Office of Budget and Program Analysis

What this funds

Office of Budget and Program Analysis OBPA ensures agency-developed material requiring action by the Office of the Secretary is analytically sound, consistent with Administration policy, program, and budget requirements, and compliant with statutory authorities. OBPA develops alternatives and supporting data for policy officials in making budget decisions, including reprogramming, supplemental funding requests, and reallocating funding. It ensures agencies are accountable for results and improving program delivery and effectiveness. OBPA conducts reviews of current programs, proposed programs, agency shutdown contingency plans, and reorganization proposals. It addresses problem areas affecting management efficiency, program outcomes, and implementation of statutory requirements and Administration policy. In its program coordination role, OBPA serves as the focal point for implementing major legislation such as the Working Families Tax Cut Act, ensuring provisions are assigned to the appropriate agency or office, and tracking and reporting on implementation progress, such as developing spend plans. OBPA also leads the department in the tracking and implementation of Executive Orders, coordinating across all USDA agencies and staff offices to ensure the implementation of administration priorities. 4 This table does not match MAX Schedule O due to reimbursables. Each year, OBPA prepares budget materials, including the USDA Budget Summary, Annual Performance Plan and Report, and Explanatory Notes, which are submitted to Congress and made available online to the public. OBPA provides guidance for these deliverables and coordinates the As needed, OBPA coordinates Departmental responses to Congressional questions for the record regarding Secretarial and Agency Appropriations hearings. OBPA also serves as liaison with OMB, the Appropriations Committees, and the Congressional Budget Office. During 2025, OBPA spearheaded several key initiatives, including developing and implementing an automated solution of more efficient workflow of apportionment analysis and approval, and coordinating the Department's implementation of supplemental funding, including activities supported OBPA successfully reimagined and streamlined the Department Estimates process for the 2027 cycle after the delayed release of the 2026 President's Budget compressed the overall formulation timeline. Working closely with agencies that were also operating with reduced staffing, analysts applied deep program expertise to deliver a complete 2026 President's Budget under accelerated conditions while simultaneously developing a more efficient approach for the 2027 Department Estimates. OBPA continued to provide extensive congressional technical assistance, synthesize legislative changes for Department leadership, and produce in-depth analytical products for the Director of OBPA, ensuring high-quality budget coordination and decision support during a uniquely challenging year. OBPA continues to leverage resources by collaborating with USDA's Digital Infrastructure Service Center to improve the MAX Jira Apportionment Workflow Database - a department-wide automated apportionment workflow system. The MAX Jira system replaced a manual, paper-based clearance process, creating a more efficient apportionment review and analysis. It electronically notifies the next-level reviewer as requests transition through the clearance process, and provides real-time status reports for better tracking, analyses, and accountability. In 2025, OBPA worked with the Department of Education's Budget Line of Business and USDA's Digital Infrastructure Service Center to make internal updates to the system enhancing its efficiency and user-friendliness. OBPA successfully processed apportionments and other documents to ensure that Department priorities were funded in an effective and timely manner. Allotments, 73 warrant requests, and 5 Treasury Account Fund Symbol (TAFS) requests. Performance, Evaluation, Risk, and Program Coordination In 2025, OBPA continued to strengthen the application of planning, program management, performance, evidence, evaluation, and risk into departmental activities. OBPA provided implementation support and oversight of departmental priorities for Executives Orders, WFTCA and other department wide initiatives, such as the Return to the Office program. Providing coordinated program management support for Administration priorities has helped the Department meet deadlines, provide effective executive level reporting, and achieve mission objectives.

Extracted from Office of Budget and Program Analysis, p. 5. Verbatim; nothing here is paraphrased.

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