Observations on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Fiscal Year 1999 Performance Report and Fiscal Year 2001 Performance Plan

摘要

As you requested, we have reviewed the 24 Chief Financial Officers (CFO) Act agencies' fiscal year 1999 performance reports and fiscal year 2001 performance plans required by the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA). In essence, under GPRA annual performance plans are to establish performance goals and measures covering a given fiscal year and provide the direct linkage between an agency's longer-term goals and day-to-day activities. Annual performance reports are to subsequently report on the degree to which those performance goals were met. This letter contains two enclosures responding to your request concerning key program outcomes and major management challenges at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Enclosure I to this letter provides our observations on NASA's fiscal year 1999 actual and fiscal year 2001 planned performance for the key outcomes that you identified as important mission areas for the agency. These key outcomes are (1) expand scientific knowledge of the Earth system, (2) deploy and operate the International Space Station safely and cost- effectively, and (3) expand the commercial development of space. Enclosure II lists the major management challenges facing the agency that we and NASA's Inspector General identified, how their fiscal year 1999 performance report discusses the progress the agency made in resolving these challenges, and the applicable goals and measures in the fiscal year 2001 performance plan.