USDA’s Compliance with Improper Payment Requirements for Fiscal Year 2022

Submitting OIG:

Department of Agriculture OIG

Report Description:

OIG reviewed USDA’s compliance with improper payment and high-dollar overpayment requirements for FY 2022.

Date Issued:

Monday, May 22, 2023

Agency Reviewed / Investigated:

Department of Agriculture

Submitting OIG-Specific Report Number:

50024-0003-24

Location(s):

Agency-Wide

Type of Report:

Audit

Questioned Costs:

Funds for Better Use:

Number of Recommendations:

View Document:

Attachment	Size
50024-0003-24finaldistribution.pdf	2.01 MB

Recommendation Number	Recommendation Status	Significant Recommendation
1	Open	Yes
Each Year of Non-Compliance: FSA should provide information for ARC/PLC, LFP, and ECP, describing the actions that the agency will take to come into compliance, in the OMB Annual Data Call. This information will be published on paymentaccuracy.gov and serve as the plan that agencies are required to submit to the appropriate authorizing and appropriations committees of Congress, including: i. Measurable milestones to be accomplished in order to achieve compliance for each program; ii. The designation of a senior agency official who shall be accountable for the progress of the executive agency in coming into compliance for each program; and iii. The establishment of an accountability mechanism, such as a performance agreement, with appropriate incentives and consequences tied to the success of the senior agency official in leading the efforts of the agency to come into compliance for each program.
2	Open	Yes
Second Consecutive Year of Non-Compliance: a. FSA should propose to the director of OMB in its next budget submission additional program integrity proposals for ECP that would help the program come into compliance. This process will unfold as part of the annual development of the President’s budget. In the budget submission, the agency should describe how each proposal would help the program come into compliance. b. If the director of OMB determines that additional funding would help the program become compliant, the agency should obligate an amount of additional funding determined by the director of OMB to intensify compliance efforts. When providing additional funding for compliance efforts, the agency should: i. Exercise reprogramming or transfer authority to provide additional funding to meet the level determined by the director of OMB; and, ii. Submit a request to Congress for additional reprogramming or transfer authority if additional funding is needed to meet the full level of funding determined by the director of OMB.
3	Open	Yes
OCFO should review and ensure that documentation used to support the accompanying materials is accurate and complete before publication to ensure changes are consistently applied.
4	Open	Yes
OCFO should review and ensure Phase 1 programs timely complete required risk assessments.
5	Open	Yes
OCFO should work with responsible program officials to ensure that PIIA compliance reporting status is consistent with the compliance status in the prior year OIG compliance report.
6	Open	Yes
OCFO should ensure that all programs’ reporting in the accompanying materials is in a manner that clearly identifies and reports improper payments for their agency.

Recommendation Number

Recommendation Status

Significant Recommendation

Additional Details

Open

Yes

Each Year of Non-Compliance: FSA should provide information for ARC/PLC, LFP, and ECP, describing the actions that the agency will take to come into compliance, in the OMB Annual Data Call. This information will be published on paymentaccuracy.gov and serve as the plan that agencies are required to submit to the appropriate authorizing and appropriations committees of Congress, including: i. Measurable milestones to be accomplished in order to achieve compliance for each program; ii. The designation of a senior agency official who shall be accountable for the progress of the executive agency in coming into compliance for each program; and iii. The establishment of an accountability mechanism, such as a performance agreement, with appropriate incentives and consequences tied to the success of the senior agency official in leading the efforts of the agency to come into compliance for each program.

Open

Yes

Second Consecutive Year of Non-Compliance: a. FSA should propose to the director of OMB in its next budget submission additional program integrity proposals for ECP that would help the program come into compliance. This process will unfold as part of the annual development of the President’s budget. In the budget submission, the agency should describe how each proposal would help the program come into compliance. b. If the director of OMB determines that additional funding would help the program become compliant, the agency should obligate an amount of additional funding determined by the director of OMB to intensify compliance efforts. When providing additional funding for compliance efforts, the agency should: i. Exercise reprogramming or transfer authority to provide additional funding to meet the level determined by the director of OMB; and, ii. Submit a request to Congress for additional reprogramming or transfer authority if additional funding is needed to meet the full level of funding determined by the director of OMB.

Open

Yes