Rationale for Agency Selected

Assignment Overview

For this and the following assignments, which will become a major part of your portfolio, you will take on the role of a consultant for a government agency. The first role of the consultant is to familiarize yourself with the agency, its departments, and key actors. Select a local, county, state, or federal agency and a department within the agency. Usually, you can find contact information on their websites.

After selecting an agency and department, you are expected to:

• Provide a rationale for your selection, and research the agency and department.
• Interview at least two representatives of the agency’s department for the different sections of the paper.
  • If you can obtain more than two different interviews, do so. The more perspectives, the better.
  • Interviews can be conducted in person, by phone, or by an electronic method such as email.
  • Use the PAD599 Interview Template [DOCX] to prepare for your interviews, and to document your questions and your interviewees’ responses for use in your assignments throughout the course.
  • Note: Follow the Guidelines for Interview Assignments at Strayer University provided in the Assignment Preparation in Week 1.
• Research the literature regarding issues that involve the selected agency and public administration in general. The following websites can be useful for finding news and current events about your selected agency:
  • Governing. Select one of the articles under Latest Headlines to get started.
  • Government Agencies and Elected Officials at USA.gov. Click A–Z Index of U.S. Government Agencies, click an agency, then click the agency’s website to find articles, news, and other publications.

Assume the role of a consultant who works for a consulting firm that has asked you to research this agency and file a report with the vice president (VP) of accounts and client support.

Assignment Instructions

Write a 2–3 page paper, titled Part I: Background of and Rationale for the [Selected Agency], in which you separate the content into the following sections:

• Provide background information about the agency and its department, its mission, and its goals and objectives. Title this section Introduction.
• Describe 3–5 functions of this agency. Title this section Functions of the Agency.
• Analyze 2–3 current events involving the agency. Title this section Current Events.
• Explain the rationale for selecting this agency with 2–3 justifiable reasons. Title this section Rationale.
• Go to Basic Search: Strayer University Online Library to locate and list 4–5 academic sources and government websites you expect to access in your research. Include no more than one non-government website.

Some websites you may want to access are:

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed and double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, your name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The sections must have appropriate titles. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length. The assignment must be submitted as a Microsoft Word document.

The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is:

• Conduct an in-depth analysis and evaluation of an agency’s planning, organizational design, decision-making process, and implementation and provide recommendations for improvement.