Table of Contents | Previous | Next |
10. Improve automated data and management systems
Approach for the Strategic Objective: Continue to invest in systems improvement and technology to allow ACF staff to move forward in a working environment which increasingly requires that all employees have access to and use the Internet as an integral part of day-to-day agency operations. With continued investments in upgrading hardware and software, ACF intends for staff to be able to continue to access the information and technology and run the applications that are critical to performing their jobs in an Internet-oriented age.
Program Activities, Strategies, and Resources
Historically, ACF processed grants using more than 30 separate computer programs (application systems). In 1993, ACF initiated a re-engineering of its business processes, challenging the purpose, principles and assumptions of ACF's grant processes and abandoning the outdated grant-making and management procedures and rules for all categories of grants. In July 1994, the ACF Grants Re-engineering Team published its report. The report recommended an organizational restructuring of the way ACF does business, establishing a quality assurance framework and supporting re-engineered grants administration activities with a major redesign of the automated information systems.
A systems re-engineering team began developing an integrated system, the Grants Administration, Tracking and Evaluation System (GATES), designed to support decision-making and accountability in a decentralized environment. This project targeted the replacement of more than 30 incompatible, outmoded legacy systems operating on a variety of platforms supporting grants administration. This re-engineered GATES, a comprehensive system for electronic processing, benefits grantees by providing more timely and efficient grants processing, more accurate data, less down time and quicker start-up.
GATES schedules have been developed jointly with each Program Office and Region affected through Joint Application Development (JAD) meetings with crosscutting representation in small face-to-face meetings and telephone conferences.
The GATES project has been rolled out in ACF over the last few years. ACF has made significant progress in developing the current GATES modules. We recently implemented the formula/block award modules on the schedule expected by GATES users. This implementation completes the legacy conversation/replacement efforts. Now, all grants are awarded through GATES. Yearly targets and accomplishments are included in the ACF annual performance plan. Regular weekly GATES project meetings and periodic reporting closely track and report progress.
ACF will implement a next generation of electronic grant-making through an "Electronic Grants Initiative" that will comprise the "GATES II" application. Plans have been presented to the Information Technology Review Board (ITRB) consistent with the new Government Paperwork Elimination Act.
Program-wide Performance
In FY 1996 and FY 1997, ACF completed developing and implementing GATES system functions supporting application, evaluation, award and funds control activities for Discretionary Grants made to non-profit and Native American organizations. In FY 1998, 22 legacy systems were replaced. The FY 1999 target (measure 10.1c) was to replace 15 additional legacy systems. The deployment of the Entitlements portion of GATES in June 1999 completed the replacement of the additional 15 systems. Now 100 percent of the active ACF grants are being processed electronically in GATES. Replacement of these legacy systems with GATES also corrected the Year 2000 programming flaw embedded in them. All Y2K system replacements were completed by December 31, 1998.
ACF completed the full functionality planned for GATES. The Audit resolution tracking process (measure 10.1b) was implemented in GATES and the old system shut down in August of 2000. ACF adopted the Crystal Report Writing software that allows the user community to retrieve information in GATES efficiently and quickly. Both standard and ad hoc reporting retrieval is possible. Crystal Report writer licenses have been distributed and training conducted throughout the ACF grant and program offices. Additionally, OIS has set up a Crystal Report support system to assist users with the development and usage of the standards and ad hoc GATES reports. This was implemented in June 2000. Enhancements for tying in to the Bureau of Census' Federal Clearinghouse, as well as debt collection capabilities, are scheduled for the 2001 module.
Summary Table
| Performance Measures | Targets | Actual Performance |
Reference (page # in printed document) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.1a. Develop and implement GATES II, which will capture and validate grant information submitted by grantees using the Web.* | FY 02:
GATES II FY 01: GATES II (new in FY 01) |
FY
02: FY 01: |
Px M-164 |
| 10.1b. In FY 2000, replace the audit system; provide a user- report retrieval capability. | FY 00:
implementation of audits in GATES FY 99: 15 |
FY
00: completed 8/00 FY 99: 15 FY 98: 22 |
|
| 10.1c. In FY 1999, replace [a total of] 27 individual automated grant systems. Use technology for purposes of child support enforcement, foster care, funds planning and electronic collection of State plans. ** | |||
| * Implementing
the GATES II system will be completed in phases. **The revised goal for FY 1999 was an additional 15 systems. These 15 systems were completed June 1999. NOTE: Twenty-two systems were replaced in FY 1998. With the implementation of this goal, by the year 2000 nearly 10,000 ACF grant actions and over 5,300 grants awards were processed more efficiently and effectively. This improvement corrected the Year 2000 programming flaw embedded in current grants programs. Availability of FY 2000 data: June 2001. |
|||
Performance Measures for FY 2002 and Final Measures for FY 2001
Objective: Benefit Grantees by Improving Automated Data and Management Systems.
10.1a FY 2001: Develop and implement GATES II, which will capture and validate grant information submitted by grantees using the Web.
FY 2002: Develop and implement GATES II, which will capture and validate grant information submitted by grantees using the Web.
Data source: ACF Administrative records
| Table of Contents | Previous | Next |