CSREES Reporting Web Conference

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CSREES Reporting Web Conference

• December 11, 2008

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Bob MacDonald
Bob is Director of the Office of Planning and
Accountability which provides leadership to the
agency in strategic planning, performance
measurement, and evaluation.  These activities
are used by the agency to improve program
leadership and management, allocation of
resources, and evaluation of success. (202)
720-5623 rmacdonald_at_csrees.usda.gov www.csrees.usd
a.gov/opa
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User Support

• [phone] or servicedesk_at_csrees.usda.gov
• Do not contact Texas AM support
• FAQs and other information on the CSREES
  Reporting Web Conference web page at
  www.csrees.usda.gov/rwc

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Format and Logistics

• E-mail questions to rwc_at_csrees.usda.gov
• E-mail topic suggestions to rwc_at_csrees.usda.gov
• Conferences are recorded and will be available on
  the Reporting Web Conference web page at
  www.csrees.usda.gov/rwc

E-mail questions to rwc_at_csrees.usda.gov
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To Receive Announcements

• An RWC e-mail list will notify interested parties
  on news, schedules, and other issues relating to
  the series. To subscribe
• Send an e-mail to lyris_at_lyris.csrees.usda.gov.
• Skip your subject line and in the body of your
  message type subscribe reportingwc. 
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A National View on Accountability
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Accountability is reporting
How people define accountability. The Oz
Principle, p. 177 Conners, Smith, and Hickman,
2004
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What is Accountability?From the Federal
Perspective
Making the most efficient and effective use of
taxpayer funds to achieve desired results
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Often Heard.

• Its just a fad.
• I cant wait until the next administration this
  too will pass.
• Its a check the box exercise.

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Historical Performance Management/Reform
Activities

• Planning-ProgrammingBudgeting System (Johnson)
• Management by Objectives (Nixon)
• Zero Base Budgeting (Carter)
• Grace Commission (Reagan)
• National Performance Review (Clinton)

Source USDA Office of Budget Program Analysis
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Current Initiative

• Presidents Management Agenda (PMA)
• Performance Improvement
• Budget Performance Integration
• Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART)
• Improving Financial Performance
• Results.gov
• ExpectMore.gov

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Budget-Performance Cycle
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So why isnt this reform initiative going to pass
the way of the others?
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Government Performance and Results Act (1993)

• Strategic Plans
• Annual Performance Plans and Reports
• Bipartisan, Congressional and Administration
  Support
• Fifteen years and still going

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E.O. Improving Government Performance (2007)

• Creates Agency Performance Improvement Officers,
  who must (in part)
• Oversee development of agency strategic plans and
  annual performance plans and reports (GPRA)
• Assess performance of each program administered
  in whole or in part by the agency and consider
  means to improve their performance and efficiency
• Tie to individual performance appraisals
• Links to GPRA and institutionalizes Performance
  Improvement (formerly called Budget Performance
  Integration) initiative of PMA

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Still not convinced?
The times, they are a-changin!
Another Bob - 1964
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Source Government Accountability Office
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USDA
CSREES ARS
National Debt
Discretionary Budget
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Accountability is not reporting! Its defense
ensuring that we will continue to have the funds
we need and making best use of the funds we have.
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There is also Opportunity!
As experts have been warning for years, the cost
of growing rice -- thanks to much higher fuel and
fertilizer prices -- has been rising faster than
the price paid by consumers. At the same time,
yields on rice farms have leveled off, as
spending on agricultural research has declined.
And consumption of imported rice has increased
sharply, especially in Africa. The Washington
Post Front Page April 12, 2008
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There is also Opportunity!

• National Priority on Energy
• USDA Energy Research, Education, and Extension
  Strategic Plan
• Sustainable agriculture and natural
  resource-based energy production
• Sustainable bioeconomies for rural communities
• Efficient use of energy and energy conservation
• Workforce development for the bioeconomy
• And more.!

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So how do we combine defense and opportunity?
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Some thoughts

• Federal National Issues National Impact
• Actions may be local, but plans and results must
  tell a national story
• Outcome-Based
• Must be seen as problem-focused on a few key
  issues
• We can defend action plans that document
  anticipated outcomes
• We must communicate results instead of activities

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Definitions

• Activity What we do an action that is taking
  place
• Active voice CSREES-funded scientists are
  working on a solution
• Events, conferences, workshops
• Outcome a change in knowledge, action, or
  condition
• Past tense
• Impact outcomes that are changes in action or
  condition

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Public Value?

• Public value is the value of a program to those
  who do not directly benefit from the program
• The public sector provides information that
  allows consumers and producers to make better
  choices.
• The public sector addresses a crucial concern
  about fairness.
• Consumers or producers create benefits for others
  or impose costs on others.
• Laura Kalambokidis, University of Minnesota
  Extension

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Some thoughts

• Connected to Stakeholders
• Effective and Efficient Use of Funds
• Financial Transparency and Accountability

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Questions?

• E-mail questions to rwc_at_csrees.usda.gov
• CSREES Strategic Planning and Accountability web
  pages under About Us on CSREES web site
• http//www.csrees.usda.gov/about/strat_plan.html

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Caroline Crocoll
Caroline provides national leadership for the
Family Science Research and Extension Program,
with a particular emphasis on building
multi-state partnerships to strengthen families
and enhance quality of life national priority
areas of this program include strengthening
family relationships, fostering healthy child
development, addressing emerging issues in adult
development and aging, and special projects
warranting federal attention. (202)
720-4795 ccrocoll_at_csrees.usda.gov
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Ramkishan Rao
Ram provides leadership in identifying emerging
issues of national importance, program reviews,
and grants management in the area of food
science provides linkage in the partnership
between the Land-Grant universities and CSREES in
food science and develops budgets and policies
for food science. [phone] rrao_at_csrees.usd
a.gov
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The National Program Leader Perspective
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Role of the NPL

• Network and collaborate with partners and
  stakeholders
• Conceive, formulate, and direct programs and
  activities
• Administer and manage programs and activities to
  develop and apply science and knowledge and,
• Evaluate and assess the quality, outcomes, and
  impacts of these programs.
• Emphasis Areas

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How NPLs Use Information

• NPLs are assigned as agency liaisons to specific
  states and review state POWs and ARs each year.
• NPLs mine data from POWs and ARs and use this
  information to respond, dialogue with, and inform
  potential partners and decision makers about
  critical needs and issues.
• NPLs review ARs throughout the year and identify
  key changes in the nations knowledge, action, or
  condition of national significance.

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• NPLs and agency staff also use state outcomes to
  plan and assess our portfolios of programs to
  ensure that our programs achieve the intended
  results and that we make the most effective use
  of the funds the agency receives.
• http//www.csrees.usda.gov/about/strat_plan_portfo
  lio.htmltable

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Other Examples

• Secretary
• Congress
• OMB www.whitehouse.gov/omb/organization/index.html
  
• PART http//www.whitehouse.gov/omb/part/
• http//pow.csrees.usda.gov/Outcomes.htm.
• Federal Committees/Task Forces
• Quarterly Report to the Partnership
• CSREES Update
• Media/Communications Office

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NPL Duties in a nut shell

• Provide Leadership to identify, develop, and
  manage programs to support university-based and
  other institutional research, education, and
  extension activities.
• 2. Provide Fair, effective, and efficient
  administration of Federal assistance in
  implementing research, education, and extension
  awards and agreements.
• 3. Collect and collate data on the outcomes and
  impacts of the REE activities supported by the
  Agency

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How do I view my accountability?

• FAIR, efficient, and effective administration of
• grants..
• PROCESS-BASED Accountability
• Leadership to identify, develop and manage
  programs that could lead to
• PRODUCT-BASED Accountability
• Assessment of the portfilios

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Process-to-product continuum
Leadership
Stakeholder
Product- Public Good
CSREES
Translation Entities
Process
Knowledge Education outreach
Partners
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How far the accountability of NPL goes in the
Cycle An example
Listeriosis is an issue
Stakeholder
Leadership
Product
Reduction In Listeriosis
CSREES
Funds REE activities to Reduce levels of
Listeria in foods
Translation Entities
Develop procedures to reduce levels of Listeria
in foods and communicate
Knowledge Education Outreach
Process
Partners Conduct REE Activities
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Attribution is difficult!
Production System
REE and Regulation
ARS
Transport
Farm
process
FSIS FDA
CSREES
package
Retail
REE Partners
Public Health Depts.
Home
Institutions
Consumer
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Questions?

• E-mail questions to rwc_at_csrees.usda.gov

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See you in February!!!

• Next CSREES Reporting Web Conference will be on
  Thursday, February 12 from 2-4 pm (Eastern)
• State Best Practices Panel
• E-mail topic suggestions to rwc_at_csrees.usda.gov
• Visit the conference web site at
  www.csrees.usda.gov/rwc for
• The recording of this conference
• The slides from this conference
• Announcements