Study to Identify Methods to Assess Equity: Report to the President The process to complete agency equity assessments within 200 days of [Executive Order 13985] has catalyzed equity-focused innovation across Executive agencies. Further comprehensive change will be enabled by encouraging specific equity initiatives in Federal planning efforts, including agency strategic plans, priority goals, learning agendas, fiscal year (FY) 2023 budget formulation, and the introduction of a Government-wide learning agenda, which will include a focus on equity.Through the course of conducting this study, OMB has identified six recommendations to expand the use of equity assessments Government-wide ... The findings from this study support the need for continuing and deepening a systemic approach to equity to include ongoing development of equity-focused assessment and measurement tools. Such an approach also requires dedicated support and resources as well as approaches to change management that position agencies to build in regular processes for equity assessments and chart pathways to address the gaps and barriers they identify to advance equity. Upon submission of equity assessments from agencies in August 2021 to the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, OMB will work with DPC to review individual agency activities and analyze agency progress. In the pursuit of delivering on the vision of this ambitious Order, this work will facilitate agencies’ development of their Equity Action Plans, due to the DPC in January 2022. Office of Management & BudgetOMB_fc2d8890-ba77-4c51-bbad-1cc10871c14eShalanda D. YoungActing Director, Office of Management and Budget Underserved Communities... the term “underserved communities” refers to “populations sharing aparticular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have beensystematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic,social, and civic life, as exemplified by the list in the ... definitionof ‘equity.’”President BidenOn the first day of the Biden-Harris Administration, President Biden issuedExecutive Order 13985 on “Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government” (the “Order”). The Order outlines a whole-of-Government mandate to advance equity for all Americans through a comprehensive approach to all Government practices, including: management; policymaking (including through regulation and guidance); procurement, contracting, and budgeting; delivery of benefts and services; and data collection, reporting, and use, to tangibly improve the lives of every person across the nation, in particular, those who have been underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality.Domestic Policy Council (DPC)The Domestic Policy Council (DPC) and the Offce of Management of Budget(OMB) are facilitating the cross-Government implementation of the Order. OMB’srole includes consulting with agencies on assessments and plans, fosteringa learning community among agencies and Executive Offce of the President(EOP) components, and conducting a study of equity assessment approachesand tools, the subject of this report.Federal AgenciesBy August 8, 2021, agencies will complete and submit their equity assessments.This work involves both a “sprint” (to identify equity assessment methodsappropriate to core agency services, in consultation with OMB) and a “marathon” (because assessments will identify needs and opportunities for equity-enhancing actions, sustaining programs, and new and updated policies, with a summary of agency next steps due in the form of agency Action Plans that agencies will submit to DPC in January 2022). Cross-Functional Agency Equity TeamsThis report recommends that agency equity assessments be conducted byassembling cross-functional agency equity teams, including senior leaders.Supported by these cross-functional teams (consisting of staff who engagedirectly with the public, career staff, agency leadership, and those with expertisein evaluation, data science, information technology, program integrity, financialmanagement, acquisition, human resources, and other operational functions),equity assessments will be more likely to include diverse agency perspectives,have access to available agency data, reflect programmatic and managementpriorities of the agency, and be positioned to deliver on whole-of-agencyinnovation. This report also recommends that agencies can best address therequirements of the Order by assessing their high-impact services (for example,services representing the agency’s highest dollar spends; services with highvolumes of transactions or customers served annually; services that have significant impact on the lives of people, even if smaller dollar value or volume; or those that are specifically designed for historically underserved communities). A systemic approach to equity_bcf88764-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea00To expand the use of equity assessments Government-wide_bcf889c6-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea00Equity... the term “equity” means “the consistent and systematic fair, just, andimpartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong tounderserved communities that have been denied such treatment, such asBlack, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americansand Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religiousminorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons;persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and personsotherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.” MethodsContinue to identify methods, consistent with applicable law, to assess equity and improve programs._bcf88b7e-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea00Recommendation 1.1OMBAs part of this study, OMB is identifying equity assessment tools, resources,and leading practices. In briefings and informational meetings hosted byOMB, a number of external and internal subject matter experts sharedassessment and scoring tools they had authored, researched, or observedin practice.Equity Framing and Preparation ToolsMITRE CorporationFramework for Assessing Equity in Federal Programs and Policies(MITRE Corporation) ~ This 31-page equity assessment tool seeks to provide a comprehensive approach for a systems-based, data-driven approach that incorporates equity, human-centered research, design, and assessment practices currently in use in U.S. and global contexts. This framework has been tailored for use by Federal agencies and provides step-by-step guides on how to stand up an equity assessment process (under time-constrained conditions) and reflect program outcomes and agency resources. It also includes actionable nextsteps to help agencies prepare for the implementation planning phase thatwill follow the assessment. Government Alliance for Racial EquityRacial Equity: Getting to Results (Government Alliance for Racial Equity) ~ This 20-page equity framework is focused on equity-centered, results-basedaccountability and describes an approach to equity based on performancemeasures, data mining to understand the “story” of people and places, andopportunities for working with partners to advance equity. Race ForwardRacial Equity Impact Assessment (Race Forward) ~ This 3-page compact tool consists of a question guide to help users to anticipate and assess consequences of proposed actions on different racial groups. Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership InitiativeCity Leader Guide and Workbook on Equitable Economic Development(Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative) ~ This guide was designed to help city leaders translate their commitment to economic equity, inclusive growth, and racial justice into action, especially in the context of imperatives identified during the pandemic. The guide features diagnostic tools to assess the organizational readiness of city hall and to identify economic opportunity equity gaps; guidance on setting meaningful goals and benchmarks, and developing relevant metrics; and an overview of promising practices in equitable economic development from around the country. Although this guide is for municipal leaders, its guidance on goals and benchmarks, in particular, could be adapted to Federal policymaking.Equity Assessment ToolsUnited States Census BureauCommunity Resilience Estimate (United States Census Bureau) ~ This tool measures risk factors to the Census block level, including those that are relevant to the social and economic impacts of pandemics, natural disasters, etc. Harvard UniversityOpportunity Atlas (United States Census Bureau, Harvard University,Brown University) ~ This tool is based on a comprehensive Census tract-level dataset of children’s outcomes in adulthood uses data covering nearly the entire U.S. population. For each tract, estimates are made of children’s outcomes inadulthood such as earnings distributions and incarceration rates by parentalincome, race, and gender. These estimates enable researchers to trace theroots of outcomes such as poverty and incarceration to the neighborhoodsin which children grew up.Brown UniversityESRIRacial Equity Geographic Information Systems [GIS] Tools (ESRI) ~ This collection of maps, datasets, tools, and guidance was designed to allow users to engage GIS to understand racial equity in communities as a basis for making more equitable decisions about interventions and resource allocation. GIS provides insight into patterns of inequality and can provide common understanding across communities to affect positive change.Urban InstituteSpatial Equity Tool (Urban Institute) ~ This application uses multiple spatial datasets to track place-based equity in cities over time. Users can upload their own data. The tool geocodes the dataset to a U.S. city and compares the distribution of the uploaded data with the distribution of baseline variables from the American Community Survey. Similar tools could be created for data with a race and ethnicity variable to scale measurement of impact across Government. U.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesTransfer Income Model [TRIM3] (U.S. Department of Health andHuman Services) ~ This microsimulation tool is designed to simulate over a dozen different programs—including cash assistance programs, nutrition benefits, other in-kind benefits, Government-provided health insurance, payroll taxes, and Federal and State income taxes and tax credits—and captures State-level policy variations, as well as cross-program interactions. The model can beused in two ways: to examine how programs are currently affecting theeconomic wellbeing of American families; and to test what would happen(to program eligibility, program costs, tax liability, and so on) if policieswere changed. With equity assessment, especially of Federal programsand policies, still a nascent and evolving science, this studysupports the continued exploration of practices to assessequity, and recognizes that the measurement of equity(access to services and impact) remains an evolving bodyof work in public policy, data science, and organizationalchange management.Some of the most promising practices are those that takeinto consideration: the historical legacies of disparities;address prospective assessments of new interventions andinclude methods that address equity in program/serviceeligibility and those which assess whether eligible persons,and communities, receive affirmative benefit, and why. _bcf88cfa-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea00DataPrioritize investment in the expertise, capacity, and capabilities needed to measure and advance equity through improved data collection and analysis. _bcf88e94-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea00Recommendation 1.2Equitable Data Working Group (EDWG)Immediately upon embarking on the design of their equity assessment approach, agencies faced challenges in the availability of data about the personal characteristics of their program participants needed to understand differences in inclusion, service, and benefits. The Equitable Data Working Group (EDWG), established under the Order, has been charged with studying and providing recommendations for addressing inadequacies in Federal data collection programs, policies, and infrastructure for assessing equity. Pursuant to the Order, the EDWG is consulting with agencies to understand the barriers that they face in conducting their equity assessments, facilitate the sharing of information and practices to increase equitable data collection, access to such data, and enhance cross-agency data sharing and will produce a forthcoming set of recommendations to the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy. Thus far, the EDWG has categorized three common barriers agencies oftenencounter in conducting equity assessments, to guide the focus of theirefforts, which their forthcoming report will address. UtilizationIdentify opportunities to increase access to and use of existing Federal data to understand how programs, services, and operations are distributedacross underserved groups._bcf8901a-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea001.2.1Underutilized data ~ In some instances, agencies may have the data needed to answer a question or respond to an equity issue, but barriers to its use may be so significant that it is underutilized. One strategy for advancing equity is for agencies to identify opportunities to increase access to and use of existing Federal data to understand how programs, services, and operations are distributed across underserved groups. Where possible and practical, agencies can consider data sharing to create datasets needed to answer questionsrelevant to equity. However, there are technical challenges to data sharing,especially with data that have been collected in a variety of different formsin keeping with agency imperatives. A different set of challenges exist withrespect to agency cultures. The policies and procedures within agenciesthat make data sharing difficult may have been originally implementedfor affirmative reasons, e.g., to ensure privacy. To develop and implementnew data-sharing practices will require agencies to understand the priorjustifications for protections, engage with communities before policiesare modified, and demonstrate the value that arises when data sets can beaggregated and layered. AccessibilityResponsibly promote data sharing and matching._bcf894b6-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea001.2.2Inaccessible data ~ Access to some data are restricted by statute, and access to others can only be made available in restricted access environments in order to avoid compromising citizens’ privacy. The EDWG has initiated several projectsdesigned to responsibly promote data sharing and matching, to the extentpermitted by law, to create datasets needed to answer relevant questions.Furthermore, agencies are developing promising methods for makingrestricted access more accessible to stakeholders. Availability & QualityIncrease the availability and quality of data._bcf89682-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea001.2.3Missing data ~ In some cases, data needed to answer a question or respond to an issue do not exist at all, or currently only exist at a very low quality. For example, data may be collected by race and gender but not, for example, in ways that enable research at the intersection of race and gender (e.g., examining the impact of a policy on those who are Asian-American and also identify as women). There may be extant legal, regulatory, or resource reasons for not collecting certain kinds of information, including disaggregated data. Inother instances, Federal program applications have not traditionally askedabout demographic characteristics that are not necessary for decidingprogram eligibility in order to reduce the perception of discrimination. Thewillingness of people to disclose certain demographic information aboutthemselves or their families may reflect the extent of their trust in thegovernment program or agency asking for this information. Where trustis low, information response may be truncated. This is also another potentreminder that technical tools for data collection and protection must bedeployed in combination with community understanding to advance equity.As another example, Federal statistical surveys of nationally-representativepopulations often do not have sufficient sample sizes to understand moregeographically-specific (e.g., rural, urban, neighborhood, etc.) experiences.In these instances, Local and State data may illuminate the experiences ofunderserved populations, such as rural communities that currently are nototherwise captured in Federal surveys. BurdensContinually assess and work to mitigate administrative burdens._bcf89826-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea00Recommendation 2.0Given the impact of administrative burden on exacerbating inequity, this study suggests that conducting burden audits, planning regulatory agenda items and learning activities focused on assessing and mitigating administrative burden, may be an especially promising approach towards advancing equity, in particular as it relates to effects on program integrity. FormsReduce form complexity and improve comprehensibility_bcf89a56-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.1Design & TestingAdopt principles of human-centered design (e.g., early and routine user interviews and A/B testing to continually refine design and language)._bcf89c04-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.1.1ExamplesProvide step-by-step examples of process involved in claiming benefits, accessing protections, or navigating a service. _bcf89dc6-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.1.2Drop-Off PointsConduct pipeline analyses to identify drop-off points of various channels (Web, phone, paper/in-person) and submission processes._bcf89fb0-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.1.3NavigatorsProvide navigators or field staff who can support the applicant across the experience of applying for the program._bcf8a438-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.1.4NotificationsSystematically and routinely use screeners or data-matching to notify individuals of benefits they are likely entitled to._bcf8a5fa-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.1.5Benefits CalculatorsProvide calculators to estimate benefits (if applicable)._bcf8a7f8-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.1.6Opt-In DefaultsDevelop program defaults to opt beneficiaries in to automatic enrollment._bcf8a9a6-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.1.7Prefilling & VerificationSystematically and routinely use data-matching to prefill applications or administratively verify information for prospective beneficiaries._bcf8ab68-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.1.8EligibilityLeverage categorical eligibility to enable minimally burdensome enrollment for individuals who have already demonstrated eligibility for other benefits programs with similar requirements. _bcf8ad48-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.1.9DocumentationMinimize costly (in terms of both time and money) documentation requirements_bcf8aeec-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.2Attestation & AllegationAllow for respondent self-attestation or self-allegation in areas that currently require evidence or documentation._bcf8b09a-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.2.1Evidence & DocumentationShift the burden involved in developing evidence or external documentation necessary to prove eligibility from the applicant to agency personnel._bcf8b25c-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.2.2Enrollment & VerificationAllow for streamlined enrollment coupled with post-enrollment verification of eligibility. _bcf8b414-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.2.3NavigatorsProvide navigators who can support the applicant across the experience of applying for the program, to include support with developing necessary identity proofing._bcf8b5cc-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.2.4ProcessesStreamline processes_bcf8b7a2-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.3InterviewsShift in-person interview requirements to telephone or video-teleconference._bcf8ba68-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.3.1Alternatives & MobilityEnsure at least two equally accessible means of applying for the program (one of which should be a mobile-responsive web-based application)._bcf8bc3e-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.3.2Wait Times & CallbacksEnsure consistent wait times (and callback option for greater than 5-minutewait times on the phone) for applicants when they call the agency or visit in-person._bcf8be14-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.3.3AgentsProvide live agents who are available to support applicants outside of normal business hours._bcf8bfe0-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.3.4Retroactivity & Points of NeedAllow for retroactive enrollment or point-of-need enrollment (e.g., health care enrollment at the hospital)._bcf8c198-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.3.5SupportStructure business processes so that applicants can receive channel-neutral support regardless of the office with which they conduct transactions._bcf8c378-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.3.6AdjudicationFor State or locally administered or adjudicated programs, develop consistent minimum standards for questions and processes._bcf8c56c-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.3.7State ProgramsLocal ProgramsSignaturesEliminate ink signature requirements where not required by statute and allow for copies (digital or physical) of documentation absent a demonstrated adjudicative need for original records. _bcf8c738-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.3.8PrefillingPrefill recertification forms with known information (e.g., administrative data) about the beneficiaries (particularly those unlikely to have experienced significant changes in their living situation) to facilitate simpler recertification processes._bcf8c9f4-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.3.9Deadlines & FramingHighlight deadlines and consider framing effects (e.g. expressing deadlinesin hours instead of days)._bcf8cbb6-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.3.10RecertificationsGive people ample time and opportunities to respond, reviewing recertification timelines and opportunities to extend._bcf8cd64-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.3.11Action PlansHelp people to make an action plan using action language and planning prompts._bcf8cf9e-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.3.12DeadlinesLengthen time between recertifications._bcf8d214-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.3.13CommunicationImprove communication_bcf8d3d6-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.4NoticesEnsure notices are written in plain language and are designed with human-centered design best practices (such as prioritizing key information in headings, text boxes, and bold text; avoiding over-including information not relevant to the immediate task at hand)._bcf8d5ac-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.4.1Sources, Campaigns & PartnershipsDeliver communications through a trusted source, and utilize outreach campaigns and partnerships with trusted community organizations._bcf8d78c-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.4.2Community OrganizationsStrategiesDevelop improved communication strategies, to include systematically and automatically tracking and following up with unresponsive applicants or beneficiaries. _bcf8d94e-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.4.3ContactsProactively work to maintain accurate contact information for program participants._bcf8db2e-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.4.4ModalitiesSystematically and routinely send communications and notices via multiple modalities (e.g., mail, email, text messages, phone calls)._bcf8dd04-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.4.5PreferencesAllow applicants the ability to select preferred modes of communication._bcf8deda-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.4.6ApplicantsRemindersProvide timely reminders considering season, day of week, timing of day that is most relevant for the target audience._bcf8e1e6-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.4.7OutreachConduct specialized, proactive outreach to individuals who may be unlikely to respond to typical notices, such as individuals who do not speak English as their native language, individuals with vulnerable housing situations, or individuals with certain cognitive impairments._bcf8e56a-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.4.8Customer SegmentsTailor notices to specific needs of different customer segments, provide personalized information, and offer individualized feedback and peer comparisons when relevant._bcf8e754-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.4.9Self-ServiceEnsure beneficiaries have on-demand, self-service access to their account, including applications or other records that may be relevant to future interactions with the agency._bcf8e952-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea002.4.10BeneficiariesEngagementPrioritize investment in the expertise, capacity, and capabilities needed to meaningfully engage stakeholders._bcf8eb46-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea00Recommendation 3.0OMBOMB has identified multiple stakeholder engagement initiatives across theExecutive Office of the President and in Federal agencies that demonstratehow stakeholder engagement can shape an understanding of what peopleneed from Government:Federal Customer Experience TeamSince 2018, the Federal Customer Experience Team has conducted threecross-agency journey-mapping efforts to collect feedback from communitiesnot through a specific agency scope, but rather organized around a life event:surviving a natural disaster, a child with a disability transitioning to adulthood,and a Service member seeking civilian employment for the frst time. Throughthis effort, they brought together staff from more than a dozen agencies toconduct focus groups and more than 150 interviews with individuals that werecurrently navigating these events across not only multiple Federal agencies,but also multiple levels of government. As a result, agencies were able toidentify moments that matter most to actual people, rather than selectingpriority areas aligned to internal Federal workstreams.High Impact Service Providers (HISPs)The Federal Customer Experience Team has aggregated and analyzed transactional feedback surveys across more than 20 Federal programs after requiring that designated High Impact Service Providers (HISPs) collect customer feedback (many for the first time) in OMB Circular A-11 Section 280. This data has begun to demonstrate that efficiency expectations drive overall satisfaction, well-designed mobile sites drive better digital experiences, and that human interaction matters more in person than by phone. In order for HISPs to make smart investments in improving their service delivery, they need data on where those dollars matter most to the customers they serve.National Institutes of Health (NIH)Community-Based Participatory Research Program (CBPR)The National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Community-Based ParticipatoryResearch Program (CBPR) supports collaborative interventions that involvescientific researchers and community members to address diseases and conditions disproportionately affecting health disparity populations to ensure thatdiscoveries and interventions created are responsive to the community’s needs.This research methodology recognizes the strengths of each partner, withresearchers and community members engaged together across the lifecycle ofprojects (e.g., needs assessment, planning, research design, implementation,evaluation, and dissemination of interventions). CitizensParticipatory Technology Assessment (pTA) is a type of community engagement designed to include citizen voices in science policy discussions.ECAST NetworkFor example, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the Departmentof Energy (DOE) have hosted public dialogue and deliberation forums in collaboration with the ECAST Network (Expert and Citizen Assessment of Science and Technology).National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)NOAA’s Citizen Science, Civics, and Resilient Communities project has sought community input on resilience strategies to address the climate crisis.Department of Labor (DOL)In recognition of the fact that resourcing is one key to long-term stakeholderengagement, the Department of Labor (DOL) has worked to directly increasecommunity capacity by providing resources (grants, financial assistance, andprocurement opportunities) directly into underserved communities. Community-based groups engaged through contracts participate in benefit navigationand uptake, or even enforcement processes (e.g., setting up systems to receivecomplaints and claims in a more participatory and responsive way). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)In response to public health concerns resulting from the pandemic, the Centersfor Disease Control and Prevention enacted an eviction moratorium. To accesseviction protections under this moratorium, the CDC requires renters to complete a “declaration” form swearing that they meet the criteria for not being evicted.A legalistic, dense form could deter eligible tenants out of receiving theseprotections, or add unnecessary stress for already stressed tenants at riskof eviction. These consequences would disproportionately fall on Black andHispanic households, who are more than twice as likely to be renters thanwhite households. Usability testing was critical to ensuring that the entireteam could interact with those with lived experience. The team observedpeople from across the country and all stages of life, noting where there werequestions, confusion, and where users said it wouldn’t be effective. They madechanges between each session, and tested over 20 versions over the course oftwo weeks with 16 different people, including tenants, legal aid lawyers, andtenant advocates. Federal AgenciesAgencies must conduct stakeholder engagement as they develop their AgencyStrategic Plans, including the Learning Agenda required by the Foundationsof Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (“Evidence Act”).StakeholdersStakeholder engagement provides critical input as to the what an agency’s strategic and learning priorities should be, as well as offers insights into strategies to meet priorities and opportunities to build evidence where it is lacking. Agencies are currently in the process of developing their plans for FY 2022 to FY 2026, and are actively engaging stakeholders in this process. Stakeholders include the public, Congress, and other groups, and for the Learning Agenda, States and localities and non-governmental researchers as required by statute. OMB recently reaffirmed the importance of stakeholder engagement in developing Learning Agendas in OMB M-21-27.The PublicCongressStatesLocalitiesNon-Governmental ResearchersIn order to include the broadest representation of communityvoices, agencies need to expand stakeholder engagementinitiatives. Agencies, in collaboration with OMB, can collectively expand engaging stakeholder communities aroundthe experiences of concerns to communities, rather than theperspective of the agency. This approach enables individuals to share feedback on their engagement with Government(including Government programs and services), withoutforcing individuals to tease out distinctions between whichGovernment entity is responsible for what step.As agencies innovate and expand stakeholder engagement,this work should be tracked and evaluated in terms of itscapacity to identify, engage, and elevate new voices relevantto agency policy initiatives and to enable effciencies._bcf8ed44-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea00InitiativesSustain and institutionalize equity in administrative, budget, learning, planning, and workforce initiatives._bcf8f082-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea00Recommendation 4.0This study recommends that agencies recognize that the work of advancing equity requires attention to long-term change, including institutional and culture change elements within agencies.Learning & TrainingExpand the architecture for learning and training._bcf8f2a8-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea004.1OMBOMB is positioned to leverage and build the Equity Learning Community to support agencies’ initiatives to close gaps identified by the equity assessment process. Training initiatives focused on stakeholder engagement and those that address agencies’ concerns about the legal parameters of equity initiatives would address current obstacles identified by agencies. Agencies may also benefit from training that is customized for leadership and management on how to implement organizational cultural change around equity.An expanded architecture for learning and training, to build the human capital of Government, is needed to advance sustained implementation of equity initiatives.RoutinesEmbed equity assessments and an equity lens into agency routines _bcf8f4ec-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea004.2Further, in order for agencies to build on the foundation established by the Order to advance equity, it will be important that agencies embed equity assessments and an equity lens into their regular routines such as the setting of Agency Priority Goals, identifying equity-relevant knowledge gaps in their learning agendas, and determining where and if progress on equity might be included in agency leadership executive performance plans.Collaboration & CoordinationIncorporate equity into interagency collaboration and coordination._bcf8f776-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea004.3Interagency Management CouncilsThe interagency management councils, such as the President’s Management Council, the Chief Financial Officers Council, the Chief Information Officers Council, the Chief Acquisition Officers Council, the Interagency Council on Statistical Policy, Evaluation Officer Council, and Chief Data Officer Council, among others, all of which enable agencies to collaborate and coordinate, can accelerate efforts, already begun, to incorporate equity into their work.President’s Management CouncilChief Financial Officers CouncilChief Information Officers CouncilChief Acquisition Officers CouncilInteragency Council on Statistical PolicyEvaluation Officer CouncilChief Data Officer CouncilFinance & ProcurementReview core financial management and procurement guidance documents and practices for opportunities to embed equity._bcf8f9ba-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea00Recommendation 5.0This could include:* Leveraging existing financial-management authorities to increase transparency of equity in Federal spending.* Incorporating equity into agencies’ evaluation of financial performance and risks.* Conducting advanced market research and supplier scouting to identify and engage the business base where they are, including and attracting nontraditional companies who generally do not do business with the Government.* Partnering with technical and business development organizations to create more targeted outreach to underserved communities.* Establishing new measures of business diversity related to Federal procurement, using procurement data to evaluate progress in expanding opportunities for underserved communities, such as awards to different minority-owned firms and small business firms in rural areas. This data also could be used to inform SBA’s small business procurement scorecard and other acquisition-management tools.Financial ManagementEmbed equity in financial management practices_bcf8fbcc-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea005.1Core financial management practices provide a number of opportunities toembed equity:TransparencyLeverage existing authorities to increase transparency regarding equity in Federal spending._bcf8ff5a-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea005.1.1Federal AgenciesAssistanceContinue to publish information about Federal financial assistance awards, including linkages to budget- and account-level data, also in support of the Transparency Act of 2006._bcf9025c-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea005.1.2Federal AgenciesDataIncrease access to high-quality data about recipients and beneficiariesof Federal funds across programs Government-wide could provide greaterinsight into the equity implications of Federal spending._bcf90748-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea005.1.3RecipientsBeneficiariesUnderpaymentsExamine the distribution of underpayments and whether the data reflect any underlying systemic inequity._bcf90a68-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea005.1.4In existing measures for financial management, agencies also report on amounts and trends in the underpayment of Federal benefits. Whileunderpayments represent approximately 0.3% of reported Federal outlays,amounts and trends in the underpayment of Federal benefits,underpayments may be underreported if agencies require a complaint or protest. Underpayments may indicate unequal participation in Federal funding.Further research can examine the distribution of these underpayments andwhether the data reflect any underlying systemic inequity. ProcurementImprove equity in procurement_bcf90d9c-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea005.2Federal Agency ExemplarsSeveral leading examples demonstrate opportunities that Federal agenciesmight use as building blocks as they work to reduce barriers and increase accessto agencies: USAIDDynamic agency forecasts of contracting opportunities, such as at USAID,that provide real-time information that entities, including socially and economically disadvantage small businesses, can use in preparing to participatein competitions for work.VendorsInnovative vendor engagements that minimize the need for vendors tomake costly investments or learn special skills just to sell to the FederalGovernment. Senior Agency OfficialsEquity-focused management practices, such as use of performance plansthat hold senior agency officials accountable for increasing diversity in thesupplier base by tying payment incentives to achievement of socioeconomicsmall business contracting goals. Office of Disability Employment PolicyPrograms, tools, and advocates, such as the Office of Disability EmploymentPolicy’s Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) and Employer Assistanceand Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) tools and a growingnumber of AbilityOne Representatives at agencies, who promote meaningfulwork by entities that contract with the Federal Government at competitivewages for people with disabilities. AbilityOne RepresentativesPeople with DisabilitiesThe Federal Government, with annual contracting spending of $650 billion,40 isthe world’s largest and most influential buyer. However, businesses must oftenspend countless hours and tens of thousands of dollars, or more, learning how to navigate the Federal Government’s contracting process and effectively compete against larger and more experienced firms. This can be a barrier to entry for small disadvantaged businesses with fewer resources. These challenges have been exacerbated by the lack of meaningful data analytics focused on the depth and diversity of the Federal small business supplier base, which has allowed a decline in the base over the last decade, including a decrease in new entrants, to go largely unaddressed. As the Order recognizes, advancing more equitable procurement management practices and strategies is one way to ensure that Federal resources reach underserved communities while also meeting the critical needs of the American public.Breaking into the Federal marketplace and maintaining a footing is difficult andcostly for a variety of reasons: OutreachImprove vendor outreach practices._bcf91080-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea005.2.1VendorsInadequate vendor outreach practices. The Government continues to rely heavily on a relatively small number of communication channels (e.g., industryassociation events), that, while generally helpful, miss chances to make moremeaningful connections through broader and more dynamic engagements(e.g., with local chambers of commerce, supplier scouting, business development, and technical assistance programs). OpportunitiesMake opportunities visible._bcf9135a-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea005.2.2Lack of visibility into available opportunities. Understanding Federalmissions and which ones require services that may be a good business fitcan be daunting, especially for a new entrant that may lack the resourcesto identify opportunities that may be a good match. While there are manyGovernment-wide repositories of information, none provide full transparencyinto the full array of procurement opportunities and buying trends. SAM.gov is the core site for all government contracting activity, but public visibilityinto transactions for a number of popular buying programs focused aroundcommercial services and research and development to help businessesunderstand agency buying trends is limited to specific agency programs. Thedifficulties new and recent entrants face in navigating the Federal marketplacecan create unfair advantages for incumbent contractors, complicating effortsto diversify the Federal supplier base.AttentionTake advantage of programs intended to address inequity._bcf91576-fcb0-11eb-b873-41b10983ea005.2.3Insufficient agency management attention. Too often, agencies fail to take fullor strategic advantage of programs that are intended to address inequity,such as section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the AbilityOne Programthat are designed to increase and expand the type of job opportunities thatcan be successfully met by people with disabilities. These authorities, whenused effectively, can have a significant impact in helping one of the mostvulnerable populations in our society make meaningful and ongoing contributions to the critical missions of our Federal Government. 2021-08-13https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/OMB-Report-on-E013985-Implementation_508-Compliant-Secure-v1.1.pdfOwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.netOwen.Ambur@verizon.net