Guide to the Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART)

Abstract : This memorandum provides OMB Resource Management Offices (RMOs) and their agency counterparts with guidance for completing the 2007 Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) assessments and reassessments. The Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) is a diagnostic tool used to assess the performance of Federal programs and to drive improvements in program performance. Once completed, PART reviews help inform budget decisions and identify actions to improve results. Agencies are held accountable for implementing PART follow-up actions, also known as improvement plans, for each of their programs. The PART is designed to provide a consistent approach to assessing and rating programs across the Federal government. PART assessments review overall program effectiveness, from how well a program is designed to how well it is implemented and what results it achieves. As such, the PART examines factors that the program or agency may not directly control but may be able to influence. For example, if a PART assessment identifies a statutory provision that impedes effectiveness, one of the follow-up actions may be for the agency to develop and propose legislative changes to fix it.