U.S. Department of State Fiscal Year 2020 Agency Financial Report

displayed and made available to the public through the website USASpending.gov. Ultimately, the goal of the law is to improve the ability of Americans to track and understand how the government is spending their tax dollars. It is also the first step in a larger and longer effort for agencies to use data as a resource to transform the way that leadership manages and governs the agencies. The Department has dedicated considerable resources in complying with the DATA Act. Because of the extensive global presence of the Department, with more than 270 embassies, consulates, and other posts in over 180 countries, the Department faces challenges in consolidating data originating from around the world. This challenge also requires communication between multiple systems. To satisfy the requirements of the DATA Act, the Department successfully transitioned the Global Financial Management System data warehouse into a Global Business Intelligence solution. This was a significant undertaking, which included upgrading its supporting infrastructure. This solution has greatly improved the Department’s capability to utilize data mining techniques and expanded internal and external financial reporting proficiency for the Department. administrative support cost sharing. This summary presents the Department’s resource management systems strategy and how it will improve financial and budget management across the agency. This overview also contains a synopsis of critical projects and remediation activities that are planned or currently underway. These projects are intended to modernize and consolidate Department resource management systems. D igital A ccountability and T ransparency A ct The Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA Act) of 2014’s purpose was to make information related to Federal expenditures more easily accessible and transparent. In doing so, the Federal Government gave citizens, Congress, and others unprecedented public access to structured information about spending and opened up new horizons for oversight, accountability, activism, and innovation. The law required the U.S. Department of the Treasury to establish common standards for financial data provided by all Government agencies. At the same time, other collaborative efforts were underway with regard to how these elements would be Secretary Pompeo meets with staff and families of U.S. Embassy Dakar in Dakar, Senegal, February 16, 2020. Department of State 38 | U ni ted S tates D epartment of S tate 2020 A gency F inanci al R eport MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS | MANAGEMENT ASSURANCES AND OTHER LEGAL COMPLIANCES