Program Evaluations

IB-5 (May 2014)

The RRB considered the results of numerous program evaluations in preparing its strategic plan and will use program evaluations to revise it in the future. The most important of these are summarized below.


Program Evaluation	Methodology/Scope	Issues Addressed	Schedule
Federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act reports and risk assessments	Analytical/RRB administration	Adequacy of internal controls	Annual
Actuarial Valuation	Actuarial/75-year financial projection	Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) revenue/ expense projections	Triennial
Actuarial Status Report of Railroad Retirement System	Actuarial/25-year financial projection	RRA revenue/expense projections	Annual
Actuarial Status Report of Railroad Unemployment Insurance System	Actuarial/11-year financial projection	Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA) revenue/expense projections	Annual
Customer service performance reports	Analytical/RRA and RUIA benefit programs	Customer service/ timeliness of benefits	Annual
Quality assurance reports	Statistical sampling of RRA, RUIA benefits	Accuracy	Annual
A variety of client satisfaction surveys and feedback	Statistical evaluations (e.g., ACSI); comment cards/meetings with groups of RRB beneficiaries	Client satisfaction with RRB services/need to change standards or update customer service plan	Periodic
Financial Statement Audit	Office of Inspector General audit of agency financial statements	Accuracy of financial statements	Annual
RRB Office of Inspector General audits	Audits/agencywide	Effectiveness and efficiency of agency operations	Periodic
Program Integrity Report	Compilation of program integrity results	Effectiveness of various matching/monitoring activities related to benefit payments	Annual
Performance Budget monitoring	Longitudinal study/key agency performance goals	Customer service, stewardship, procurement, human resource, and information technology issues	Semi-annual
Variety of special studies	Special studies/benefit program administration	Quality, timeliness, efficiency, and effectiveness of processes within benefit program administration	Periodic (on demand)
Enterprise Architecture assessment	Analytical/samples and audits	Effectiveness of existing architecture	Annual
Computer security and privacy assessment	Internal and/or external assessments, audits, and evaluations	Adequacy of internal and external controls impacting computer access, vulnerabilities and overall security status	Annual, quarterly updates
Report on electronic government (E-Gov) activities	Evaluate the implementation status of the E-Gov Act	Agency-specific E-Gov initiatives and agency information available on the Internet	Annual
Improper payments evaluation	Analytical assessment of RRA and RUIA payments	Determination of the level of improper payments and amounts recovered and assessment under the Improper Payment Information Act of 2002 and the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act of 2012	Annual
Occupational disability program	Assessment by the agency's Occupational Disability Advisory Committee; in-depth data reviews conducted to identify any potential program vulnerabilities	Accuracy and validity of the disability decision-making process	Periodic/ ongoing

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