USAspending.gov and Office of Financial Integrity receive 2026 Service to the Citizen Awards
WASHINGTON, D.C. —The Bureau of the Fiscal Service today announced that two of its programs, USAspending.gov and the Office of Financial Integrity, have been honored with 2026 Service to the Citizen Awards. The awards were presented at a ceremony held in Washington, D.C on September 18, 2026.
Presented annually, the Service to the Citizen Awards recognize federal government programs that exemplify excellence in customer service, innovation, and transparency, awarding teams that go above and beyond to deliver measurable results for the public.
USAspending.gov: Empowering Public Understanding of Federal Spending
USAspending.gov received the award in Category 1: Building a Customer Focused Culture, recognizing the team's work to make federal spending data more accessible, usable, and transparent for the public. USAspending.gov is the nation's trusted source for tracking trillions of dollars in federal spending.
Over the past year, the team has relied on customer feedback and engagement to guide improvements across USAspending.gov. They introduced new search capabilities, reduced median download times by 70%, launched real-time data quality monitoring, and expanded public engagement through hackathons, educational content, and outreach campaigns.
In FY2025, USAspending.gov welcomed a record 6.8 million users, a 95% increase in site visits over the previous year, while its Transparency Engagement Desk responded to nearly 3,000 inquiries from the public, media, and federal agencies.
“USAspending.gov is an essential public resource that helps people understand how the federal government spends taxpayer dollars. We take that responsibility seriously, and this award is an honor and a testament to our team’s steadfast commitment to delivering what our customers deserve.” said Justin Cole, Director of Data Transparency.
Office of Financial Integrity: Strengthening Fraud Prevention Across Government
The Office of Financial Integrity was recognized in Category 3: Using Innovation, Data, and Breaking Down Organizational Barriers, for its work to strengthen fraud prevention and payment integrity across government. By transforming Treasury's Do Not Pay system into a central fraud prevention resource, OFI has enabled agencies and states to identify risks earlier and protect taxpayer dollars more effectively.
In FY2025, Treasury helped prevent, detect, and recover an estimated $11.7 billion in fraud and improper payments, a 38% increase from the previous year. Do Not Pay screenings increased 216% to 641 million, state partnerships identified more than $1.5 billion in duplicate or improper payments, and testing of 19 new datasets revealed $28 billion in potential improper payments for future prevention.
“Preventing fraud and improper payments requires more than technology. It requires strong data, strong partnerships, and a shared commitment to stopping problems before taxpayer dollars go out the door,” said Justin Marisco, Executive Director of Financial Integrity. “This recognition reflects the dedication of our team and our partners across government who are working together to build stronger, more effective payment controls.”
Advancing the Bureau's Mission of Trust, Transparency, and Stewardship
These awards reflect the Bureau’s mission in action: USAspending.gov advances transparency by opening federal spending data to the public, while the Office of Financial Integrity safeguards taxpayer dollars through smarter, data-driven fraud prevention. Together, these programs demonstrate the Bureau's ongoing commitment to earning public trust through accountability, innovation, and responsible stewardship of federal resources.
About the Bureau of the Fiscal Service:
The Bureau of the Fiscal Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, drives integrity and efficiency in federal financial operations by transforming federal financial management service delivery and offering financial interactions that are modern, seamless and secure.
For questions about information about this press release, contact us at Media.Relations@fiscal.treasury.gov.