OMB Assessing Guidance for Data Reporting, Flow

Washington, March 24 – The Office of Management and Budget still is formulating its policies for data reporting and data flow under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Pub. L. 111-5, an OMB official said recently.

When the agency issues its second Recovery Act implementation guidance in early April, it plans to establish governmentwide definitions for certain data reporting terms, while leaving others more flexible, said OMB Deputy Controller Danny Werfel. For example, the phrase “completion status” for projects will have a governmentwide definition, but the terms “project” and “activity” will not have a standard definition. He added that the guidance likely will have examples of projects and activities to assist grantees in administering their Recovery Act grants.