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The Academy undertakes projects to
analyze and evaluate broad structural, managerial, and performance
capacity issues in public institutions. Using a systems approach,
a typical study can focus on an entire organization or a component
or program area. Studies examine elements such as the following:
- mission, values, and leadership
- organizational structure
- service delivery systems
- technology and business processes
- program funding strategies
- performance capacity and measures
- administrative support systems
Brief synopses of ongoing projects are listed
below. Click here to read about recently
completed projects.
Three Regional Workshops on the Intersection between Environmental Justice and Local Land Use Planning and Zoning (posted October 2005)
The Academy and the Albany Law School—with support from the Ford Foundation—are convening three regional workshops to encourage and improve coordination among federal, state, and local agencies to address current environmental justice issues and prevent future problems. The workshop participants will include state and local, land-use planning, zoning, environmental, and public health officials, as well as representatives from environmental groups. The three workshops will be held in Chicago, sponsored by the American Planning Association; New York, sponsored by the Albany Law School; and San Francisco, sponsored by the Hastings College of Law.
For more information.
OPM Program Assessment and Performance Measurement Development (posted May 2005)
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has asked Economic Systems, Inc. and the Academy to offer its program managers technical assistance and advice in developing an effective Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) process, defining program purpose and mission, and developing performance measures against which OPM will be held accountable. As required by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, OPM is preparing initial PART submissions for two programs, reviewing programs recently assessed, and preparing other programs for future assessments.
For more information.
Significant Progress Made in Transforming the FBI (posted March 2005)
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has made significant progress in strengthening its counterterrorism program, working jointly with other federal, state and local law enforcement, and integrating intelligence into its mission. But, the lag in developing effective information technology capabilities is adversely affecting management functions and the pace of transformation. These are the findings of an Academy panel commissioned by Congress to track the progress of the FBI reorganization.
The panel, chaired by former U.S. Attorney General Dick Thornburgh, has released Transforming the FBI: Progress and Challenges, which lays out findings and recommendations focused on three principal areas: counterterrorism, intelligence and security.
Free Online Report
Improving Fisheries Management: Actions Taken in Response to the Academy’s 2002 Report (posted March 2005)
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is undertaking numerous fundamental changes to improve fisheries management in the United States. The Academy staff follow-up report, Improving Fisheries Management: Actions Taken in Response to the Academy’s 2002 Report, highlights the key actions taken or planned, many of which directly address the concerns identified by the Academy and the National Research Council in 2002.
NMFS management has expended considerable effort in developing and implementing new management approaches aimed at improving the timing and quality of fisheries management decisions, the agency’s ability to set priorities and devote appropriate resources to its many mission goals, and interactions with its constituencies and partners. However, it remains to be seen whether NMFS can successfully implement all of the planned changes, especially in light of what agency officials see as limited resources. Success will depend on the continued support of Congress and the Administration, the fishery management councils, NMFS’ constituents and partners, as well as NMFS’ own strong and determined leadership.
Free Online Report
Department of Commerce Offshoring Study (posted February 2005)
The migration of U.S. jobs off-shore and its impact on America’s workforce and economy is neither a new, nor unstudied or unfamiliar, issue. From an economy-wide perspective, this issue has been at the center of frequent national debates about the benefits and costs of economic growth and trade expansion. However, the debates have not produced consensus on the magnitude and significance of the net migration of U.S. jobs off-shore or its impact on U.S. workers and the economy.
Public Law 108-447 authorized issuance of a grant to the National Academy of Public Administration (the Academy) to conduct a comprehensive study on off-shoring. The Academy’s assessment will address five fundamental questions:
How should “job off-shoring” be defined?
What do currently available data indicate about the extent of U.S. job off-shoring?
What additional data are needed to provide a more complete assessment of U.S. job off-shoring?
What factors account for current U.S. job off-shoring?
What are the major impacts of job off-shoring on U.S. workers, the workplace and the educational system?
For more information.
United States’ Environmental Protection Services Delivery System (posted January 2005)
The Environmental Protection Agency’s Fiscal Year 2004 budget includes funding for an independent third party (the Academy) to conduct a study of the United States’ environmental protection services. The study will examine how federal, state, and local governments can improve the ways they work together to protect public health and the environment. The Academy will analyze respective roles and responsibilities, and identify overlaps and/or gaps in protection, as well as barriers to more efficient and effective collaboration and cooperation in delivering environmental protection services. EPA’s Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations will assist in designing the study, which they hope will help advance the numerous and complex federalism issues facing EPA, states and local governments.
For more information.
Office of the Assistant Secretary of
Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition
The Office of
the Assistant Secretary of Navy for Research, Development,
and Acquisition is reengineering its operations to optimize
current management information systems and develop further
analytical refinements to Navy-wide performance management
efforts. As part of its strategic planning and management
initiative, the Office has asked the Academy to assist it
in:
- developing a management plan reflecting
the organizational realignment and restructuring that occurred
during the past year. The plan will reflect the organization’s
new alignment, core operations, division of responsibilities,
processes and interfaces with customers and stakeholders.
- developing a systematic approach for
reviewing, consolidating, and optimizing existing management
information systems.
- coordinating Navy’s response, in
concert with the Office of Program Assessment and other
Navy organizations, to the President’s Management Agenda
and data calls for the Program Assessment and Rating Tool.
Learn
more about this project
Corporation for National and Community
Service Study
At the request of Congress, the Academy
will undertake a review of the Corporation for National and
Community Service's organization, management and human resources.
This study builds upon a 1997 Academy study of the Corporation's
organizational effectiveness and service delivery. The Academy
will review the leadership and overall management of the Corporation,
including the role of the board of Directors, lines of authority,
and effect of the dichotomy in funding; the organization and
program structure of the Corporation, including the field
structure, grant program structure and operations, CNCS actions
in response to earlier Academy recommendations, and financial
management; human resources management, including process
changes made as part of the strategic human capital management
plan, and a follow up on recommendations made in the earlier
study on the Alternative Personnel System; and CNCS interactions
with State and local entities and other stakeholders.
Learn
more about this project.
Review of Grid West Governance Structure
The Academy is conducting a study of the
governance structure of Grid West, a non-profit membership
corporation created to improve the efficiency and reliability
of the Northwest high voltage transmission system and associated
bulk transfer wholesale power markets by forming a independent
regional transmission entity to centralize procedures decision-making
on a number of transmission-related issues. The Academy's
study will focus on whether Grid West has created a governance
structure that is likely to achieve its desired objective
of regional accountability, as well as how well the bylaws
balance board independence from market participants, regional
accountability, and FERC jurisdiction. The Academy's study
will also evaluate whether Grid West has created an organization
that is workable and whether Grid West included sufficient
safeguards and incentives to ensure that it will perform its
functions efficiently by keeping its cost reasonably low in
light of its mission.
Learn
more about this project.
CDC Leadership and Diversity Assessment
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), by agreement between its director and the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services (DHHS), is evaluating and redesigning
its leadership and diversity initiatives. CDC has asked the
Academy to assist them with this effort to create meaningful,
strategic culture change. The Academy has assembled a seven-member
panel consisting of Academy Fellows and two representatives
nominated by CDC. The Panel will guide and oversee the Academy's
project team. The Academy is also working in concert with
the CDC Chief Operating Officer.
For more information.
National Institutes of Health Administrative
Restructuring
The National Institutes of Health (NIH),
by agreement between the NIH Director and the Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS), is restructuring eight of
its administrative functions and has engaged the Academy to
assist them in that effort. Together with the NIH Office of
Management Assessment, the Academy will support the work of
the eight groups assembled by NIH to restructure the following
administrative areas: acquisition, budget, equal employment
opportunity, facilities, finance, grants, human resources,
and information technology.
Learn more about
this project.
FBI Transformation Study
The Academy is continuing to review the
progress being made by the FBI in implementing the reorganization
and several related areas impacted by the reorganization.
Previous efforts in 2002 and 2003 reviewed five newly created
divisions in the FBI and other aspects of its reorganization.
This follow-up project will address the progress being made
in the FBI's counterterrorism and security division and its
intelligence. It will also review the FBI's field structure
and suggest criteria to assess possible changes.
Learn more about
this project.
Click here for
the press release.
NASA Technology Transfer Study
The Academy is partnering with the Logistics
Management Institute to study the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA)'s technology transfer function.
The purpose of the study is to provide all stakeholders with
a common understanding of how NASA's technology transfer activities
should be organized to provide maximum benefit to the nation.
Phase I of the project will focus on program objectives and
design, with a briefing to OMB and NASA. Phase II will develop
organizational and policy recommendations for how NASA's technology
transfer function objectives can be achieved most effectively
and efficiently.
U.S. Park Police Follow-Up Study
In August 2001, the Academy issued a report
entitled The U.S. Park Police: Focusing Priorities, Capabilities,
and Resources for the Future. The Academy's report contained
20 recommendations pertaining to the USPP's mission and structure,
its roles and functions, and its budgeting and staffing. Congress
has asked that the Academy follow up on the recommendations
made in its report to determine the status of implementation
and to evaluate the USPP priorities assigned to their various
roles and mission, determine the resources used to support
these roles, and assess the feasibility of adjusting them
assuming constrained budgetary resources in coming years.
Learn
more about this project.
Review of EERE Organization and Acquisition
The Academy issued a report in March
2000 on management in the Office of Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy (EERE). That report identified four problem
areas that EERE needed to strengthen: (1) fragmentation of
the organization, (2) emphasis on process rather than product,
(3) poor communications, and (4) weak decision-making processes.
The House Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies and
EERE have asked the Academy to assess the reorganization plan
and monitor its implementation. In addition, EERE has asked
the Academy to look at its acquisition processes to determine
whether they are consistent with the new business model and
what improvements should be made.
Learn more about
this project.
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