# Presentation: 027740

## OIRA’s Role In Grants Management & StreamliningCoordination of the Paperwork Reduction Act and the Federal Financial Assistance Management Improvement Act

**OIRA’s Role In Grants Management & Streamlining****Coordination of the Paperwork Reduction Act and the Federal Financial Assistance Management Improvement Act**

- John D. Graham, Ph.D.
- Administrator
- Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs
- Office of Management and Budget

## What is the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA)?

**What is the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA)?**

- Statutory office within the Office of Management and Budget.
- Oversees and coordinates regulatory policy.
- Develops and oversees government-wide information technology policy.
- Coordinates information quality guidelines.
- Oversees and coordinates information collection policy under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA).

**Notes:**
General info on OIRA.  Highlight the PRA for this talk.

## OIRA’s Role In Grants Management

- Paperwork Reduction Act
- “Grants Streamlining” (P.L. 106-107)
- Grants.gov

## What is the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)?

- Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, as amended (P.L. 104-13), was designed to improve the quality and practical utility of information required by the Federal government, and reduce paperwork burden on the public.
- Implementing regulations: 5 C.F.R. 1320
- The PRA gives OIRA a number of responsibilities, including assuring that:
- effective and efficient information resource management practices are implemented across the government;
- the paperwork burden imposed by the Federal government on the public is minimized; and
- the greatest possible public benefit comes from the collection, use, and dissemination of information collected from the public.

## PRA Scope

**PRA Scope**

- The PRA covers any voluntary or mandatory collection of information conducted or sponsored by a Federal agency that is collected from more than 9 people or organizations annually, including:
- Grant Applications
- 					Performance Reports
- Financial Statements
- 					“Contracted” Studies

## PRA Review

- PRA Review

- OIRA reviews agency requests to collect information to ensure that activities minimize burden, have practical utility, reduce duplication, and meet a specific agency need.
- Review based on information quality guidelines as well.
- An agency cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information without OMB clearance.
- Agencies must obtain OMB clearance of ongoing information collections at least every 3 years.

## Balancing Burden and Utility

- Agencies need information to effectively run their programs and award funds.
- Requests for information can become burdensome, especially if they:
- are duplicative of other information collected;
- use multiple formats or information technology programs; or
- ask for information that is not utilized fully.
- Balance should focus on reducing burden to the extent possible given agencies’ need for information.

## Ways to Reduce Burden

- Consistency across data collections.
- Standardized methods and definitions.
- Data sharing across agencies.
- Use of information technology.
- Important to use compatible systems.
- Reduce frequency of collection.
- Eliminate unnecessary or duplicative collections.

## Federal Financial Assistance Management Improvement Act of 1999 

- Federal Financial Assistance Management Improvement Act of 1999

- Improve effectiveness and performance of Federal assistance programs.
- Simplify application and reporting requirements.
- Improve delivery of services to the public.
- Facilitate greater coordination among government agencies.
- “Lead” is the Office of Federal Financial Management (OFFM) in OMB.

**Notes:**
PL 106-107: Also called “Grants Streamlining”
Focuses on coordination among grantmaking agencies to develop common forms for application and reporting.  

## Grants Streamlining: Applications

- Baseline of 102 programs (administered by 18 agencies) reveals the use of:
- 50 application forms
- 2800 data elements
- Interagency group developed a common form with “modules” for specialized grants.

**Notes:**
Application piece has been very successful.  Introduced the common form in Oct. 2003.  Agency buy-in is high; most agencies are trying to transfer grant applications (where feasible) to the streamlined format.
There is a “core” data set for all grants, and modules (such as R&D) for specific types of grants.

## Grants Streamlining: Reporting

- All types of reports are being streamlined:
**Invention**: Proposal published Oct 02, final expected February 04.
**Property**: Proposal expected March 04.
**Financial**: Proposal published April 03, final expected February 04.
**Performance**: TBD

**Notes:**
The reporting piece is more difficult, and has been trailing behind the application piece.  The invention, property, and financial reporting forms are almost ready.  The performance reporting group has a much more difficult job– given that performance indicators vary so much among grants– but is still working to determine how to streamline.  It is likely that we’ll have another “core” performance report with a number of modules.
We are currently working with RMOs and OFFM on a pilot streamlined performance report for Protection and Advocacy programs (P&As).  There are 7 programs across 4 Federal agencies, all using slightly different reporting formats, timeframes, and data definitions.  

## Grants.gov: The Vision

- Produce a simple, unified “storefront” for all customers of Federal grants to electronically find opportunities, apply, and manage grants.
- Facilitate the quality, coordination, effectiveness, and efficiency of operations for grant makers and grant recipients.

**Notes:**
Grants.gov is one of the E-Gov initiatives that have been very successful.  The website allows someone to find ALL grant opportunities in the Federal government, and apply for many of them through the site.
It overlaps with Grants Streamlining by utilizing the common application form.

## Grants.gov: Scope

- Grants.gov encompasses over 900 grant programs offered by the 26 Federal grant-making agencies.
- It streamlines the process of awarding over $350 billion annually to state and local governments, academia, not-for-profits and other organizations.
- Overlaps with Grants Streamlining
- Use of common application form for many grants

## Grants.gov: Moving Forward

- One of the 24 Presidential E-Gov initiatives
- Current capability for E-Find and E-Apply
- Will allow for reporting in the future

## How the Laws and Initiatives Work Together

- Use of PRA to ensure application and reporting requirements are not unnecessarily burdensome
- GPEA: Use of information technology options for burden reduction.
- Grants Streamlining:  Assure timely implementation of streamlined forms for all grants.
- Grants.gov: Assure widespread use of site for grants across the lifecycle.
- Coordination with budget and statutory offices (mostly OFFM)
- Assure program and Administration goals are met.
- Assure Federal grants policy is being followed.

## Role of the Research Community

- Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP) has been providing comments throughout.
- Comment on changes to standard reports, rules.
- Always published for comment in the Federal Register.
- Comments on the Grants.gov site.
- Suggest any changes to common rules, etc.

## For More Information

- General Website: _[www.whitehouse.gov/omb](http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb)_
- PRA Website: _[www.whitehouse.gov/omb/inforeg/infocoll.html](http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/inforeg/infocoll.html)_
- Grants.gov Website:
- 	_[www.grants.gov](http://www.grants.gov/)_