Recovery.gov - Track the Money

The spending plan for Health Professions Programs in the Recovery Act funding is currently under development. The general types of activities to be funded are the support of health professions students and training programs as well as of loan repayment of health professionals serving in underserved areas. Specific activities will be announced once a spending plan is finalized.

Health Professions 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.”

Monitoring and evaluation of grants will follow existing HRSA grants management processes which includes a financial integrity assessment prior to award (i.e., review of HRSA alert lists and A-133 audit reports to ensure organizations are viable entities). All applications will be subject to an objective review and receive a score in accordance with existing HRSA policy. Upon award, conditions and terms will be associated with awards to ensure compliance with financial and performance reporting requirements. Both grants management as well as program staff will monitor awards to ensure compliance with requirements.

For Loan Repayment Programs, HRSA requires Office of the General Counsel review of all application materials associated with the Recovery Act, completion of employment verification forms, and is taking steps to modify contracts and compete contracts that will allow HRSA to uniquely report on Recovery Act activities. HRSA program staff work closely with the HRSA budget and finance organizations associated with managing and monitoring Recovery Act expenditures.

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

HRSA will 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. HRSA will inform recipients of their reporting obligation through standard terms and conditions, grant announcements, contract solicitations, and other program guidance. HRSA will provide technical assistance to grantees and contractors and fully utilize Project Officers to ensure compliance with reporting requirements.

Every Recovery Act funded program in HRSA is being structured so that HRSA can track all Recovery Act financial and performance information as required by the Recovery Act and associated OMB guidance. Financial and performance data will be reported through the HHS website as well as through the government-wide website.

To ensure that managers are held to high standards of accountability in achieving program goals under the Recovery Act, HRSA will build on and strengthen existing processes. Senior HRSA Health Professions and Clinician Recruitment and Service 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.

The HRSA business process and enterprise–wide system provides for the capturing of milestone dates throughout the grants process. These data will be used to ensure all actions occur in a timely fashion from the release of the funding opportunity through the application and awards process as well as the capturing of quarterly data. HRSA’s Office of Federal Assistance Management as well as program offices will be held accountable to ensure the timely awarding and management of funds and as appropriate, HRSA Performance Management and Assessment Plans may be modified to incorporate the stewardship of Recovery Act funds. HRSA has implemented senior level governance boards, and a thorough and comprehensive A-123 internals controls testing and evaluation process, which tests, and ensures appropriate internal controls are in place throughout the entire funding cycle. The Clinician Recruitment and Service program is also subject to a complete improper payments risk assessment on a regular basis, with the last one performed during FY 2008.

Not Applicable