Jeffrey Zients, OMB’s deputy Director for Management, issued guidance this week to federal agencies providing guidance for collecting and reporting spending data that is made available to the public.  Stating that “transparency is a cornerstone of an open government,” Zients underscored the administration’s commitment to making federal spending data more readily accessible, complete, and accurate.  The guidance requires agencies to:  1) to collect and report on sub-award data on applicable grants, contracts, and orders awarded by October 1, 2010; 2) improve the quality of data and information on federal awards; and 3) enhance the website USAspending.gov.  The memo also established a time line for additional guidance.  Next month, OMB will issue guidance requiring agencies to add to contracts a standard award term on collecting and reporting sub-grant information (supported by a new rule by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council).  In June, OMB will issue an enterprise architecture on how agencies are to use existing systems and business processes to report and collect sub-award information.  By September, agencies will have to complete the necessary revisions to their guidance in order to ensure compliance with OMB directions.  Improving data quality is a key goal of OMB’s effort.  Agencies “will establish a data quality framework for all federal spending information” and reach the goal of 1”100% of awards data being reported on time, complete, and accurate (free of error) by the end of the fourth quarter FY 2001.”  OMB will also solicit ideas and recommendations on how government and private sector entities can work together to develop and implement a long-range vision of federal government spending transparency.