The White House has instructed agencies who will be receiving funds from the economic stimulus package being debated on Capitol Hill to develop plans immediately for allocating workforce resources to ensure the money is spent properly and in a transparent manner, according to a Feb. 9 memo obtained by Government Executive.
Meeting the stipulations of the economic recovery plan “will require sustained focus by managers throughout the federal government, particularly in planning, awarding, managing and overseeing contracts and grants,” stated the memo, which was sent governmentwide by White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag.
Under the directive, agencies that are on track to receive significant funds from the recovery package are expected to appoint by Feb. 13 a senior-level official responsible for coordinating their stimulus-related efforts, said the directive. When President Obama signs the legislation, OMB will issue initial guidance to agencies on how to manage and oversee the funds. The administration will issue more detailed guidance one to two months after the bill’s enactment, according to the memo.
Tags: economic stimulus package, President Obama, white house