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

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Performance AssessmentAn NSF Perspective

MJ SuiterBudget, Finance and Awards

NSF

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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 Demonstrate

d

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NSF PART Results

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2006/pma/nsf.pdf

NSF PART (FY05) received highest rating (“Effective”)

Government-Wide Results (607 PARTs)

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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%)

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Government-Wide Performance Assessments

Government Performanc

e and Results Act

(GPRA)

• 5-year Strategic Plan (2003-2008)

• Annual Performance Plan (in the budget)

• Annual Performance Report (45 days after close of FY)– Performance Highlights

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Strategic Plan*: Goals and Indicators

MISSION: To promote the progress of science; to advance the nationalhealth, prosperity and welfare; to secure the national defense.

VISION: Enabling the Nation’s future through discovery, learning, andinnovation.

ContributionsCollaborationsConnectionsUnderrepresented individuals and institutionsIdentifying new opportunities Cross-disciplinaryResearch on learning and teaching

Expand accessNext generation facilities Cyber-infrastructureData collection & analysisInstrument technology

Greater diversityGlobal S&E workforceContinuous learningPublic understanding of science

IDEASDiscoveries and new knowledge

TOOLSState-of-the-art S&E architecture

PEOPLECompetitive S&E

workforce

Quality merit reviewUtilize new technologiesDiverse/capable staffPerformance assessment*Strategic Plan, NSF 04-201

ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCEA capable, responsive NSF

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AC/GPA

Ideas Tools People

"Nuggets"COV

ReportsProjectReports

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

QuantitativeData

Made public (NSF 05-210)

•Transformative•Quality•Relevance

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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).

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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.

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Recommendations from AC/GPA (June 2005*)

• Broadening Participation

• Multidisciplinary Research

• Merit Review

• COV Process

• Broader Impacts Criterion

• Program Officers

*2005 AC/GPRA Report, NSF 05-210

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Excerpt from letter from Drs. Arden Bement and Kathie Olsen, NSF Director and Deputy

DirectorDecember, 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 www.nsf.gov/about/performance/input.cfm. 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 06-009)

NSF's Strategic Plan for FY 2006