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1 - 2000 ARS Annual Performance Report
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ADMINISTRATIVE, PROGRAMMATIC, AND MANAGEMENT INITIATIVES
Initiative 1: Support Education: "Support Higher Education in Agriculture to Give the Next Generation of Americans the Knowledge, Technology, and Applications Necessary to Enhance the Competitiveness of U.S. Agriculture."
All of the activities relating to this initiative are cross-cutting in nature and are reflected in the strategies and performance measures under the five ARS Goals and Initiatives 2 and 3.
Initiative 2: National Agricultural Library: "Ensure and Enhance Worldwide Access to Agricultural Information through the Programs of the National Agricultural Library (NAL)."
In FY 2000, ARS reviewed its Strategic Plan as required by GPRA. The experience we had gained with GPRA over the previous several years led us to make substantial changes in Administrative, Programmatic, and Management Initiative 2 - The National Agricultural Library. The performance goals and indicators listed below were determined to no longer adequately measure the work of the National Agricultural Library. New performance goals and indicators were developed and the Agency has chosen to report its FY 2000 Accomplishments and Outcomes/Impacts against the new and more relevant indicators, which are contained in Appendix A. Next year, Appendix A will be fully integrated into both the Annual Performance Plans for FY 2002-2003 and the Annual Performance Report for FY 2001. |
Means and Strategies: To successfully accomplish the activities under this initiative, ARS will need the level of human, fiscal, physical, and information resources portrayed in the budget estimates for fiscal years 1999 to 2003.
The proposed funding for FY 2001 includes $2,000,000 in program increases. Funding increases include enhanced support of ARS research and information programs.
Verification and Validation: ARS currently conducts a series of review processes designed to ensure the relevance and quality of its work. A more detailed description of the evaluation plans can be found in the introduction to this plan.
STRATEGY 2.1: Access to information: Collect, organize, and provide access to information that supports agricultural programs and responds to information needs.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 2.1.1: Implemented selection guidelines for the electronic resources to be acquired and used by NAL. |
Task completed in FY 1997.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 2.1.2: Expanded representation of electronic formats such as Internet resources, online databases, and digital documents in AGRICOLA and NAL's online catalog. |
Indicators:
During FY 2000, NAL will
continue the transition from print to electronic collections.
begin using publisher supplied citation and abstract data in electronic form in the creation of indexing records.
make articles from indexed journals available immediately upon receipt by adding descriptive citation data to AGRICOLA in advance of subject indexing.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 2.1.3: A gateway is provided to a large body of electronic information on agriculture over a network such as the Internet. |
Indicators:
During FY 2000, NAL will continue to work with its land grant university partners to select and implement an infrastructure system which facilitates distributed searching for enhanced resource discovery using recently developed metadata and subject classification structure.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 2.1.4: Demonstrate increased use of agricultural information by institutions of higher education. |
Indicators:
During FY 2000, NAL will
as part of the Reference Reinvention Initiative, continue to transition to nonmediated services for users. Data will be collected to document the usage of more readily available electronic reference materials.
collect and analyze tracking information to determine customer needs. This information will be valuable in restructuring and enhancing the information and services offered to institutions of higher education.
STRATEGY 2.2: Meet customer needs for information: Anticipate and provide information products and services, including educational programs, that enable NAL's diverse customers to identify, locate, and obtain desired information on agricultural topics.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 2.2.1: The time for processing requests for services and delivering the information requested is further reduced. |
Indicators:
During FY 2000, NAL will expand electronic methods of document delivery to increase accuracy and efficiency of requested items. Implementation of an electronic request system for walk-in reader request patrons will begin. Patrons will request items on site for copy or loan through the online catalog ISIS. Requests will be sent from this subsystem electronically to the stacks for fulfillment and delivery of items.
continue to expand electronic services and identify emerging technologies to enhance program delivery.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 2.2.2: The gap between the time that information is published and made available in NAL-produced databases is further reduced. |
Indicators:
During FY 2000, NAL will
decrease the elapsed time for indexing from receipt of the journal issues to release of articles to AGRICOLA.
begin addition of machine-readable records to the online catalog for older serial publications.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 2.2.3: Expanded provision of Internet and other technology-related training programs for NAL customers. |
Indicators:
During FY 2000, NAL will develop web-based training to provide the ARS staff to better utilize electronic resources that have been obtained as a result of improved acquisition approaches for group access to expanded resources.
STRATEGY 2.3: Preservation of significant materials: Preserve significant and important works in agriculture and the fields related to agriculture to ensure availability of NAL's collections to current and future generations.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 2.3.1: Establishment of a national archive for agricultural literature that serves as a centralized storage facility for archival copies prepared by cooperators in the program. |
Indicators:
During FY 2000, NAL will obtain the master microfilm negatives from phase two of the U.S. Agricultural Information Network (USAIN) preservation microfilming project for transfer to NUS.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 2.3.2: Development of a program for monitoring quality of electronically archived materials to ensure that the data remain accessible. |
Indicators:
During FY 2000, NAL will work with the steering committee to produce a conference on metadata for the USDA and to develop further actions for preserving USDA digital publications.
Initiative 3: Creative Leadership: Promote Excellence, Relevance, and Recognition of Agricultural Research through Creative Leadership in Management and Development of Resources, Communications Systems, and Partnerships with Our Customers and Stakeholders.
In FY 2000, ARS reviewed its Strategic Plan as required by GPRA. The experience we had gained with GPRA over the previous several years led us to make substantial changes in Administrative, Programmatic, and Management Initiative 3 - Creative Leadership. The performance goals and indicators listed below were determined to no longer adequately measure the leadership activities of ARS. New performance goals and indicators were developed and the Agency has chosen to report its FY 2000 Accomplishments and Impacts/Outcomes against the new and more relevant indicators, which are contained in Appendix A. Next year, Appendix A will be fully integrated into both the Annual Performance Plans for FY 2002-2003 and the Annual Performance Report for FY 2001. |
STRATEGY 3.1:
Develop research agenda: Identify ARS program priorities and core research capabilities and use them to provide leadership in development of the coordinated REE and national research agendas.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3.1.1: The annual performance plan is delivered on time. |
Indicators:
During FY 2000, ARS will meet all REE and Departmental deadlines for submissions required by the strategic plan.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3.1.2: Meet REE deadlines for submission of material for inclusion in the Coordinated Research Agenda. |
Indicators:
During FY 2000, ARS will meet REE deadlines for submission of materials related to the Coordinated Research Agenda.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3.1.3: Annual conferences of public and private individuals are convened to discuss major researchable issues in agriculture and to articulate approaches to addressing these problems. |
Indicators:
During FY 2000, ARS will
select the researchable aspects of a high priority national issue that will benefit from a broad public/private, Federal/State/local dialogue and convene an appropriate conference.
continue an annual conference of Federal, State, and industry representatives for the purpose of reviewing the progress of the new five year research, action and technology transfer plan, as well as to make control recommendations for the silverleaf whitefly that has caused $200-500 million in losses across the Southern tier of the U.S.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3.1.4: Rapid responses to crises. |
Indicators:
During FY 2000, ARS will respond to threats to the security of American agriculture and the safety of the Nation•s food supply.
STRATEGY 3.2: Civil Rights: ARS is committed to the principal of Civil Rights and the implementation of the Civil Rights Action Team Report. The ARS Civil Rights Staff (CRS) recognizes that systematic communication is important as a means of ensuring that its services meet the expectations and needs of its customers/stakeholders, including managers, supervisors, and employees.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3.2.1: Written policies and guidance to facilitate implementation of the Civil Rights program. |
Indicators:
During FY 2000, ARS will continue to develop policies, brochures, and fact sheets to facilitate implementation of the Civil Rights Program.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3.2.2: Improve all aspects of the Title VII program which includes EEO training, data collection, and monitoring and evaluation. |
Indicators:
During FY 2000, ARS will conduct on site EEO program evaluations to determine the extent to which ARS is complying with Equal Employment Opportunity requirements.
STRATEGY 3.3: Additional funding: Encourage acquisition of additional funding to improve ARS programs and priorities.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3.3.1: Partnerships are established. |
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3.3.2: Procedures are implemented. |
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3.3.3: Outside support increases. |
Indicators:
During FY 2000, ARS will meet or exceed the targets for securing additional funding.
STRATEGY 3.4: Customer service: Improve customer service.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3.4.1: Improved customer satisfaction. |
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3.4.2: Customer needs are identified. |
STRATEGY 3.5: Management of facilities: Provide appropriately equipped Federal facilities required to support the research and information activities of ARS into the next century.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3.5.1: Criteria and priorities identified. |
Indicators:
During FY 2000,ARS will update annually the ARS facilities modernization plan which identifies ongoing repair and maintenance needs of existing Agency laboratory and support facilities.
STRATEGY 3.6: Maintenance of core research capabilities: Develop and implement comprehensive human resource systems and policies to support and enhance ARS' core research capabilities while maintaining the flexibility to shift research and form interdisciplinary teams to address emerging problems.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3.6.1: Identify core capability requirements and develop a scientific staff to meet long-term research needs. |
Indicators:
During FY 2000, ARS will
increase its core capability by significantly increasing the number of research scientist positions (SYs).
conduct three consolidated scientist recruitment cycles.
develop a core curriculum for new scientist orientation for use at field offices and laboratories.
implement a new Research Leader Training Program. A formal leadership training program will also be established, including orientation within Headquarters and the Areas.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3.6.2: Establish a database of ARS experts by discipline and research areas of expertise. |
ARS decided not to develop this database.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3.6.3: Train 1,300 postdoctoral students, and competitively select 10 percent of them to fill full-time positions. |
Indicators:
During FY 2000, ARS will continue its Research Associate Program as a source of qualified candidates for its permanent research positions.
STRATEGY 3.7: Provide administrative support to REE: Serve as the lead agency in providing administrative and financial management services for Research, Education, and Economics.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3.7.1: Customer participation in planning processes. |
Indicators:
During FY 2000, ARS will continue to monitor customer needs consistent with the AFM Strategic Plan and develop an AFM-wide customer survey to obtain feedback on customer satisfaction.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3.7.2: Strategic Plan is developed and communicated to REE customers. |
Indicators:
During FY 2000, ARS will collect customer feedback to identify changing priorities and begin refinement of its Strategic Plan.
STRATEGY 3.8: Program excellence and relevance: Ensure excellence and relevance of ARS programs through a variety of comprehensive reviews.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3.8.1: Internal and external peer reviews are conducted on all research projects before implementation. |
Reporting will begin in FY 2000.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3.8.2: Review of the productivity, quality, and impact of individual scientists as scheduled in the Research Position Evaluation System (RPES). |
Indicators:
During FY 2000, ARS will conduct RPES reviews of approximately 350 Agency scientists.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3.8.3: Program reviews are conducted periodically, and programs are sustained or redirected as appropriate. |
Reporting will begin in FY 2000.
STRATEGY 3.9: Improve financial management: ARS/Administrative and Financial Management will support Departmental efforts to improve financial management.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3.9.1: Implement integrated management systems in USDA. |
Indicators:
Reporting will begin upon issuance of Departmental evidence on the Foundation for Financial Information System (FFIS) for mandatory use by USDA agencies.
During FY 2000, ARS will
continue to work with the Office of Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) on the design and modification of the FFIS for use by REE.
continue to work with the NFC on implementing new and modernized financial systems for the REE agencies.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3.9.2: Correct in a timely manner internal control deficiencies. |
Indicators:
Reporting will begin upon issuance of Departmental evidence on the FFIS for mandatory use by USDA agencies.
During FY 2000, ARS will continue compliance with the FMFIA, including the timely completion of audit report recommendations and the timely correction of any FMFIA weaknesses that are identified.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3.9.3: Make available reliable cost accounting information. |
Indicators:
Reporting will begin upon issuance of Departmental evidence on the FFIS for mandatory use by USDA agencies.
During FY 2000, AFM will
continue to work with the OCFO and the NFC to implement USDA cost accounting standards on behalf of all REE agencies, and perform biennial reviews of user charges as required by OMB Circular A-25.
continue to review Agency operations for new potential user fee situations.
PERFORMANCE GOAL 3.9.4: Clean and timely audit opinions are provided on audited financial statements. |
Indicators:
Reporting will begin upon issuance of Departmental evidence on the FFIS for mandatory use by USDA agencies.
During FY 2000, ARS will prepare, review, and certify the yearly consolidated financial statements of the REE agencies as required under the Chief Financial Officer•s Act.
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