PART: An Innovative Way to Integrate Performance Information with the Budget by Jonathan D. Breul, Executive Director IBM Center for the Business of Government Washington, DC

Kamensky - Challenges of Collaborative Governance 2 Movement towards a results-orientation Substantial evidence that many countries are moving toward a results-oriented approach in a wide variety of government contexts. Both developed and developing countries have demonstrated that it is possible to move toward an outcome orientation that places emphasis on results that count to its citizens.

Kamensky - Challenges of Collaborative Governance 3 Performance-informed budgeting Governments around the world are under increasing pressure to produce results. Many are attempting to use performance information for effective and responsive public management. Yet - implementing performance-informed budgeting has proved deceptively difficult.

Kamensky - Challenges of Collaborative Governance 4 Performance Assessment Rating Tool (PART) In the U.S. - PART questionnaire attempted to determine the strengths and weaknesses of federal programs with a particular focus on individual program results and improving outcome measures. PART’s evidence-based approach drew on a wide array of information, including authorizing legislation, strategic plans and performance plans and reports, financial statements, inspector general and GAO reports, and independent program evaluations.

Kamensky - Challenges of Collaborative Governance 5 What was different with PART? Importantly - PART went beyond Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). Rendered a judgment whether programs were effective, by systematically and transparently assessing program management and actual results (what happened). Enabled decision makers to attach budgetary and management consequences to those programs that could not demonstrate their effectiveness.

Kamensky - Challenges of Collaborative Governance 6 How does the PART work? Assesses programs in four key dimensions: (1) Program purpose and design, (2) Planning, (3) Management, and (4) Results. Generates one of five objective program ratings: (1) Effective, (2) Moderately effective, (3) Adequate, (4) Ineffective, or (5) Results not demonstrated. Encourages continuous improvement. Applies consistent framework to all programs.

Kamensky - Challenges of Collaborative Governance 7 What did PART accomplish? PART’s greatest accomplishment was the production of useful assessments of over 1,000 programs. Some evidence that the PART assessments had an impact on allocation decisions in the President’s budget. Yet - little evidence that PART has caused significant changes in program results.

Kamensky - Challenges of Collaborative Governance 8 An important caution The use of performance information is not an end in itself - but rather a means to support better decision making, leading to improved performance. While performance-informed budgeting will never answer the vexing resource trade-off questions involving political choice - it does hold the promise of shifting the focus of debate from inputs to the program outcomes and results.

Kamensky - Challenges of Collaborative Governance 9 Possible application elsewhere US experience provides an illustration of one country’s attempt to highlight the relationship between resource allocation and performance. In the PART program won Harvard University’s prestigious Innovations in American Government Award. A number of other countries (Scotland, Thailand and Korea) have adopted PART-like tools.

Kamensky - Challenges of Collaborative Governance 10 Applicability elsewhere No one “correct” or best model that could or should be applied in all countries. Political and cultural context, past history, and other factors require an approach tailored to the situation in each country. Nonetheless - a PART-like tool could prove useful in other countries looking for way to integrate performance information with budget decisions.