WITHIN EPA, THE PROGRAM EVALUATION DIVISION HANDLES MAJOR, COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATIONS. EVALUATIONS CONCERNED WITH NARROWER EFFICIENCY, ORGANIZATIONAL, OR BUDGETING MATTERS ARE CARRIED OUT BY OTHER DIVISIONS. THE EPA IS ALSO DEVELOPING AN EVALUATION CAPACITY IN ITS REGIONAL OFFICES, SO THAT MATTERS OF REGIONAL SIGNIFICANCE CAN BE HANDLED AT THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL. THE RELATIVELY SMALL CORE STAFF OF THE PROGRAM EVALUATION DIVISION IS AUGMENTED WITH OTHER EPA PERSONNEL EXPERT IN WHATEVER AREA IS BEING EVALUATED. FEW OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS ARE USED, A POLICY THAT HAS LIMITED THE NUMBER OF EVALUATIONS PERFORMED BUT HAS LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF EXTENSIVE PROGRAM-SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE AMONG EVALUATION STAFF. THE PROGRAM EVALUATION DIVISION SEEKS TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE EPA'S ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS CONSTITUTE AN EFFECTIVE ATTACK ON ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS, TO PROVIDE PROGRAM MANAGERS WITH INFORMATION THEY CAN USE TO IMPROVE THEIR PROGRAMS, TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DEFINITION OF PROGRAM OBJECTIVES, AND TO RESPOND TO REQUESTS FOR EVALUATIONS FROM CONGRESS AND OTHER SOURCES. EPA EVALUATORS ARE CONCERNED MORE WITH THE IMPACT OF THEIR WORK ON PROGRAM OPERATIONS THAN WITH THE CONTENT OF THE FINAL EVALUATION REPORT. A SPECIAL EFFORT IS MADE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE STAFF OF THE PROGRAM BEING EVALUATED. OFTEN THE EVALUATORS' RECOMMENDATIONS ARE IMPLEMENTED BEFORE THE EVALUATION REPORT IS PUBLISHED. TO INSURE THAT EVALUATION FINDINGS ARE FED INTO THE PROGRAM PLANNING PROCESS, THE PROGRAM EVALUATION DIVISION MANAGES THE FOUR MAJOR ELEMENTS OF THAT PROCESS: PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT; MANAGEMENT BY OBJECTIVES; PREPARATION OF THE ANNUAL PLAN, WHICH SETS FORTH AGENCY AND PROGRAM PRIORITIES, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES; AND THE ANNUAL RANKING OF OBJECTIVES AND PROGRAMS THAT GUIDES AGENCY RESOURCE ALLOCATION. (LKM)