Archive

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

Date: 01-01-94

Major Recommendations by Agency

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Department of Agriculture

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

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.

Department of Commerce

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.

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.

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 Defense

DOD07 Create a Healthy and Safe Environment for Department of

Defense Activities

To create a safe environment, DOD must take action in the areas of

clean-up of hazardous wastes, use of environmental technology, and

pollution prevention.

DOD12 Streamline and Reorganize the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

NPR recommends implementing a 1992 reorganization proposal that

would reduce the number of division offices from 11 to six and would

allow the Corps to work with OMB and other agencies to make maximum

use of Corps' engineering and technical capabilities.

Department of Education

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 ED programs to

create a new program with a more coherent national focus on teacher

training and professional development.

ED05 Streamline and Improve the Department of Education's Grants

Process

Statutory restrictions on the department's rulemaking process should

be removed, flexibility added to certain procedures, and unnecessary

requirements eliminated to shorten the grant award process.

ED07 Simplify and Strengthen Institutional Eligibility and

Certification for Participation in Federal Student Aid

NPR recommends developing ways of measuring default indicators,

creating profiles of high-risk institutions, and removing

eligibility of institutions to participate in federal financial aid

programs once the schools have become ineligible to receive federal

student loan funds.

ED08 Create a Single Point of Contact for Program and Grant

Information

ED 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.

ED10 Eliminate the Grantback Statutory Provision of the General

Education Provisions Act

NPR recommends repealing this provision which permits the department

to return to a grantee a percentage of funds recovered from the grantee

as a result of an audit.

ED12 Develop a Strategy for Technical Assistance and Information

Dissemination

ED should develop a strategy for its $290 million technical assistance

efforts designed to promote the National Goals 2000 themes.

Department of Energy

DOE01 Improve Environmental Contract Management

NPR proposes improvements in DOE environmental clean-up contracts to

achieve efficiency.

DOE02 Incorporate Land Use Planning in Cleanup

NPR recommends that DOE incorporate land use planning into the

nuclear facilities clean-up process.

DOE08 Support the Sale of the Alaska Power Administration

The federal government should divest its interests in the Alaska

Power Administration.

Environmental Protection Agency

EPA01 Improve Environmental Protection Through Increased

Flexibility for Local Government

EPA should amend the regulations it determines are most troublesome

for local governments pursuant to the Regulatory Flexibility Act of

1980. The goal is to provide alternative, flexible approaches to

meeting environmental mandates.

EPA02 Streamline EPA's Permit Program

Streamlining efforts include establishing a permit clearinghouse to

serve as a single point of contact and piloting a cross-program

permit tracking system.

EPA04 romote the Use of Economic and Market-Based Approaches to

Reduce Water Pollution

EPA should work with Congress to propose language amending the Clean

Water Act to explicitly encourage market-based approaches to reduce

water pollution. EPA should also identify wastewater discharge fees

that could be included in the Clean Water Act reauthorization.

Executive Office of the President

EOP03 Strengthen the Office of U.S. Trade Representative's

Coordination with State and Local Governments

The Trade Representative's Office should examine the trade policy

needs of state and local governments and work with them on relevant

issues.

Federal Emergency Management Agency

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.

FEMA03 Create Results-Oriented Incentives to Reduce the Costs of a

Disaster

The Midwest floods, Hurricanes Hugo and Andrew and the Loma Prieta

Earthquake all illustrate the enormous costs of disaster to society.

These recommendations will move toward reducing that cost.

Department of Health and Human Services

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.

HHS05 Restructure the Management of Railroad Industry Benefit

Programs

Railroad Retirement Board functions should be integrated into

existing programs administered by federal, state, and private sector

service providers.

HHS08 Coordinate Collection and Dissemination of Social Security

Administration Death Information to Protect Federal Program Assets

SSA's clearinghouse for death information and "best practices" can

be used by dozens of federal and state agencies to reduce federal

program outlays.

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

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.

Department of the Interior

DOI01 Establish a Hard Rock Mine Reclamation Fund to Restore the

Environment

To address health and safety threats and environmental damage

caused by toxic metal and chemical leaching from abandoned mines, the

federal government should establish a hard-rock mine reclamation

fund.

DOI02 Redefine Federal Oversight of Coal Mine Regulation

To overcome organizational problems that inhibit an effective

state-federal relationship, federal oversight of coal mine

regulations should be redefined.

DOI03 Establish a National Spatial Data Infrastructure

By supporting a cross-agency coordinating effort, the federal

government can develop a coherent vision for the national spatial

data infrastructure (NSDI). (Spatial, or geographic, data refers to

information that can be placed on a map.) This will allow greatly

improved information analysis in a wide range of areas, including the

analysis of environmental information and the monitoring of

endangered animals and sensitive land areas.

DOI04 Promote Entrepreneurial Management of the National

Park Service

The Park Service should be allowed to raise additional revenues

from appropriate sources and to use a portion of the money for

investment in park infrastructure. This proposal would increase

selected park entry fees and would increase fees on park

concessionaires.

DOI05 Obtain a Fair Return for Federal Resources

The federal government should institute reforms to guarantee a

fair return for federal resources such as livestock grazing and hard-

rock mining. Some of the programs regulating the commercial sale and

use of natural resources on federal lands operate at a loss to the

taxpayers and fail to provide incentives for good stewardship

practices. The administration should also develop a new fee schedule

for communications sites on DOI and Department of Agriculture lands.

DOI06 Rationalize Federal Land Ownership

DOI needs to reinvent the way it manages and acquires federal

lands. Due to historical patterns of settlement and development of

this country, adjoining federal lands often fall under the jurisdiction

of several federal agencies. To the degree possible, this should be

corrected based on the principle of ecosystem management.

DOI07 Improve the Land Acquisition Policies of the DOI

The Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture and the Director of OMB

should modify the process for determining land acquisition priorities

and procedures. The new system should reflect major objectives of

federal land acquisition, including outdoor recreation resources,

resource protection, and resource and cultural heritage protection.

DOI08 Improve Mineral Management Service Royalty Collections

Better management of DOI's royalty collection program would increase

revenues and improve efficiency.

DOI12 Create a New Mission for the Bureau of Reclamation

The Bureau of Reclamation needs to redefine its mission toward new

environmental priorities and clarify its role in water management.

The original mission to develop water resources and provide for

economic development of the West--is almost complete.

DOI14 Enhance Environmental Management by Remediating

Hazardous Material Sites

The time is right to integrate skills across bureau boundaries in

the remediation of DOI's hazardous materials sites. The high cost of

remediation requires DOI to make maximum use of existing resources.

Department of Justice

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.

DOJ06 Improve the Management of Federal Assets Targeted for

Disposition

Improvements are needed in the methods by which the federal government

disposes of various assets.

Department of Labor

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.

DOL09 Create a Boundary-Spanning Work Force Development Council

Because the greatest barriers to creating an integrated work force

development system are the categorical nature of federal funds and

structural fragmentation of various federal programs, this issue

proposes to coordinate work force development efforts by convening a

multi-agency Work Force Development Council and implementing "bottom-

up grant consolidation" for states and localities.

DOL10 Refocus the Responsibility for Ensuring Workplace Safety and

Health

This recommendation proposes to shift responsibility for workplace

safety and health to employers by issuing regulations requiring self-

inspections and implementing a sliding scale of incentives and

penalties to ensure safety standards are met.

DOL16 Increase Assistance to States in Collecting Delinquent

Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund Contributions

This recommendation outlines ways of improving state collections

of delinquent unemployment insurance contributions.

DOL17 Revise and Update the Consumer Price Index

The consumer price index has important consequences for both public

and private decisions. This important measure should be updated to

reflect recent inflation trends.

Small Business Administration

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 Transportation

DOT03 Use a Consensus-Building Approach to Expedite Transportation

and Environmental Decisionmaking

DOT should conduct two demonstration projects to apply a problem-

solving approach to transportation planning, development and

decisionmaking as a means of reducing costs and improving the

efficiency of agency decisionmaking.

DOT05 Permit States to Use Federal Aid as a Capital Reserve

This recommendation would allow federal transportation grant

recipients to use grant funds capital reserve to back debt financing

to construct eligible transportation projects.

DOT11 Improve Intermodal Transportation Policy Coordination and

Management

DOT should institute a strategic planning process to promulgate

national, integrated transportation policies.

DOT12 Develop an Integrated National Transportation Research and

Development Plan

DOT should examine the nation's transportation-related research

and development portfolio and develop an integrated national

transportation plan that considers specific transportation research

needs as well as intermodal transportation plans.

DOT17 Eliminate Funding for Highway Demonstration Projects

Rescind funding for existing highway demonstration projects.

These demonstration projects should compete at the state level for

the limited highway resources available and not be singled out for

special treatment at the federal level.

DOT19 Rescind Unobligated Earmarks for the FTA New Starts and Bus

Program

Rescind unobligated balances for fiscal year 1992 and prior earmarked

funding under this FTA program that remain unobligated after three

years.

DOT20 Reduce the Annual Essential Air Service Subsidies

This recommendation would set new, more restrictive criteria for

small airports to qualify for essential air service subsidies.

DOT23 Automate Administrative Requirements for Federal Aid Highway

projects

NPR recommends improvements in the flow of information on Federal

Aid Highway projects that will reduce paperwork and reduce staff time

in completing certain forms and other current requirements.

Department of Treasury/Resolution Trust Corporation

TRE04 Foster Federal-State Cooperative Initiatives by the IRS

Cooperative relationships between the IRS and state tax

administrations, including joint filing of data, should improve

taxpayer service as well as collection activity while reducing costs.

Department of Veterans Affairs

DVA11 Phase-Out and Close Supply Depots

VA should convert its existing centralized depot storage and

distribution program to a commercial just-in-time delivery system and

close unneeded supply depots.

Major Recommendations Affecting Governmental Systems

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Transforming Organizational Structures

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ORG03 Establish a List of Specific Field Offices to Be Closed

Within 18 months, the President's Management Council should submit

a list to Congress of civilian field offices that should be closed.

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.

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.

ICS04 Customer Service Performance Standards--Postal Service

As part of its participation in the NPR, the U.S. Postal Service

will expand its plans to display customer service standards in Post

Office retail lobbies.

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 Support Services

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SUP08 Give Customers Choices and Create Real Property Enterprises

that Promote Sound Real Property Asset Management

Give agencies greater authority to choose their sources of real

property services. Create competitive enterprises within the

government to provide real property services on a fee basis, and

encourage federal managers to seek the best available source. Create

an ownership enterprise for the sound management of federal real

property assets. Establish a government-wide policy for real property

asset management. Manage the Federal Buildings Fund in a manner

comparable to the commercial sector.

SUP09 Simplify Procedures for Acquiring Small Blocks of Space to

House Federal Agencies

Simplify the procedures for acquiring small amounts of leased

space under 10,000 square feet.

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.

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 governmentwide 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.

IT05 Provide Intergovernmental Tax Filing, Reporting, and Payments

Processing

Integrate government financial filings, reporting, and payments

processing, and determine ways to eliminate the need for filing

routine tax returns.

IT06 Establish an International Trade Data System

Develop and implement a U.S. Government International Trade Data

System in the Treasury Department.

IT07 Create a National Environmental Data Index

Organize the implementation of a national environmental data index

in the Commerce Department.

IT08 Plan, Demonstrate, and Provide Governmentwide Electronic mail

Improve electronic mail and messaging among federal agencies.

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.

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.

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 NEW

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 a fixed fee-for-service option in lieu of

costly reimbursement procedures covering actual administrative costs

of grant disbursement.

FSL04 Eliminate Needless Paperwork by Simplifying the Compliance

Certification Process

Simplify OMB's requirements to prepare multiple grant compliance

certifications by allowing state and local governments to submit a

single certification to a single point of contact in the federal

government.

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

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 AICR to identify

opportunities to improve intergovernmental service delivery and

develop a set of benchmarks.

Reinventing Environmental Management

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ENV01 Improve Federal Decisionmaking through Environmental Cost

Accounting

Develop demonstration projects to test the applicability of

environmental cost accounting. Based on project results, develop

guidelines to implement environmental cost accounting throughout the

Federal Government. Issue an Executive Order to encourage the use of

environmental cost accounting by federal agencies.

ENV02 Develop Cross-agency Ecosystem Planning and Management

Issue an Executive Order to encourage sustainable economic development

and ensure sustainable ecosystems through a cross-agency ecosystem

management process. Begin phased-in implementation of the policy with

selected ecosystem management demonstration projects. Conduct

management and budget reviews of the ecosystem management

projects as a part of the fiscal year 1995 budget process.

ENV03 Increase Energy and Water Efficiency

Issue an Executive Order to address energy efficiency and water

conservation issues at federal facilities. Propose legislation to

allow the Defense Department to retain savings from water efficiency

projects. Develop appropriate mechanisms to allow facilities to

retain rebates received from utility companies.

ENV04 Increase Environmentally and Economically Beneficial

Landscaping

Issue an Executive Order to require the use of environmentally

beneficial landscaping techniques, including increased use of native

species and reduced use of water and chemicals, at federal facilities

and federally-funded projects, where appropriate.

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.

REG02 Encourage More Innovative Approaches to Regulation

Use innovative regulatory approaches and develop a Deskbook on

Regulatory Design.

REG03 Encourage Consensus-based Rulemaking

Encourage agencies to use negotiated rulemaking more frequently in

developing new rules.

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.

REG06 Encourage Alternative Dispute Resolution when Enforcing

Regulations

Increase the use of alternative means of dispute resolution.

REG07 Rank Risks and Engage in "Anticipatory" Regulatory Planning

Rank the seriousness of environmental, health or safety risks and

develop anticipatory approaches to regulatory problems.

REG10 Provide Better Training and Incentives for Regulators

Establish a basic training program for Presidential appointees

assigned to regulatory agencies and expand existing training programs

to cover career staff not curr

.