Agencies Report to Congress on Plan to Implement Federal Financial Assistance Management Improvement Act of 1999. Goals and timeline listed. Source: Report to Congress, May 2001 Goals · Reduce unnecessary burdens on applicants for and recipients of federal grants · Streamline and simplify federal grant reporting requirements and procedures to reduce burden on recipients and improve timeliness, completeness and quality of information collected · Streamline and simplify the payment process from agencies to grantees · Ensure methods for requesting and obtaining payment meet needs of grantees and agencies · Streamline and simplify government-wide general administrative requirements · Update, streamline and simplify common rule on non-procurement debarment and suspension · Ensure that cost principles in OMB Circulars A-21, A-87 and A-122 are current, consistent and appropriate for grantees · Ensure that audits provide useful and reliable information to agencies and pass-through entities and are in compliance with federal requirements · Develop government-wide plan to identify delinquent audits · Electronic implementation of streamlined processes · Ensure federal agencies use grant financial systems that comply with government-wide standards · Improve the ability or rural areas, Native American tribes and small organizations to participate in grant process, especially re access to infrastructure · Ensure streamlined procedures become part of ongoing government operations, providing applicants and grantees with OMB ombudsman if agency processes exceed standards adopted. No Date * GMC recommendations to OMB re changes needed in OMB Circular A-110 and A-102 * Ongoing discussions and inter-agency technical assistance re implementation of Joint Financial Management Improvement Program (JFMIP), re government-wide standards for grant financial systems May 30, 2001 * Publish plain language pamphlet summarizing elements of audit process, on web and in print * Publish Federal Register notice of revised SF-SAC, “Data Collection Form for Reporting on Audits of States, Local Governments and Nonprofit Organizations” and post on FAC website. Revised form required for fiscal years ending on or after January 1, 2001. June 30, 2001 * Recommend changes to Federal Audit Clearinghouse (FAC) to improve services to auditors, agencies and grantees, including website and database, based on focus groups and agency comments July 1, 2001 * Complete evaluation of grantee expectations re single audit process (training and information needs) September 30, 2001 * complete baseline of current practices on announcements for grant opportunities in sample programs and assess reasons for differences among them * complete baseline of application requirements, including certifications and assurances, in sample programs * complete baseline of current practices relating to awards in sample programs and assess reasons for differences between programs * complete baseline of reporting forms * complete assessment of reporting re standard financial reporting forms to help determine potential for conversion to electronic submission * publish Federal Register notice on final policy on use of pooled payments v. individual awards * agencies issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to update the common rule * publish Federal Register request for public comment on common language and description of cost items that have similar treatment * complete survey of current Federal Quality Control Review (QCR) activity and process, determine if additional action needed FY 2002 * Federal Commons moves from NIH to its own production site November 2001 * Implement electronic data interchange (EDI) pilot for research grant applications via Federal Commons January 1, 2002 * make recommendations for change in Single Audit Act or OMB Circular A-133 and develop strategies for any changes needed March 31, 2002 * complete assessment of access and infrastructure needs of rural areas, Native American tribes and small organizations after meeting with representatives of these constituencies and reviewing public comments * complete description of Ombudsman position for grantee/applicant complaints re agency procedures that exceed uniform standards, after reviewing public comments and meeting with agency representatives, determine where ombudsman office placed within government April 30, 2002 * Issue 2002 Compliance Supplement, the annual OMB update on program audit requirements May 2002 * Complete development of agency integration toolkit for Federal Commons May 20, 2002 * Determine whether to use plain language in cost principle Circulars A-21, A-87 and A-122 * Agencies submit update of FFAMIA plan to Congress June 30, 2002 * Final updated common rule on debarment and suspension published September 2002 * Pilot testing of post-award financial reporting on Federal Commons September 30, 2002 * complete assessment of financial rleproting forms for modification and creation of electronic transaction set * begin financial reporting pilots October 1, 2002 * deadline for agencies to begin using CFO Council designated payment systems FY 2003 * add operational modules to Federal Commons as testing is completed Prepared by: OMB Watch