Recovery.gov - Track the Money

Activities include: Medical Equipment Purchases (various types 199 activites tracked); Computed Tomography (CT) Scanner Purchases (10 activities tracked); and Ambulance Replacements (62 activities tracked).

• For medical equipment, an activity tracked may be an individual piece of equipment or consist of a system that contains a number of individual pieces of equipment meant to work together to meet a medical need. An example of a system would be a dental operatory that consists of a dental chair, dental x-ray, and associated dental implements.
• For ambulances, the number of activities tracked represents an approximate number that can be purchased given an average cost for replacement. EMS programs in different communities will require a different body type of ambulance or a four-wheel versus a two wheel drive, thus changing the cost. The initial FY 2009 list identified 35 ambulances for replacement. The FY 2010 ambulance replacement list, estimated at 27, is under development.

All Recovery Act programs will be assessed for risk and to ensure that appropriate internal controls are in place throughout the entire funding cycle. These assessments will be done consistent with the statutory requirements of the Federal Manager’s Financial Integrity Act and the Improper Payments Information Act, as well as OMB’s Circular A-123 “Management’s Responsibility for Internal Control.”

• IHS will incorporate implementation of Recovery Act into its FY 2009 Management Control Plan, which is the agency’s management control system for ensuring compliance with the Federal Managers’ Financial Integrity Act.
• Monitor recipient progress reports at least quarterly or more frequently if required to correct risks.
• Identify deviations from planned schedule or performance.
• IHS gives feedback and corrective measures to recipients as necessary to mitigate risks.
• All new and replacement equipment purchased with Recovery Act funds will be recorded and tracked in IHS property inventory and management tracking systems.

The Recovery Act appropriated $20 million to IHS for Equipment, A total of $8.5 million will be distributed to purchase medical equipment for Tribal and IHS healthcare facilities. The funding will be distributed to the IHS Areas (regions) using the existing equipment replacement funding priority formula. A total of $6.5 million will purchase CT scanners. A feasibility assessment among 41 Tribal and IHS hospitals yielded a list of 10 priority sites to receive a CT scanner, one site in each IHS Area (region) with a hospital. A total of $5 million will purchase or replace ambulances. Funding will be transferred to GSA through an interagency agreement to purchase the ambulances through existing contracts.

IHS will be open and transparent in all of its contracting competitions and regulations that involve spending of Recovery Act funding consistent with statutory and OMB guidance.

IHS will also ensure that recipient reporting required by Section 1512 of the Recovery Act and OMB guidance is made available to the public on Recovery.gov by October 10, 2009. IHS will inform recipients of their reporting obligation through standard terms and conditions, grant announcements, contract solicitations, and other program guidance. IHS will provide technical assistance to grantees and contractors and fully utilize Project Officers to ensure compliance with reporting requirements.

• The Recovery Act requires reporting by Federal agencies and prime recipients of funds.
  
• Post Recovery Act reports on Recovery.Gov and supplemental information on HHS.Gov/Recovery
  
• Post reports enabling the public to see how much Recovery Act funding has been awarded and to whom.
  
• Recipients submit Recovery Act reports to a web-based central data portal which routes raw reports to a central national data repository and to the IHS.
  
• IHS submits consolidated reports assembled from raw individual recipient reports, e.g., over-view of progress of multiple vendors working on a single project.
  
• Types of data available to the public:
  
  • Recovery Act financial data for IHS
    
  • Recovery Act implementation plans
    
  • Recovery Act award data
    
  • Recovery Act program and project level status reports - individually by recipient and collectively synthesized as appropriate.
  
  
• No agency contact or oral communications with registered lobbyists are allowed about particular Recovery Act projects.
  
• All tribal and Federal contracts will include relevant reporting requirements for use of Recovery Act funds.
  
• Post any written agency communications with lobbyists to Recovery.Gov.

To ensure that managers are held to high standards of accountability in achieving program goals under the Recovery Act, IHS will build on and strengthen existing processes. Senior IHS Office of Clinical and Preventive Services program officials will meet regularly with senior Department officials to ensure that projects are meeting their program goals, assessing and mitigating risks, ensuring transparency, and incorporating corrective actions. The personnel performance appraisal system will also incorporate Recovery Act program stewardship responsibilities for program and business function managers.

• Incorporate Recovery Act implementation into IHS FY 2009 Management Control Plan.
  
• Track quantifiable outcomes and outputs for funded projects.
  
• Track Recovery projects & funds in the Unified Financial Management System (UFMS).
  
• Track Recovery funded equipment and ambulances in the Agency’s Property Management Inventory System (PMIS).
  
• Incorporate Recovery Act implementation in:
  
  • Director’s Performance Plan and cascade to responsible Recovery Act managers
    
  • Annual Budget Process
    
  • IHS Strategic Plan
  
  
• Projects comply with procurement standards and quality assurance.
  
• Track and report use of funds for administration.

United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Energy Star products will be purchased if available.