Federal Reports

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted this evaluation to assess the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) processes for reviewing Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for eligibility and forgiveness.SBA’s online loan forgiveness platform used by lenders to submit forgiveness requests is adequate to support SBA’s loan review process. However, we found that for some loans, totaling $66.4 billion, SBA did not meet the 90-day statutory requirement to remit forgiveness payments to lenders. SBA did not meet the 90-day requirement for 98.2 percent of loans over $2 million. Not completing reviews of loans and remitting payment promptly creates uncertainty for borrowers and PPP lenders who are unsure if SBA will forgive their loans.We also identified other matters that SBA should address, including how SBA made changes to allow certain loans to be reviewed for fraud and eligibility after they have been forgiven. We have concerns about the effects these changes will have on SBA’s ability to recover funds for forgiven loans later determined to be ineligible. Outstanding loan forgiveness applications are a potential indicator of fraud. Borrowers who fraudulently obtained a PPP loan are unlikely to apply for loan forgiveness. We identified 1.9 million loans totaling $177.3 billion with no forgiveness application as of May 2021.We recommended that SBA develop a plan to ensure remaining forgiveness reviews and remittances are completed within 90 days as required by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. SBA management agreed with the report finding and recommendation.

The audit objectives were to determine whether program funds were managed in accordance with the ARC and Federal grant requirements

We found safety concerns and other deficiencies at the USPP’s dispatch center that undermine its ability to achieve its core public safety mission.

The Postal Reorganization Act of 1970, as amended, established the Board of Governors (Board), which is comprised of nine governors appointed by the president of the United States, the postmaster general, and the deputy postmaster general. While the members of the Board changed through the year, there was a full Board as of September 30, 2021.The Board reviews the Postal Service’s practices and policies and establishes objectives and goals in accordance with Title 39 of the U.S. Code. In fiscal year (FY) 2021, the Board incurred over $928,000 in travel, meeting, and other expenses, including about $758,000 for professional and other services.

The DOI did not track FOIA reviews under its now-rescinded awareness review process, and our analysis of the process suggested a lack of clarity.

The OIG confirmed that an Office of Research and Development laboratory contractor’s inappropriate manipulation of air filter data and failure to follow applicable EPA and project guidance resulted in data for 95 air filter samples being rendered unusable. An EPA Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards audit concluded that the air filter data “cannot be used due to data quality and integrity issues.”