**GAO-10-394**                      Published: May 07, 2010. Publicly Released: Jun 07, 2010.                  

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## Highlights

Given record budget deficits and continuing fiscal pressures, the federal government must seek to deliver results more efficiently. The prior Administration sought to improve efficiency under the Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) by requiring programs to have at least one efficiency measure and procedures for improving efficiency, and show annual efficiency gains. The current administration has also emphasized efficiency in some initiatives. GAO was asked to examine (1) the types of PART efficiency measures and the extent to which they included typical elements of an efficiency measure; (2) the extent to which selected programs showed gains and how they used efficiency measures for decision making; (3) the challenges selected programs faced in developing and using efficiency measures; and (4) other strategies that can be used to improve efficiency. GAO analyzed the 36 efficiency measures in 21 selected programs in 5 agencies and a generalizable sample from the other 1,355 measures governmentwide, reviewed documents and interviewed officials from selected programs, reviewed literature on efficiency, and interviewed experts.

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## Topics

Government Operations

AccountabilityAdministrative costsAgency evaluationBudget obligationsCost analysisCost effectiveness analysisDecision makingPerformance measuresProductivity in governmentProgram evaluationProgram managementRegulatory agenciesStandardsStrategic planningPolicies and procedures