dwell on the presence or absence of the individual elements. This has been done by not asking reviewers to or for each item. answer, “Yes,” “No,” “Not Applicable,” “Don’t Know” Instead, reviewers are asked to read the report and use the Guidelines primarily as a reminder of the expected content for a report. In doing so, they should note matters for which the presentation can be improved because the information is unclear, inconsistent, incomplete, too verbose, etc. For each such instance, the reviewer should prepare a Crafting Recommendations for Improvement Recommendations can and should be – provided to: Improve the presentation of the information Eliminate reporting or disclosure weaknesses Make the report more useful to the user Address editorial matters Improve the Summary of Performance and Financial Information (if one has been issued and reviewed). The the report more useful to the is intended to reflect the third category, “Make user” notion that transparent and accountable reports are not only comprehensive, they are also candid, particularly in regard to conditions and situations that are already widely known. The reports present negative as well as positive information and they do not leave readers with unanswered questions. Identifying the category for which a recommendation is provided is helpful. More important, the recommendations should identify: the condition for which there is an opportunity for improvement, the page number of the matter for which there is an opportunity for the specific change recommended, and the reason why the change would be an improvement. It is difficult to incorporate recommendations that do not include the above elements into the combined recommendations to be sent to the agency. Considering Agency Responsiveness - The most recent comment letter and and the agency's response to the recommendations will be given to reviewers for agencies that have previously submitted their PAR or AFR for review. The reviewers are to refer to the letters and ascertain whether and how the agency has changed the
dwell on the presence or absence of the individual elements. This has been done by not asking reviewers to answer, “Yes,” “No,” “Not Applicable,” or “Don’t Know” for each item. Instead, reviewers are asked to read the report and use the Guidelines primarily as a reminder of the expected content for a report. In doing so, they should note matters for which the presentation can be improved because the information is unclear, inconsistent, incomplete, too verbose, etc. For each such instance, the reviewer should prepare a Crafting Recommendations for Improvement – Recommendations can and should be provided to: Improve the presentation of the information Eliminate reporting or disclosure weaknesses Make the report more useful to the user Address editorial matters Improve the Summary of Performance and Financial Information (if one has been issued and reviewed). The third category, “Make the report more useful to the user” is intended to reflect the notion that transparent and accountable reports are not only comprehensive, they are also candid, particularly in regard to conditions and situations that are already widely known. The reports present negative as well as positive information and they do not leave readers with unanswered questions. Identifying the category for which a recommendation is provided is helpful. More important, the recommendations should identify: the condition for which there is an opportunity for improvement, the page number of the matter for which there is an opportunity for the specific change recommended, and the reason why the change would be an improvement. It is difficult to incorporate recommendations that do not include the above elements into the combined recommendations to be sent to the agency. Considering Agency Responsiveness - The most recent comment letter and and the agency's response to the recommendations will be given to reviewers for agencies that have previously submitted their PAR or AFR for review. The reviewers are to refer to the letters and ascertain whether and how the agency has changed the
FY17CEAR-Guidelines_FINAL_1.docx