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U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation

The Oversight Tracking System (OTrak)

The Oversight Tracking System (OTrak) is FTA’s official system of record for program oversight data for FTA staff, contractors, and recipients. FTA launched the new OTrak system for FTA staff and contractors on April 26, 2021. The system was upgraded to the Appian platform and is being modernized to a workflow management system to improve efficiencies and incorporate the management of all oversight activities in one system, integrating data from the National Transit Database (NTD) and Transit Award Management System (TrAMS).

For the first time, FTA recipients will have access to the system to view reports and submit information directly to FTA. This includes uploading information request responses, submitting corrective actions and viewing and downloading oversight reports.

FTA developed Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to assist recipients with the latest information for the new system. These are listed below and will be updated as needed as the project moves closer to completion. 
Questions? Contact David Schilling, Division Chief, Performance Analysis and Quality Assurance, Office of Program Oversight, 202-366-4442.

Frequently Asked Questions

General System Questions

1. What is the Oversight Tracking System (OTrak)?
A: OTrak is FTA’s official system of record for program oversight data for FTA staff, contractors, and recipients.

2. When will OTrak go live for recipients?
A: FTA is planning for recipient use during the Federal Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 review cycle and anticipates the start of recipient training in the fall of 2023. We are currently developing and testing recipient functionalities and launch options and will provide an updated schedule in the upcoming months.

3. How will recipients’ access OTrak? 
A: OTrak is a web-based system which uses the same platform as the Transit Award Management System (TrAMS) and the National Transit Database (NTD), allowing data integration across multiple FTA systems. Recipients will access OTrak similarly to how TrAMS is accessed and a link to the application will be on the FTA OTrak webpage. OTrak will have a similar look and feel to TrAMS and NTD, but it is a separate application.

4. Will OTrak be used for specialized reviews, such as Procurement System Reviews, Civil Rights reviews, etc.?
A: Yes, specialized reviews will be recorded and tracked in OTrak. Recipients will have access to final reports and will be able to upload corrective action closure justifications and documents to close findings.

5. Within OTrak, will both State Management Reviews (SMRs) and Triennial Reviews (TRs) be tracked and have similar functionality?
A: Yes, TRs and SMRs will be recorded and tracked in OTrak and the functionalities will be similar between the two review types. For recipients required to have a combined TR/SMR, the functions will also be similar.

6. Will OTrak replace contractors’ file share platforms which are currently used to collect information from recipients during reviews?
A: FY 2024 corrective action closure documentation will be shared through OTrak; however, other shared files (e.g., Recipient Information Request documentation), will continue to be shared through contractors’ file share platforms until a later date. We are planning to launch functionality supporting additional file sharing through OTrak in a later phase.

7. Will previous years’ Contractor Manuals be available to reference when reviewing previous TR reports or findings?
A: Once the Contractor Manual is incorporated into OTrak, it will be available for reference and can be downloaded. Once this functionality launches, the current and subsequent manuals will be available.

Recipient Profile and Information Requests

1. Will recipients be able to complete the Recipient Information Request (RIR) within the system?
A: For the FY 2024 review cycle recipients will continue to complete the RIR outside the system. We are planning to launch functionality supporting RIR completion through OTrak in a later phase.

System Functionality

1. Could OTrak be used as a tool for subrecipient monitoring/oversight reviews?
A: No, OTrak is not designed to be used for this purpose. Subrecipient oversight is the responsibility of each individual recipient.

2. Can multiple recipient users input information into OTrak?
A: Yes, multiple recipient users will be able to input information. 

Future Engagement

1. What future outreach and trainings will be available?
A: There will be future demonstrations, training opportunities and resources. Check the OTrak webpage for updates. We plan to start recipient training in the fall of 2023 and be available at transit conferences and workshops over the coming year.

2. Will there be a user guide?
A: Yes, user guides will be developed and posted to the OTrak webpage and within OTrak once available.

3. Will an OTrak overview be included in the TR/SMR workshops?
A: Yes, the Federal FY 2024 workshops will provide some initial information regarding the new system and we plan to add more information as we launch the system for recipients. Other training opportunities will be posted to the FTA OTrak webpage.

4. Where do we sign up for the TSO newsletter to receive OTrak updates?
A: You can sign up on the TSO newsletter webpage.
 

Last updated: Wednesday, July 27, 2022