As a result of Hal Steinberg’s vision, the Certificate of Excellence in Accountability Reporting (CEAR) program was established by AGA in 1996, in conjunction with the Office of Management and Budget and the CFO Council, to further federal agency performance and accountability reporting.  Hal often reminded us that, in the absence of a clear federal “bottom line,” federal financial and mission performance reporting should “assist report users in evaluating the service efforts, costs and accomplishments of the reporting entity” and “the manner in which these efforts and accomplishments have been financed.”^[1] These objectives, critical to displaying integrated financial and mission results, can only be met with significant, continuing efforts of federal agency leaders.
 

Eligibility Requirements

The Harold I. Steinberg Excellence in Accountability Reporting Award honors individuals who embody Hal Steinberg’s unwavering commitment to accountability, integrity, and excellence in financial and performance reporting. Each year, this prestigious award recognizes a recipient who exemplifies these values through the following contributions:

• Federal Service or Recent Contribution: The recipient is a current or recently retired federal career employee, political appointee, or contractor.
• Champion of Integrated Reporting: Demonstrates leadership in merging financial and mission performance reporting, ensuring readers understand the outcomes funded by public resources while delivering transparent accountability for efforts, costs and accomplishments.
• Mentor and Role Model: Serves as an active role model, teacher or mentor, inspiring others through spoken and written communication, and upholding excellence and integrity in performance and accountability reporting.
• Leadership in Reporting Development: Plays a pivotal role in crafting an agency’s Performance and Accountability Report, Agency Financial Report or governmentwide accountability reports that clearly connect mission performance results with financial information.
• Innovative Reporting Practices: Recognizes and applies innovative approaches to improve accountability reporting, including best practices and insights from the AGA’s Certificate of Excellence in Accountability Reporting (CEAR) program.
• Setting Standards for Excellence: Advances state-of-the-art mission performance and financial reporting, setting benchmarks for comprehensive accountability.

This award celebrates individuals who not only uphold the highest standards in accountability reporting but also inspire others to do the same, ensuring transparency and trust in government financial practices.

The CEAR Board may present one Steinberg award each year but is not obliged to offer an annual award when it is unwarranted. The recipient need not be a member of AGA.