Term Definition

"% of total"

Some column headers are titled "% of total." This column lists the percent of total dollars allotted to that entity out of the total amount of money in either the contracting system (Contracts) or the financial assistance system (Grants/Other or Loans and Guarantees), not the total in the entire database of USAspending.gov.

"--"

This indicates that the data reported by the agency can not be found in standard lookup tables that are used for validation purposes (e.g. a Congressional District that no longer exists or never existed). This may happen for States, Congressional Districts, Federal Award Identification Number (FAIN), Type of Contract, Products or Services Sold, Assistance Types, Recipient Types, CFDA Programs and Program Source. Please note that the transaction details pages will always reflect the values reported by agencies. This indicator is only used for summary reports.

"-"

This indicates that the data reported by the agency is blank. This may happen for States, Congressional Districts, Federal Award Identification Number (FAIN), Type of Contract, Products or Services Sold, Assistance Types, Recipient Types, CFDA Programs and Program Source. Please note that the transaction details will always reflect the exact values reported by agencies. This indicator is only used for summary reports.

Assistance Data from FY 2000 to FY 2006

Assistance data from FY 2000 to FY 2006 pertains to prime awards from FAADS system operated by census.gov and may contain more types of assistance than FFATA data submitted directly to USAspending.gov from FY 2007 onwards.

Assistance Data from FY 2007 to YTD

Assistance data from FY 2007 onwards pertains to prime awards submitted by Federal agencies directly to USAspending.gov in FAADS PLUS format per FFATA legislation.

Assistance Recipient (Recipient)

Any non-federal entity, usually a state or local government, or a private, usually non-profit organization, such as an educational or religious institution, a relief agency, or an individual.

Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA)

A simplified method of filling anticipated repetitive needs for supplies or services by establishing "charge accounts" with qualified sources of supply.

Block Grants

A large sum of money granted to a regional government with only general provisions as to the way it is to be spent.

Business Fund Indicator

It represents the source of funding made available through a legislative action such as American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to fund awards related to a specific purpose. USAspending.gov tracks award obligations using such business indicators separately for better transparency and accountability.

Central Contracting Register (CCR)

Central Contractor Registration (CCR) is the primary registrant database for the U.S. federal government. CCR collects, validates, stores, and disseminates data in support of agency acquisition missions, including federal agency contract and assistance awards. Please note that the term "assistance awards" includes grants, cooperative agreements and other forms of federal assistance. Whether applying for assistance awards, contracts, or other business opportunities, all entities are considered "registrants". Both current and potential federal government registrants are required to register in CCR in order to be awarded contracts by the federal government. Registrants are required to complete a one-time registration to provide basic information relevant to procurement and financial transactions. Registrants must update or renew their registration at least once per year to maintain an active status. In addition, entities (private non-profits, educational organizations, state and regional agencies, etc.) that apply for assistance awards from the federal government through Grants.gov must now register with CCR as well. However, registration in no way guarantees that a contract or assistance award will be awarded. See the Central Contracting Register webpage for more information.

See - Sources of Data

CFDA (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance)

  • Operated by GSA (General Services Administration) at www.cfda.gov
  • Provides a full listing of Federal programs available to State and local governments (including the District of Columbia); federally-recognized Indian tribal governments; Territories (and possessions) of the United States; domestic public, quasi-public, and private profit and nonprofit organizations and institutions; specialized groups; and individuals
  • Used to validate CFDA numbers and program titles provided by agencies

See - Sources of Data

Charge Card Purchases

Charge cards (a.k.a SmartPay) provided by the GSA SmartPay program to Federal Agencies through master contracts that are negotiated with major national banks; used for purchasing general supplies and services, for travel expenses related to official government travel and for fuel and supplies for government vehicles.

Consolidated Federal Funds Report (CFFR)

The Consolidated Federal Funds Report (CFFR) is a presentation of data on federal government expenditures or obligations in state, county, and sub county areas of the United States, including the District of Columbia and U.S. Outlying Areas. It is collected under the authority of Title 13 of the U.S. Code and contains statistics on the geographic distribution of federal program expenditures, using data submitted by federal departments and agencies. The data is consolidated and tabulated in a standard format by the U.S. Census Bureau, under the auspices of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, for presentation in publications and electronic forms.

Contractor

Entity that performs the service mandated by a prime contract with a federal agency. In some cases, the service will actually be performed by a subcontractor, subject to the approval of and conditions set by the contracting agency. In other cases, such subcontracting is not permitted under the contract. Contractors are usually for-profit companies, but they also include universities, independent nonprofits, hospitals, and other types of entities.

Recipient Location

The Recipient Location represents the geographic area where the recipients base of operations is. Typically this is the address where the Recipient provide when registering their respective organization(s).

Contracts

An agreement between the federal government and a private entity, for-profit or non-profit, to execute mandated services for a fee for the federal government. Refers to a prime award.

Cooperative Agreements

A financial assistance mechanism used when substantial Federal programmatic involvement with the recipient is anticipated by the funding agency during performance of the project. The nature of that involvement will always be specified in the offering or application guidance materials. Refers to a prime award.

D&B (Dun & Bradstreet)

  • A commercial entity (www.dnb.com) that maintains a repository of unique identifiers for most recipients (DUNS Numbers), which is a unique nine-digit sequence recognized as the universal standard for identifying a business entity and linking together corporate families
  • Used to validate DUNS numbers provided by agencies to acquire the Parent Entity DUNS number based on linkage information at the time of the award

See - Sources of Data

Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS)

The Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number is a unique nine-character identification number provided to entities interested in contracting with the federal government. The numbers are distributed by the private company Dun & Bradstreet (D&B). Companies interested in contracting with the government must have a different 9-digit D-U-N-S number for each physical location and different address in the company, as well as each legally distinct division that may be co-housed at the same address or location. Contact Dun and Bradstreet for more information.

Definitive Contracts

Any contract that must be reported to FPDS other than an indefinite delivery vehicle.

Delivery Order under IDV

A contract for supplies that does not procure or specify a firm quantity of supplies (other than a minimum or maximum quantity) and that provides for the issuance of orders for the delivery of supplies during the period of the contract.

Deobligations/Deallocation

Downward adjustment of the obligations recorded in a prime contract or assistance award. It is caused by factors such as (1) termination of a part of the project, (2) return of unspent funds, or (3) correction of reported amounts.

Direct Loans

Financial assistance provided through the lending of federal monies for a specific period of time, with a reasonable expectation of repayment. Such loans may or may not require the payment of interest.

Direct Payments

Cash payments made to individuals who have been assessed as needing services, in lieu of social service provisions. Refers to a prime award.

Direct Payments-Specified Use

Financial assistance from the federal government provided directly to individuals, private firms, and other private institutions to encourage or subsidize a particular activity by conditioning the receipt of the assistance on a particular performance by the recipient. This does not include solicited contracts for the procurement of goods and services for the federal government.

Direct Payments-Unrestricted Use

Financial assistance from the federal government provided directly to beneficiaries who satisfy federal eligibility requirements with no restrictions being imposed on the recipient as to how the money is spent. Included are payments under retirement, pension, and compensatory programs.

Entities (FFATA Definition)

include corporations, associations, partnerships, sole proprietorships, limited liability companies, limited liability partnerships, states, and localities.

FAADS (Federal Assistance Award Data System)

  • Operated by the U.S. Census Bureau
  • Covers assistance award actions provided by the grant systems of 33 departments and agencies of the Executive branch of the Federal Government on a quarterly basis
  • Data spans prime grants, direct payments and other assistance transactions prior to FY 2007
  • USAspending.gov no longer receives updated data feeds from FAADS

See - Sources of Data

FAADS PLUS (Federal Assistance Award Data System PLUS)

  • Format used by 31 departments and agencies of the Executive branch of the Federal Government to submit assistance award actions directly to USAspending.gov
  • Data spans prime grants, loans, direct payments and other assistance transactions from FY 2007 onwards
  • After 2006, USAspending.gov is updated with FAADS PLUS data on a bi-monthly basis
  • Specific data requirements are outlined in OMB M-09-19 (PDF File)

See - Sources of Data

Face Value

Reflects the full amount of the loan award to the recipient.

FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulations)

The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) is the principal set of rules in the Federal Acquisition Regulation System.

Federal Assistance

Federal assistance represents a broad category of prime federal spending including direct payments to individuals (like Social Security), loans, insurance, and grants. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA), provides a full listing of Federal programs available to State and local governments (including the District of Columbia); federally-recognized Indian tribal governments; Territories (and possessions) of the United States; domestic public, quasi-public, and private profit and nonprofit organizations and institutions; specialized groups; and individuals.

Federal Financial Awards (FFATA Definition)

General financial awards include contracts, grants, loans, direct payments, and other forms of assistance.

Federal Fiscal Year

The federal government operates on a fiscal year that begins on October 1 and ends the following September 30. Fiscal years are notated with FY XXXX or FY XX. The year notates the calendar year when the fiscal year will end. For example, Fiscal Year 2010 (FY 2010) runs from October 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010.

Federal Spending

For amounts used for Federal Spending, USAspending sums the reported "Federal Funding Amount" (from the FAADS Plus submissions), "Original Subsidy Cost of the Direct Loan/Loan Guarantee" (from the FAADS Plus submissions), and "Action Obligation" (from the FPDS transactions).

Formula Grants

Allocations of money to States or their subdivisions in accordance with distribution formulas prescribed by law or administrative regulation, for activities of a continuing nature not confined to a specific project.

FPDS-NG (Federal Procurement Data System - Next Generation)

  • Operated by GSA (General Services Administration) at https://www.fpds.gov
  • Includes procurement contract transactions reported directly through the contract writing systems of approximately 65 U.S. Government, Executive Branch, departments, bureaus, agencies, and commissions
  • Data spans prime contract transactions from FY 2000 onwards
  • USAspending.gov is updated with FPDS-NG data on a daily basis

See - Sources of Data

Funding Accounts

These represent Treasury Account Symbols (TAS) as defined in the "Federal Account Systems and Titles Book (FAST Book)" , used when agencies report on budget execution (SF-133). The FAST Book is a supplement of the Treasury Financial Manual and lists receipt, appropriation, and other fund account symbols and titles assigned by the Department of the Treasury.

Grants

An authorized expenditure to a non-federal entity for a defined public or private purpose in which services are not rendered to the federal government. Refers to a prime award.

Guaranteed/Insured Loans

Programs in which the federal government makes an arrangement to indemnify a lender against part or all of any defaults by those responsible for repayment of loans.

Indefinite Delivery Vehicle (IDV)

A contract action that has orders placed against it (such as Delivery Orders or Task Orders).

Individual

One of the categories of recipient type in USAspending.gov for federal assistance (Grants) is called "Individuals." This designation comes from the government's FAADS database and refers to a person who receives federal assistance as an entity independent of any public or private institution. Examples of this type of spending would be social security retirement insurance payments to citizens, payments to individuals qualifying for food stamps, and other individual payments. (Example of "Individual" in USAspending.gov)

Insurance

Financial assistance provided to assure reimbursement for losses sustained under specified conditions. Coverage may be provided directly by the federal government or through private carriers and may or may not involve the payment of premiums. Refers to a prime award.

Loans and Guarantees

Funds provided to a recipient by a federal agency that will eventually be paid back to the government by the recipient. Refers to a prime award.

Major Agencies / Other Agencies

USAspending.gov has modified FAADS and FPDS data to streamline the display of federal government agencies. Rather than produce tables that include each sub-agency within the data, it is advantageous to be able to produce tables and output by "major" agency. These generally correspond to departments of the federal government, but some were also chosen because they have a large number of awards/contracts. The following agencies are considered as Major Agencies in USAspending:

  • Dept. of Agriculture
  • Dept. of Commerce
  • Dept. of Defense
  • Dept. of Education
  • Dept. of Energy
  • Dept. of Health and Human Services
  • Dept. of Homeland Security
  • Dept. of Housing and Urban Development
  • Dept. of Justice
  • Dept. of Labor
  • Dept. of State
  • Dept. of the Interior
  • Dept. of the Treasury
  • Dept. of Transportation
  • Dept. of Veterans Affairs
  • Environmental Protection Agency
  • General Services Administration
  • NASA
  • National Science Foundation
  • Nuclear Regulatory Commission
  • Office of Personnel Management
  • Small Business Administration
  • Social Security Administration
  • U.S. Agency for International Development

Negative Numbers in USAspending.gov

Dollar amounts of awards in USAspending.gov are actually amounts of obligations, deobligations, or negative subsidies for government loans. An obligation is a commitment to pay so these are represented as positive numbers. A deobligation is "A downward adjustment of previously recorded obligations and is the result of the cancellation of a project or contract, price revisions, or corrections of estimates previously recorded as obligations." Negative subsidy government loans are loans where the anticipated income over the life of the loans - including fees, recovery on collateral, etc. - exceeds anticipated losses in the program, according to current cost estimates. When negative numbers appear in USAspending.gov, this means the amount of federal resources authorized to be spent has been reduced or represents a negative subsidy government loan where funds are being returned to the Treasury.

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code

The NAICS codes are used as a categorization system within contracting data to give a higher level of detail about the type of economic or industrial output being done under a contract. These codes were created jointly by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and are assigned by the federal government according to the NAICS.

Original Subsidy Cost

Reflects the net present value of expected cash flows to and from the Government over the life of the guarantee, excluding administrative costs. Re-estimates are preformed to update the subsidy cost for actual performance and future expectations as long as there are loans outstanding.

Other assistance

Other Reimbursable, Contingent, Intangible, or Indirect Financial Assistance. Refers to a prime award.

YTD (Year-to-date)

For the current Fiscal Year, data is only available from October 1st through today's date.

Place of Performance

The Place of Performance represents the geographic area where the majority of the work was done under the award/contract. The Place of Performance location is not necessarily the same as the address of the contractor/recipient base of operations. There are instances when a company based in one state has a project in another state. For example, a company with headquarters in the South may have a project in the Midwest or Northeast.

Project Grants

The funding, for fixed or known periods, of specific projects. Project grants can include fellowships, scholarships, research grants, training grants, traineeships, experimental and demonstration grants, evaluation grants, planning grants, technical assistance grants, survey grants, and construction grants.

Purchase Orders

Specify the quantity of supplies or scope of services ordered and contain a determinable date by which delivery of the supplies or performance of the services is required.

Recovery Act (ARRA) Data

OMB memoranda (M-09-19) requires agencies to appropriately identify spending data captured in systems reporting spending data to USAspending.

Recovery Act Spending

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) reporting requirements build upon the transparency initiated under FFATA (Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act). As required by OMB memoranda (M-09-19), agencies are required to appropriately identify spending data captured in systems reporting spending data to USAspending.

SF-133 Report on Budget Execution and Budgetary Resources

These reports show the Budget Execution information, which fulfills the requirement in 31 U.S.C. 1511 - 1514 that the President review Federal expenditures at least four times a year.

SmartPay

  • Operated by GSA (General Services Administration) at GSA SmartPay
  • Contains charge card data provided by the national banks with whom master contracts are negotiated for over 350 U.S. Government agencies and departments
  • Data spans micro purchases using purchase cards, travel cards and fleet cards from FY 1999 onwards
  • USASpending.gov is updated with SmartPay data on a quarterly basis

See - Sources of Data

Subsidiary Companies in USAspending.gov

Many large companies may control or incorporate other smaller companies, called subsidiaries. Subsidiaries may have a different name than a parent company for a variety of business and legal reasons. USAspending.gov groups subsidiaries of larger companies under the "Parent" organization, via the reported DUNS numbers. Search and drilldown paths are available for all subsidiaries in USAspending.gov and will always be provided when looking at the Complete Details page.

Task Order under IDV

A contract for services that does not procure or specify a firm quantity of services (other than a minimum or maximum quantity) and that provides for the issuance of orders for the performance of tasks during the period of the contract.

Sub-award

Refers to first-tier sub-grants (which include cooperative agreements) and sub-contracts.

FSRS (FFATA Sub-award Reporting System)

Serves as the collection tool for subaward data for grants and contracts, which will ultimately be transmitted for publication and display on USAspending.gov.

See - Sources of Data