OECD best practices for performance budgeting - Jon BLÖNDAL, OECD
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The document outlines draft OECD best practices for performance budgeting based on decades of experience in OECD countries. It aims to distill lessons learned and offer guidance to countries updating or newly adopting performance budgeting systems. It provides 7 key recommendations: 1) Clearly defining objectives and stakeholders, 2) Linking budgets to strategic goals, 3) Adapting to policy needs, 4) Managing performance information, 5) Creating supporting infrastructure, 6) Ensuring evaluation and oversight, and 7) Incentivizing performance-oriented behavior. Each recommendation includes further context and considerations.
OECD best practices for performance budgeting - Jon BLÖNDAL, OECD
- 1. DRAFT OECD BEST PRACTICES FOR PERFORMANCE BUDGETING Annual Meeting of MENA Senior Budget Officials Doha, 6 December 2017 Jon Ragnar Blondal Head of Budgeting and Public Expenditures
- 2. Background • Decades of experience of PB amongst OECD countries • Mixed results including some disappointment • Accelerating trend towards PB around the world • Substantial accumulated body of research • OECD Performance and Results Network
- 3. Objectives Distil experience using research evidence and case studies Offer advice and options to countries updating their approaches, or newly adopting PB.
- 4. 1. Defining Clear Objectives for the Performance Budgeting Systems The rationale, objectives and approach to performance budgeting are set out in the organic budget law, in other regulations or in an official code of budgetary practice. The role and interests of important stakeholders in the policy cycle – including the centre of government, the legislature, the central budget authority, line ministries and the supreme audit institution – are reflected in the design of the performance budgeting system. The approach and scope of the performance budgeting system are adapted to national circumstances and practical constraints including staff skills, the availability of performance data and the stage of development of the performance culture in government. .
- 5. Ranking of Different Rationales for Introducing Performance Budgeting and Their Effectiveness in Practice
- 6. 2. Linking the Performance Budget to the Strategic Goals of Government Performance budgets are closely aligned to national performance frameworks, including strategic policy goals, developmental plans and sector strategies. Medium term expenditure frameworks provide realistic parameters within which strategic plans are prepared, resourced and implemented. Evidence based analysis of spending is used in conjunction with performance budgeting to improve the alignment of resources with policy priorities. The centre of government works closely with the central budget authority to monitor adherence to priority policy goals, to coordinate actions across government agencies and to address constraints.
- 7. 3. Adapting Performance Budgeting to the Complex, Varying Needs of Policy-making The performance budgeting methodology includes in-built flexibility to handle the varied nature of government business, and to recognise the differing relationships between inputs and outcomes. Programme structures are aligned with the service delivery functions and responsibilities of ministries and agencies. Complex, persistent and multi-dimensional social problems (so-called “wicked” issues) are addressed through coordination mechanisms and high level government support. Control frameworks are revised and adapted to support effective budget execution.
- 8. Analysing Relationships between Budget and Performance
- 9. 4. Managing Performance Information The Central Budget Authority guides the production and use of performance information, promoting quality over quantity. Performance indicators, milestones and targets are consistent with those identified in national policy and strategy documents. Ministries use outcome and output indicators, together with other indicators that are useful in measuring progress towards achieving policy objectives. Performance indicators facilitate comparison between similar entities, within the same country or internationally, whenever practical and consistent with government policy objectives. The SAI has a role in reviewing and validating the achievement of performance targets, and in assessing the quality of performance frameworks more broadly, including programme-logic models and indicators.
- 12. 5. Creating the Infrastructure Needed to Support Performance Budgeting Performance budgeting is supported by a core team of specialists, within each ministry and in the central budget authority. The performance budgeting methodology is supported by detailed guidelines and training of budget analysts. Financial management information systems integrate non-financial performance data to generate reports that meet the varied needs of different users. The oversight role and capabilities of the legislature and the supreme audit institution are sufficiently developed in respect of performance budgeting.
- 14. 6. Ensuring Systematic Evaluation and Oversight of Performance Senior management within line ministries, and programme managers, organize structured discussions to review financial and operational performance regularly throughout the year. Evaluations of the performance of all major spending programmes are carried out on a rolling basis and the findings are considered as part of the budget preparation process. Performance targets set out in the annual budget are the subject of corresponding annual reporting on performance. The supreme audit institution carries out performance audits of important or high risk programmes and tests the relevance, accuracy and reliability of performance data. The budget and accounts committees of the legislature regularly reviews performance based budget statements and annual performance reports. Committees overseeing the activities of sector ministries conduct public hearings based on performance reports provided by government and performance audit reports and hold ministers and senior public managers accountable in the event of poor performance or misrepresentation.
- 15. Program Evaluation - Actors
- 16. 7. Incentivizing Performance-oriented Behaviour and Learning Identified individuals and teams are responsible and accountable for the achievement of performance goals. Responses to programme performance emphasise recognition of successes, learning and problem solving in respect of under- achievement, rather than automatic financial rewards or budget cuts. The centre of government promotes a broader performance management culture that supports performance budgeting.
- 18. For Further Information •www.oecd.org/gov/budgeting •OECD Journal on Budgeting •jon.blondal@oecd.org