GAO has found that agencies are generally in compliance with the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010 requirement that they review progress on agency priority goals at least once a quarter.
GAO said most agencies report their reviews have had positive effects on progress towards agency goals, collaboration between agency officials, the ability to hold officials accountable for progress, and efforts to improve the efficiency of operations.
Of the 23 agencies GAO surveyed, most reported conducting data-driven reviews consistent with requirements, guidance, and leading practices such as conducting data-driven review meetings at least once a quarter, with several agencies holding them more frequently (20 agencies); conducting COO-led reviews, or reviews led jointly by the COO and performance improvement officer (19); always or often involving PIOs (22) and agency priority goal leaders (21) in reviews; always or often collecting and analyzing relevant data in advance of reviews, and incorporating these data into meeting materials (22); always or often using review meetings to assess APG progress (20); and always or often identifying follow-up actions to be taken after review meetings (18).
“According to agency officials, reviews can bring together people, analytical insights, and resources to rigorously assess progress on goals or milestones, develop collaborative solutions to problems, enhance individual and collective accountability for performance, and review efforts to improve efficiency. Agencies reported that sustaining these effects requires ongoing leadership commitment, institutionalizing review processes, and demonstrating value to participants,” it said.
GAO did find, however, that DHS does not hold in-person reviews as required by OMB guidance; Agriculture and HHS do not hold regular, in-person reviews each quarter; State reviews progress on goals in an in-person review only annually; reviews at DoD, Agriculture and State are not led by their agency heads or COO; and DoD rarely identifies follow-up actions to be taken after meetings.