WASHINGTON – For the fifth year in a row, the annual performance report of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was rated one of the top three in the federal sector by an independent research center.
“VA sets aggressive goals and documents its progress clearly,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi. “The evaluation of this prestigious research center shows that we continue to provide veterans, their families and the American public with meaningful information about our operations.”
The evaluation by the Mercatus Center of George Mason University listed VA’s FY 2003 performance and accountability report as the third best in the federal sector. VA fell one point behind the departments of Labor and Transportation, which were tied for first.
“Clearly, [the departments of] Transportation, Labor and Veterans Affairs have created a management culture that encourages identification and documentation of results,” according to the Mercatus Center report, Fifth Annual Performance Report Scorecard: Which Federal Agencies Best Inform the Public.
Among items cited by the independent center in its examination of VA’s performance report:
· VA’s report has performance measures that are connected to goals;
· It addresses the major management challenges facing the department; and
· It is readable and understandable.
VA’s FY 2003 Annual Performance and Accountability Report is available on the Internet at http://www.va.gov/budget/report.
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Reporters and media outlets with questions or comments should contact the Office of Media Relations at vapublicaffairs@va.gov
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