Online extra: OMB looks to ordering fees to cover E-Gov Fund shortfall

Now onto Plan B for the E-Government Fund.Given that Congress over the last three years rejected the administration’s $100 million fund plan, the Office of Management and Budget is asking lawmakers to change the law that governs how the Federal Supply Service spends surplus revenue. Officials want to funnel into the E-Government Fund some of the extra money the General Services Administration takes in from fees charged to agencies that buy IT goods and services through schedule and governmentwide acquisition contracts. The proposal would move $40 million to the fund. The fees surplus typically runs to more than $100 million a year.OMB has received $13 million for the fund since 2002—that’s $87 million less than it wanted to pump in to the fund over 2002, 2003 and 2004. Taking into account the $40 million, the administration’s direct request for the fund this year is $5 million.Under current law, GSA can only use surplus funds for projects related to FSS and must return the rest to the Treasury Department. The agency spent $25 million of FSS surplus revenues in 2002 on three of the five Quicksilver projects it manages: the Integrated Acquisition Environment, Federal Asset Sales and E-Travel.“The administration was not successful with getting the money appropriated for the E-Government Fund, and knowing discretionary spending is tight, this seemed like a reasonable use of surplus revenue,” GSA budget director Debi Schilling said.Meanwhile, agencies seem to have come to terms with the pass-the-hat method of funding the 25 e-government projects. The IT budget details consistent funding for nearly every Quicksilver project from each effort’s partner agencies.E-Rulemaking, for instance, would receive between $200,000 and $1.1 million from its partner agencies for a total of $6.79 million, almost $4 million more than it will receive this year.The Small Business Administration’s Business Gateway is another winner. Agencies requested $14.1 million for 2005, after asking for $600,000 last year.Here’s a breakdown of funding for Quicksilver projects by portfolio: