Text File

From: ses@tipper.oit.unc.edu (Simon E Spero) Subject: National Performance Review Available on Sunsite.unc.edu Followup-To: talk.politics.misc Date: 8 Sep 1993 01:32:31 GMT Organization: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Message-ID: <26jcnf@samba.oit.unc.edu> Lines: 127

The National Performance Review - Vice President Al Gore's report on reinventing government is now available in sunsite.unc.edu via WWW, gopher, ftp and wais.

To access the review via the world wide web, use the following URL; <http://sunsite.unc.edu/npr/nptoc.html>

To access the review via gopher, point your gopher at sunsite.unc.edu, port 70, and choose items 3, 10, and 4.

To access the review via anonymous ftp, ftp to sunsite.unc.edu, and cd to "/pub/academic/political-science/National_Performance_Review.

To access the review by wais, use the source file enclosed at the end of this message.

I'll leave you with a quote that explains a lot about why government needs a little reinventing..

Simon

[ excerpt from Chapter 1, Step 3 - Streamlining Procurements ]

"Ash receivers, tobacco (desk type)..."

Our federal procurement system leaves little to chance. When the General Services Administration wanted to buy ashtrays, it has some very specific ideas how those ashtrays--better known to GSA as "ash receivers, tobacco (desk type)," should be constructed. In March 1993, the GSA outlined, in nine full pages of specifications and drawings, the precise dimensions, color, polish and markings required for simple glass ashtrays that would pass U.S. government standards. A Type I, glass, square, 41/2 inch (114.3 mm) ash receiver must include several features: "A minimum of four cigarette rests, spaced equidistant around the periphery and aimed at the center of the receiver, molded into the top. The cigarette rests shall be sloped toward the center of the ash receiver. The rests shall be parallel to the outside top edge of the receiver or in each corner, at the manufacturer's option. All surfaces shall be smooth." Government ashtrays must be sturdy too. To guard against the purchase of defective ash receivers, the GSA required that all ashtrays be tested. "The test shall be made by placing the specimen on its base upon a solid support (a 1 3/4 inch, 44.5mm maple plank), placing a steel center punch (point ground to a 60-degree included angle) in contact with the center of the inside surface of the bottom and striking with a hammer in successive blows of increasing severity until breakage occurs." Then, according to paragraph 4.5.2., "The specimen should break into a small number of irregular shaped pieces not greater in number than 35, and it must not dice." What does "dice" mean? The paragraph goes on to explain: "Any piece 1/4 inch (6.4 mm) or more on any three of its adjacent edges (excluding the thickness dimension) shall be included in the number counted. Smaller fragments shall not be counted."

Regulation AA-A-710E, (superseding Regulation AA-A-710D).

------------------- WAIS SOURCE FOLLOWS ------------------ (:source :version 3 :ip-address "152.2.22.81" :ip-name "sunsite.unc.edu" :tcp-port 210 :database-name "National-Performance-Review" :cost 0.00 :cost-unit :free :maintainer "jem@sunsite.unc.edu" :description " This is the report of the United States "National Performance Review" (NPR), created by a committee headed by Vice-President Albert Gore. It is a series of reccomendations for improving the efficiency of government and reducing waste.

keywords: government, bureacracy, management, review, economics, budget, savings.

From the introduction:

September 7, 1993

The President The White House Washington, DC

Dear Mr. President,

The National Performance Review, the intensive, 6-month study of the federal government that you requested, has completed its work. This report represents the beginning of what must be, and -- with your leadership -- will be, a long-term commitment to change. The title of this report reflects our goals: moving from red tape to results to create a government that works better and costs less.

Many talented federal employees contributed to this report, bringing their experience and insight to a difficult and urgent task. We sought ideas and advice from all across America: from other federal workers, from state and local government officials, from management experts, from business leaders, and from private citizens eager for change. This report benefitted greatly from their involvement, and we intend for them to benefit from the reforms we are proposing here.

It is your vision of a government that works for people, cleared of useless bureaucracy and waste and freed from red tape and senseless rules, that continues to be the catalyst for our efforts. We present this report to you confident that it will provide an effective and innovative plan to make that vision a reality. Sincerely,

Al Gore Vice President

" ) -- Hackers Local 42- National Union of Computer Operatives, Chapel Hill section ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tar Heel Information Services - Nothing but net! | WAIS/Z39.50 spoken here CLNP - The C is for Clue | DoD #612 | Tel: +1-919-962-9107