On paper (and as debated and discussed on TV channels ad nausuem), the goal of the Act was to stimulate the US economy and create (or save) jobs through a mix of increased federal appropriations, expanded mandatory spending, and tax cuts. Major policy objectives included in ARRA are the following:
* mitigate the effects of the economic downturn on low-income and unemployed folks (via extending unemployment benefits, food stamps, etc.)
* prevent state budget cuts in social and educational services (i.e., keep teachers, firemen, and policemen at work)
* invest in transportation and water infrastructure
* increase emphasis on renewable energy, conservation, and efficiency
* implement the widespread use of electronic medical records (EMR) and health information technology (IT)
* expand access to broadband services
But any stimulus money that a general contractor or manufacturer receives via US federal departments (e.g., Department of Transportation [DOT]) or agencies’ (e.g., Federal Highway Administration [FHWA]) contracts and competitive grants, as well as via US state/local government agencies’ contracts and competitive grants, comes with many strings attached, especially in terms of stringent reporting requirements. In other words, the money and funds that are envisioned to go towards infrastructure, computerizing Americans’ health records, renewable energy, the largest home and commercial building weatherization program in history, the education reform and college affordability and access, etc., are subject to an unprecedented focus on oversight, accountability, and transparency.
There are reportedly 25 US federal agencies cited as having programs funded by ARRA. Each federal agency had to meet with the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), the Government Accountability Office (GAO), and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to develop agency specific policy documents, systems, and processes to track ARRA progress and funding.
You see, to that end, Deltek finds itself in an interesting (and quite advantageous) position. Namely, as a vendor that has long served both the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) marketplace and the Government Contracting (GovCon) sector, Deltek believes itself to be at the center of something it calls “accountability and opportunity.” But before I delve into Deltek’s ARRA-oriented offerings, let me first talk about what I learned at the abovementioned Deltek Insight 2009 track entitled “Stimulus & Beyond (Navigating the Brave New World)”.
The Background of ARRA
Indeed, the discussions about the effects of Obama’s stimulus plan still keep on raging, with opinions and claims almost as divided, disputed, and controversial as in the ongoing health care reform debate. At the time of Deltek’s user conference, the stimulus plan (ARRA) was just signed into law after narrowly passing in Congress, with only a few Republican “renegade” senators supporting it.
While I always have my own opinions and doubts about the exact number of jobs created (or saved), I am always open to hearing from someone who likely knows much more about the subject than I do. Therefore, I keenly attended the keynote speech by former Congressman Thomas M. Davis, a Republican who served seven terms in the US House of Representatives, serving Virginia’s 11th Congressional district. During that time, Davis chaired the Committee on Government Reform and Subcommittee on Technology and Procurement Policy.
* mitigate the effects of the economic downturn on low-income and unemployed folks (via extending unemployment benefits, food stamps, etc.)
* prevent state budget cuts in social and educational services (i.e., keep teachers, firemen, and policemen at work)
* invest in transportation and water infrastructure
* increase emphasis on renewable energy, conservation, and efficiency
* implement the widespread use of electronic medical records (EMR) and health information technology (IT)
* expand access to broadband services
But any stimulus money that a general contractor or manufacturer receives via US federal departments (e.g., Department of Transportation [DOT]) or agencies’ (e.g., Federal Highway Administration [FHWA]) contracts and competitive grants, as well as via US state/local government agencies’ contracts and competitive grants, comes with many strings attached, especially in terms of stringent reporting requirements. In other words, the money and funds that are envisioned to go towards infrastructure, computerizing Americans’ health records, renewable energy, the largest home and commercial building weatherization program in history, the education reform and college affordability and access, etc., are subject to an unprecedented focus on oversight, accountability, and transparency.
There are reportedly 25 US federal agencies cited as having programs funded by ARRA. Each federal agency had to meet with the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), the Government Accountability Office (GAO), and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to develop agency specific policy documents, systems, and processes to track ARRA progress and funding.
You see, to that end, Deltek finds itself in an interesting (and quite advantageous) position. Namely, as a vendor that has long served both the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) marketplace and the Government Contracting (GovCon) sector, Deltek believes itself to be at the center of something it calls “accountability and opportunity.” But before I delve into Deltek’s ARRA-oriented offerings, let me first talk about what I learned at the abovementioned Deltek Insight 2009 track entitled “Stimulus & Beyond (Navigating the Brave New World)”.
The Background of ARRA
Indeed, the discussions about the effects of Obama’s stimulus plan still keep on raging, with opinions and claims almost as divided, disputed, and controversial as in the ongoing health care reform debate. At the time of Deltek’s user conference, the stimulus plan (ARRA) was just signed into law after narrowly passing in Congress, with only a few Republican “renegade” senators supporting it.
While I always have my own opinions and doubts about the exact number of jobs created (or saved), I am always open to hearing from someone who likely knows much more about the subject than I do. Therefore, I keenly attended the keynote speech by former Congressman Thomas M. Davis, a Republican who served seven terms in the US House of Representatives, serving Virginia’s 11th Congressional district. During that time, Davis chaired the Committee on Government Reform and Subcommittee on Technology and Procurement Policy.
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