Archive

Author: National Partnership for Reinventing Government
(formerly National Performance Review)

Date: 3-30-94

National Performance Review

Recommendations Affecting Services

To Children and Families

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Principles of the National Performance Review

We will invent a government that puts people first, by:

Cutting Unnecessary Spending

Serving It's Customers

Empowering Its Employees

Helping Communities to Solve Their Own Problems

Fostering Excellence

Here's how. We will:

Create a clear sense of mission

Steer more, row less

Delegate authority and responsibility

Replace regulations with incentives

Develop budgets based on outcomes

Expose Federal operations to competition

Search for market, not administrative solutions

Measure our success by customer satisfaction

The principles laid out above underpin all of the recommendations to

reinvent government developed by the National Performance Review

(NPR). In developing recommendations, the NPR looked internally at

each of the 25 largest agencies as well as across the Federal system

at 13 functions that are critical to making government work better

and cost less. Many recommendations within each of these areas

affect services to children and families. Those NPR recommendations

that affect -- both directly and indirectly -- services to children

and families are summarized below, and are categorized by the NPR

agency and system reports which accompany the September 1993 NPR

summary report, "From Red Tape to Results: Making Government Work

Better and Cost Less". More detail can be found on each of these

recommendations in the accompanying reports.

These recommendations have been compiled here to serve as a tool for

stimulating cross-cutting actions and efforts to collaborate and

coordinate the hundreds of Federal programs serving children and

families. Some of these recommendations directly improve children

and family programs. Others improve all government services and

operations, including those to children and families. Explanatory

notes (in italics) follow those recommendations where the

relationship to children and family programs may not be entirely

clear.

With at least 340 children and families programs administered by 11

different Federal agencies, it is imperative in our efforts to

improve the delivery of service to the customers of this country that

we look across departments and agencies as well as at our fundamental

operation of governmental systems.

While this compilation lists the relevant recommendations made in

the NPR reports, many additional efforts are underway all across

government. As communities and governments at all levels strive to

implement these efforts and to improve services to children and

families, the NPR principles can serve as a guide.Major

Recommendations by Agency

There are eleven federal agencies predominately responsible for

providing or funding services to children and families. The relevant

recommendations from the NPR reports covering these agencies are

summarized below.

Improving service delivery requires partnership at all levels,

intergovernmentally as well as internally within the Federal

government. Efforts to strengthen services within each agency

impacts services to that agency's customers, as well as services

provided or funded by other agencies that serve the same customers.

In order to keep this customer in focus, we must recognize these

interconnections from the customer's perspective and work to better

coordinate our efforts. Many of the systems' recommendations

(summarized below following the specific agency recommendations) are

aimed at improving inter-agency coordination.

Department of Agriculture

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USDA05 Administer the Employment and Training Requirements for

Food Stamp Recipients More Effectively and Efficiently

Redirect funds from an ineffective training program for food stamp

recipients and allow them to participate in programs with proven

results.

USDA06 Encourage Better Food Package Management Practices and

Facilitate Multi-State Contracts for Infant Food and Formula Cost

Containment in the WIC program

The recommendation encourages increased competition among infant

formula vendors and manufacturers of other items in the USDA's

Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children

(WIC). Savings accrue to program.

USDA07 Deliver Food Stamp Benefits Via Electronic Benefits

Transfer to Improve Service to Customers While Remaining Cost

Effective

Use electronic technology to distribute food stamp benefits,

thereby improving service and reducing the need for current paper

stamps.

Federal Emergency Management Agency

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FEMA01 Shift Emphasis to Preparing for and Responding to the

Consequences of All Disasters

FEMA's early focus was on preparedness for nuclear war. The

current world situation and recent natural disasters highlight the

need for FEMA to continue to shift its resources to respond to all

hazards.

FEMA02 Develop a More Anticipatory and Customer-Driven Response to

Catastrophic Disasters

These recommendations should make FEMA respond faster and more

effectively to catastrophic disasters.

Department of Transportation

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DOT11 Improve Intermodal Transportation Policy Coordination and

Management

DOT should institute a strategic planning process to promulgate

national, integrated transportation policies. Transportation policy

affects families by, for example, isolating the poor from jobs and

services if strategic, community-wide planning is not conducted.

Department of Commerce

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DOC01 Reinvent Federal Economic and Regional Development Efforts

Improve coordination of federal economic development efforts with

the goals of eliminating duplication and better directing federal

resources to improve business conditions and provide jobs.

DOC07 Provide EDA Public Works Loan Guarantees for Infrastructure

Assistance

This recommendation would provide the Economic Development

Administration with authority to use part of its funding as a

reserve for loan guarantees for various public economic development

projects.

DOC09 Expand the Electronic Availability of Census Data

To increase access to and use of census data, the Census Bureau

should create a computerized census information center. This data

can help inform policy, implementation, and evaluation of all

government programs and can provide critical information to all

levels of government and the local communities in developing

strategic plans.

DOC14 Build a Business and Economic Information Node for the

Information Highway

To assist in the distribution of government information to private

citizens, Commerce should build a business and economic information

node to the "information highway."

Department of Education

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ED01 Redesign Chapter 1 of Elementary and Secondary Education Act

Recommendations focus education funds on the neediest students and

simplify requirements on schools receiving federal education aid.

Existing funds are redirected.

ED02 Reduce the Number of Programs the Department of Education

Administers

Eliminate or consolidate more than 40 existing education grant

programs and free up funds for use in other educational programs.

ED03 Consolidate the Eisenhower Math and Science Education

Program with Chapter 2

NPR proposes combining this teacher training program, which is

largely consumed with short-term training, with other Education

programs to create a new program with a more coherent national focus

on teacher training and professional development.

ED08 Create a Single Point of Contact for Program and Grant

Information

Education should create an electronic system that can be used by

students, parents, researchers and administrators to learn about

department programs, funding opportunities, best practices and other

information.

ED12 Develop a Strategy for Technical Assistance and Information

Dissemination

Education should develop a strategy for its $290 million technical

assistance efforts designed to promote the National Education Goals

2000 themes.

Department of Health and Human Services

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HHS01 Promote Effective, Integrated Service Delivery for Customers

by Increasing Collaborative Efforts

These recommendations outline a number of steps needed to better

integrate and deliver social services to communities and families.

HHS02 Reengineer the HHS Process for Issuing Regulations

HHS should improve the timeliness and quality of regulations issued

and should involve stakeholders in the development of regulations.

HHS06 Improve Social Security Administration Disability Claims

Processing to Better Serve People with Disabilities and Safeguard

Trust Fund Assets

SSA should apply resources and management tools needed to reduce

backlogs and to avoid paying benefits to individuals who are no

longer disabled.

HHS11 Redesign SSA Service Delivery and Make Better Use of

Technology to Provide Improved Access and Services to Customers

SSA's organizational structure needs to be updated to reflect

changing customer needs and to take full advantage of emerging

technologies.

HHS13 Review the Field and Regional Office Structure of the HHS

and Develop a Plan for Shifting Resources to Match Workload Demands

The review should emphasize customer service, results and increased

accountability.

Department of Housing and Urban Development

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HUD01 Reinvent Public Housing

HUD should create pilot programs to devolve greater authority over

housing funds to sound local agencies. It should create

demonstrations of mixed-income public housing with portable

subsidies. HUD should also streamline public housing rules and take

other steps to improve public housing management.

HUD02 Improve Multi-Family Asset Management and Disposition

HUD should use public-private partnerships to manage and sell HUD-

held loans and real estate for non-subsidized housing projects.

Congress should reduce restrictions on HUD sale of multi-family

properties, including use of portable subsidies for tenants when the

Secretary determines that to be best for tenant needs.

HUD03 Improve Single-Family Asset Management and Disposition

HUD should use a combination of early assistance to borrowers

having financial difficulties, contract loan servicing, contract

mortgage assistance programs and public-private partnerships to

streamline and improve management of HUD- assigned single-family

mortgages.

HUD04 Create an Assisted-Housing/Rent Subsidy Demonstration

Project

HUD should be authorized to experiment in negotiated restructuring

of privately owned assisted-housing projects to improve management,

promote mixed-income housing and save taxpayer funds.

HUD05 Establish a New Housing Production Program

HUD should stimulate housing production through FHA risk-sharing

arrangements with housing finance agencies, stimulate a secondary

market for multi-family properties, improve access to FHA insurance

for first-time home buyers, provide special FHA programs to

revitalize neighborhoods and improve FHA management.

HUD06 Streamline HUD Field Operations

HUD should streamline its Washington, regional and field office

structure and consolidate and reduce its size over time.

HUD08 Reduce Section 8 Contract Rent Payments

HUD should modify its process to reduce unjustified increases in

annual payments to Section 8 projects.

HUD09 Consolidate Section 8 Certificates and Vouchers

This recommendation would consolidate two overlapping projects to

eliminate duplication.

HUD10 Reduce Operating Subsidies for Vacancies

This recommendation would encourage public housing agencies to make

better use of their assets by reducing subsidies paid for

unjustifiably vacant units.

Department of Justice

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DOJ01 Improve the Coordination and Structure of Federal Law

Enforcement Agencies

NPR recommends the designation of the Attorney General as the

Director of Law Enforcement to coordinate federal law enforcement

efforts to improve public safety. It also recommends changes in the

alignment of federal law enforcement responsibilities.

DOJ02 Improve Border Management

Federal border management should be significantly improved. NPR

recommends a series of actions to be taken by Customs and INS to

make these improvements. Border states' budgets and workload are

severely impacted by government services to undocumented aliens. In

addition, INS's efficiency and effectiveness in verifying INS status

impacts the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program's

ability to determine eligibilty for it's applicants.

DOJ03 Redirect and Better Coordinate Resources Dedicated to

Interdiction of Drugs

This recommendation outlines changes that can be made to better

coordinate federal programs directed at the air interdiction of

drugs.

DOJ05 Improve the Bureau of Prisons Education, Job Training,

and Financial Responsibilities Programs

NPR makes a series of recommendations for improving prison

education, training, and inmate financial responsibility policies.

DOJ08 Reinvent the Immigration and Naturalization Service's

Organization

NPR recommends a number of changes in INS organization and

management processes to provide an improved management structure and

a strategic vision for the agency.

Department of Labor

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DOL01 Enhance Reemployment Programs for Occupationally Disabled

Federal Employees

These recommendations would help occupationally disabled federal

employees return to productive careers by expanding DOL's return-to-

work program. This saves money by reducing long-term benefit costs

to the government.

DOL02 Develop a Single Comprehensive Worker Adjustment Strategy

Improve services to the unemployed--and those at risk of

dislocation--and make better use of resources available for

assistance by developing a new worker adjustment strategy.

DOL08 Create One-Stop Centers for Career Management

Establishing one-stop centers for career management would create a

customer- driven work force system, empowering Americans to make

informed career choices and providing the means to achieve those

goals.

DOL11 Open the Civilian Conservation Centers to Private and Public

Competition

A long-term reduction in costs is possible through expanded

competition for contracts to operate Job Corps Civilian Conservation

Centers.

DOL19 Transfer the Veterans' Employment and Training Service

to the Employment and Training Administration

The DOL can improve service delivery to veterans and save money by

consolidating administration of this function.

DOL21 Change the Focus of the Unemployment Insurance Benefits

Quality Control Program to Improve Performance

Re-examining the present mix of systems to shift the focus of this

program from error measurement to a constructive use of the results

would allow DOL to improve benefit payment quality and more

effectively achieve the program's goals.

Small Business Administration

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SBA02 Improve Assistance to Minority Small Businesses

This proposal recommends a complete review of all federal minority

business assistance programs and the establishment of a Small

Disadvantaged Business Set-Aside program for civilian agencies to

provide increased opportunities for minority small business.

SBA03 Reinvent the U.S. Small Business Administration's Credit

Programs

Identify ways to improve SBA's credit programs to make SBA more

responsive to those industries with the potential for creating a

higher number of jobs, those involved in international trade, and

those providing critical technologies. It will also enable the

agency to operate more efficiently.

SBA04 Examine Federal Guidelines for Small Business Lending

Requirements

The federal government should examine the guidelines bank

regulators set for small business lending by financial institutions

to ensure that capital is available without undue barriers while

maintaining the integrity of the financial institutions.

SBA05 Manage the Microloan Program to Increase Loans for Small

Business

Allowing SBA to guarantee loans made by banks to nonprofit

intermediaries, who could, in turn, make small loans to low-income

individuals, women, minorities and other small businesses unable to

obtain credit through traditional lending sources would increase

private sector participation and lessen administrative burdens

linked to direct government lending.

SBA06 Establish User Fees for Small Business Development Center

Services

Authorize Small Business Development Centers to charge a nominal

fee for their services to reduce federal outlays and require the

direct beneficiaries of the assistance to pay a share of the cost.

Department of Veterans Affairs

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DVA02 Modernize Benefits Claims Processing

Modernization of the VA benefits claims processing system will

improve the quality of service and save taxpayer dollars over time.

DVA04 Streamline Benefits Claims Processing

VA should examine the usefulness of a New York Regional Office

approach to benefits claims processing that promises to streamline

the process. It should also examine regional staffing.

DVA10 Serve Veterans and Their Families as Customers

This recommendation outlines several approaches for VA to improve

its focus on veterans and their families as customers.

DVA12 Improve Business Practices through Electronic Commerce

VA should expand its use of electronic media to reduce paperwork

and save money. It should seek to make greater use of electronic

funds transfer of compensation and pension benefits.

DVA15 Restructure the Veterans Affairs' Health Care System

VA should re-examine its role and delivery structure after the

issuance of the report of the President's National Health Care

Reform Task Force and take actions to restructure the VA health care

system.

Major Recommendations Affecting Governmental Systems

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Systems improvements impact the way government does business in

literally every area, including services to children and families,

which are greatly enhanced when we are able to: strengthen

intergovernmental partnerships; reinvent support services;

streamline management control; transform organizational structures;

implement mission-driven, results-oriented budgeting; improve

customer service; improve financial management; reinvent human

resource management; reinvent Federal procurement; reengineer

through the use of information technology; focus on program design;

and, improve regulatory systems.

Improvements in each of these areas are especially relevant in the

11 Federal agencies charged with administering programs to children

and families. These systems improvements will free up resources and

provide a clearer sense of organizational mission and objectives as

we measure and improve our performance in serving families.

Strengthening the Partnership in Intergovernmental Service Delivery

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FSL01 Improve the Delivery of Federal Domestic Grant Programs

Create flexibility and encourage innovation by designing a bottom-

up solution to the problem of grant proliferation and its

accompanying red tape. Also, support proposals for Federal-State

Flexibility Grants. Establish a Cabinet-level Enterprise Board to

oversee initiatives in community improvement.

FSL02 Reduce Red Tape through Regulatory and Mandate Relief

Issue an Executive Order addressing the problems of unfunded

federal mandates and regulatory relief and authorize Cabinet

Secretaries and agency heads to obtain selective relief from

regulations or mandates in programs they oversee.

FSL03 Simplify Reimbursement Procedures for Administrative Costs

of Federal Grant Disbursement

Modify OMB Circular A-87, "Cost Principles for State and Local

Governments," to provide states and localities with a fixed fee-for-

service option in lieu of costly reimbursement procedures covering

administrative costs. Time and funds saved by reducing accounting

and allocative burdens can be recaptured and refocused on achieving

programmatic outcomes.

FSL05 Simplify Administration by Modifying the Common Grant Rules

on Small Purchases

Modify OMB Circular A-102, "Grants and Cooperative Agreements to

State and Local Governments", to increase the dollar threshold for

small purchases by local governments from $25,000 to $100,000. This

modification would allow local governments to use relatively simple

procurement methods (e.g., obtaining price or rate quotations over

the phone from an adequate number of vendors) rather than formally

advertise and solicit sealed public bids for purchases up to

$100,000 for services, supplies, or other property. This will speed

the procurement process and thus speed services to customers when, for

example, a grantee wants to procure one small van to transport the

disabled.

FSL06 Strengthen the Intergovernmental Partnership

Reinvent the Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Affairs

(ACIR) and charge it with the responsibility for continuous

improvement in federal, state and local partnership and

intergovernmental service delivery. Direct the ACIR to identify

opportunities to improve intergovernmental service delivery and

develop a set of benchmarks.

Reinventing Support Services

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SUP02 Assure Public Access to Federal Information

Give the executive branch agencies responsibility for distributing

printed federal information to depository libraries. Require

agencies to inventory the federal information they hold and make it

accessible to the public.

Streamlining Management Control

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SMC03 Change the Focus of the Inspectors General

Change the focus of the Inspectors General from compliance auditing

to evaluating management control systems. In addition, recast the

IG's method of operation to be more collaborative and less

adversarial. As the IG's and others in government change their

focus from compliance with process to collaborative management for

results, all government programs will improve.

SMC04 Increase the Effectiveness of Offices of General Counsel

Define clearly the clients of agency General Counsel offices as

agency line managers. Train staff attorneys to understand the

cultural changes they will need to undertake to operate in an

environment where program results are important. Develop

performance measures and "feedback loops" to ensure close

cooperation with line managers. As the culture of government in

every office focuses more on cooperation to achieve results, all

government programs will improve.

SMC05 Improve the Effectiveness of the General Accounting Office

Through Increased Customer Feedback

Improve GAO's documentation of best practices and the use of

feedback loops on its performance.

SMC07 Reduce Internal Regulations by More than 50 Percent

Direct department secretaries and agency heads to reduce by a least

50 percent the number of internal regulations and the number of

pages of regulations within three years. These actions will help

eliminate unnecessary procedural delays many agencies face in

serving their customers.

SMC08 Expand the Use of Waivers to Encourage Innovation

Establish a process for obtaining waivers from federal regulations

and identifying those regulations for which this process should

apply. Regulatory barriers that prevent front line innovation to

improve services will be reduced.

Transforming Organizational Structures

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ORG05 Sponsor Three or More Cross-Departmental Initiatives

Addressing Common Issues or Customers

The President's Management Council should identify and sponsor

three or more cross-departmental initiatives in areas such as

illegal immigration, debt collection, and the problems of the

homeless.

ORG06 Identify and Change Legislative Barriers to Cross-

Organizational Cooperation

As cross-organizational collaborations become an integral part of

government operations, barriers to ready collaboration and funding

should be removed. Cross-organizational cooperation can be a very

effective tool to improving program results and meeting the needs of

the customers.

Mission-Driven, Results-Oriented Budgeting

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BGT01 Develop Performance Agreements with Senior Political

Leadership that Reflect Organizational and Policy Goals

The President should develop performance agreements with agency

heads. Agency heads should also use performance agreements within

their agency to forge an effective team committed to achieving

organizational goals and objectives. Performance agreements are one

tool to set a common mission, prioritize organizational goals, and

focus on achieving results.

BGT02 Effectively Implement the Government Performance and Results

Act of 1993

Accelerate planning and measurement efforts to improve performance

in every federal program and agency. Designate as pilots under the

act several multi-agency efforts that have related programs and

function. Develop common measures and data collection efforts for

cross-cutting issues. Clarify the goals and objectives of federal

programs. Incorporate performance objectives and results as key

elements in budget and management reviews.

BGT03 Empower Managers to Perform

Restructure appropriations accounts to reduce overitemization and

to align them with programs. Ensure that direct operating costs can

be identified. Reduce overly detailed restrictions and earmarks in

appropriations and report language. Simplify the apportionment

process. Reduce the excessive administrative subdivision of funds in

financial operating plans. These actions will allow front line

managers, those closest to the service delivery level, more

flexibility in using funds to best meet program objectives.

Improving Customer Services

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ICS01 Create Customer-driven Programs in All Departments and

Agencies that Provide Services Directly to the Public

Establish an overall policy for quality of federal services

delivered to the public and initiate customer service programs in

all agencies that provide services directly to the public.

ICS02 Customer Service Performance Standards--Internal Revenue

Service

As part of its participation in the NPR, the Internal Revenue

Service is publishing customer service performance standards. To

speed the delivery of taxpayer refunds, the Secretary of the

Treasury should delegate disbursing authority to IRS in 1993 and

future tax seasons. IRS serves the same customers as several other

Federal programs. With the expansion of the Earned Income Tax

Credit (EITC), IRS's responsiveness to it's customers becomes even

more relevant to Federal programs such as Aid to Families with

Dependent Children and Food Stamps. The effective disbursement of

these EITC payments could prevent the need for families to seek

assistance in these other Federal programs.

ICS03 Customer Service Performance Standards--Social

Security Administration

As part of its participation in the NPR, the Social Security

Administration is publishing customer service performance standards.

SSA will also obtain customer opinions on all the goals and

objectives of their strategic plan, using that input to revise the

goals and objectives as needed, set priorities, and establish

interim objectives.

ICS05 Streamline Ways to Collect Customer Satisfaction and Other

Information from the Public

For voluntary information collection requests directed at

customers, OMB will delegate authority to approve such requests if

departments certify that they will fully comply with Paperwork

Reduction Act requirements. OMB will also clarify rules on the use

of focus groups and streamline renewals of previously approved

survey requests.

Improving Financial Management

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FM04 Increase the Use of Technology to Streamline Financial

Services

Use electronic funds transfer to pay and reimburse expenses for all

federal employees, to handle all interagency payments, to make

payments to state and local governments, and to pay for purchases

from the private sector. Similarly, all payments to individuals

should be done electronically.

Reinventing Human Resource Management

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HRM03 Authorize Agencies to Develop Programs for Improvement of

Individual and Organizational Performance

Authorize agencies to design their own performance management

programs which define and measure success based on each agency's

unique needs. In departments charged with serving children and

families, human resource tools which reinforce a clear sense of

mission, performance goals, and expected results will help to

improve outcomes of all programs.

HRM04 Authorize Agencies to Develop Incentive Award and Bonus

Systems to Improve Individual and Organizational Performance

Authorize agencies to develop their own incentive award and bonus

systems. Encourage agencies to establish productivity gainsharing

programs to support their reinvention and change efforts. These

actions are among the human resource tools which can be used to

improve government performance in all programs.

HRM06 Clearly Define the Objective of Training as the Improvement

of Individual and Organizational Performance; Make Training More

Market-Driven

Reduce restrictions on training to allow managers to focus on

organizational mission and to take advantage of the available

training marketplace.

HRM07 Enhance Programs to Provide Family-Friendly Workplaces

Implement family-friendly workplace practices (flex-time,

flexiplace, job sharing, telecommuting) while ensuring

accountability for customer service. Provide telecommunications and

administrative support necessary for employees participating in

flexiplace and telecommuting work arrangements. Expand the

authority to establish and fund dependent care programs. Allow

employees to use sick leave to care for dependents. Allow employees

who leave and then re-enter federal service to be given credit for

prior sick leave balances.

Reinventing Federal Procurement

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PROC07 Enhance Programs for Small Business and Small Disadvantaged

Business Concerns

Repeal statutory limitations on subcontracting and substitute

regulatory limitations to provide greater flexibility. Authorize

civilian agencies to establish small disadvantaged business set-

asides. These actions will affect economic development in

distressed communities.

PROC10 Ensure Customer Focus in Procurement

Revise Procurement Management Reviews to incorporate NPR principles

such as "focusing on results" for the line managers.

Reengineer Through the Use of Information Technology

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IT01 Provide Clear, Strong Leadership to Integrate Information

Technology into the Business of Government

Create a Government Information Technology Services working group

to develop a strategic vision for the use of government information

technology and to implement NPR's information technology

recommendations. A major focus of this group is the application of

technology to improve governmental services to citizens.

IT02 Implement Nationwide, Integrated Electronic Benefit Transfer

Design an integrated implementation plan for the use of electronic

benefit transfer for programs such as Food Stamps and for direct

payments to individuals without bank accounts.

IT03 Develop Integrated Electronic Access to Government

Information and Service

Use information technology initiatives to improve customer service

by creating a one-stop "800" calling service, integrated one-stop

service "kiosks," and a government-wide electronic bulletin board

system.

IT04 Establish a National Law Enforcement/Public Safety Network

Establish a national law enforcement/public safety data network for

use by federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

IT09 Establish an Information Infrastructure

Develop a Government Information Infrastructure to use government

information resources effectively and support electronic government

applications. Consolidate and modernize government data processing

centers. These actions will speed government service and provide

information to improve government service.

IT10 Develop Systems and Mechanisms to Ensure Privacy and Security

Establish a Privacy Protection Board. Establish uniform privacy

protection practices and generally acceptable implementation methods

for these practices. Develop a digital signature standard for

sensitive, unclassified data by January 1994. In children and

family programs, confidentiality concerns have impeded some past

efforts for interagency and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Program Design

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DES01 Activate Program Design as a Formal Discipline

The President's Management Council should commission the

development of a handbook to help federal managers understand the

strengths and weaknesses of various forms of program design, which

will lead to improvements in the outcomes of government programs.

DES02 Establish Pilot Program Design Capabilities in One or Two

Agencies

Test the usefulness of the program design handbook and the value of

program design as a useful discipline.

DES03 Encourage the Strengthening of Program Design in the

Legislative Branch

The President's Management Council should work with congressional

support agencies to help them strengthen their program design

capabilities.

DES04 Commission Program Design Courses

Develop training courses for managers and policymakers on various

program design approaches to improve government programs.

Improving Regulatory Systems

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REG01 Create an Interagency Regulatory Coordinating Group

Create an interagency Regulatory Coordinating Group to share

information and coordinate approaches to regulatory issues. These

actions will help to improve the design and outcomes of all federal

programs.

REG04 Enhance Public Awareness and Participation

Use information technology and other techniques to increase

opportunities for early, frequent and interactive public

participation during the rulemaking process and to increase program

evaluation efforts.

.