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Office of Sustainable Ecosystems
and Communities Program Evaluation for the U.S.
EPA
ICF International analyzed and redesigned EPA's Office
of Sustainable Ecosystem and Communities - Community-Based
Environmental Protection Information Clearinghouse.
The Clearinghouse had been developed in an ad
hoc fashion in response to emerging customer
requirements. We redesigned it to respond more
effectively to customer needs and to incorporate
new technologies and the lessons learned in the
initial development. In accomplishing these goals,
ICF International applied its structured consulting
management approach. First, goals and challenges
for the redesigned Clearinghouse were established
through interviews with OSEC staff. Next, ICF International gathered input on customer requirements
through interviews and focus groups held with
a wide range of stakeholders. We prepared a requirements
list, converted these requirements into a high-level
design for the redesigned Clearinghouse, and developed
an implementation and maintenance plan for each
element. The final Clearinghouse is an interactive
Web site with case studies, financial and technical
resources, and important news and upcoming events,
all elements identified as most critical by focus
groups.
Customer Satisfaction Surveys
for the U.S. FEMA
ICF International supported FEMA in evaluating customer
satisfaction with its public assistance program
for disaster relief. To evaluate FEMA's performance
and to establish a baseline, ICF International conducted
a national-wide survey of customer satisfaction.
Using focus groups and telephone interviews, we
prepared a comprehensive survey to a random sample
of 2,200 local disaster relief organizations.
We handled details of survey distribution and
follow-up. We evaluated the survey results and
assisted FEMA in formulating performance targets
based on the findings and in preparing an annual
report. To provide on-going evaluation of customer
satisfaction, ICF International has performed numerous
mini-audits of customer response to local disaster-relief
efforts. These cost-effective audits provide FEMA
with ongoing information on performance for a
variety of disasters and communities.
Continuous Program Improvement
Project for the U.S. FEMA
ICF International is helping FEMA to prepare program
evaluation measures that are independent of its
GPRA measures. One goal has been to improve program
integration, for example, to help increase regional
involvement in its GPRA program. Working with
FEMA, ICF International highlighted the dilemma of
seeking ways to continually finds problems that
can be improved without engendering discouragement
or external criticism. ICF International has helped
address this dilemma by couching its assessment
of needs for further improvement in a constructive,
forward-looking framework for making FEMA a more
responsive agency.
South Florida Program Evaluation
for the U.S. EPA
EPA hired ICF International to evaluate the multi-year
effort to improve the Florida Everglades. We surveyed
and interviewed EPA's headquarters and regional
personnel and numerous South Florida stakeholders.
The evaluation indicated that EPA headquarters
and South Florida localities had different views
of the success of the program. Headquarters questioned
the success of efforts that local groups and individuals
perceived to be tangible steps toward preserving
a valuable resource. To address this divergence,
ICF International developed a dichotomous model that
presented the results of the evaluation in a framework
that reconciled the different perceptions.
Evaluation of Welfare-to-Work
Initiative for the U.S. HUD
Literature reviews, in-depth interviews, and site
visits are a hallmark of many program evaluation
projects. Using these tools, ICF International evaluated
the design and implementation of HUD employment
and training programs. The object of the study
was twofold:
- to identify activities of Public Housing Authorities
operating programs that help residents make
the transition from welfare to work
- to recommend improvements in HUD's provision,
sponsorship, and encouragement of employment
training programs
ICF International conducted in-depth, on-site interviews
at six sites and used the data to compare the
design of the HUD programs to promising practices
suggested by the research literature and to explore
the linkages among the HUD programs and with larger
public service systems. ICF Internationals
final report documents the findings in each community
and explores patterns across these communities.
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Coordinating Focus Groups
for the U.S. EPA
ICF International has coordinated focus groups with
leaders in the business community in order to
obtain valuable feedback regarding EPA's commercial
and industrial energy-efficiency programs. For
example, a focus group with EPA representatives
and business leaders from the retail and manufacturing
industries examined how to make a pollution program
more appealing to business. ICF International chose
and invited the participants, handled pre-event
and on-site logistics, created materials such
as agendas, fact sheets, and biographies, and
handled post-event follow-up with attendees. The
insights gained from the focus groups were used
to improve materials and techniques and thereby
will increase participation rates in targeted
commercial and industrial programs.
Office of Fossil Energy Performance
Evaluation for the U.S. DOE
ICF International worked with DOE's Office of Fossil
Energy to establish performance objectives for
the Office. Using a balanced scorecard approach,
ICF International developed overarching performance
measures. Next, we translated these macro objectives
into a set of measures for individual performance
plans. After the first year of the program, ICF International will evaluate the Offices success
in achieving results.
Evaluation of State Program
Approval Process for the U.S. EPA
ICF International assisted EPA's Office of Underground
Storage Tanks in a comprehensive evaluation of
its state program approval (SPA) program. ICF International evaluated experiences in two regional
offices as part of a broader investigation of
whether adjustments to SPA procedures, requirements,
or guidance were necessary. ICF International developed
interview protocols for discussions with regional
program and legal staff, and accompanied EPA representatives
on two-day visits to each region. Finally, ICF International assisted in interviewing regional staff
and wrote formal summaries of the discussions.
ICF International redesigned and redrafted the key
guidance documents for developing and approving
SPA applications. EPA then developed incentives
to encourage states to apply for program approval
and effectively doubled the number of approved
programs in two years.
Program Burden Reduction for
the U.S. EPA
For EPA's Local Governments Reimbursement Program,
ICF International developed a system to reduce the
burden associated with completing and evaluating
applications for reimbursement of emergency response
expenditures. We developed two system components:
(1) an electronic application form for local governments
to use in requesting reimbursement and (2) a Lotus
Notes-based system for capturing, tracking,
and evaluating applications. The electronic applications
component provides on-line assistance for completing
the form, generates documentation needed to support
the applications, identifies common mistakes to
avoid that will speed up reimbursement, and allows
users to establish templates for specific incidents
and applications. The Lotus Notes component
assists EPA in evaluating applications by automating
the review process, generating standard documents
and correspondence, tracking applications, and
archiving application data.
Program Evaluation Guidance
for the U.S. EPA
ICF International has used its expertise in program
evaluation to develop guides on the process for
various government agencies. For EPA's Office
of Solid Waste, for example, we drafted a guidance
manual on procedures and requirements for conducting
program evaluations in response to the Government
Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA). As
part of this effort, ICF International conducted
extensive research into other government agencies'
efforts to meet the requirements of the GPRA and
program evaluation techniques.
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