Business Meetings and Hospitality

We audited the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) business meeting and hospitality expenses to determine if they complied with TVA’s Business Meetings and Hospitality policy and any other applicable TVA guidance. Our audit scope included approximately $6.5 million in business meeting and hospitality expenses occurring from October 1, 2018, through September 30, 2019. Our audit found TVA’s approval process did not ensure expenses complied with the Business Meetings and Hospitality Policy. Specifically, we found expenses were approved for (1) reimbursement and/or payment without the required information and supporting documentation included with the expense voucher, (2) questionable team-building expenditures, and (3) prohibited alcohol expenditures. We also found a lack of guidance for compliance with TVA’s Food Services Policy. Additionally, we found the process for approving large meeting expenses and guidance for the classification of meeting-related expenses could be improved. We made five recommendations to TVA management to strengthen controls around business meetings and hospitality by (1) developing additional guidance to ensure compliance with the Business Meetings and Hospitality Policy and Food Services Policy, and (2) reinforcing the existing Food Services Policy. TVA management provided actions they plan to take to address each of our recommendations.