SAS, ICMA to Revitalize Performance Management for Local Governments

WASHINGTON and CARY, N.C., March 12, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Facing slowly recovering revenues, growing citizen demands for services, and higher standards for accounting and transparency, local governments are clamoring for effective performance management. The International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and analytics software provider SAS are working together to provide customized offerings to help local governments use data effectively in daily operations. 

Pairing ICMA's management expertise with SAS^® industry-leading analytics gives local governments access to the technologies today's private sector thrives on. Communities will also receive practical assistance in analyzing and applying data to clearly view their operations and assess how they are tracking toward goals and objectives.

Reporting what matters to communities
Performance management systems spotlight key outcome measures that enable organizations to see how they are performing over time and make better decisions about allocating resources. Local governments, for example, could report data on public safety response time, resident satisfaction, and road quality.

Every community is different
Local governments face unique challenges implementing performance management efforts within their communities. In the coming months, ICMA and SAS will announce new, customized product offerings that meet the diverse needs of local governments. ICMA Executive Director Robert O'Neill explains, "As we enter our next 100 years, performance management will continue to be a priority for ICMA.  We are anxious for local entities to benefit from this dynamic new program built on SAS' legacy of government analytics success." 

"The vast differences in local government populations, infrastructure and budgets make it a challenging market," said Paula Henderson, Vice President, SAS State and Local Government Practice. "But all cities and counties and their citizens benefit from better performance management."

About ICMA
ICMA, the International City/County Management Association, advances professional local government worldwide. Our mission is to create excellence in local governance by developing and advancing professional management to create sustainable communities that improve lives. ICMA provides member support; publications; data and information; peer and results-oriented assistance; and training and professional development to nearly 9,500 city, town, and county experts and other individuals and organizations throughout the world.  The management decisions made by ICMA's members affect millions of individuals living in thousands of communities, from small villages and towns to large metropolitan areas. 

About SAS
SAS is the leader in business analytics software and services and the largest independent vendor in the business intelligence market. Through innovative solutions, SAS helps customers at more than 70,000 sites improve performance and deliver value by making better decisions faster. Since 1976 SAS has been giving customers around the world The Power to Know^®.

SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. ® indicates USA registration. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies. Copyright © 2014 SAS Institute Inc. All rights reserved.

For more information, contact: Kira Hasbargen, Senior Management Associate, ICMA U.S. Programs, [email protected]; 202-962-3606

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SOURCE ICMA