ACMS PRESENTATION FOR WS NATIONAL MEETING

APHIS Cost Management System

Agency GoalTo provide a relevant Status of Funds and be able to substantiate it in an audit any time, any place.

To ensure APHIS meets the e-Government and Financial Management initiatives of the Presidents Management Agenda.ACMS Objectives

ACMS Objectives (cont)Improve financial personnel knowledge and methods during Emergency Program deploymentsEmergency Outbreaks, e.g. Exotic Newcastle Disease (END)OMB required daily spending reports

ACMS Objectives (cont)Resolve financial reporting problemsAPHIS Administrator tasked the Financial Management Division -> improve APHIS SOF process and reporting

ACMS Objectives (cont)Avoid Anti-Deficiency Act (ADA) violations; time, amount and purpose from OMB

Meet and/or exceed OMB requirements by demonstrating how we track our spending

ACMS ImplementationPhase I began 2005Vendor selectionAll programs show-cased their legacy SOF systems Developed web based system Incorporated the APHIS Agreements Inventory ModuleStandardized ReportingFully implemented 2007

ACMS Implementation (cont)Phase II 2007-2008180 (+) user identified enhancements 52 (+) reporting enhancements Increased program user involvement

Emphasis on Training / Policy / Data entry consistency

2008 was first official year of SOF reporting

ACMS Implementation (cont)ACMS is gaining momentum in the financial workforce (690 active users)

ACMS has been classified as a major IT investment for APHIS

ACMS AdvantagesAgreement and finance staff are consistent in reporting throughout organization

Region/Headquarters staff are able to analyze and review clean data from the field

APHIS Emergency Incident Responders are able to provide financial reporting and maintain work at home

ACMS Advantages (cont)Status of Funds reporting is consistent throughout organization

Agreement tracking is consistent throughout organization

ACMS SOF reports are important part of monthly PPD and Program SOF meetings

ACMS Advantages (cont)ACMS is helping APHIS meet financial reporting requirements in timely manner and Agreements inventory is meeting the Dept. requirements for FFATA reporting for APHIS, AMS and GIPSA.

ACMS has helped APHIS pass several A123 audits and OCIO reviews

ACMS Advantages (cont)Better utilization of resources throughout organizationUser community is seeing the advantages of using one unified financial system for tracking SOF and agreements Legacy ledger usage is decreasing374 people trained by FMD - BEST

ACMS Cost SavingsACMS is APHIS system designed specifically for us not off-the-shelf software

Funding for ACMS development is covered at the APHIS level

Funding for personnel training is available through FMD for travel and materials on an annual, first come basis

ACMS Cost SavingsNo additional program costs to implement due to reprogramming of legacy SOF system resources

Agency standard Status of Funds report allows for no production loss at an emergency incident location or at home office

Agreement Inventory Module Improvements Redesign of Agreement Inventory to incorporate FFATA requirements

Screen redesigns, new fields, address validation. Decision Memorandum

Performance Tracking module designed from Program legacy systems

Agreement Inventory Module ImprovementsInteragency Agreement Billing Forms

Wildlife Services Cooperative Service Agreement-Reimbursable Billing Forms

International Services Cooperative Service Agreement-Trust Fund Statement

ACMS ComponentsBudget AllocationsCommitments and PlansEmployee Salary ProjectionsAgreements InventoryReconciliation with Accounting SystemReports

FFIS DIAGRAM AND FEEDER SYSTEMS

ACMS Home Page

BUDGET ALLOCATION

Planned/Committed Record Header

Planned/Committed Record Line

Employee Salary Projection Header

Pay Periods

Reconciliation

Agreements Inventory

Reports

Plans for 2009 and beyond Program legacy systems (SOF and Agreement) should cease to be maintained or used for current year processingAPHIS AMT continues to enforce ACMS as the Agency-wide system for SOF and agreement trackingUpgrade APHIS software and server

Plans for 2009 and beyond Changes across federal government are impacting the way APHIS does businessAPHIS can change some things ourselves in anticipation of what we know with the new Financial Management Modernization Implementation (FMMI) projectACMS will help us standardize reporting and processes

Questions? Comments?

APHIS would be able to report much more accurate and timely financial information in order to make effective decisions on our operations. As well as assist with consistency and uniformity APHIS wide. Although the administration has changed, we are still required to adhere to the policies of the previous Bush administration.OMB required APHIS to report END Status of Funds daily. This was very difficult since payroll expenses do not appear in FFIS until payday which is every two weeks, agreements are not recorded until signed by both parties and indemnities take considerable time to obligate in FFIS. This caused deep spikes in our daily reporting that caused doubts for OMB on APHIS ability to track its spending and accurately anticipate budgetary needs for an emergency program.

During the END outbreak financial personnel were rotating for three week periods.Each person had their own method of doing Status of Funds (SOF).So, the first person who is on site at an emergency sets up the financial reporting system the way he/she does it at their office.After the first persons three week period has expired, the next person arrives, spends the first week trying to figure out the system the previous person set up and subsequently abandoning it, the second week setting up their own system, and the third week finally being able to work the new system they created. However, by this time it is time for the second employee to leave and the third to arrive, and the process repeats itself. Very ineffective.Thus, the Administrator tasked FMD to improve SOF process and reporting in order to pass OMB audits and meet objectives of PMA.

Also, with END LPA, IES, and VS were trying to report their SOF but they all used 3 different mechanisms to track their spending. It made it difficult for VS to consolidate the reporting with no consistency or uniformity. There were numerous of Spreadsheets to update and receive from various places, which became a Full time staff year just trying to met OMB requirements of spending daily.During END, APHIS asked OMB for $200 million and received $40 million. In short order we spent $60 million. APHIS asked OMB for an additional $140 million and received $42 million; OMB accused APHIS of violating the Anti-Deficiency Act on all 3 points of time, amount and purpose.OMB declared APHIS in violation of the Anti-Deficiency ActAPHIS dispatched lawyers to defend the agency against the ADA charge and was able to overcome the claim, with the result being the close scrutiny of agency finances, which continues to this day; For example the 2003 Christmas BSE surveillance program, OMB required us to report cost centers that were more detailed than budget object codes. We had to report costs of shipping samples to NVSL and the number of animals associated with that cost.

The APHIS administrator realized this must stop and tasked FMD to lead the development of a system to improve SOF reporting.Existing vendor employed to develop AHIS Cost Management System, the vendor Optimus Solutions (then known as Eagle Technologies who worked with EMRS.

All programs and support units within APHIS that had there own system of Status of funds (SOF) were brought together in Riverdale, along with the vendor Optimus Solutions (then known as Eagle Technologies), and the best attributes of each were brought to bear in one web-based, multi-user format. Attributes from EMRS financial tracking and SOF download system. We had Pilot Testers and Subject Matter Experts within VS working on this project also.

In addition, the Agreement Inventory has been incorporated into ACMS as well so we have one place that we can see what is pending, approved, and a copy of the agreement with Work Plan and Financial plan attached. This helps when we need a copies and vice versa for the Agreements Team in FMD.

Apples to Apples not Apples to OrangesPhase II vendor selected was NexGen Technologies based in Westminster, Colorado. A list of over 180 enhancements had been identified by financial community during the initial training phase. FMD-BEST worked closely with the vendor to improve the system.

FMD-BEST and Programs held ACMS Training sessions and developed the ACMS User Guide. A test database was developed and posted to a different server so that training and evaluation could be done without affecting true database. Emphasis was to train ACMS Users down to the lowest level of the organization where budget decisions are made and spending is tracked.

Training was started in 2006, continued in 2007, and 2008 became the first full year of SOF reporting.Since that time, there are currently over 600 active ACMS users. Communication from FMD-BEST is distributed to the users via Nickels Worth memos that let them know when a new enhancement has been completed or system changes. We have also developed a list of ACMS Pilot Testers that test and evaluate new builds by the vendor before they are deployed to the production.

ACMS has been classified as an APHIS major IT investment which means we adhere to all IT software/hardware regulations and support the system with IT resources and financial responsibility.ACMS is proving to have many advantages. The Agreement and Finance staff are joined by one system and are consistent in reporting throughout the organization. HQ and Regional staff are able to view data from the field in a consistent manner and not spend their time wading through a variety of databases, spreadsheets, other report formats from the past.

Emergency Incident Responders can go to the emergency location fully trained and ready to pick up where the last person left off with regards to SOF and financial reporting. They can also keep up with budget work from home office because of web-based application. This alleviates them from coming home to a huge backlog of work.Everybody does SOF the same way. Programs/Divisions now provide PPD the same report format and accurate, concise information.

Agreements all types are entered into ACMS the same way. Required fields make it easier for Agreement Speciailists to review information and nothing is left out.

PPD meets on a monthly basis with each Program and reviews their ACMS SOF report and maintains consistency throughout organization.Federal Financial Accounting Transparency Act has required APHIS to report our Agreements. In the past, this would have involved working through many different databases, spreadsheets, word docs, etc., etc., to compile the list and report. With the implementation of ACMS, there is one source for everything agreements are consolidated and standardized.

ACMS reports are used to pass A123 audits, OCIO reviews, and development of financial statements.APHIS positions of Budget Analysts, Budget Technicians, Program Analysts, Agreement Specialists, are able to use one system for financial and agreement information. We are becoming more unified in the way we track our spending. As positions turn-over, employee training is easier and people can move from one APHIS Program to another without a huge learning curve about new financial systems.

Legacy ledger usage has decreased over the past couple of years as people are becoming more comfortable and confident in ACMS.

FMD-BEST has trained over 200 people in APHIS. In 2008, we combined ACMS Training with Brio Insight. We held 2 Intro classes and 2 Intermediate classes. We also lead a class in Ames, IA, that VS made the arrangements for. In 2009, we have held 2 Intro classes and 2 Intermediate classes.ACMS is our system, designed by us, for us. We took the best of everyones ledger and combined it into one that meets most everyones needs.

ACMS development and support is provided by APHIS funding at the Administrators level. It is not paid out of Departmental Charges.

FMD supports ACMS training done by individual groups/Programs. For example, if VS/PPQ/WS/IS would like to hold their own Program ACMS workshop, they can contact FMD to assist in providing training instructors, materials, and travel expenses. Requests need to made to Stacye Teachman.Because ACMS is funded by Administrator, no additional costs are passed along to the programs.

APHIS SOF reports can be done at emergency incident location or at home office. If a budget person falls ill, resigns, whatever, someone else from another office (Region/HQ) can step in and complete the required report. FFATA requirements included many new fields in Cooperative Agreement screens that include address validation, congressional district, .

PLG met last week and have decided that all agreements will require a Decision Memorandum. This will require a new field to be entered onto the screen by the vendor NexGen. FMD-BEST will work with Agreements Team to determine placement and requirements of this new field.

Performance Tracking module within the Cooperative Agreement screens enable users to track the Agreement from beginning to end. This module was developed from Program legacy systems and combined into one unified format. Various roles within ACMS that allow billing forms to be created. Roles are enabled through FMD Security.FMD-BEST worked directly with MRPBS Billing and Collections Team to develop the billing forms and meet their requirements. They prefer ACMS-produced billing forms because all required information is consistent, format is the same, and contain no math errors!Interagency Agreement Billing Forms, AD673 and SF1080 are able to be produced through ACMS.WS Reimbursable Agreement billing forms, WS-xxx can be completed through ACMS.IS Cooperative Trust Fund Statement are accessed through ACMS.These are steps need to complete a SOF in ACMS.

Setup AllocationsEnter commitments and planned ExpendituresData enter salary projectionsData enter AgreementsReconcile each accounting code according to the detail records from FDWPrint out your SOF report for manager to reviewThis is a diagram of all the feeder systems that go into FFIS. Once a document is entered into FFIS, it downloads into FDW on a nightly basis. The next night, it downloads into ACMS reporting. Obligations that reach ACMS are typically 2 days old.ACMS Home Page is accessed using eAuthentication user id and password.Home Page contains 4 modules with dropdown menus within. Spending and Collections-Create ledger, View ledger, Employee Salary Projections, Agreements Inventory Reconciliation and Analysis-Budget Allocation, BOC groups, Cost Distribution, Reconciliation, Recurring BOCs Reporting-Agreements, Allocation, Cost Distribution, Payroll, Ledger, SOF Application Maintenance-Keyword Administration, User ProfilesBudget Allocation must be entered before obligations/planned/commitments/ESP can be entered. Required fields are notated by red asterisks.Accounting code confirmation.Module allows for carryover and noyear funds.Works like an operating plan.This is data entry screen to enter Planned or Committed ledgers. Planned ledgers are for items that no formal paperwork has been completed, but hope to do in the future, such as Bird Strike meeting in Canada in July.Committed ledgers are for things like utilities, supplies, fuel, etc. No paperwork is in the process, but these are fixed costs that you know you will pay.

Strategic Elements two different cost centers things that cannot be tracked by Location, Accounting Code, Fund Type, etc. APHIS Cost Center 1 is for things that everyone on APHIS tracks, such as Senator Colburn report (training and travel expenses). Division Cost Center is specific to Division, such as aircraft tag number in WS.Currency types accepted: USDollar, Peso, Euro

Employee Salary Projection estimates should be entered for each APHIS employee. Salary expense averages 80% of APHIS spending. Header information has many required fields, Pay Plan, Grade, Step, Job Titled, etc. and useful in Payroll reports.

This is the area of the ESP where salary, benefit, hours, and accounting information is entered.The reconciliation module is where the downloaded transactions that came from FFIS and FDW come into ACMS. The user can click on single, multiple, or not matched ledger line links. Users match up salary projections and/or planned/committed ledgers with the FDW record and reconcile them together that brings the transaction into their SOF report as an obligated expenditure.This Agreements Inventory search screen. The module tracks all Agreement types.This is example of Status of Funds Report by Program account code. Report fields displayed are Program Code, Program Name, Allocation Amount, ACMS YTD Obligations, ACMS Projected Obligations, ACMS Projected Balance, and % of Funds Committed.Hope to end Program usage of legacy ledger and/or agreement database systems. Inefficient use of resources to maintain two systems.APHIS AMT supports, encourages, and enforces use of ACMS for SOF and Agreement tracking.Upgrade and maintain APHIS software and server to improve performance.The one thing that remains constant is CHANGE! All systems are changing, and we have to adjust the way we do business around them. Technology is changing rapidly and as Federal employees budget/agreement, we must develop and enhance our skill level and knowledge everyday to be successful.Thank you!