Improving Government Program Performance

Federal Workforce Democracy & Governance Other

In simple terms

This executive order mandates that federal agencies set measurable annual and long-term goals for all programs, assign clear responsibilities and resources, and publicly report performance data. It creates agency Performance Improvement Officers and a Performance Improvement Council within OMB to oversee implementation, coordinate across agencies, and maintain a public website on government program performance.

Federal Register Open PDF 72 FR 64519

Record & deadlines

Nov 13, 2007Signed
Signed by the President
Nov 15, 2007FR published
Published in the Federal Register · 72 FR 64519
Federal Register PDF
Date TBD
OMB Director issues instructions on goal contents and approval schedules
Date TBD
Performance Improvement Officers convene personnel regularly throughout each year

Key directives

Agency heads must approve clear annual and long-term goals with objectively measurable outcomes for each program
Agency heads must assign specified personnel duties, authority, and resources to achieve goals
Agency websites must include regularly updated, searchable performance information
OMB Director must issue instructions on goal contents and approval schedules
OMB Director must establish Performance Improvement Council
Performance Improvement Officers must supervise agency performance management activities
Performance Improvement Officers must convene specified personnel regularly throughout each year to assess performance
Council must develop public Internet website on agency performance
Council must coordinate continuous review of all Federal programs

Who is ordered

What to expect

Immediate

Designation of agency Performance Improvement Officers
Establishment of Performance Improvement Council within OMB

Near term (90d)

OMB Director to issue instructions on goal contents and approval schedules
Agency heads to approve goals and plans for programs

Long term

Continuous annual performance assessments
Ongoing public reporting via agency websites and central performance website
Integration of performance measures into personnel appraisals

Risks & tensions

No hard deadlines specified; implementation pace depends entirely on OMB Director discretion
Vague 'regularly throughout each year' and 'from time to time' language reduces accountability
Section 7(b) subject-to-appropriations clause may limit enforcement
Potential tension between performance transparency and information protection laws cited in Section 7(b)
Intelligence community carve-out in Section 7(c) creates implementation gap for national security programs