---
kind: "section"
citation: "5 U.S.C. § 313"
title: "5"
title_heading: "Government Organization and Employees"
number: "313"
heading: "Evaluation Officers"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/5/313"
units:
  - "Part I — The Agencies Generally"
  - "Chapter 3 — Powers"
  - "Subchapter II — Federal Evidence-Building Activities"
---

# §313. Evaluation Officers

- (a) **Establishment.—** The head of each [agency](/usc/5/311.md?p=1) shall designate a senior employee of the [agency](/usc/5/311.md?p=1) as the [Evaluation](/usc/5/311.md?p=3) Officer of the [agency](/usc/5/311.md?p=1).
- (b) **Qualifications.—** The [Evaluation](/usc/5/311.md?p=3) Officer of an [agency](/usc/5/311.md?p=1) shall be appointed or designated without regard to political affiliation and based on demonstrated expertise in [evaluation](/usc/5/311.md?p=3) methodology and practices and appropriate expertise to the disciplines of the [agency](/usc/5/311.md?p=1).
- (c) **Coordination.—** The [Evaluation](/usc/5/311.md?p=3) Officer of an [agency](/usc/5/311.md?p=1) shall, to the extent practicable, coordinate activities with [agency](/usc/5/311.md?p=1) officials necessary to carry out the functions required under [subsection (d)](#d).
- (d) **Functions.—** The [Evaluation](/usc/5/311.md?p=3) Officer of each [agency](/usc/5/311.md?p=1) shall—
  - (1) continually assess the coverage, quality, methods, consistency, effectiveness, independence, and balance of the portfolio of [evaluations](/usc/5/311.md?p=3), policy research, and ongoing [evaluation](/usc/5/311.md?p=3) activities of the [agency](/usc/5/311.md?p=1);
  - (2) assess [agency](/usc/5/311.md?p=1) capacity to support the development and use of [evaluation](/usc/5/311.md?p=3);
  - (3) establish and implement an [agency](/usc/5/311.md?p=1) [evaluation](/usc/5/311.md?p=3) policy; and
  - (4) coordinate, develop, and implement the plans required under section 312.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 115–435, title I, § 101(a)(2), Jan. 14, 2019, 132 Stat. 5531.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective 180 days after Jan. 14, 2019, see section 403 of Pub. L. 115–435, set out as an Effective Date of 2019 Amendment note under section 306 of this title.