Federal Reports

The objective of our inspection was to assess the U.S. Department of Education’s (Department) plans and procedures for returning employees to the federal office in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, including what existing guidance the Department considered when developing its plans and procedures. We found that the Department generally incorporated available guidance, which was intended to provide for a safe and gradual return to federal offices, in its Workplace Reconstitution Transition Plan (Reconstitution Plan). However, we noted that the Department’s Reconstitution Plan does not address anti-retaliation as recommended in OSHA guidance. In addition, we found that the Department did not periodically reassess and update self-screening questions as necessary in its Reconstitution Plan as suggested by OMB.

A Lead Service Agent, based in New York City, resigned on December 12, 2020, prior to her disciplinary hearing for violating Amtrak policies by adding tips to at least two Café Car credit card transaction receipts without the knowledge or authorization of the customers.

The U.S. Congress authorized the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to receive $48 billion in funding for the 5-year period beginning October 1, 2008, to assist foreign countries in combating HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. Congress authorized additional funds to be appropriated through 2023.The Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008 (the Act) requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Inspector General (OIG), among others, to provide oversight of the programs implemented under the Act, including PEPFAR. To meet this requirement, we have conducted a series of audits of organizations receiving PEPFAR funds from HHS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In audits of PEPFAR recipients, some findings indicated common trends among the recipients.Our objectives were to identify: (1) trends related to findings in our prior audits of CDC PEPFAR recipients, (2) CDC's actions to improve oversight of PEPFAR recipients, and (3) internal control weaknesses in CDC's post-award oversight of PEPFAR recipients.

Two senior Amtrak Information Technology employees were terminated on December 11, 2020 for violating company policies by (1) steering contracts to close personal friends; (2) failing to disclose relationships between company employees and vendors; (3) engaging in conflicts of interest by approving invoices for personal gain; and (4) coordinating with contractors during a competitive solicitation, misrepresenting Amtrak’s requirements, and engaging in other activities that undermined the Procurement department’s ability to ensure its decisions were in the company’s best interest.

This audit report includes two findings that address weaknesses in the District’s internal control processes and one condition reported as an “other matter” – a condition that does not rise to the threshold of a reportable finding. The audit found that the District lacked adequate controls over its physical asset and inventory records and its management of equipment purchased with E-rate funds. In addition, KPMG identified an “other matter” in which the District failed to comply with state and local competitive bidding requirements. The auditors provided three recommendations to address the findings, including a recommendation that the Universal Service Administrative Company, the USF administrator, recover funds in the amount of $5,060. Management concurred with all three recommendations outlined in the report.

To (1) determine whether the Social Security Administration (SSA) made payments to beneficiaries and/or representative payees who were deceased according to Mississippi’s Office of Vital Records & Health Statistics and (2) identify non-beneficiaries in the State files whose death information did not appear in Agency records.

To determine whether the Social Security Administration (SSA) took appropriate actions to pay underpayments due terminated beneficiaries and improve controls based on our prior audit recommendations.