Executive Office of the President December 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

To deliver on the promise of a 21st-Century government that is more efficient, effective and transparent, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is streamlining the Federal government's guidance on Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal awards. These modifications are a key component of a larger Federal effort to more effectively focus Federal resources on improving performance and outcomes while ensuring the financial integrity of taxpayer dollars in partnership with non-Federal stakeholders. This guidance provides a governmentwide framework for grants management which will be complemented by additional efforts to strengthen program outcomes through innovative and effective use of grant-making models, performance metrics, and evaluation. This reform of OMB guidance will reduce administrative burden for non-Federal entities receiving Federal awards while reducing the risk of waste, fraud and abuse. This final guidance supersedes and streamlines requirements from OMB Circulars A-21, A-87, A-110, and A-122 (which have been placed in OMB guidances); Circulars A-89, A-102, and A-133; and the guidance in Circular A-50 on Single Audit Act follow-up. Future reform efforts may eventually seek to incorporate the Cost Principles for Hospitals in Department of Health and Human Services regulations. Copies of the OMB Circulars that are superseded by this guidance are available on OMB's Web site at https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circularsdefault/. The final guidance consolidates the guidance previously contained in the aforementioned citations into a streamlined format that aims to improve both the clarity and accessibility. This final guidance is located in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations. This final guidance does not broaden the scope of applicability from existing government-wide requirements, affecting Federal awards to non-Federal entities including state and local governments, Indian tribes, institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations. Parts of it may also apply to for-profit entities in limited circumstances and to foreign entities as described in this guidance and the Federal Acquisition Regulation. This guidance does not change or modify any existing statute or guidance otherwise based on any existing statute. This guidance does not supersede any existing or future authority under law or by executive order or the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

The Office of Management and Budget is publishing the attached memorandum to the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies announcing that $952,308 is the ``benchmark compensation amount'' for certain executives and employees in terms of costs allowable under Federal Government contracts during contractors' fiscal year 2012. This determination is required under Section 39 of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act, as amended (41 U.S.C. 1127). The benchmark compensation amount applies to both defense and civilian agencies.