A Challenging Performance

Abstract

No, potential readers, this book is not antigovernment. The term “hollow state” is used essentially to refer to federal programs where third parties provide the service. The federal agency only provides the funding, some rules for its use, and oversight. The authors borrowed the term from the business sector for situations where manufacturers outsource their work to such an extent that they do little or no manufacturing. The authors address a major issue for the federal government, one they point out has not been sufficiently addressed in performance measurement. How does performance measurement, and the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993, work in federal programs that do not directly serve the public but rather work through such devices as grants and contracts? The authors do a fine service in raising this issue, describing many of the existing problems, and providing suggestions for improvements. The book does not discuss performance measurement technical questions, though on occasion it identifies gaps in the indicators and data collection procedures. The focus here is on the political and administrative system in which performance measurement operates, including indicator choices and the relationship of performance measurement to GPRA, the Performance Assessment Rating Tool (PART), and performance budgeting.

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