The United States Coast Guard (Coast Guard) has begun to expend Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funds for the procurement, construction, and improvements projects identified in its fiscal year 2022 IIJA Spend Plan. At the time of our review, Coast Guard had only spent approximately 1 percent ($5.76 million) and committed and obligated an additional 10.9 percent ($46.8 million) of the $429 million in IIJA funds, limiting our ability to assess whether IIJA funding was used in accordance with Federal requirements. This occurred because Coast Guard did not implement effective planning for its IIJA efforts. For example, it did not complete planning documentation before including projects on its unfunded priorities list; did not promptly finalize its program management plan for IIJA projects; and did not conduct the necessary staffing assessment to execute IIJA projects in a timely manner.
Open Recommendations
| Recommendation Number | Significant Recommendation | Recommended Questioned Costs | Recommended Funds for Better Use | Additional Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No | $0 | $0 | ||
| We recommend the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard develop and implement appropriate planning documents to ensure Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funds are obligated before they expire. | |||||
| 2 | No | $0 | $0 | ||
| We recommend the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard develop and implement a process to ensure projects on the unfunded priorities list meet the requirements of the Unfunded Priorities List Business Rules and Civil Engineering Manual. | |||||
| 3 | No | $0 | $0 | ||
| We recommend the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard develop and implement a strategic staffing plan to identify and obtain the staffing resources needed to assist in the timely execution of the IIJA projects. | |||||
| 4 | No | $0 | $0 | ||
| We recommend the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard develop and implement official guidance for formulating quarterly acquisition briefings reported to Congress. | |||||
