Program Assessment Rating Tool

OMB staff designed PART and set the final evaluation assigned to a program.

The Bush administration claimed that PART built upon previous efforts of American presidents to make sure federal programs were accountable and achieved results.

[2] Bush used the rating tool to partially justify cuts or elimination of 150 programs in his 2006 FY budget.

[3] One study found that PART scores had a modest correlation with budget changes proposed by Bush.

[6][7][8] Scholars at the Heritage Foundation support the program and its potential to reduce the size of government.