Jill M. Mortali
Director
Office of Sponsored Projects
Dartmouth College
11 Rope Ferry Road
Hanover, NH 03755
603-646-0678
From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of COGR
Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2014 5:52 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [cogr-l] Please join the COFAR for a Webcast on October 2nd 1:00-3:00pm EST
Hello COGR Members ... We apologize for communicating in this manner, but in this case, we are only the messenger and trying to help COFAR / OMB spread the word on the upcoming Webcast.
Below is a note from Victoria Collin from COFAR / OMB. If you have questions or any difficulties, please contact Victoria at: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Also note the message posted by David Mader, the Controller at the Office of Management and Budget. His message was included in Victoria's email.
Thank you for your patience.
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Colleagues,
With apologies for the inconvenience, please note that the link for the webcast provided below has been changed. The correct link is now available at cfo.gov/COFAR.
Best,
Victoria
Please see the announcement below on whitehouse.gov/omb regarding metrics for the Uniform guidance, and please join us on Thursday for a lively discussion on Uniform Guidance implementation! Please distribute to your networks.
Please join us for a webcast on
Uniform Guidance Implementation
A Conversation Presented by the Council on Financial Assistance Reform
Thursday October 2nd, 1:00-3:00PM
Link to live event (no RSVP needed-further information including a recorded version will be available on cfo.gov/COFAR):
http://bnet.state.gov/Meetings.asx
(Before the event starts, BNET the broad casting channel for the Department of State, streams news.)
From whitehouse.gov/omb:
What Policy Simultaneously Improves Performance, Transparency, and Oversight for Federal Awards?<http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/09/30/what-policy-simultaneously-improves-performance-transparency-and-oversight-federal-a>
Posted by David Mader on September 30, 2014 at 1:20 PM EDT
On December 26, 2013, OMB published final guidance in 2 C.F.R 200<http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=ed90f54836feb6a994f657188eb05e33&node=2:1.1.2.2.1&rgn=div5> titled Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of Federal financial assistance. This guidance delivers on President Obama's second term management agenda and his first term directives under Executive Order 13520, the February 28, 2011 Presidential Memorandum, and the objectives laid out in OMB Memorandum M-13-17 to better target financial risks and better direct resources to achieve evidence-based outcomes. The policy simultaneously improves performance, transparency, and oversight for Federal awards.
But the next question is, "By how much?"
To answer this question, today OMB is issuing new metrics<http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/memoranda/2014/m-14-17.pdf> to measure the impact of the Uniform Guidance. We will use data collected annually in the Federal Audit Clearinghouse as well as information from Federal agencies and other partners to measure these policies against key benchmarks, and evaluate the need for future reforms.
Since the Uniform Guidance was published this past December, we have reached out to stakeholders through webcasts<https://cfo.gov/COFAR/>, Frequently Asked Questions<https://cfo.gov/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2014-08-29-Frequently-Asked-Questions.pdf>, and numerous conversations, all while working closely with Federal agencies to develop their implementing regulations. From this engagement, we believe the Uniform Guidance could transform the landscape of the more than $600 billion awarded annually in Federal financial assistance.
We believe these new policies could save the Federal government more than $50 million per year in audit expenses, allow recipients to end burdensome and obsolete reporting practices, and allow previously administrative dollars to be re-programed to support better program performance.
For example:
* For universities, this could mean more dollars to put towards the basic research that underpins innovation throughout the world.
* For small nonprofits, the simplifications could remove barriers to entry and open competition for Federal awards to more new entrants than ever before.
* For state, local, and tribal governments, this could mean more flexibility to develop efficient, evidence-based programs that best provide citizens with the services they most need.
Further, this policy could improve oversight of these awards by increasing transparency through publication of audit reports, requiring recipients to have strong internal controls, and requiring Federal agencies to review risk prior to making an award.
This reform delivers on the President's directives to reduce both improper payments<http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/executive-order-reducing-improper-payments> and administrative burden<http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/02/28/presidential-memorandum-administrative-flexibility>. Most importantly of all, we think the Council on Financial Assistance Reform's process<https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/12/26/2013-30465/uniform-administrative-requirements-cost-principles-and-audit-requirements-for-federal-awards> was inclusive of all stakeholders and responsive to their suggestions. The metrics we are issuing today will allow us to gather hard data to measure these impacts.
The Uniform Guidance will become effective on December 26, 2014 upon publication of Federal agency implementing regulations, but we are not going to wait until then to begin the conversation. Please join Deputy Director for Management Beth Cobert, myself, the COFAR and partners as we discuss the potential impact of the reform with non-Federal stakeholders during our upcoming webcast this Thursday October 2nd, from 1:00-3:00pm, accessible with no RSVP necessary at www.cfo.gov/COFAR<http://www.cfo.gov/COFAR>.
To learn more about the Uniform Guidance, please visit the Council on Financial Assistance Reform's website<https://cfo.gov/cofar/>, and check out the most recent Frequently Asked Questions Document<https://cfo.gov/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2014-08-29-Frequently-Asked-Questions.pdf>.
David Mader is the Controller at the Office of Management and Budget.
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David Kennedy
Director, Cost Policy - COGR
1200 New York Ave. NW, #750
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 289-6655, ext. 112
[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
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