Abstract: ObjectiveTo develop an evaluation index system for projects of essential public health service in Guangdong Province so as to provide an effective tool for performance evaluation.MethodsAn index system was preliminarily established using the literature analysis, and the relative weights of the first, second and tertiary indexes were calculated by using the percentile method and the product method through two rounds of expert letters.ResultsTwenty-five experts conducted the first round of expert consultation survey. Of all the experts, 17(68.0%) were engaged in the management of public health, 22(88.0%) had bachelor degrees or above, and 16(64.0%) had senior or associate-senior professional titles. There were 22 experts in the second round of expert consultation. Of them, 17(77.3%) experts were engaged in the management of public health, 20(90.9%) had bachelor degrees or above, 15(68.1%) had senior or associate-senior professional titles. The positive coefficients of two rounds of consulting experts were 83.3% and 88.0%, respectively. The average score of expert judgment was 0.813, the average degree of familiarity was 0.805, and the degree of the expert authority was 0.781. After two rounds of consultations, the performance evaluation index system of essential public health service projects in Guangdong Province was established, including the organization and management, fund management, project implementation, project effect, public awareness and satisfaction with 5 primary indexes, 25 secondary indexes, and 41 tertiary indexes.ConclusionThe evaluation index system was established in the study with high degrees of coordination and authority of the expert opinions, and can be used to evaluate the performance of essential public health service projects in Guangdong Province.