This measure tracks the progress of ongoing or completed recovery actions included in NMFS approved recovery plans for species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Recovery plans include a list of actions necessary to de-list the species. These include actions that may be completed in a year or that may take many years to complete or are ongoing. Recovery of a species may take decades. Completed recovery actions shows incremental progress.

The lower this measure is the better, so being below the target is exceeded and above the target is not met. Visibility and cloud ceiling forecasts are critical for aircraft safety and efficient operations. When visibility or cloud ceilings are low, pilots rely on instruments to navigate instead of visual reconnaissance. The Federal Aviation Administration establishes Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) thresholds—visibility less than three statute miles and/or cloud ceilings at, or below, 1000 feet—for safety. NWS assesses the quality of IFR threshold forecasts in response to these requirements. Fundamental statistical metrics, specifically Probability of Detection (POD) and False Alarm Ratio (FAR), are used to track IFR forecast performance. Probability of Detection (POD), also known as Accuracy, is a ratio that describes the number of times IFR is correctly forecasted compared to the total number of IFR occurrences. FAR is a ratio that describes the number of IFR forecasts when IFR was not observed compared to the total number of forecast attempts. These two metrics must always be used in conjunction, as one can be improved at the expense of the other. Greater accuracy and a minimized FAR result in safer flights and fewer flight delays; conversely, poorer accuracy and an increased FAR result in a greater incidence of unnecessary flight delays.

*Please also note that a FAR is is the number of false alarms per the total number of warnings. So if a FAR actual is higher than the target, then the target has not been met. If the actual is the same number or less, then it has been met or exceeded.

This indicator reflects the requirement to maintain compliance and alignment with OMB initiatives, including the guiding principles reflected in the OMB system modernization requirements (split projects into smaller, simpler segments with clear deliverables; focus on most critical needs first; and provide ongoing, transparent project oversight) data center consolidation requirements, and cloud computing requirements (Infrastructure as a Service; Software as a Service). A Score of "1" indicates compliance. A Score of "0" indicates non-compliance. The data is a subjective rating based on the Department’s interactions with OMB, Treasury, and GSA regarding the modernization of the Department's financial, acquisition, and property management systems.

Weather information users are surveyed continuously by means of a web-based, pop-up survey on NWS web pages throughout the Nation. A sample size of approximately 6,000 responses is collected quarterly for a maximum of 24,000 annual responses. The Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) score is calculated as a weighted average of three survey questions that measure different facets of satisfaction with NWS services. American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) researchers use proprietary software technology to estimate the weighting. The three questions include the overall satisfaction of NWS services, expectations of service, and a comparison to an ideal organization. Indexes are reported on a 0 to 100 scale. The CSI was started in the United States in 1994 by researchers at the University of Michigan, in conjunction with the American Society for Quality in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and CFI Group in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Index was developed to provide information on satisfaction with the quality of products and services available to consumers. The survey data serve as inputs to an econometric model that benchmarks customer satisfaction with more than 300 companies in 43 industries and 10 economic sectors, as well as various services of federal and local government agencies.

Average # of calendar days to hire non-SES/SL/ST positions via USAJobs (from the time a recruitment request package is received to the official final job offer and acceptance).

A winter storm warning provides NOAA customers and partners advanced notice of a hazardous winter weather event that endangers life or property or provides an impediment to commerce. Winter storm warnings are issued for winter weather phenomena like blizzards, ice storms, heavy sleet, and heavy snow. This performance indicator measures the accuracy of winter storm events. Improving the accuracy and advance warnings of winter storms enables the public to take the necessary steps to prepare for disruptive winter weather conditions.