American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is currently receiving its share of funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). This federal economic stimulus infusion is expected to total $8.7 billion. This vital funding must be strictly monitored in order to prevent waste, fraud and abuse. State Auditor Joe DeNucci has been asked by Governor Patrick to take a major role in providing this oversight. In response, Auditor DeNucci has made this effort a top priority of the Office of the State Auditor. He has also joined with the Attorney General, the Inspector General and federal officials to form the Stimulus Oversight and Prevention (STOP) of Fraud Task Force to assure coordinated and collaborative stimulus funding oversight.
As part of this effort, Auditor DeNucci has created a new audit division with responsibility for the oversight of ARRA funding. The Office of the State Auditor has developed a work plan to address the multi-faceted process that Commonwealth agencies will engage in with regard to the receipt, expenditure, monitoring and reporting of these federal stimulus funds. Under Auditor DeNucci's direction, Deputy Auditors and other senior audit staff are meeting regularly with state officials and with the joint oversight Task Force as they develop coordinated plans, select areas for review, and identify potential problems.
At Auditor DeNucci's direction, the Office of the State Auditor has prepared an audit plan for recovery activities, and has undertaken work to identify all programs where funds are expected, the timing and specific flow of funding, the applicable compliance requirements, and possible areas of vulnerability.
This page will provide regularly updated information on this oversight effort as it moves forward. Questions and suggestions are welcome by contacting the Office of the State Auditor at (617) 727-6200, or by e-mail at auditor@sao.state.ma.us