures or lack baselines and performance data.

Have more questions about the PART? View our Frequently Asked Questions page.

The content on ExpectMore.gov is developed by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget and Federal agencies.