The Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) was developed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/ to assess the performance of federal programs and help inform management actions, budget requests, and legislative proposals directed at achieving results. The PART guidance underscores the need for agencies to conduct program evaluations that evaluate the effectiveness and impact of federal programs. In particular PART Questions 2.6 and 4.5 ask about the role of program evaluation in filling gaps in performance information, supporting program improvements, and determining whether federal programs are effective and achieving results. For more information about the PART, please go to OMB's website at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/part/

Evaluation programs from across the federal government are working within their agencies and with OMB to address program evaluation in the PART. In April 2005 and July 2006, representatives from several federal agencies participated in presentations about program evaluation at OMB's offices. Presentation materials are below:

• Federal Evaluators 2006 OMB Briefing Slides (PDF 31 pages, 447K)
  
  
• National Highway Safety Administration Program Evaluations Presentation (PDF 20 pages, 281K)
  
  
• Evaluation Dialogue, Session I - Main Briefing (PDF 31 pages, 231K)
  
  
• Evaluation Dialogue, Session II - Examples (PDF 42 pages, 453K)