The document discusses lessons learned from the Mercatus Center's first annual scorecard evaluating the performance reports of 24 government agencies. It provides criteria for transparent, results-oriented reporting including: clearly stating goals and measures in terms of outcomes rather than activities; including reliable, credible data over time to track progress; linking goals and results to costs; explaining failures to meet targets; and identifying management challenges. High-scoring agencies like USAID and DOT focused reporting on benefits to citizens' quality of life and used performance information for management improvement.