The U.S. has long been one of the world’s largest donors of foreign aid. But in recent years, its effectiveness has been called into question by a chorus of critics who say the impact of assistance programs falls well short of their intended goals. They blame what some have called the “aid industrial complex.” Fred … [Read more…]
Is U.S. foreign aid for health care being used effectively?
The vast majority of foreign aid administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development goes through middlemen, international aid agencies or U.S.-based private companies that then distribute the assistance. Critics say the system leaves out many deserving locally-led startups and non-government groups. Fred de Sam Lazaro explores the field of health care for his series, … [Read more…]
FAR 52.249-6: Can a Prime Contractor Terminate Its Subcontractor Just Because Someone in the Government Says So?
Federal contracts famously include a clause permitting the government to terminate the agreement for the government’s own “convenience”—even if the contractor did not default on its performance obligations. Aware of this possibility, prime contractors typically add terms to their subcontracts permitting them to terminate on a similar basis. But a recent court case highlights the … [Read more…]
Reflecting on Samantha Power’s Tenure as USAID Administrator
As the Biden Administration draws to a close, what will be Samantha Power’s legacy as the head of USAID? On Wednesday, December 11, 2024, Administrator Power took the stage at the Center for Global Development to tackle important geopolitical and development issues, while highlighting how USAID has adapted to meet these challenges head-on. Tune in … [Read more…]
New Look for CPARS.gov
GSA’s Integrated Award Environment operates several stand-alone systems, in addition to our flagship System for Award Management at SAM.gov. Recently, the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) website got a makeover aligning the CPARS.gov look and feel to that of SAM.gov to pave the way for future integration. No changes were made to the CPARS … [Read more…]
FSRS.gov Retirement Targeted for Spring 2025 – Subaward Reporting to be in SAM.gov
The U.S. General Services Administration’s Integrated Award Environment today announced that it will be retiring FSRS.gov and bringing subaward reporting functions online in SAM.gov with a target go-live date in Spring 2025. This effort is the next step in the ongoing work to transition disparate systems used for navigating the federal awards cycle into one … [Read more…]
WEBINAR – FSRS Retirement and Systems Modernization
The FFATA Subaward Reporting System (FSRS.gov) will officially retire in March 2025. In the meantime, the General Services Administration (GSA) is gearing up to launch a sleek new subaward reporting feature on SAM.gov. On December 17, 2024, there was an event to discuss the reasons behind FSRS.gov’s retirement, the timeline for the transition, and the … [Read more…]
USAID: Exciting changes are on the horizon for NICRA! Stay tuned for updates on ARTS and more
USAID recently revised the process for submitting provisional Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreements (NICRAs). Cost and Audit Support (CAS) Division (responsible for auditing indirect costs) Chief Stephanie Snyder shared these changes during USAID’s FY2024 third-quarter Business Forecast and Partner Update Webinar (see minute 40 of the You-Tube video). Here is a breakdown of key updates … [Read more…]
FSRS.gov will retire and a modern subaward reporting functionality will be added to SAM.gov in March 2025
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has just shared that it will be phasing out FSRS.gov and merging the subcontract/subaward reporting features into SAM.gov. According to the announcement, GSA expects this transition to occur in March 2025. They also mentioned that there will be more information and training available for those affected by this change. … [Read more…]
Ex-Jaguars employee (Amit Patel) stole $22 million from team
Patel, 31, was sentenced to more than six years in federal prison in March after pleading guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of making an illegal monetary transaction. He was also ordered to pay the Jaguars restitution for the thefts. The vast majority of the $22 million Patel stole were gambling … [Read more…]