On behalf of the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board, we compiled and analyzed data from 16 OIGs on what they and their agencies experienced during their implementation and oversight of the Recovery Act. The objective of this review was to identify those actions, mechanisms, or processes implemented by agencies, OIGs, and the Board that were effective in the implementation and administration of Recovery Act programs, and those that were obstacles. This capstone report identifies the major themes that the review participants highlighted as they reflected on their experiences.
Agencies, OIGs, and the Board reported several beneficial practices and challenges that emerged during their implementation of the Recovery Act. Unique governance structures, close collaboration between agencies and OIGs, outreach and training for fund recipients, and a variety of innovative business practices were cited as contributing to the effective administration of the Act. But agencies and OIGs also reported that challenges were created by the Act's myriad implementation and reporting requirements, the dramatic increases in agency workloads, and the lack of planning time agencies had in the early days of the Act's implementation.