BGS, BSGS Bachelor of General Studies BSGS Public Administration 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A 'sunset provision' in public law serves what primary purpose?
- Automatically increasing an agency's budget each year
- Setting an expiration date that forces legislative review of a program or agency (Correct answer)
- Prohibiting programs from operating after normal business hours
- Limiting the number of employees an agency may hire
Correct answer: Setting an expiration date that forces legislative review of a program or agency
Sunset provisions require programs or agencies to be explicitly reauthorized by a set date or they automatically terminate, ensuring periodic legislative accountability.
Question 2: Which type of government organization is created by Congress to operate with greater independence from presidential control and is typically led by a multi-member commission?
- Executive department
- Government corporation
- Independent regulatory commission (Correct answer)
- White House office
Correct answer: Independent regulatory commission
Independent regulatory commissions (e.g., the FTC, SEC) are headed by bipartisan boards with fixed terms, insulating them from direct presidential removal and political pressure.
Question 3: In cost-benefit analysis for public programs, the term 'opportunity cost' refers to:
- The administrative cost of running a government program
- The value of the next-best alternative foregone when a resource is used (Correct answer)
- The cost savings achieved through program efficiencies
- The sunk costs already spent on a project
Correct answer: The value of the next-best alternative foregone when a resource is used
Opportunity cost captures what is given up by choosing one option—if funds go to Program A, the opportunity cost is the benefit that could have come from the best alternative use.
Question 4: The 'principal-agent problem' in public administration most commonly arises when:
- Congress delegates authority to an agency that then pursues its own interests (Correct answer)
- A state government refuses federal funding to avoid federal mandates
- A civil servant whistleblower reports fraud to an inspector general
- The president issues an executive order bypassing Congress
Correct answer: Congress delegates authority to an agency that then pursues its own interests
The principal-agent problem occurs when the agent (agency) has different interests or information than the principal (Congress/president) and may not act as intended.
Question 5: Which intergovernmental arrangement allows local governments to enter into formal agreements to jointly provide a service or share resources across jurisdictions?
- Revenue sharing
- Interlocal service agreements (Correct answer)
- Federal preemption
- Unfunded mandates
Correct answer: Interlocal service agreements
Interlocal service agreements (intergovernmental agreements or IGAs) allow municipalities to cooperate—for example, sharing a fire department or water system—to achieve economies of scale.
Question 6: Under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993, federal agencies are required to:
- Submit to annual independent financial audits by the GAO
- Develop strategic plans, set performance goals, and report on results (Correct answer)
- Reduce their workforce by a set percentage each fiscal year
- Obtain Office of Management and Budget approval before any new hire
Correct answer: Develop strategic plans, set performance goals, and report on results
GPRA mandated that agencies create multi-year strategic plans with measurable goals and annual performance reports, institutionalizing results-oriented management in the federal government.
Question 7: Which term describes the informal networks of public managers, nonprofit leaders, and private stakeholders who collectively govern a policy area without a single authoritative hierarchy?
- Bureaucratic coordination
- Collaborative governance networks (Correct answer)
- Delegated administration
- Centralized command
Correct answer: Collaborative governance networks
Collaborative governance networks involve multiple actors from public, private, and nonprofit sectors working together horizontally, often seen in areas like watershed management or workforce development.
BGS, BSGS Bachelor of General Studies BSGS Public Administration 5
A 'sunset provision' in public law serves what primary purpose?