Capacity Audit of FEMA Grant Funds Awarded to the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Education

KPMG, LLP found that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) did not always ensure Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency (VITEMA) and the Virgin Islands Department of Education (VIDE) established and implemented policies, procedures, and practices to account for and expend Public Assistance (PA) grant funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidance. For example, VIDE did not have policies and procedures to address procurement-related conflicts of interest and related disciplinary actions. This occurred because FEMA did not adequately train VIDE personnel and did not review these policies and procedures. We made five recommendations that, when implemented, should improve management of FEMA PA grant funds, ensuring the funds are expended according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidance. FEMA concurred with the recommendations.