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Evaluating Research Efficiency in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2008) / Chapter Skim
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1 Introduction: The Government Performance and Results Act, the Program Assessment Rating Tool, and the Environmental Protection Agency
Pages 11-20

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From page 11...
... . INHERENT DIFFICULTIES IN EVALUATING RESEARCH As agencies developed strategies to comply with GPRA, it became clear that the evaluation of science and technology research programs, especially those involving basic research, created challenges for both the agencies and 11
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From page 12...
... Thus, a negative or unexpected result of a scientific test can have value even if the time and other resources consumed by the test might be judged "inefficient" by some metrics. In addition, much of the work of researchers involves building on, integrating, and replicating previous results and this might also appear "inefficient." RESEARCH TERMS AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
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From page 13...
... Two years later, when more information about agencies' efforts to comply with GPRA was available, a panel appointed by COSEPUP reiterated and expanded on the original recommendations.2 The panel focused on the five agencies that provide the majority of federal funding for research3 and found that all had made good-faith efforts to comply with the requirements of GPRA. It also determined that some oversight bodies and agencies needed clearer procedures to validate agency evaluations and that compliance techniques, communication 1 The report also pointed out that "the terms were not the same as basic vs applied research, fundamental vs directed research, or short-term vs long-term research, which are typically used by other federal agencies and researchers." 2 In addition, COSEPUP has extended experience since the time of GPRA in helping OMB to interpret the application of government-wide criteria to agency research programs.
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From page 14...
... . THE APPLICATION OF THE PROGRAM ASSESSMENT RATING TOOL TO RESEARCH For evaluating research programs, the PART system adopted the criteria of quality and relevance suggested by National Academies reports.
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From page 15...
... For instance, in both applied and basic research, projects take several years to complete and require more time before their meaning for the field can be adequately understood and captured in performance reporting systems" (Posner 2004)
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From page 16...
... However, a shortcoming of the Investment Criteria is that the section on Performance does not use the word efficiency, so that agencies have had to extrapolate from other sections in the guidance in evaluating that criterion. THE ORGANIZATION AND PERFORMANCE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Although PART applies to all federal research programs, the present report is concerned specifically with EPA's experience under PART.
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From page 17...
... That plan, which has been renewed every 3 years, stated that "the mission of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is to protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment -- air, water, and land -- upon which life depends" (EPA 1997a)
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From page 18...
... . USES OF RESULTS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY RESEARCH The results of EPA research are used both by the agency itself and by various others outside the agency.
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From page 19...
... Office of the Chief Financial Officer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
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From page 20...
... 2007b. Guide to the Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART)
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Key Terms

  • program assessment
  • rating tool
  • results act
  • government performance
  • assessment rating

  • oversight bodies
  • epa strategic
  • annual performance
  • mental protection
  • achieve results

  • performance goals
  • investment criteria
  • outcome measures
  • otherwise practical
  • practical shape

  • annual basis
  • significant research
  • extramural research
  • research terms
  • agency research

  • epa research
  • research entails
  • evaluating federal
  • ord research
  • technology research

  • driven research
  • directed research
  • internal research
  • performance metrics
  • agency evaluations


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