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Agency Priority Goals for FY 2018-2019 as of February 2018

No. Agency Agency Priority Goal Goal Statement Goal Leader(s);

 Deputy 

 

1 Agriculture

Improve the Customer Experience at USDA

USDA will effectively deliver farm and conservation

programs to America’s farmers, ranchers and

foresters, ultimately increasing their ability to prosper and grow. By September 2019, the Department will enhance the customer experience for farmers, ranchers, and foresters at USDA service centers as well as improve and expand service delivery channels by establishing an effective framework to serve customers in-person and online. Robert Stephenson, Chief Operating Officer, Farm Production and Conservation Mission Area

2 Agriculture

Modernize

USDA’s

Information Technology

Modernize information technology and data analytics capabilities across the Department, resulting in a USDA that is customer-focused, evidence-based, and

efficient in the use of American taxpayer’s

dollars. By September 30, 2019, provide all USDA leadership with one click access to key administrative data allowing the Department to make informed and data driven decisions. Gary Washington, Chief Information Officer

3 Commerce

Accelerate Patent Processing

By September 30, 2019, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will reduce patent pendency to less than 15 months for first action pendency and less than 24 months for total pendency from end of fiscal year 2017 results of 16.3 months and 24.2 months, respectively. Drew Hirshfeld, Commissioner for Patents

4 Commerce

Mitigate Flood Impacts

By September 30, 2019, NOAA National Weather Service will improve decision support services by Rear Admiral Tim Gallaudet, Acting Undersecretary of Commerce for

 

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demonstrating a new flood inundation mapping capability serving 25 million people (i.e., 8 percent of the U.S. continental population) residing in flood-vulnerable freshwater basins and delivering an enhanced excessive rainfall outlook product that extends the lead time of high risk predictions from two to three days. Oceans and Atmosphere;

Dr. Louis Uccellini, NOAA Assistant  Administrator for Weather Services & Director of the National Weather Service

 

5 Commerce

Prepare for a Full, Fair and Accurate Decennial Census

The U.S. Census Bureau will prepare for execution of an accurate, secure, and cost-effective 2020 Decennial Census U.S. population count by conducting the 2018 end-to-end census test and analyzing and incorporating the results, initiating in-field address canvassing by September 30, 2019, and designing for optimal self-response with a nationwide target of 60.5 percent. Albert Fontenot, Associate Director for Decennial Census Programs

6 Commerce

Remove Foreign Trade Barriers

ITA will facilitate fair competition in international trade for U.S. firms and workers by improving the number of trade barriers reduced, removed, or prevented by 10 percent annually in fiscal years 2018 and 2019. Erin Walsh, Assistant Secretary for Global Markets and Director General of the U.S. Foreign & Commercial Service; Gary Taverman, Assistant Secretary for Enforcement & Compliance; Anne Driscoll, Acting Assistant Secretary for Industry & Analysis

7 Defense

Financial Management

Begin audit and use its findings to achieve a positive opinion for the DoD. By September 30, 2019, make demonstrable progress toward a sustainable clean audit opinion of DoD financial statements. David Norquist, OUSD(C)/CFO;

Mark Easton, OUSD(C)/Deputy CFO

8 Defense

Force Readiness

Improve the Department’s ability to measure, assess,

and understand readiness. Robert Wilkie, OUSD(P&R);

Virginia Penrod, Chief of Staff OUSD (P&R)

 

 

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9 Defense

Reduce Regulatory Burden

Reduce Regulatory Burden by eliminating unnecessary Federal Rules (E.O. 13771) by September 30, 2019. David Tillotson, Assistant Deputy Chief Management Officer, ODCMO

10 Education

Improve the Access to and the Quality and Transparency of School Choice Options for K-12 Students

By September 30, 2019, the Charter School Program (CSP) will support the creation and expansion of 300 new charter schools nationally. The new charter schools will enroll an estimated 50,000 students. Additionally, by September 30, 2019, the Department will disseminate eight resources, at least one per quarter, on evidence-based and promising practices related to school choice. Jason Botel, Acting Assistant Secretary, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE); Margo Anderson, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII)

11 Education

Improve

Borrowers’

Access to Customer Service

By September 30, 2019, Federal Student Aid will

improve customers’ access to and availability of

quality customer service by decreasing the overall average speed of answer to 60 seconds or less, decreasing abandoned rates to three percent or less and requiring all non-default federal student loan servicers to expand and standardize call center hours. Kathleen Smith, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Federal Student Aid (FSA); Frank Brogan, Acting Assistant Secretary, Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE)

12 Education

Improve Student Privacy and Data Security at Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) Through Outreach and Compliance Efforts

By September 30, 2019, the Department will increase information security program outreach activities to IHEs by 40% in order to help protect Federal systems and data privacy and security and commence audits of IHEs subject to A-133 and Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), resulting in 36 IHEs (from a baseline of zero) completing an audit of GLBA-related information security safeguards with no significant findings. Jason Gray, Chief Information Office; Kathleen Styles, Chief Privacy Officer, Office of Management (OM)

13 Education

Provide Regulatory Relief to Education Stakeholders

By September 30, 2019, the Department will reduce the regulatory burden on education stakeholders by submitting to OMB no less than 25 deregulatory Robert Eitel, Senior Counselor to Secretary; Elizabeth McFadden, Deputy General Counsel