by Michele Catahay

Guam - With the Department of Education set to spend millions of dollars from numerous grants from the federal government, DOE is looking to ensure officials are transparent with reporting requirements. A two-day conference kicked-off today at the Hilton Hotel, where the agency's Federal Programs Division provided an overview of all federal grant awards, federal reporting requirements for American Reinvestment and Recovery Act funds and quarterly reporting.

Federal Programs Administrator Ike Santos told KUAM News, "The federal government requires transparency, accountability and reporting. Our job within federal programs is for the agency to let them know what these requirements are, what these requisites are because as soon as they start expending, they will be held accountable. And it's not just the expenditure, but it's ensuring the things they procure is accounted for and is being used for their purpose."

Public Auditor Doris Flores Brooks spoke about the evaluation of DOE's oversight and implementation of programs funded through the stimulus grant. Chairman and CEO of Deloitte and Touche Daniel Fitzgerald spoke about DOE's past and current audit findings. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Johnson is expected to speak tomorrow about fraud and abuse of federal funds.

The conference wraps-up on Thursday.