The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a Dec. 23 update to its budget guidance to Federal agencies that removes a section that required agencies to evaluate the performance of their programs as part of the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA).
OMB said it expects to deliver further guidance on the revisions to the performance reporting section of its A-11 Circular on budget preparation, submission and execution. A memo announcing the update said the administration believes the current framework for reporting does not lead to “impactful change or measurable efficiencies.”
“Congress has not held a hearing focused on performance data for years. This lack of interest in the vast bulk of GPRA generated performance data is not new; it has persisted throughout recent Presidential administrations led by both major parties,” the memo said.
The GPRA mandates that agencies submit to OMB five-year plans that include performance goals for their programs, and update both the White House and Congress on progress. In its latest update, OMB said that raw financial data posted by agencies is viewed 30 times more than performance-related data.
OMB said it made the update in order to eliminate a bureaucratic process that has “yielded few tangible results,” and that the move is aligned with Trump administration priorities.
