GAO: Implementation of Coburn-Obama Still Lacking in Some Areas

Monday, March 15, 2010 10:20 AM

It's not clear whether the release of their report was meant to coincide with Sunshine Week, but it is certainly fitting.  The Government Accountability Office has released a new report on Electronic Government: Implementation of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006.

While the website USAspending.gov launched as a result of the 2006 law allows taxpayers a first glimpse at federal grant and contract expenditures, the study finds that it is plagued by inconsistencies, likely resulting from a lack of clear guidance from OMB.  Further, the GAO finds that OMB has only partially fulfilled the subaward reporting pilot program it was supposed to launch no later than July (two porgrams were launched in 2008).  Beyond that, subaward reporting data, which was supposed to be displayed by January 2009, has not yet been posted, while an annual report on the reporting burden imposed on award recipientshas yet to be submitted.

The verdict from GAO:

Until OMB and agencies better ensure that complete and accurate information is included on USAspending.gov, the Web site will be limited in providing the public with a view into the details of federal spending.

OMB has already said that some of the concerns raised in the report will be addressed in the coming months, so stay tuned.

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