Recovery Act: Forthcoming portal to streamline data reporting

The Office of Management and Budget is trying to streamline the system used to collect data on money spent through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The new plan includes a soon-to-be-launched Web portal, FederalReporting.gov, where contract or grant recipients will file reports listing the total funds received and spent, a list of projects funded, including location and expected completion date, and the jobs associated with each project.

OMB said the centralized reporting site will lighten the reporting burden on recipients by simplifying reporting instructions and providing an easy-to-use way to submit data.

The FederalReporting.gov Web site works in conjunction with Recovery.gov. Recipient’s reports are submitted to FederalReporting.gov and are ultimately published on Recovery.gov.

OMB expects to have FederalReporting.gov running by Oct. 1, according to the Web site.

“The states, companies, and organizations pushing forward with recovery act projects have been collecting this data. In turn, we’re putting in place a streamlined, manageable way for them to report and make the information available to the American people,” OMB Director Peter Orszag said in a statement.

According to guidance published June 22, recipients must report their information no later than 10 days after each new quarter; no waivers will be granted.

Orszag said people will know who’s getting money and what that money is paying for. The recovery act requires an unprecedented level of detail into how tax dollars are spent.