The OIG identified areas where the NRC should refine its travel charge card procedures and enhance its prevention and detection measures. The OIG found travel charge card accounts that remained open after employee separations, as well as accounts with credit limits exceeding policy-defined limits or operational needs. The OIG also found that the NRC does not provide charge card refresher training. Further, certain premium class travel authorizations did not have the required supporting documentation or were not properly authorized or justified, resulting in $47,791 of questioned costs. Finally, the OIG identified travel card transactions unrelated to official travel, which have been referred to our Investigations Division for further review. The report contains nine recommendations intended to help the NRC prevent and detect travel charge card misuse and payment delinquencies.
Report File
Date Issued
Submitting OIG
Nuclear Regulatory Commission OIG
Other Participating OIGs
Nuclear Regulatory Commission OIG
Agencies Reviewed/Investigated
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Report Number
OIG-NRC-25-A-01
Report Description
Report Type
Audit
Agency Wide
Yes
Number of Recommendations
9
Questioned Costs
$47,791
Funds for Better Use
$0
Open Recommendations
This report has 5 open recommendations.
| Recommendation Number | Significant Recommendation | Recommended Questioned Costs | Recommended Funds for Better Use | Additional Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Yes | $0 | $0 | ADAMS Accession No: ML25006A127 Agency Response Dated December 3, 2024: Agree. Staff will develop a written procedure for travel charge card terminations to reflect the following enhanced process for timely closure of travel charge cards for separated employees: Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) plans to work with Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) to obtain the most current list of active employees. OCFO will implement a control procedure that compares the current roster of travel charge cardholders against the active employee roster on a quarterly basis, at a minimum, enabling timely deactivation. Estimated Completion Date: March 31, 2025 OIG Analysis: OCFO’s plan to develop and implement a quarterly control procedure for the timely closure of travel charge cards for separated employees will address the recommendation. The recommendation will remain open until management provides the written procedure and evidence of its implementation. |
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| Develop and enhance procedures for travel charge card terminations to ensure the timely closure of travel charge card accounts for separated employees. | |||||
| 2.1 | Yes | $0 | $0 | Agency Response Dated December 3, 2024: Agree. 1. OCFO has implemented a spreadsheet for tracking when we increase a credit limit, why, and when we need to place it back to the original limit. 2. Staff will review and adjust the individually billed accounts to ensure compliance with the established credit limits in the NRC Plan. Staff will initially focus on accounts that may exceed or come close to credit limits. 3. Staff will contact travel charge card holders with nonstandard credit limits and ask whether they require the restricted $3K limit, or a standard limit of $10K which will require a credit check (soft pull). Estimated Completion Date: December 31, 2024 OIG Analysis: OCFO’s proposed actions will address the recommendation. The recommendation will remain open until management provides evidence of tracking the credit limit increases and of the completed review of the individually billed accounts to ensure compliance with the established credit limits in the NRC Plan. |
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| Review and, as necessary, adjust the individually billed accounts to ensure compliance with the established credit limits in the NRC Plan. | |||||
| 2.2 | Yes | $0 | $0 | Agency Response Dated December 3, 2024: Agree. The OCFO will establish a process for conducting periodic reviews of travel charge card accounts to strengthen oversight and monitoring of individually billed accounts and help ensure adherence to the credit limits defined in the NRC Plan, and update written procedures with the process. Estimated Completion Date: March 31, 2025 OIG Analysis: OCFO’s plan to periodically review the credit limits of individually billed accounts and formalize the process will address the recommendation. The recommendation will remain open until management provides evidence of the review and the written procedure. |
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| Establish a process for conducting periodic reviews of travel charge card accounts to strengthen oversight and monitoring of individually billed accounts and help ensure adherence to the credit limits defined in the NRC Plan. | |||||
| 3.2 | Yes | $0 | $0 | Agency Response Dated December 3, 2024: Agree. Staff will develop and implement a written procedure for periodic reviews of the credit limits for centrally billed travel accounts and adjust these limits, as necessary, for the anticipated operational need. Estimated Completion Date: March 31, 2025 OIG Analysis: OCFO’s plan to develop and implement procedures to periodically review the credit limits of the centrally billed travel accounts, including adjustments of these limits as needed, will address the recommendation. The recommendation will remain open until management provides the written procedure. |
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| Develop and implement procedures for periodic reviews of the credit limits for centrally billed travel accounts and adjust these limits, as necessary, for the anticipated operational need. | |||||
| 5.1 | Yes | $47,791 | $0 | Agency Response Dated December 3, 2024: Agree. We will conduct a thorough review of the $47,791 in questioned premium-class travel expenses to confirm their allowability. If any costs are determined disallowed, we will consider corrective actions. To prevent future occurrences, we will update the premium class approval memo. Estimated Completion Date: September 30, 2025 OIG Analysis: The OCFO plans to review the $47,791 in questioned costs, perform corrective actions as needed, and update the premium class approval memo to address the recommendation. The recommendation will remain open until management provides the OIG with the results of its review and the updated premium class approval memo. |
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| Determine if the $47,791 in questioned costs for first and business class travel are allowable and provide the corrective actions taken on any costs deemed disallowed. | |||||
