Coming soon: Revamped spending Web site and more

In the coming months, the Office of Management and Budget will unveil an improved version of USAspending.gov and a new Performance Dashboard, Chief Performance Officer Jeffrey Zients said on Thursday.

Speaking at the kickoff event for the Center for American Progress' good government initiative Doing What Works, Zients said the new USAspending Web site will be "version 2.0" and will allow users to compare data by state and by congressional district. Users will be able to search by contract size or type or by recipient.

The new version, which Zients said to expect soon, also will feature more accurate data as agencies incorporate data quality checks into their regular financial reviews.

Zients said the Performance Dashboard, which was included in the fiscal 2011 budget, will be unveiled this summer. According to the budget, the aim is to provide the public with a "clear, concise picture of federal goals and measures by theme, by agency, by program and by program type." The performance site also will link to other sites, such as the IT Dashboard and others planned for procurement, improper payments and hiring.

The online improvements are only a sliver of Zients' six-pronged performance improvement plan, centered on eliminating waste, driving top priorities, leveraging purchasing power, closing the IT gap, making government more open and attracting top talent.

As Zients and others in the administration attempt to tackle these problems from within, the Center for American Progress will be studying ways to meet three key good government goals:

• Eliminating or reforming misguided spending programs and tax expenditures to maximize returns for taxpayers.
• Boosting government productivity by modernizing practices.
• Adopting decision-making reforms and harnessing new technology to promote open, evidence-based government.

The Center for American Progress is driven to undertake this initiative because of the American people's growing lack of faith in the government's ability to function effectively, said the think tank's president, John Podesta.

"We won't win public support for progressive goals until the public knows that the government is committed to doing what works," he said. "We can achieve greater results at lower costs in areas like education, energy and health care. The nation's fiscal outlook makes this project especially urgent."

Nancy Killefer, senior director of McKinsey & Co., said patience and persistence are most important when dealing with these kinds of issues. Strengthening and empowering the federal workforce also is crucial, she added, particularly since most political appointees do not stay long enough to see through long-term initiatives like reforming federal acquisition and implementing large-scale information technology projects.

"Understanding that it's about the people is crucial," Killefer said.