DATA Act Information Model Schema (DAIMS)

For DAIMS users: This is the current version, 2.0.

Version 2.0 of the DAIMS released May 6, 2020 includes the data standard conceptual model, specifications, and schema management. This release is necessary to support agency tracking and reporting of COVID-19 supplemental spending as required by the CARES Act and OMB Implementation Guidance for Supplemental Funding Provided in Response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The implementation of DAIMS changes supporting COVID-19 reporting will apply in two phases:

In phase 1, changes are implemented to support COVID-19 reporting requirements starting with Fiscal Year 2020 Period 09 DATA Act Broker Submission (DABS) reporting:

• Adds Disaster Emergency Fund Code data element to Files B and File C
• Supports Monthly reporting: agencies with COVID-19 funds will report all TAS on a monthly basis, beginning in July. In order to correctly capture spending for Q3, agencies' submission in July will consist of three sets of monthly files: April, May, and June for Files A-C. There will no longer be quarterly data submissions for these agencies. Also, there will be no monthly certification in this initial phase, but agencies will be required to attest that they meet the reporting requirements under the DATA Act and OMB M-20-21, and that the reported data was produced following the agency's normal practices and procedures.
• Supports quarterly certification: those agencies who report monthly will be required to certify quarterly, on the same 45-day schedule with the rest of the non-COVID agencies. For example, Q3 data would be certified in mid-August.

In phase 2, changes are implemented to support OMB's goal to strengthen the connection across budget, spending, award, performance information, and other results displayed on USASpending.gov, support Federal programs as they coordinate across agencies, and help identify opportunities for improved coordination across Federal programs and activities starting with Fiscal Year 2021:

• Requires all agencies to provide Program Activity in File C

A future DAIMS release will clarify the exact requirements, practices and procedures (including timing) to implement OMB M-20-21's requirement that all agencies begin reporting monthly DATA Act submissions including outlays for all awards in File C in FY22 Q1.

The DAIMS architecture is designed to meet the needs of the business users and technical systems. It serves as the foundation for the DAIMS data standards. It is extensible through domain, component, element, and metadata. Additional descriptive content on the DAIMS architecture will be released as necessary.

DAIMS Version 2.0 implemented on July 13, 2020.

• Release Notes v2.0  – summary of changes for this version
• DAIMS v2.0 Document ZIP – zip file with DAIMS documents

On this page

• DAIMS Technical Architecture
• DAIMS Documents for Federal Agency Staff
• DAIMS Documents for Data Analysts
• DAIMS Documents for users of USAspending.gov
• History of DAIMS Releases since 2016

DAIMS Technical Architecture

The DATA Act Information Model Schema (DAIMS) is the authoritative source for the terms, definitions, formats, and structures for hundreds of distinct data elements that tell the story of how federal dollars are spent.

DAIMS gives federal agencies guidance about what data to report to Treasury, where to get that data, and how to submit it.

To learn more:

• DAIMS Overview  – What DAIMS is, its scope, value, and approach
• DAIMS Architecture  – The DAIMS conceptual model including a visual showing how domains, components, elements, and metadata go together in DAIMS
• DAIMS Information Flow  – A technical flowchart showing how data comes into, flows through, and is reported out, including how often that happens and where the data come from.

DAIMS Documents for Federal Agency Staff

Practices and Procedures

• How to submit, validate, and understand submitting to the DATA Act Broker

Reporting Submission Specification (RSS)

• An Excel spreadsheet that lists data elements, provides metadata, and gives federal agency staff instructions on how to submit content in the appropriate file format.

Interface Definition Document (IDD)

• An Excel spreadsheet that lists data elements, supporting metadata and explains what financial assistance data elements are pulled from government-wide procurement, sub-award systems, and from the DATA Act Broker (by way of FABS).

Validation Rules

• An Excel spreadsheet that documents the business rules the DATA Act Broker uses for field and cross-file validations.

Examples of Submission Files - .csv files showing the format of agency submission files

• FABS: Financial Assistance data
• File A: Appropriation Account data
• File B: Object Class and Program Activity data
• File C: Award Financial data

DAIMS Documents for Data Analysts

These PDF files show the data model relationships for RSS and IDD files.

• RSS File A Diagram
• RSS File B Diagram
• RSS File C Diagram
• RSS FILE FABS Diagram
• IDD File D1 Diagram
• IDD File D2 Diagram
• IDD File E Diagram
• IDD File F Diagram

DAIMS XBRL Schema

• A machine-readable version of the data standards that includes accounting-related and award-related content.

Quarterly data since 2017 in XBRL format

These zip files contain financial data in XBRL format for each fiscal quarter since Q2 2017.

DAIMS Documents for users of USAspending.gov

Online Data Dictionary

• A link to the USAspending.gov online data dictionary with a full list of data elements with a definition for each element and some associated metadata.

Consumption-Focused Metadata (CFM)

• An Excel file with a list of data elements, definitions, and supporting metadata showing how submission and outlay data is compiled.

Consumption Focused File Diagram

• A PDF file diagram showing the data model for data sources of the USAspending.gov website.

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