Interior Awards Nearly $3 Million to Guam in Technical Assistance Grants for Fiscal Year 2020

WASHINGTON – U.S. Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary, Insular and International Affairs, Douglas W. Domenech today announced several Technical Assistance Program (TAP)  grants awarded to the Government of Guam totaling $2,660,642 to support the modernization of public services and digitization of important records, equipment upgrades, training of key hospital staff, development of forensic accounting, and more. An additional award of $334,260 was awarded to the University of Guam to build and train a cadre of museum curatorial experts.

“After scoring and reviewing numerous grant applications submitted to the Office of Insular Affairs in response to OIA’s fiscal year 2020 grant application notice, I am pleased to announce these grant awards for Guam, many of which will provide essential upgrades and training across several government offices that provide important public services,” said Assistant Secretary Domenech. “Secretary Bernhardt and I appreciate the support that Congress provides every year through the TAP program for Guam and all the insular areas.”

The TAP grants provided to Guam for fiscal year 2020 are as follows: 

• $1,219,950 to the Guam State Clearinghouse for the digital archival of historical government documents and historical records in the Guam Public Library System. Funds provided will be used to digitize and streamline management of and access to official records of the administration accumulated from the 1940’s under U.S. Naval administration to present day. This is a collection of approximately 14,000,000 pieces of paper stored in roughly 1,000 boxes. Funds will also be used to upgrade equipment and operations in the Guam Public Library System allowing for easier public access as well as preservation of millions of historical documents about Guam.
• $366,989 to the Guam Memorial Hospital Authority to train nursing and revenue cycle management staff. Funding will be used to acquire software and provide training in nursing and patient management. Funds will also be used to build skills-based capacities and competency of revenue cycle management staff through training in the areas of healthcare financial management, revenue cycle management, patient access management, hospital coding, and hospital billing.
• $310,000 to the Office of the Attorney General for financial forensics training. Funding will be used to strengthen internal financial forensics capacity through training and education for existing accountants, technicians, attorneys, auditors, and investigators. The goal is to improve fraud detection capacity, forensic accounting expertise, and strengthen litigating efforts against white collar crime. Funds will also be used to develop a forensic auditing and accounting team composed to two auditors or accountants who will provide forensic accounting analysis to augment prosecution of white collar crime cases.
• $309,828 to the Department of Land Management for IT upgrade, equipment, and supplies. Funds will be used to upgrade the IT network infrastructure, the Land Management Web Center/eGIS system, and server capacity. Funds will also be used to acquire computer workstations, scanners, and survey equipment for the Department of Land.
• $300,500 to the Bureau of Statistic and Plans to modernize Guam’s customs and import operations. Funds will be used to procure the professional services of a consultant and to assist Guam in the first phase of modernizing Guam customs, quarantine, and import operations. This would involve a current state process analysis, process improvement mapping, functional requirements development and documentation, and the development of a request for proposal for a new automated system.
• $95,175 to the Department of Education for internal audit and financial affairs training. Funds will be used to train personnel from the Internal Audit Office and the Financial Affairs Division. The goal is to develop and enhance skills in audit compliance monitoring, better accountability, and more efficient reporting in order to safeguard local and Federal funds provided to the Department of Education.
• $58,200 to the Department of Public Works for a new CCTV system and barcode inventory system. Funds will be used to purchase a new video and surveillance monitoring CCTV system to protect property and assets such as Guam’s school bus fleet and other heavy equipment used by the Department of Public Works. Funds will also be used to purchase a barcode inventory software and system to document and inventory parts and supplies.
• $334,260 to the University of Guam to develop professional curators. Funds will be used to train and develop a cadre of staff with the knowledge and training necessary to protect and preserve archaeological objects, remains, and documents. This is a three-year project designed to address the urgent need for curatorial experts and professional staff at the Guam Cultural Repository, the Guam Museum, and similar entities on Guam and in the region tasked with museum curatorial duties.

All projects were funded through the Office of Insular Affairs’ Technical Assistance Program. For more information on grant assistance provided through the Office of Insular Affairs, please visit: https://www.doi.gov/oia/financial-assistance.

The Assistant Secretary, Insular and International Affairs, @ASIIADomenech, and the Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) carry out the Secretary of the Interior’s responsibilities for the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Additionally, OIA administers and oversees federal assistance under the Compacts of Free Association to the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau.

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