Controls Over Select Agents

Submitting OIG:

Report Description:

OIG evaluated whether APHIS’ controls over select agents adequately reduced the threat to public, animal, and plant safety, and animal and plant products.

Date Issued:

Tuesday, July 27, 2021

Agency Reviewed / Investigated:

Department of Agriculture

Submitting OIG-Specific Report Number:

33701-0002-21

Component, if applicable:

Animal Plant Health Inspection Service

Location(s):

Agency-Wide

Type of Report:

Audit

Questioned Costs:

Funds for Better Use:

Number of Recommendations:

View Document:

Attachment	Size
33701-0002-21finaldistribution.pdf	7.79 MB

Recommendation Number	Recommendation Status	Significant Recommendation	Additional Details
6	Open	Yes	CONTROLS OVER SELECT AGENTS
Develop and implement guidance that details how inspectors should document their justifications for determinations that entities complied with Federal regulations. Specifically, APHIS guidance should: (1) describe the information reviewed that led to a pass determination of compliance; (2) define the meaning of pass statements, fail statements, non-applicable statements, and not assessed determinations.
7	Open	Yes	CONTROLS OVER SELECT AGENTS
Develop and implement controls to periodically review a sample of inspections completed by inspectors to ensure all conclusions and responses are adequately supported and accurate.
8	Open	Yes	CONTROLS OVER SELECT AGENTS
Establish oversight controls, such as a tracking report, to monitor the status of registered entities' progress to implement corrective actions. Establish procedures APHIS personnel should take to bring registered entities into compliance when corrective actions have not been timely resolved.
9	Open	Yes	CONTROLS OVER SELECT AGENTS
Train personnel on how to implement the new guidance established in Recommendation 6 through 8.
10	Open	Yes	CONTROLS OVER SELECT AGENTS
Establish procedures to report all notifications of all theft, loss, and releases that meet APHIS' definition of theft, loss, and release in APHIS' annual report to Congress.

Recommendation Number

Recommendation Status

Significant Recommendation

Additional Details

Open

Yes

CONTROLS OVER SELECT AGENTS

Develop and implement guidance that details how inspectors should document their justifications for determinations that entities complied with Federal regulations. Specifically, APHIS guidance should: (1) describe the information reviewed that led to a pass determination of compliance; (2) define the meaning of pass statements, fail statements, non-applicable statements, and not assessed determinations.

Open

Yes

CONTROLS OVER SELECT AGENTS

Develop and implement controls to periodically review a sample of inspections completed by inspectors to ensure all conclusions and responses are adequately supported and accurate.