U.S. Code > Title 31 Money and Finance > SUBTITLE II—THE BUDGET PROCESS (§§ 1101—1558) > CHAPTER 11—THE BUDGET AND FISCAL, BUDGET, AND PROGRAM INFORMATION (§§ 1101—1119) > § 1115. Performance plans

§ 1115. Performance plans

(a) In carrying out the provisions of section 1105 (a)(28), the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall require each agency to prepare an annual performance plan covering each program activity set forth in the budget of such agency. Such plan shall—
(1) establish performance goals to define the level of performance to be achieved by a program activity;
(2) express such goals in an objective, quantifiable, and measurable form unless authorized to be in an alternative form under subsection (b);
(3) provide a description of how the performance goals and objectives are to be achieved, including the operation processes, training, skills and technology, and the human, capital, information, and other resources and strategies required to meet those performance goals and objectives.[1]
(4) establish performance indicators to be used in measuring or assessing the relevant outputs, service levels, and outcomes of each program activity;
(5) provide a basis for comparing actual program results with the established performance goals; and
(6) describe the means to be used to verify and validate measured values.
(b) If an agency, in consultation with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, determines that it is not feasible to express the performance goals for a particular program activity in an objective, quantifiable, and measurable form, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget may authorize an alternative form. Such alternative form shall—
(1) include separate descriptive statements of—
(A)
(i) a minimally effective program, and
(ii) a successful program, or
(B) such alternative as authorized by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget,
with sufficient precision and in such terms that would allow for an accurate, independent determination of whether the program activity’s performance meets the criteria of the description; or
(2) state why it is infeasible or impractical to express a performance goal in any form for the program activity.
(c) For the purpose of complying with this section, an agency may aggregate, disaggregate, or consolidate program activities, except that any aggregation or consolidation may not omit or minimize the significance of any program activity constituting a major function or operation for the agency.
(d) An agency may submit with its annual performance plan an appendix covering any portion of the plan that—
(1) is specifically authorized under criteria established by an Executive order to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy; and
(2) is properly classified pursuant to such Executive order.
(e) The functions and activities of this section shall be considered to be inherently Governmental functions. The drafting of performance plans under this section shall be performed only by Federal employees.
(f) With respect to each agency with a Chief Human Capital Officer, the Chief Human Capital Officer shall prepare that portion of the annual performance plan described under subsection (a)(3).
(g) For purposes of this section and sections 1116 through 1119, and sections 9703 [2] and 9704 the term—
(1) “agency” has the same meaning as such term is defined under section 306 (f) of title 5;
(2) “outcome measure” means an assessment of the results of a program activity compared to its intended purpose;
(3) “output measure” means the tabulation, calculation, or recording of activity or effort and can be expressed in a quantitative or qualitative manner;
(4) “performance goal” means a target level of performance expressed as a tangible, measurable objective, against which actual achievement can be compared, including a goal expressed as a quantitative standard, value, or rate;
(5) “performance indicator” means a particular value or characteristic used to measure output or outcome;
(6) “program activity” means a specific activity or project as listed in the program and financing schedules of the annual budget of the United States Government; and
(7) “program evaluation” means an assessment, through objective measurement and systematic analysis, of the manner and extent to which Federal programs achieve intended objectives.

[1] So in original. The period probably should be a semicolon.

[2] See References in Text note below.