III.3: Assurances

Make assurances for financial data reported.

Other Information:

By November 15, 2014, based on the validation described above, each agency must make the following assurances for financial data reported on USAspending.gov: * The prime Federal award financial data reported on USAspending.gov is correct at the reported percentage of accuracy, and the agency has adequate internal controls over the underlying spending; and * The agency has implemented processes to ensure data completeness and accuracy on USAspending.gov by using control totals with financial statement data and comparing samples of financial data to actual award documents. These annual assurances must be included as part of the FY 2014 annual assurance statement as provided by the Federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act of 1982 (31 U.S.C. 3512(d)(2)). To meet assure the accuracy and completeness of USAspending.gov prime Federal award financial data, agencies shall either:

Stakeholder(s):

• Federal Agencies: Because of the complexity of some agency operations, there is not a "one size fits all" approach to conducting the validation that supports these assurances. If an agency is unable employ (1) or (2) ... to assure the quality of USAspending.gov data, it may request to use an alternative methodology to OMB by August 31, 2013. Such requests must: * Describe the alternative methodology; * Identify how this methodology will assure the accuracy of USAspending.gov data; and * Provide justification for not incorporating the FAIN into its financial system and/or employing the SF 133 for its validation ofUSAspending.gov by October 1, 2013. Acceptable alternatives may include validation ofUSAspending.gov data with other systems (e.g., grants or contract management systems) or other authoritative reports that are made available to the public. OMB will grant approval for alternative methodologies only on a limited case-by-case basis, where such requests are justified by compelling legal, policy, or operational challenges. In addition, for procurement transactions, the agency must continue to comply with the certification standards in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 4.604 and supporting OMB Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) guidance available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/procurement index_pro_data/.

Indicator(s):

Indicator:1

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