1. Purpose and Scope
Purpose
An effective SEA report states its purpose. In doing so, the following needs to be considered for inclusion within a SEA report:
• Why a government is publishing the report
A general statement of the reasons why the government prepared the SEA report.
• The intended audience of the report
An identification of who the government intends the SEA report to be read by. This may include multiple users with difference needs.
• What the reported SEA performance information is intended to communicate
A discussion of what the government believes the SEA performance information being reported will communicate about the service efforts and accomplishments of the programs and services being reported.
• How the reported SEA performance information may assist users in assessing performance and making decisions
A discussion of how the SEA report may assist users in assessing whether the government has operated in an efficient and effective manner and whether resource allocation decisions are being made that are consistent with the major goals and objectives of the government.
The following are examples of purpose statements from governmental entity performance reports:
Purpose Statement – Oklahoma City, OK [Type of Gov: Mayor-Council; Pop: 530,332; Land Area: 621.2 Sq. Miles; Budget:$876,600,000]
Purpose Statement – Portland, OR [Type of Gov: Mayor-Commission; Pop.: 582,130; Land Area: 145.4 Sq. Miles; Budget:$472,000,000]
Purpose Statement- Saco, ME [Type of Gov: Mayor-Council; Pop.:16,822; Land Area: 39.3 Sq. Miles; Budget: $18,646,881]
Scope
An effective SEA report states its scope. In doing so, the following needs to be considered for inclusion within a SEA report:
• What organizational units (for example, departments, agencies), programs, or services are included
A general description of what organizational units, programs, or services are included in the SEA report.
• The reasons why organizational units, programs, or services were chosen for inclusion
A discussion of the rationale for choosing the various organizational units, programs, or services that are included within the SEA report. This discussion may also include the rationale for why certain organizational units, programs, or services are excluded from the SEA report.
• The period covered by the report
A brief statement of the period covered by the report. This statement may identify different periods for different organizational units, programs, or services.
• The date the report was issued
A brief statement of when the report was issued, usually the date it was released to the intended users.
• Ways to contact the government in order to obtain more information
Include the email address or phone number of at least one person within the government that can answer queries directly or, with one transfer, pass the query on to another person who would be able to address it.
• Discussion of what level of assurance, if any, was obtained on the SEA performance information
If assurance has been received on the reliability of the SEA performance information being reported, a statement of the extent and nature of that assurance needs to be included in the SEA report. If issues with the reliability of SEA performance information have been identified, those issues and any resolutions also need to be discussed in the SEA report. If SEA performance information has been excluded from the SEA report because of issues with its reliability, those issues also need to be discussed in the SEA report.
• Information on the multiple levels of detail
Often an SEA report will include SEA performance information presented at multiple levels of detail. A discussion of the various levels being reported, what programs or services are included at each level, how to locate the information at each level, and the reason for reporting at those levels needs to be included in an SEA report.
The following are examples of scope sections from governmental entity performance reports:
Scope – Saco, ME [Type of Gov: Mayor-Council; Pop.: 16,882; Land Area: 39.3 Sq. Miles; Budget:$18,646,881]
Scope – Portland, OR [Type of Gov: Mayor-Commission; Pop.: 582,130; Land Area: 145.4 Sq. Miles; Budget:$472,000,000]
Scope – San Jose, CA [Type of Gov: Council-Manager; Pop.:1,023,000; Land Area:178.2 Sq. Miles; Budget: $3,340,000,000]
Scope – Palo Alto, CA [Type of Gov: Council-Manager; Pop.;61,200; Land Area: 25.6 Sq. Miles; Budget:$137,100,000]
Scope – Nashville-Davidson County, TN [Type of Gov: Mayor; Pop.:619,626; Land Area: 526.9 Sq. Miles; Budget:$1,542,162,700]