OMB Directs Agencies to Use Evidence-Based Budgeting

The White House wants agency budgets to be based on evidence showing programs actually work.

That means agencies will have to show a return on the investment on their programs, with more successful programs being more likely to receive funding.

In a memo last month, OMB Acting Director Jeff Zeints directed agencies to use evidence and "rigorous evaluation" in submitting their 2014 budgets.

"We're not being ideological. We're not saying we should do X or Y just because that's the way we've always done it. We're asking the question, What works and what doesn't?" said Robert Gordon, OMB executive associate director, in an interview with The Federal Drive with Tom Temin and Emily Kopp.

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