Federal Reports

We audited $61.92 million in costs billed to TVA by a contractor, under two contracts for performing engineering services between October 2004 and December 2008 and found TVA had been overbilled $683,122 as follows:TVA was overbilled $70,838 because labor costs were billed using hourly billing rates instead of cost reimbursable payment terms as required by the contracts.TVA was billed $558,463 in ineligible and excessive temporary living costs because (1) short-term daily travel rates were paid to employees instead of (lower) long-term temporary living allowances, and (2) unauthorized local mileage costs were paid to personnel receiving temporary living allowances.TVA was overbilled an estimated $40,034 in travel costs due to (1) overstated mileage reimbursement rates, (2) meal costs for unidentified personnel, (3) unallowable rental car expenses, and (4) daily travel costs in excess of daily limits.TVA was overbilled $13,787 because (1) an ineligible markup was added to certain subcontractor costs, and (2) an incorrect billing rate for other direct costs was used.The contractor (via a response submitted by an outside law firm) generally disagreed with most of the audit findings and stated its billings to TVA were correct, fair, reasonable, and in accordance with the plain language of the contracts, the contract manager's interpretation of ambiguous language and/or based upon the parties' pattern and practice of contract performance under both contracts. However, in our opinion, the contractor's comments did not provide additional evidence or documentation to support its claims that TVA had been billed in accordance with the terms of the subject contracts. Accordingly, we recommended TVA management take action to recover $683,122 of overbilled and excessive costs from the contractor. Summary Only

As part of our annual audit plan, we reviewed the process for postponing and cancelling fossil capital projects. Our objective was to determine whether fiscal years 2007 and 2008 project postponements and cancellations were properly approved, effectively communicated, and monitored to prevent inappropriate charges. We determined that Fossil Generation (FG) projects were approved by the appropriate levels of authority and contained a capital classification designated by Fixed Asset Accounting (FAA). We noted that 15 FG cancelled projects contained a cancellation date prior to Strategic Business Unit approval for cancellation, which project management stated could be attributed to timing issues. In addition, we identified eight projects in which travel costs were split among projects. Although there is no policy governing the splitting of project costs, according to project management personnel, the dollar amount of costs allocated among projects would not be material. We also determined that Business Services is responsible for performing an independent review of project costs for reasonableness.We determined there were control weaknesses that could allow business units to manipulate project costs in order to meet budget goals. Specifically, communication and monitoring controls were not adequately designed to mitigate the risk that project costs were (1) accurately and timely communicated for recording in the financial statements and (2) appropriately classified as capital costs, rather than operations and maintenance costs. We determined communication by FG to FAA of project cancellation did not occur for seven of the 24 cancelled projects we reviewed; communication by FG to FAA of an additional four of the 24 cancelled projects we reviewed did not occur within the required time frame; project documentation (1) was not updated with changes in project status as required for four of the 23 postponed and three of the 24 cancelled projects and (2) did not include a detailed reason for the postponement of one of the 23 postponed projects and 11 of the 24 cancelled projects; and several FG project cancellations occurred due to identification of a duplicate scope within other projects.We made recommendations to the FG Senior Vice President (SVP) who responded to our draft report and agreed with our recommendations. The SVP, FG, also provided planned actions to address those recommendations. We concurred with FG management's planned actions.

As part of our annual audit plan, we reviewed the process for postponing and cancelling capital projects. Our objectives were to determine whether fiscal years 2007 and 2008 project postponements and cancellations for River Operations (RO) were properly approved, effectively communicated, and monitored to prevent inappropriate charges. We determined all sampled cancelled capital projects reviewed were approved by the appropriate levels of authority and contained a capital classification designated by Fixed Asset Accounting (FAA). However, we noted that project documentation was not updated with changes in project status as required. In addition, we determined that one project cancellation was not communicated to FAA; however, we noted that costs related to the project were written off in a timely manner. We made recommendations to address the above findings. The RO Senior Vice President responded to a draft report and agreed with our recommendations. The RO Senior VP also provided planned actions in addressing those recommendations.