Federal Reports

The Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) Generation Projects and Fleet Services organization supports the execution of TVA’s strategic asset plan and outage plans through projects and services, including capital projects for the Power Operations (PO) organization to support equipment reliability at TVA’s coal, gas, and hydro plants. Due to the importance of effective project management to TVA’s mission and potential issues identified during Organizational Effectiveness evaluations, we performed an evaluation of project turnover to PO. The objective of our evaluation was to determine if TVA is effectively managing the turnover of projects to PO. The scope of our evaluation included capital projects for PO’s generation assets managed by the Generation Projects group. We limited our evaluation to the implementation and closure activities related to the turnover of those projects to PO. We determined TVA is not effectively managing the turnover of projects to PO because the project turnover processes were not aligned and the inconsistencies led to project issues related to (1) turnover and customer acceptance, (2) completion of the design change notice, and (3) project closure. In addition, we identified opportunities for improvement related to (1) time frames for completion of the design change notice process and (2) project ownership.

In response to congressional requests, the OIG investigated allegations of misconduct by the VA Secretary and senior leaders regarding a veteran’s complaint that she had been sexually assaulted at the Washington DC VA Medical Center. Requests included determining whether VA officials investigated or sought to undermine the veteran’s credibility.The OIG found that senior VA officials questioned the veteran’s credibility within hours of her complaint and expressed their views publicly when the criminal investigation closed without charges. Despite the inspector general’s caution not to infer the allegations lacked merit, VA mischaracterized the veteran’s allegations as “unsubstantiated” to nine media outlets. Senior officials’ initial engagement reportedly created pressure on VA police, who conducted a background check on the veteran before one on the individual she accused.However, the OIG did not identify conclusive evidence to support or refute that Secretary Wilkie investigated or asked others to investigate the veteran due to conflicting and unavailable witness testimony and limitations on tracking records access. Six senior officials did testify they heard the Secretary state the veteran made, or may have made, prior similar complaints. A senior official asked a journalist to look into whether the veteran had done this before, based on a comment the Secretary made. Officials testified the Secretary’s remarks implied prior complaints were unfounded. Other senior officials could not recall such statements, and the Secretary denied investigating the veteran, questioning her credibility, or knowing whether she had made prior complaints.The OIG told VA leaders following the criminal investigation they could take administrative action and suggested they review VA police files. VA’s files indicated the individual accused had a criminal history and prior complaint of sexual harassment. The OIG found leaders did not follow up or ensure the medical center had been implementing VA’s anti-harassment and anti-sexual assault efforts.

In response to congressional requests, the OIG investigated allegations of misconduct by the VA Secretary and senior leaders regarding a veteran’s complaint that she had been sexually assaulted at the Washington DC VA Medical Center. Requests included determining whether VA officials investigated or sought to undermine the veteran’s credibility.The OIG found that senior VA officials questioned the veteran’s credibility within hours of her complaint and expressed their views publicly when the criminal investigation closed without charges. Despite the inspector general’s caution not to infer the allegations lacked merit, VA mischaracterized the veteran’s allegations as “unsubstantiated” to nine media outlets. Senior officials’ initial engagement reportedly created pressure on VA police, who conducted a background check on the veteran before one on the individual she accused.However, the OIG did not identify conclusive evidence to support or refute that Secretary Wilkie investigated or asked others to investigate the veteran due to conflicting and unavailable witness testimony and limitations on tracking records access. Six senior officials did testify they heard the Secretary state the veteran made, or may have made, prior similar complaints. A senior official asked a journalist to look into whether the veteran had done this before, based on a comment the Secretary made. Officials testified the Secretary’s remarks implied prior complaints were unfounded. Other senior officials could not recall such statements, and the Secretary denied investigating the veteran, questioning her credibility, or knowing whether she had made prior complaints.The OIG told VA leaders following the criminal investigation they could take administrative action and suggested they review VA police files. VA’s files indicated the individual accused had a criminal history and prior complaint of sexual harassment. The OIG found leaders did not follow up or ensure the medical center had been implementing VA’s anti-harassment and anti-sexual assault efforts.

To determine whether Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients were potentially eligible for childhood disability benefits (CDB) under the Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program.

This report presents the results of our self-initiated audit of property conditions at the Annapolis (leased), Columbia (owned), and Legion Avenue (leased) post offices in the Baltimore District. This audit was designed to provide Postal Service management with timely information on potential risks related to property conditions. The Postal Service is required to maintain a safe and healthy environment for both employees and customers in accordance with its internal policies and procedures and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety laws. Our objective was to determine if Postal Service management is adhering to building maintenance, safety and security standards, and employee working condition requirements at post offices.

The OIG investigated allegations that a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) employee sexually assaulted another BLM employee while off duty.We found insufficient evidence to prove or disprove the allegation, and further investigation is unlikely to produce additional evidence. The alleged victim did not have any memory of an assault but also denied being drugged or otherwise incapacitated; the alleged wrongdoer claimed that they had consensual sex. The employee did not file a police report, and the local prosecutor’s office declined prosecution.