Content created by Office of Grants (OG)
Through the Office of Management and Budget in Memorandum M-19-16, HHS became the designated agency for the Grants QSMO with a goal of transforming government-wide grants management end-to-end. The Grants QSMO was designated to better leverage the buying power of the government to:
- Improve the user experience and service quality for applicants, recipients, and agencies;
- Streamline and modernize the expansive and aging grants system landscape; and
- Allow all federal awarding agencies access to high-quality shared solutions with reduced costs.
As required by OMB Memos M-21-20, M-22-12, and M-24-11 the Grants QSMO is tasked with coordinating across federal awarding agencies to review and advise on all investments in grants IT systems and make investment recommendations to OMB.
Grants IT investment and innovation in HHS, the largest grant-making agency, allows for a greater impact on the entire grants IT ecosystem. Since HHS holds such a large stake in the federal grants awarding community, the successful modernization of grants IT systems within HHS will have impacts across the federal government as a whole.
The transformation of grants management is anchored by the Grants QSMO 2030 Vision to empower and enable applicants, recipients, and federal awarding agencies to efficiently and effectively deliver on their mission. This vision is reinforced by three pillars – ease burden and drive efficiencies, respond to customer needs, and leverage data as a strategic asset.
GAO and 2 CFR Memorandum
The Grants QSMO has been fortunate to receive positive recognition from organizations across the government. A report from GAO in December 2023 highlighted the Grants QSMO’s successful establishment of the Grants QSMO Marketplace, inclusion of commercial solutions, and future development of grants solutions and services. The Grants QSMO was also recognized in OMB 2 CFR Memorandum as the organization for agencies to consult with as they are looking to update their grants IT management systems.