ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the developments in the Federal Performance Management Movement. It argues that the both GPRA and PART, like a number of earlier federal management reform efforts, do not fit easily into the institutional structures, functions, and political realities of the US system. The chapter focuses on all the levels of government and cuts across the many policy sectors. It emphasizes the major weakness of Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) and Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART). Both GPRA and PART represent attempts to devise federal management reform through a government-wide strategy and a set of generic activities and requirements. Overall, neither GPRA nor PART has significantly influenced either substantive policy or budgetary processes. Although it is commendable to be concerned about the performance of federal agencies, there is little to suggest that the approach intrinsic to these efforts has actually improved performance.
