The revisions in 2 CFR emphasize that agencies are encouraged to measure recipient performance to improve program goals and objectives, share lessons learned, and spread the adoption of promising practices. While understanding that grant program goals and their intended results will differ by type of program, the Grants CAP Goal is working to shift the culture of Federal grant making from a heavy focus on compliance to a balanced approach that includes a focus on the degree to which grant programs achieve their goals and intended results.
To provide clarity and consistency among Federal awarding agencies, a revision to include program evaluation costs as an example of a direct cost under a Federal award has been included in 2 CFR Direct costs. Please refer to OMB Circular A-11 for a definition on program evaluation. Evaluation costs are allowed as a direct cost in existing guidance. This language is intended to strengthen this intent and ensure that agencies are applying this consistently. Agencies are reminded that evaluation costs are allowable costs (either as direct or indirect), unless prohibited by statute or regulation. The work under the Grants CAP goal performance work group emphasizes evaluation as an important practice to understand the results achieved with Federal funding. OMB seeks comments on the impact of this revision within the guidance.
G. Eliminate References to Non-Authoritative Guidance
To support implementation of Executive Order 13892 of (Promoting the Rule of Law Through Transparency and Fairness in Civil Administrative Enforcement and Adjudication) and to prohibit Federal awarding agencies from including references to non-authoritative guidance in the terms and conditions of Federal awards, OMB proposes changes to Information contained in Federal awards. These proposed changes are intended reduce https://americashpaydayloan.com/title-loans-sd/ recipient burden and prevent Federal awarding agencies from imposing non-binding guidance on recipients that has not gone through appropriate public notice and comment.
H. Emphasis on Machine-Readable Information Format
OMB proposes clarifying the methods for collection, transmission, and storage of data in 2 CFR to further explain and promote the collection of data in machine-readable formats. A Machine-readable format is a format that can be easily processed by a computer without human intervention while ensuring no semantic meaning is lost (44 U.S.C. 3502(18)). The proposal reinforces the machine-readable requirements in the Foundations of Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-435) and accompanying OMB guidance, and reflects the need to continually evaluate which formats (and structures) maximize accessibility and usability for all stakeholders. Machine-readable formats will also help support the Leveraging Data as a Strategic Asset Cross-Agency Priority Goal (CAP Goal #2) and efforts under the Grants CAP Goal to Build Shared IT Infrastructure.
Based on lessons learned from the implementation of 2 CFR part 200 and the Grants Oversight and New Efficiency Act (GONE Act), OMB proposes several changes to §(Closeout) to support timely closeout, improve the accuracy of final closeout reports, and reduce burden.
OMB proposes to increase the number of days for recipients to submit closeout reports and liquidate all financial obligations from 90 days to 120 days. This proposal takes into consideration that it is challenging for pass-through entities with a large number of subawards to reconcile subawards and submit final reports to Federal awarding Start Printed Page 3770 agencies within 90 days. Recognizing the need for pass-through entities to receive timely reports from subrecipients to report back to Federal awarding agencies, OMB proposes to continue to require subrecipients to submit their reports to the pass-through entity within 90 days. The intent of this proposed change is to support financial reconciliation, help ease the burden associated with submitting reports for closeout, and promote improved accuracy. However, OMB recognizes that providing additional time may increase the likelihood that non-Federal entities will not submit their final closeout reports. To mitigate this risk, OMB is also proposing for Federal awarding agencies to report when a non-Federal entity does not submit final closeout reports as a failure to comply with the terms and conditions of the award to the OMB-designated integrity and performance system. Finally, OMB proposes the requirement of Federal awarding agencies to make every effort to close out Federal awards within one year after the end of the period of performance unless otherwise directed by authorizing statute. The proposed language is intended to promote timely closeout of awards, assist with reconciling closeout activities, and hold recipients accountable for submitting required closeout reports.
