The White House, in response to intense public scrutiny, recently asked federal agencies and departments to adhere to the highest level of transparency in the obligation and expenditure of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds.
Both the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Department of Justice are working under initiatives to prevent fraudulent or inappropriate use of ARRA money.
The executive branch has focused on the selection of projects, holding departments and agencies to a strict standard of propriety. To qualify, appropriate projects should create jobs, use and improve sustainable energy technologies, repair and improve infrastructure and have the best possible return on investment for American taxpayers. OMB and the Recovery and Accountability Board have been charged with oversight.
As a result, OMB requires departments and agencies to develop transparent processes for the project selection process, including public disclosure through the Web sites of each department and agency.
The Department of Transportation will select projects based on their merits and ability to accomplish the goals of ARRA, including job creation, long-term infrastructure benefits to Americans and improved environmental quality.
Special attention is being paid to rural communities, public transportation and improving the safety of surface transportation.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will focus heavily on healthcare facilities serving veterans, including both the renovation and new construction of hospitals, centers and alternative facilities.
The VA aims to better serve veterans in rural communities through the creation and improvement of medical facilities.
The Army Corps of Engineers will be focusing on water infrastructure. The Corps intends to reduce the risk of water-related natural disasters. With respect to ARRA spending, the Corps has renewed their focus on internal reforms to improve their project performance in terms of cost and schedule, promising both improved accountability and transparency.
DBIA continues to follow these important issues related to the ARRA and continues speaking with lawmakers and staffs about what is possibly the biggest opportunity for design-build in years.
Owners and staffers continue to receive multiple levels of design-build awareness and DBIA continues to emphasize design-build as the most reasonable, cost-effective and time saving approach to project delivery available.