UI Integrity Center of Excellence Operations

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) will award a $9 million cooperative agreement on a sole‑source basis to the National Association of State Workforce Agencies’ Center for Employment Security Education and Research (NASWA/CESER) to continue operating the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Integrity Center of Excellence. The Center provides training, technical assistance, and innovative tools to state UI programs to prevent improper payments, detect fraud, and comply with the Payment Integrity Information Act. Funding supports the continuation and expansion of existing deliverables and the development of new integrity‑enhancing products for all states. • Federal FY 2026 funding of $9 M for UI Integrity Center operations • Sole‑source award to NASWA/CESER (a 501(c)(3) research/education arm) • Scope includes training, technical assistance, tool development, rapid fraud alerts, and research dissemination • Intended impact: reduce UI improper payments and fraud across all states • Cooperative agreement (not a contract) lasting the FY 2026 period (approximately 1 year)