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4388 Federal Register/Vol. 87, No. 18/Thursday, January 27, 2022/Rules and Regulations
<br /> supplementary information on data and quasi-experimental designs)as well • Technology infrastructure resources
<br /> analysis, evidence building,and as rapid-cycle evaluations,process or to improve access to and the user-
<br /> program evaluation in the Compliance implementation evaluations, outcome experience of government information
<br /> and Reporting Guidance. evaluations,and cost-benefit analyses. technology systems, including upgrades
<br /> Public Comment:Treasury received Recipients are encouraged to undertake to hardware and software as well as
<br /> positive comments about the rigorous program evaluations when improvements to public-facing websites
<br /> opportunity to invest in data and practicable, assess the impact of their or to data management systems,to
<br /> technology upgrades with SLFRF funds. programs by beneficiary demographics increase public access and improve
<br /> For example, one commenter noted that (including race,ethnicity,gender, public delivery of government programs
<br /> investing in technology for better income, and other relevant factors),and and services (including in the judicial,
<br /> connectivity, coupled with software and engage with community stakeholders legislative, or executive branches).
<br /> hardware upgrades,will allow the (including intended beneficiaries)when • Community outreach and
<br /> workforce to be more productive. developing Learning Agendas and engagement resources to support the
<br /> Treasury also received comments designing evaluations to ensure that gathering and sharing of information in
<br /> seeking clarification on using funds for programmatic, cultural,linguistic,and ways that improve equity and effective
<br /> investments in data and technology, historical nuances are accurately and implementation of SLFRF-funded
<br /> including whether upgrading respectfully addressed. programs and programs that respond to
<br /> government websites to improve Recipients are also encouraged to use the public health emergency and its
<br /> community outreach and investing in relevant evidence Clearinghouses,248 negative economic impacts,or which
<br /> technologies that support social among other sources,to assess the level households,small businesses, or
<br /> distancing were eligible uses. of evidence for their interventions and impacted industries are accessing
<br /> Treasury Response:Governments identify evidence-based models that during the pandemic that are funded by
<br /> with high capacity to use data and could be applied in their jurisdiction other sources. These methods include
<br /> evidence to administer programs are (meaning models with strong or but are not limited to community
<br /> more likely to be responsive to the moderate evidence; see Compliance and meetings,online surveys,focus groups,
<br /> needs of their community,more Reporting Guidance for details on these human-centered design activities,
<br /> transparent about their community terms). behavioral science techniques,and
<br /> impact,and more resilient to • Data analysis resources to gather, other community engagement tools.
<br /> emergencies such as the pandemic and assess,and use data for effective policy- • Capacity building resources to
<br /> its economic impacts.246 Treasury making and real-time tracking of support using data and evidence in
<br /> recognizes that collecting high-quality program performance to support designing, executing,and evaluating
<br /> data and developing community-driven, effective implementation of SLFRF- programs, including hiring public sector
<br /> evidence-based programs requires funded programs and programs that staff, contractors, academics,
<br /> resources to hire and build the capacity respond to the public health emergency consultants,and others with expertise
<br /> of staff,adopt new processes and and its negative economic impacts, or in evaluation, data,technology,and
<br /> systems,and use new technology and which households,small businesses,or community engagement as well as
<br /> tools in order to effectively develop, impacted industries are accessing technical assistance support for public
<br /> execute,and evaluate programs.As during the pandemic that are funded by sector staff, staff of subrecipients,and
<br /> such,Treasury is clarifying that other sources. These resources include community partners to support effective
<br /> recipients may use SLFRF funds toward but are not limited to data gathering, implementation of SLFRF-funded
<br /> the following non-exhaustive list of uses data cleaning, data analysis, data programs and programs that respond to
<br /> to address the data, evidence,and infrastructure, data management, data the public health emergency and its
<br /> program administration needs of sharing, data transparency,performance negative economic impacts,or which
<br /> recipients.Additional information may management, outcomes-based households,small businesses, or
<br /> be provided in the Compliance and budgeting, outcomes-based impacted industries are accessing
<br /> Reporting Guidance. procurement,and other data needs. during the pandemic that are funded by
<br /> • Program evaluation and evidence Treasury encourages the disaggregation other sources.
<br /> resources to support building and using of data to identify disparate program Administrative Needs Caused or
<br /> evidence to improve outcomes, impacts and the use of cross- Exacerbated by the Pandemic
<br /> including development of Learning jurisdictional data sharing to better
<br /> Agendas 247 to support strategic measure and implement government As described in guidance and the
<br /> evidence building, selection of programs. interim final rule, SLFRF funds may be
<br /> evidence-based interventions,and used to address administrative needs of
<br /> program evaluations including impact 248 Evidence Clearinghouses are databases of recipient governments that were caused
<br /> research in particular program areas.Frequently or exacerbated b the pandemic.
<br /> evaluations (randomized control trials these Clearinghouses identify evidence-based y
<br /> Guidance following the interim final
<br /> programs,the strength of the evidence for those
<br /> 246 Results for America,Invest in What Works programs,and provide contextual or supporting rule included several examples of this,
<br /> State Standard of Excellence(August 2020),https:// information in easy to understand formats.Many for example,uses of funds to address
<br /> 2020state.results4america.org/2020_State- federal departments have developed rigorous and backlogs resulting from pandemic-
<br /> Stan dard-of-Excellence.pdf. helpful Clearinghouses that cover a wide range of related shutdowns (e.g.,backlogs in
<br /> 247 Learning Agendas are systematic plans to uses enumerated in this final rule as well as other
<br /> identify,prioritize,answer important questions programs that may be responsive to public health court systems).249 This also includes
<br /> about programs and policies using analytic or negative economic impacts of the pandemic.For
<br /> techniques that are appropriate to the type of more information on Clearinghouses,please see the 249 See FAQ 2.19.Coronavirus State and Local
<br /> question asked.For more information on learning Compliance and Reporting Guidance:U.S. Fiscal Recovery Funds,Frequently Asked
<br /> agendas,please see OMB Memorandum M-19-23, Department of the Treasury,Recipient Compliance Questions,as of July 19,2021;https://
<br /> available at:https://www.whitehouse.govlwp- and Reporting Responsibilities,as of November 5, home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/SLFRPFAQ.pdf.
<br /> content/uploads/2019/07/M-19-23.pdf and OMB 2021;https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/ In the case of courts specifically,this includes
<br /> Memorandum M-21-27,available at:https:// coronavirus/assistance for-state-local-and-tribal- "implementing COVID-19 safety measures to
<br /> www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/ governments/state-and-local fiscal-recovery funds/ facilitate court operations,hiring additional court
<br /> M-21-27.pdf. recipient-compliance-and-reporting-responsibilities. staff or attorneys to increase speed of case
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