DIRECTIVE	:	TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT GUIDANCE LETTER NO. 08-97
TO	:	ALL STATE JTPA LIAISONS ALL STATE EMPLOYMENT SECURITY ADMINISTRATORS ALL STATE WORKER ADJUSTMENT LIAISONS ALL STATE ONE-STOP CAREER CENTER SYSTEM LEADS
FROM	:	DAVID HENSON Director Office of Regional Management
SUBJECT	:	Fiscal Year (FY) 1999 Employment and Training Administration (ETA) Annual Performance Plan (APP)

1. Purpose. To distribute the APP and request States to:

   a)  inform service providers of the APP performance goals and

   b)  pursue performance strategies related to the goals.

2. References. 

   1. Government Performance and Results Act of 1993;

   2. ETA Strategic Plan, September 30, 1997;

   3. TEGL No. 2-97, February 19, 1998; and

   4. TEGL No. 7-97, April 17, 1998.

3. Background. The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) creates standard planning and performance reporting processes in Federal agencies. GPRA requires all Federal agencies to develop five-year Strategic Plans and Annual Performance Plans in support of the Strategic Plan. It also requires agencies to submit an annual performance report to Congress. One of the main purposes of GPRA is to "improve Congressional decision making by providing more objective information on achieving statutory objectives, and on the relative efficiency of federal programs and spending."

   ETA goals and program performance were a major area of inquiries at the FY 1999 Appropriations hearings. The future of ETA's federally-funded employment and training programs may be impacted by the ability of. ETA and our partners to demonstrate positive outcomes for our programs.

   The ETA GPRA Strategic Plan which was submitted to Congress in late September 1997 outlined six strategic goals. For each of the strategic goals, the plan contains performance measures and projected performance levels for a five-year period. The ETA Strategic Plan can be found on ETA's Internet homepage at http://www.doleta.gov/ under "About Employment & Training."

   On February 12, 1998, ETA submitted to Congress the FY 1999 APP. The APP was developed around three cross-cutting strategic goals that were created by a Departmental taskforce and announced in February 1998. The three Department of Labor cross-cutting goals are:

   A Prepared Workforce:  Enhance opportunities for America's Workforce.

   A Secure Workforce:  Promote the economic security of workers and families.

   Quality Workplaces:  Foster quality workplaces that are safe, healthy and fair.

   As a result of the new cross-cutting strategic goals reflected in the APP, ETA's Strategic Plan will have to be modified accordingly. We are reorganizing materials in the earlier plan around the three cross-cutting goals and will send out a revised Strategic Plan when it is completed. The APP may also be revised to reflect final congressional action and at that time we will correct any omissions from the current version. The APP can also be found on ETA's Internet homepage at http://www.doleta.gov/ under "What's Hot at ETA."

4. Performance Emphasis.  It is critical that the workforce development system demonstrate progress toward and ultimately reach our FY 1999 performance goals. Accomplishment of these goals will take a joint effort from all partners in the system.

   While most of the goals are directed at specific program outcomes, goals directed at other aspects of the employment and training system's performance are also included. For example, one performance goal is that "All mission-critical systems will process Year 2000 dates correctly."

   Federal strategies are being developed to support State and local program performance and will include increased communication, data analysis and technical assistance to States and local service providers. ETA Regional Offices will be offering assistance to States to develop local performance and management strategies emphasizing actions that will contribute to the achievement of the ETA performance goals.

   Your assistance is needed to communicate the importance of GPRA with your local office managers and service delivery areas. In turn, their assistance will be needed if we as a system are to fulfill the GPRA goals. We will need to work together to ensure the achievement of the performance increases contained in our APP for FY 1999 and subsequent years. In order to pursue performance strategies, we would like your comments and suggestions on how we can jointly achieve improvements to meet or exceed the performance anticipated. As always, your ideas are valued.

5. Action Recruired. Please:

   1. Distribute the attached APP to appropriate State and local officials;

   2. Encourage the development of performance strategies that can contribute to the achievement of the GPRA goals; and

   3. If you have comments, please forward them to your appropriate Regional Administrator.

6. Inquiries. Direct inquiries to the appropriate Regional Administrator.

7. Attachment. FY 1999 Annual Performance Plan

NOTE: Attachment not available to DMS