2023 Winner
U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, Assurance Leap
Contact: MelaJo Kubacki
HUD allows programs to attest to their assurances and representations using a single questionnaire that has transformed annual program data collection process into an automated and connected eco-system of Microsoft powered tools. This transformation removes time-intensive steps and enhances the analysis of program SOAs and MRLs. SharePoint lists allows the questionnaire to exist on a live shared platform and enables integration with other Microsoft Applications. Microsoft Power Apps applications facilitate both the interim and year-end questionnaire submission and provides automated PDF creation abilities. Finally, a Power BI dashboard enables real-time reporting, comparison, and analysis of program SOAs and MRLs.
2022 Winner
G-Invoicing offers an innovative data exchange platform for federal entities to communicate with one another. It provides a necessary brokering tool that does not exist today and replaces the paper-based process of negotiating federal trading partner agreements. Comprised of improvements to the policies, procedures, and systems that govern and accomplish Intragovernmental Transactions (IGT) between Federal Program Agencies, G-Invoicing will serve as the long-term sustainable solution for more accurate financial management by FTPs through improved data integrity and transparency. Ultimately, it will improve agencies’ and the government’s audit posture and reduce IGT buy/sell differences. Federal entities will realize cost savings from the synergies of working together and improve information sharing and communication--ultimately assisting entities with achieving their critical missions.
2021 Winner
Financial Obligation Root Cause Explorer (FORCE)
NSF developed the Financial Obligation Root Cause Explorer (FORCE), which uses a fully operational artificial intelligence and machine learning technology stack of data aggregation, visualization, natural language processing/text analytics, and dashboard platforms to quickly analyze NSF's portfolio of 50,000 open grants. This analysis identifies awards at risk of atypical spending, cluster analyzes unstructured text within proposal data and progress reports, and uncovers common themes in the underlying research activities. FORCE allows users to synthesize qualitative data in near real time across the entire portfolio and provide business intelligence for risk management. Previously, this type of work would require the time-consuming process of researching individual awards within the portfolio.
2020 Winners
NSF developed a statistical predictive model and web scraper, using data from the Federal Audit Clearinghouse, agency systems, and open-source development platforms, to help forecast which NSF awardees may present a relatively higher risk of improper payments. This model minimizes manual burden through automation and provides a more quantitative view of risk, allowing NSF to better allocate its resources in risk assessment and grant monitoring activities. Using open-source code and free technologies, the bulk of this model is transferable to other agencies. It can be customized to accommodate specific program risk factors and help address Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019 compliance requirements.
Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Digital Workforce Support Team: Robotic Process Automation
The team successfully piloted the use of RPA on a variety of routine, rules-based processes and decided to move forward with full-scale implementation, given the potential of RPA to significantly reduce manual processing as well as increase efficiency and accuracy. The bots interact with financial management, procurement, travel and HR systems, and they run unattended, freeing up staff to shift to other valuable work. Additional results include a reduction in processing time by up to 99%, increased compliance (100% accuracy) and improved staff morale (reduction of repetitive work and over time.)