1 Performance Assessment An NSF Perspective MJ Suiter Budget, Finance and Awards NSF

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3 Government-Wide Performance Assessments Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) Designed to focus on program performance Spreadsheet with questions on purpose, planning, management and performance with goals OMB provides a score and effectiveness rating Effective Ineffective Results Not Demonstrated

4 NSF PART Results NSF PART (FY05) received highest rating (“Effective”) Government-Wide Results (607 PARTs)

5 Example: PART Goals (Fundamental Science & Engineering) Percent of award decisions made available to applicants within six months of proposal receipt or deadline date, while maintaining a credible and efficient competitive merit review system, as evaluated by external experts. (Target: maintain above 70%) Percentage of Fundamental Science and Engineering proposals received from institutions not in the top 100. (Target: increase in FY06 from 31% to 32%)

6 Government-Wide Performance Assessments Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) 5-year Strategic Plan ( ) Annual Performance Plan (in the budget) Annual Performance Report (45 days after close of FY) –Performance Highlights

7 Strategic Plan * : Goals and Indicators MISSION: To promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity and welfare; to secure the national defense. VISION: Enabling the Nation’s future through discovery, learning, and innovation. Contributions Collaborations Connections Underrepresented individuals and institutions Identifying new opportunities Cross-disciplinary Research on learning and teaching Expand access Next generation facilities Cyber-infrastructure Data collection & analysis Instrument technology Greater diversity Global S&E workforce Continuous learning Public understanding of science IDEAS Discoveries and new knowledge TOOLS State-of-the-art S&E architecture PEOPLE Competitive S&E workforce Quality merit review Utilize new technologies Diverse/capable staff Performance assessment *Strategic Plan, NSF ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE A capable, responsive NSF

8 Advisory Committee for GPRA Performance Assessment (AC/GPA) Reports to the Director Using Annual Indicators — Significant Achievement? Organizational Excellence Business & Operations Advisory Committee AC/GPA Report Quantitative Data Made public (NSF ) Transformative Quality Relevance

9 GPRA “Nuggets” What is a nugget? An explanation of an NSF investment shown by outputs and impacts of funded projects, understandable by a general audience. Shows status of achievement of the investment (timeframe to fruition, etc.). Reflects grant project reporting (annual and/or final project reports).

10 Developing “Nuggets” Put the “news” up front; e.g., impact statements (quantitative or strong qualitative outcomes). Lead-in sentence should engage the reader. Provide quantitative or qualitative measures of the achievement. Avoid science jargon and overuse of acronyms. Avoid overly describing bureaucratic or administrative history.

11 Recommendations from AC/GPA (June 2005 * ) Broadening Participation Multidisciplinary Research Merit Review COV Process Broader Impacts Criterion Program Officers *2005 AC/GPRA Report, NSF

12 Excerpt from letter from Drs. Arden Bement and Kathie Olsen, NSF Director and Deputy Director December, 2005 “The National Science Foundation is asking for your input at the start of the process to draft the next Strategic Plan. …Your comments are requested by January 20, 2006 through the website at NSF requests comments on the following questions to assist us in developing the new plan:  Does NSF's current Strategic Plan effectively communicate NSF's roles and responsibilities as part of the science and engineering (S&E) community? If not, what is lacking and how can the next plan be improved?  What broad characteristics of the near- and long-term environment for S&E research and education should NSF consider and address in its next Strategic Plan?…” (NSF ) NSF's Strategic Plan for FY 2006