Basic Accounting

I'm sorry, but is it really so terribly hard to file mandatory reports on how one is spending Recovery Act funding? Apparently it's been enough of a problem that the Obama administration is authorizing agencies to cancel contracts or cut off grantees who don't file their reports on time:

"Any prime recipient that has failed to report is not living up to the standards set by [the Obama] administration and must be held accountable by all agencies to the fullest extent permitted by law," the memo stated. "Our efforts to ensure timely, comprehensive and accurate recipient reporting must succeed if we are to effectively meet the transparency and accountability objectives of the Recovery Act."

I realize the projects funded by the Recovery Act are huge and complicated. But if one knows the requirements for reporting going in, and is following basic responsible accounting practices, how can you habitually miss deadlines?