Federal Reports

What We Looked AtThe Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) is a multibillion-dollar transportation infrastructure project that requires airspace users to purchase and install new avionics on their aircraft. This includes Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out, which FAA has mandated all operators who intend on flying in most controlled domestic airspace install by January 1, 2020. Citing concerns about whether operators will meet the 2020 deadline, the then-Chairmen of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and its Aviation Subcommittee requested that we provide information regarding equipage rates for ADS-B and other NextGen technologies on air carrier and general aviation aircraft. Accordingly, our audit objectives were to (1) determine the equipage rates for ADS-B and other NextGen-enabling technologies on commercial and general aviation aircraft, (2) ascertain the reasons behind aircraft operators' decisions to equip or not equip with these technologies, and (3) assess FAA and aircraft operators' plans to meet the 2020 ADS-B Out equipage deadline.What We FoundWe found that ADS-B Out equipage rates are increasing as the 2020 deadline approaches with other equipage rates varying depending on the NextGen technology. In addition, operators are installing ADS-B Out primarily due to the mandate but also consider financial and operational factors when equipping with NextGen technologies, such as potential benefits. Finally, most commercial and turbine-powered general aviation operators who will fly in ADS-B Out airspace plan on meeting the 2020 deadline. However, FAA has not finalized procedures needed by non-equipped operators to access ADS-B Out airspace.Our RecommendationsWe made three recommendations to FAA concerning having the necessary systems and procedures in place so operators can access ADS-B Out required airspace. FAA concurred with two of our recommendations and provided appropriate planned actions and completion dates. It did not concur with one recommendation to analyze the feasibility of developing automated systems to provide operators with more timely information regarding GPS outages or degradation. The Agency concluded that developing these additional systems is redundant and an inefficient use of resources. Based on its response, we believe that FAA has assessed the feasibility of developing automated systems as noted in recommendation 2. We consider this recommendation closed.

In recent years, IHS has had a number of cases of healthcare providers abusing patients under facility care, including a pediatrician who was convicted of multiple counts of child sexual abuse. In February 2019, the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services requested that OIG assess IHS policies and procedures for preventing, reporting, and addressing patient abuse.

We performed an audit of costs billed to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) by a company for the supply of natural gas to TVA's combined cycle or combustion turbine generation plants. Our audit included approximately $205 million in costs billed to TVA for gas delivered from June 1, 2017, to May 31, 2019. Our audit objectives were to determine if (1) the costs billed to TVA were in accordance with the contract's terms and conditions, (2) TVA's analysis to support current contract pricing was reasonable, and (3) the contract's current pricing methodology is reasonable for a potential extension when the pricing agreement expires.In summary, we determined the company billed TVA in accordance with the contract terms. In addition, we determined the analysis and assumptions used by TVA in entering into an agreement with the company to purchase 75,000 dekatherms per day of natural gas from April 1, 2017, through March 31, 2021, were reasonable and resulted in significant discounts and savings to TVA. Furthermore, we determined the contract's current pricing methodology is reasonable for a planned 3-year extension, and, if TVA is able to negotiate similar contract pricing, we estimated it could save about $849,000 compared to estimated future market prices. (Summary Only)

OIG reviewed AMS’ oversight of the storage and handling of U.S.-produced commodities for international food aid programs.

This is the first in a series of reports we intend to issue to help decisionmakers make plans for the future of the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation (ONHIR).Our overall objective is to identify and report on ONHIR’s responsibilities, functions, and current operations that could impact the closure and transfer of ONHIR responsibilities to the U.S. Department of the Interior or other successor agency (or agencies).ONHIR is an independent Federal agency responsible for assisting with the relocation of Navajo people and Hopi people living within each other’s boundaries as a result in part of a longstanding land dispute between the tribes. ONHIR has been actively providing relocation benefits for 38 years at a cumulative cost of more than $598 million.This initial report describes ONHIR’s functions and provides information on funding and expenditures, current operations, and factors to be considered if ONHIR is closed.In subsequent reports, we may evaluate other activities such as applicant appeals, use of land and property, building leases and permits, and operation of the Padres Mesa Demonstration Ranch (a cattle ranch for Navajo ranchers).

We audited the National Park Service’s (NPS’) Residential Environmental Learning Centers (RELCs) to determine to what extent the NPS ensures the RELCs comply with agreements, statutes, and regulations.We found that the NPS did not ensure that all activities and services provided by the RELCs complied with agreements, statutes, and regulations. Specifically, we found that the NPS did not consistently use the correct type of agreement or legal vehicle to authorize the RELCs. In addition, we found that the NPS allowed the RELCs to provide services and activities outside the scope of their agreements. We also found that the NPS did not monitor the RELCs to ensure they complied with financial assistance rules and regulations. We questioned costs of more than $3.7 million in funding received from financial assistance that was not reduced for program income the RELCs received.We make 12 recommendations that, if implemented, will help the NPS improve oversight of its RELC partnerships. The NPS concurred with all 12 recommendations. We consider one recommendation resolved and implemented, nine recommendations resolved but not implemented, and two recommendations unresolved. We will refer the recommendations to the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget for resolution and to track implementation.This report was updated with a technical correction on December 30, 2019. The original version was issued on December 17, 2019.

We inspected the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians’ (OST’s) process for collecting death data to determine whether beneficiary deaths are accurately recorded to ensure that payments made after the death of a beneficiary are distributed correctly. The DOI has responsibility for more than $5 billion held in trust by the Federal Government on behalf of American Indians and Indian Tribes. The OST manages the Indian fiduciary trust for the DOI, which includes approximately 3,500 trust accounts for 250 Indian Tribes and nearly 404,000 Individual Indian Money (IIM) accounts.We found weaknesses in the OST’s process for collecting death data. Specifically, we found the OST does not have a system that interfaces with the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ (BIA’s) probate tracking system, which may lead to inconsistent death data between DOI’s agencies; does not reconcile or confirm the status of beneficiaries with the BIA or other sources to monitor accuracy of its death data; and does not educate Indian communities about providing death notifications to ensure timely and complete death data.Without consistent, accurate, timely, and complete death data, the OST risks distributing payments to deceased beneficiary accounts and delaying the initiation of the probate process, which threatens the proper distribution of trust payments. We made three recommendations that, if implemented, will improve the consistency, accuracy, and completeness of the OST’s beneficiary data.