Priorities for the Administration and Congress

[Federal News Radio]

By The Government Performance Coalition

The Government Performance Coalition - a group of organizations committed to
the improvement of government performance - offers our collective judgment on the key
actions the Administration and Members of Congress can take together to make
government work more effectively for the American public. Performance must be
paramount if governing for excellence is to be attained and replicated. Good policies and
sound investments will fall short of the mark if anything less than exceptional
performance is the predominate mode of operation. So, what must the Administration
and Congress do to improve government performance?

1. Lead by setting standards and demanding accountability with a performance-
based framework that supports both the Executive and Legislative Branches.

• Link agency budgets with annual performance plans and outcome measures that focus on visible, critical priorities (some of which should be cross-cutting). • Apply an objective system to evaluate program and individual success.
• Issue short reports that give citizens a better understanding of their government
and inform a more meaningful debate about fiscal priorities, performance results
and future challenges.

2. Strengthen organizational capacity to serve and defend the American public.

• Strategically recruit, develop, and retain a highly engaged and productive federal workforce comprised of a proper blend of experienced careerists and new talent. • Assess the use of contractors and determine the correct balance of outsourced
versus government-performed work within each agency.
• Encourage interagency and intergovernmental assignments to promote improved
learning, communication, collaboration, and best practices application.

3. Mandate the use of innovation and technology to revolutionize government
business models in order to achieve citizen satisfaction.

• Expand the use of e-government to facilitate improved 24/7 access to departments and agencies. • Empower agency leadership to engender a collaborative, transparent, and
accountable learning culture.
• Promote the strategic use of technology to re-engineer work processes and
eliminate inefficiencies with a goal of improved service delivery and trust in
government.

Members of the Government Performance Coalition include:
American Society for Public Administration
Association of Government Accountants
Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group
CNA Corporation
Coalition for Effective Change
Committee for Economic Development
Council for Excellence in Government
George Washington University Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration
Grant Thornton
Heritage Foundation
IBM Center for The Business of Government
Partnership for Public Service
Public Services Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters
American University Institute for the Study of Policy Implementation
University of Pennsylvania Fox Leadership Center
Management Concepts
Mercatus Center at George Mason University
National Academy of Public Administration
Performance Institute
Progressive Policy Institute
Rockefeller Institute
Senior Executives Association