Government Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010
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| Government Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010 | |
|---|---|
| Name | Government Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010 |
| Enacted by | 111th United States Congress |
| Effective date | March 4, 2011 |
| Public law | Public Law 111–352 |
| Introduced in | United States House of Representatives |
| Signed by | Barack Obama |
| Signed date | March 4, 2011 |
Government Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010 is a United States statute that amended prior Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 requirements to strengthen federal performance management, strategic planning, and performance reporting across executive agencies, and it sought to integrate program evaluation, budget, and program management practices within agencies such as the Office of Management and Budget, General Services Administration, and Government Accountability Office. The law was enacted during the administration of Barack Obama and passed by the 111th United States Congress, reflecting bipartisan interest from members of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives in modernizing federal accountability to improve outcomes for stakeholders including Congress of the United States, agency heads, and citizens.
Background and Legislative History
The statute built on earlier reform efforts including the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993, congressional oversight from committees such as the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and policy initiatives promoted by the Office of Management and Budget under directors who worked with leaders from the United States Department of the Treasury, United States Department of Defense, and United States Department of Health and Human Services to bolster performance frameworks. Legislative sponsors from both parties negotiated provisions influenced by reports from the Government Accountability Office, testimony from agency Inspectors General, and practices adopted by organizations such as the National Academy of Public Administration and the Partnership for Public Service. The bill moved through conference and amendment processes in the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives before being signed into law by Barack Obama.
Key Provisions
The act required executive agencies to develop quadrennial strategic plans and annual performance plans and reports that align with budget submissions to the Office of Management and Budget and oversight by the Congress of the United States, while codifying requirements for agency strategic objective statements, performance indicators, and means of verification used by entities like the Government Accountability Office and Congressional Budget Office. It introduced mandates for agency learning agendas and program evaluation activity informed by standards from the American Evaluation Association and guidance produced by the Office of Management and Budget and the Performance Improvement Council. The law strengthened the role of chief performance officers and senior leaders, creating explicit links among strategic planning, performance budgeting, and program management used by departments such as the United States Department of Agriculture and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Implementation and Agency Requirements
Agencies were directed to submit strategic plans every four years, prepare annual performance plans and performance reports for review by the Office of Management and Budget and Congressional committees, and develop program evaluation agendas to guide evidence-building for program decisions in agencies including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Social Security Administration. Implementation relied on interagency coordination through bodies such as the Performance Improvement Council and relied on tools and guidance issued by the Office of Management and Budget, working with Inspectors General from agencies like the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Education to build capacity. Agency chief performance officers and senior executives coordinated with human capital leaders and budget directors in departments such as the Department of Transportation to integrate performance metrics with budgeting cycles and operational management.
Oversight, Compliance, and Reporting
Congressional oversight of compliance with the statute has been exercised by committees including the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and appropriations subcommittees, with support from the Government Accountability Office producing audits and evaluations that assessed agency performance frameworks and reporting quality. The Office of Management and Budget reviewed agency submissions and issued circulars and guidance to enforce alignment of performance information with budget requests and to promote transparency initiatives consistent with practices used by Federal Chief Information Officers and the Office of Personnel Management. Nonpartisan organizations such as the Project on Government Oversight and the Brookings Institution also monitored agency adherence and produced independent analyses to inform congressional oversight.
Impact and Evaluation
Scholars and practitioners in public administration, including contributors to the American Society for Public Administration and the National Academy of Public Administration, have assessed the law's effects on strategic planning practices, evidence-based policymaking, and performance culture within federal agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Evaluations by the Government Accountability Office and researchers at institutions like Harvard Kennedy School and Georgetown University have documented improvements in alignment of plans and budgets, though variation persists across departments depending on leadership from agency secretaries and the influence of appropriations and authorization processes in the United States Congress. The law spurred growth in program evaluation capacity and the use of performance data in management decisions across agencies including Department of Health and Human Services components.
Criticisms and Controversies
Critics from academic, nonprofit, and congressional oversight communities such as the Cato Institute and the Project on Government Oversight have argued that the statute's requirements are sometimes perfunctory, producing compliance paperwork rather than substantive change, and that enforcement mechanisms via the Office of Management and Budget and congressional committees are limited by political incentives and resource constraints. Some Members of Congress of the United States and agency officials have pointed to inconsistent metric quality, challenges aligning performance metrics across complex programs like those in the Department of Defense and Department of Health and Human Services, and difficulties in linking evaluations to appropriation decisions managed by the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Appropriations. Debates continue in forums such as the Government Accountability Office reports, academic journals from Johns Hopkins University and Princeton University, and policy discussions at the Brookings Institution about strengthening incentives, enhancing data quality, and improving transparency.