Electronic Records Pertaining to Federal Contracts, Grants & Awards
Reference Report # 21:
Note that the following are descriptions of electronic records in the custody
of NARA. Therefore, all records described are computerized data files. Some
series can be accessed online through the Access to Archival Databases (AAD)
resource and have an AAD 
logo
next to them.
Record Group 29: Records of the Bureau of the Census
- Consolidated Federal Funds Report, FY1994-
- Federal Assistance Awards Data System (FAADS), FY1981-
Record Group 164: Records of the Cooperative State Research Service
- Current Research Information System (CRIS), FY1988-1991, 1993-1994 [See Record Group 540]
Record Group 269: Records of the General Services Administration
- Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS), FY1979-
- Proposal and Award System, ca. 1985-1994
- Defense Contract Action Data System (DCADS), FY1976-
- Military Prime Contract Files (MPCF), FY1966- FY1975
- Community Action Program: Funded Program Account Master File,
FY1965-FY1981; Grantee Organization Master File, FY1965-FY1981
- Federal Assistance Awards Data System (FAADS), FY1981-First Quarter,
FY1982 [See Record Group 29]
- Federal Outlays, FY1968-FY1980
- Historical Project Files, FY1966-FY1993
- Current Research Information System (CRIS), FY1995-
Introduction:
NARA has electronic records pertaining to Federal Domestic Contracts, Grants, and Awards. The following describes a selection of electronic records containing data either on specific Federal Domestic Contracts, Grants, and Awards, or compilations of derived data based on awards by geographic areas.
In general, textual (paper) records documenting procurement contracts are disposable (see NARA General Records Schedule 3 - Procurement, Supply, and Grant Records). However, because of the compact nature of electronic records files and the ability to efficiently search, retrieve, and analyze the records, NARA has appraised the electronic records series enumerated below as permanent. For example, NARA has in electronic form records of contracts awarded by 65 Executive Branch agencies in the Federal Procurement Data System, Records of the General Services Administration, and more specifically by the Department of Defense, in the Military Prime Contract File and the Defense Contract Action Data System.
Researchers may order copies of these files and analyze the records directly, using whatever hardware and software they have. In addition, some of these series are accessible through Access to Archival Databases (AAD). For those that are not, NARA has limited ability to search files for records responsive to specific requests. In such cases, researchers are asked to review the technical documentation for the files and define specific search criteria based on specific data elements and expected values in those fields. Results of specific searches are provided as paper printouts of un-interpreted records (i.e. fields that are coded remain so on the printouts). Therefore, technical documentation is necessary to interpret the coded information on the search results printouts. For search requests anticipated to produce very large number of records, for very complex searches, or for searches requiring cumulative definition and re-definition of search criteria, we recommend that the requestor obtain copies of the electronic records files and technical documentation to perform their searches at their own computer facility. For information about how to obtain copies of electronic records files, please see Ordering Information for Electronic Records.
A listing of some archival electronic records files, listed at the data file level, is available in the "Title List: A Preliminary and Partial Listing of the Data Files in the National Archives and Records Administration". Some of the files identified in this reference report are not included in the Title List database. NARA's holdings of Federal records, in all media, are described in the Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States.
Record Group 29: Records of the Bureau of the Census
- Consolidated Federal Funds Report (CFFR), FY1983-
The CFFR documents Federal government expenditures or obligations in State, county, and subcounty areas of the United States. The CFFR covers Federal expenditures or obligations for the following categories: grants to State and local governments, salaries and wages, procurement contracts, direct payments for individuals, other direct payments, direct loans, guaranteed or insured loans, and insurance. The authority for the creation and maintenance of the CFFR is the Consolidated Federal Funds Report Act of 1982 (PL97-326). The CFFR is the successor to Federal Outlays (see Record Group 381 below).
The CFFR consists of four files per year: 1) The CFFR Data File gives the government unit identification code, program identification code, object/assistance type code, amount in whole dollars, and the FIPS geographic code. For each unique government unit code, all programs are listed and for each program, all records with different object/assistance categories are listed; 2) The CFFR Geographic Reference File contains the name and governmental unit code for all State, county, and subcounty areas in the Nation. In addition, the file contains associated geographic codes (FIPS, GSA, MSA and Census Bureau place codes), the population in the governmental unit, and the Congressional districts serving each governmental unit; 3) The CFFR Program Identification File contains program identification codes and their respective program titles; and 4) The CFFR Federal Agency File contains all four-digit (FIPS-95) codes identifying each specific agency. Currently in NARA are the CFFR files for FY1983 - FY2000. Basic documentation consists of 25 pages per year.
- Federal Assistance Award Data System (FAADS), FY1981-
FAADS files consist of quarterly compilations of records documenting the distribution of financial assistance by the Federal Government to qualified recipients, reported by federal agencies under the requirements of Title 31, Section 6102(a) U.S.C. The Community Services Administration (CSA) began collecting data during FY1981. When CSA was abolished at the end of that fiscal year, responsibility for collecting the FAADS data briefly shifted to the General Services Administration. The Bureau of the Census assumed this responsibility after the first quarter of FY1982, and has retained responsibility to date. Records created during FY1981 and the first quarter of FY1982 are allocated to Record Group 381. All records created after the first quarter of FY1982 are in Record Group 29.
FAADS contains data on monetary awards made to individuals, state and local governments, and other non-federal institutions in the form of revenue sharing, grants and loans of various types, direct payments, and other forms of financial assistance. There are both action-by-action (individual transaction) records and county aggregate records. Action-by-action records include the name and location of the recipient, the amount and type of funding, a project description, and the name of the federal program under which the assistance was awarded. County aggregate records summarize transfer and entitlement payments to individuals, such as Social Security, Medicare, disaster assistance, and other large-volume assistance programs. The generally available Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, maintained by the U.S. General Services Administration (see GSA homepage), contains descriptions of the various federal assistance programs included in the FAADS data file. Data are identified by the code assigned to each assistance program listed in the Catalog, or by a similarly constructed pseudocode to identify those programs not listed in the Catalog.
NARA receives regular transfers of the FAADS data from the Bureau of the Census. The main technical documentation consists of an annual FAADS user's guide and quarter-specific documentation (i.e. the agency compliance report). Because they vary, page counts for technical documentation for the FAADS are determined at the time of ordering. In addition, the Bureau of the Census provides on-line access to some recent FAADS data.
Record Group 164: Records of the Cooperative State Research Service
- Current Research Information System (CRIS), FY1988-1991, 1993-1994
See entry for CRIS under Record Group 540.
Record Group 269: Records of the General Services Administration
- Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS), FY1979-
The FPDS is a system for collecting, developing, and disseminating procurement data which takes into account the needs of the Congress, Executive Branch, and the private sector. Approximately 65 Executive Branch agencies report their procurement contract obligations to the FPDS. The largest exception to the requirement to report is the U.S. Postal Service. Public Law (P.L.) 98-100 contains a requirement that the Administrator, Office of Federal Procurement Policy, establish an automated system for collecting, evaluating, and disseminating information about Federal procurement contracts. The Federal Procurement Data Center (FPDC) was formed in 1978 as an organization within the Department of Defense and began collecting data in FY1979. It was transferred to the General Services Administration in 1982 where it has remained.
The records of the FPDS files contain detailed information on all contracts with a value of $25,000 or more and summary data on contracts under $25,000. Among the data elements in the files are: Agency Code, Agency Name, Contracting Office Code, Contracting Office Name, Contracting Office Address, Action Date, Report Period, Kind of Contract Action, Dollars, Product or Service Code, Contractor Name, Contractor Street Address, Principle Place of Performance, Number of Bidders Offering Foreign Items, Women-Owned Small Businesses, and Subcontracting Plan.
Currently in NARA are the FPDS files for FY1979 to FY1997 (19 files total). Each datafile contains between 350,000 and 560,000 records. Complete technical documentation consists of 287 pages. Further information about FPDS is also available from the General Services Administration's (GSA) web site at: http://www.fpdc.gov/fpdc/fpdc_home.htm.
Record Group 307: Records of the National Science Foundation
- Proposal and Award System, ca. 1985-1994
NSF has transferred to NARA seven related electronic records files from the Proposal and Award System. Files from the Proposal and Award System in NARA's custody include an Amendments file, Awards file, Temporary Amendments file, Temporary Awards file, Proposal Attribute file, Reviewers file, and Proposal file. Some information in the Reviewers and Proposal files is exempt from release under provisions of the FOIA (5 U.S.C. 552 (b)(6)), which exempts from disclosure personnel or medical files and similar files the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Therefore, NARA would have to create a public use version of these files, masking some fields in the records containing personal identifiers, prior to release. Basic documentation for these files consists of 60 pages.
Record Group 330: Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense
- Defense Contract Action Data System (DCADS), FY1976-
The successor to the Military Prime Contract Files (MPCF); see description below.
-
Military Prime Contract File (MPCF), FY1966-FY1975
The MCPF contains records of contracts over $10,000 awarded by the DOD. The successor to the MPCF is the Defense Contract Action Data System (DCADS), FY1976- . DCADS contains records of contracts over $25,000 awarded by the DOD. The DOD designed this file to generate procurement statistics on supplies and services, and to provide data for military expenditure reports to the President and Congress. Each record contains data regarding: the contract (service or product supplied, date awarded, length of contract, value of contract); the contractor (name, location, experience with DOD); and the DOD agency making the award (name of agency, award process used.) There is one record per contract.
This series began during the Vietnam War and documents the connection between the American military and American industry during and after it. Records maintained between FY1966 and FY1973 indicated whether the contract was for materials or services in support of the US involvement in Southeast Asia. Beginning in FY1974, this data element was replaced with one on minority business. Data in the MPCF and DCADS are derived from Department of Defense Form DD 350.
There is one data file per fiscal year. There is also a separate DCADS file for the FY1976 Transition Quarter. DCADS files currently in the custody of NARA are through FY2000. Technical documentation for the MPCF consists of 20 pages. Documentation for DCADS is voluminous, consisting of record layouts, Procurement Coding Manuals, Defense Acquisition Management Data System Code Translation Manuals, purchasing office lists, as well as the machine readable ZARK Contractor File, FY1976-FY1985 and ZARK Locator File, FY1976-FY1985. Documentation for both MPCF and DCADS has been scanned and is accessible through AAD
. Related electronic records files include International Balance
of Payment files
, and Foreign Military Sales Files, also in Record Group 330.
- Community Action Program: Funded Program Account Master File,
FY1965-FY1981; Grantee Organization Master File, FY1965-FY1981
The Community Action Program (CAP): Funded Program Account Master Files were created for the Controller's Office of the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) and consist of records of approved CAP grants and funding. There are three separate files: FY1965-FY1971, FY1972-FY1977, and FY1978-FY1981. Transactions include requests and action by the OEO for initial and supplemental funding, obligation, or amendment. Data elements include dates of application, obligation, termination, project description, anticipated participants by age group, relation of participants to the poverty line, sex, and number of staff. Records are sequenced by OEO region and grant number.
The Community Action Program (CAP): Grantee Organization Master Files contains the names, addresses and target areas of OEO grantees participating in the Community Action Program. It provides identification data essential in the use of the Funded Program Account Master Files. There are two files, one covering FY1965-FY1971, another for FY1972-FY1981. Because the Grantee Organization Master File, FY1965-FY1971 contains data that are exempt from public disclosure, specifically the "IRS Taxpayer Identification Number," NARA has masked that field and releases a public use version of that file. Complete technical documentation for both subseries consists of 45 pages.
-
Federal Outlays, FY1968-FY1980
These files contain data on the distribution of Federal Executive Branch dollar outlays by appropriation program from FY1968 to FY1980. There are four files for each fiscal year: 1) a County Master File, 2) a City Master File, 3) a Geographic Table, and 4) a Program Appropriations Table. The County and City Master Files provide information on appropriations, programs, types of assistance, type of transaction, outlays in dollars, beneficiaries, and state control of federal outlays. The Geographic Table provides data by state, county and city codes, geographic names, OEO region code, and Appalachian and Mexican border and TVA indicators. The data in the table files also designates a geographic unit as rural or urban, identifies Congressional Districts, and gives total population figures. Records in the Program Appropriations Table provides data by agency codes and names, functions and names, program identifiers, and national data outlays by function and agency.
There are a total of 56 data files associated with the Federal Outlays series; four files for each of the 13 fiscal years plus the 1976 transition quarter. The Center has 204 pages (or three microfiche) of documentation relating to these files. Successor electronic records files to the Federal Outlays series are the Consolidated Federal Funds Report (CFFR) (see Record Group 29 above).
- Federal Assistance Award Data System (FAADS), FY1981-First Quarter
FY1982 See entry for FAADS under Record Group 29 above.
- Historical Project File, FY1966-FY2002
The Historical Project File consists of records of projects approved by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). The Commission's projects are funded with a combination of Federal, state, and local appropriations. Project categories include infrastructure, enterprise development, housing, research/technical assistance, education, health, child care, environment, highways, and youth leadership. Records include the project name, fiscal year, geographic identifiers, section of ARC legislation under which the project falls, project category code, funding amounts and sources, and total cost.
There is one data file. Documentation consists of 12 pages.
- Current Research Information System (CRIS), FY1995-
The Cooperative State Research Service of the Department of Agriculture transferred to NARA annual data files of the Current Research Information System for the fiscal years 1988-1991, 1993-1994. On October 20, 1994, the functions of the Cooperative State Research Service were consolidated with the Extension Service to create the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES). The succeeding record group is RG540: Records of the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES). Thus, beginning with the annual file for FY1995, the records are in Record Group 540.The Current Research Information System (CRIS) is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) documentation and reporting system for ongoing and recently completed research projects in agriculture, food and nutrition, and forestry. Projects are conducted or sponsored by USDA research agencies, state agricultural experiment stations, the state land-grant university system, other cooperating state institutions, and participants in USDA's National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program. CRIS is a part of Science and Education Resources Development (SERD), Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES). Records in CRIS document three- to five- year research activities and include grant recipient, project description, location, date, progress, and related publications. Each CRIS data file contains over 30,000 records. Documentation includes the Manual of Classification of Agricultural and Forestry Research. The Manual contains the classifications and controlled vocabulary used by CRIS. Data files for the years prior to 1994 were maintained by the Cooperative State Research Service (CSRS) and are available in RG164.
Further information about CRIS and a search capability for the current CRIS database are available from the Department of Agriculture's CRIS web site at: http://cris.csrees.usda.gov.
Contact Information:
For more information, please contact Reference Services, Electronic and Special Media Records Services Division (NWME), The National Archives at College Park, 8601 Adelphi Road, Room 5320, College Park, MD 20740-6001. The telephone number is (301) 837-0470. Our e-mail address is cer@nara.gov
The information in this report was compiled by a group of Archivist Trainees at the National Archives' Center for Electronic Records.
THEODORE J. HULL
Archives Specialist
Electronic and Special Media Records Services Division
Revised 1/03
Electronic and Special Media Records Main Page
