IN 1975, GRANTS WERE AWARDED BY THE LEAA TO 12 FEDERALLY FUNDED PLANNING AGENCIES TO DESIGN AND TEST EVALUATION SYSTEMS. THE ORIGINAL MEP REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL CONTAINED THREE SUCCESS CRITERIA: (1) EVALUATION INFORMATION WOULD BE USED; (2) EVALUATION WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE ACHIEVEMENT OF AGENCY OBJECTIVES; AND (3) THE DEMONSTRATED EVALUATION SYSTEM WOULD BE CONTINUED IF IT PROVED TO BE USEFUL. IN 1978 WHEN AN ASSESSMENT OF THE MEP WAS PUBLISHED, 8 OF 12 SITES HAD COMPLETED THEIR TESTING OF EVALUATION SYSTEMS AND 4 WERE STILL TESTING THEIR SYSTEMS. OF THE EIGHT COMPLETED SITES, ONLY ONE FAILED TO PRODUCE EVALUATION INFORMATION. THE INFORMATION PRODUCED WAS USED BY DECISIONMAKERS TO CHANGE POLICIES AND PROGRAMS. AT ONE SITE, IT WAS NOT DEMONSTRATED THAT THE MEP WAS THE PRINCIPAL REASON INFORMATION WAS PRODUCED AND USED; OTHER RESOURCES AND ORGANIZATIONAL UNITS WERE GENERATING INFORMATION INDEPENDENTLY. EVALUATION SYSTEMS VARIED CONSIDERABLY IN TERMS OF CERTAIN OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS: STUDY METHODS, PRODUCTION LEVELS, TYPES OF AGENCY EVALUATION PRODUCTS, COST PER PRODUCT, STANDARDIZATION OF THE PRODUCTION PROCESS, AND MECHANISMS TO INVOLVE THE USER. FOR THE CRITERION RELATED TO EVALUATION'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE ACHIEVEMENT OF AGENCY OBJECTIVES, NO SITE WAS ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE SUCCESS. THE MEP INDICATES THAT THE USE OF EVALUATION FINDINGS IS FACILITATED WHEN DECISIONMAKERS ARE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE PRODUCTION OF INFORMATION AND POSSESS THE FINAL EVALUATION PRODUCT SIMPLY PROVIDING INFORMATION DOES NOT RESULT IN ITS USE. (DEP)