Federal Reports

Whitelisting

Our audit found that the Department and the five SEAs reviewed had systems of internal control designed to prevent and detect inaccurate, unreliable, or incomplete Statewide test results; however, these systems did not always require corrective action if indicators of inaccurate, unreliable, or incomplete test results were found. Our audit found that the Department and the SEAs could take steps to improve the effectiveness of the systems and that the Department could help SEAs improve their systems of internal control by emphasizing, during its reviews of SEAs, the importance of using forensic analyses to more effectively identify schools with possible test administration irregularities.

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

The annual BAMR report initiated in 2012 provides detailed information about the project status of construction grants administered for the Appalachian Regional Commission by other Federal agencies

Grants for follow-up based on limited reported disbursements and grants with expired performance periods. The primary purpose was to determine actions initiated with respect to the prior report.

Review of available records and contacts with ARC staff and vendor and distributor representatives, including oral and written voluntary statements, the absence of witnesses, elapsed time, and the absence of inventory controls contributed to inconclusive determinations about these occurrences

We audited the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) mineral materials sales program to determine whether the U.S. Department of the Interior obtained market value for materials removed from Federal lands. BLM sells mineral materials— which consist of common types of sand and gravel, stone, pumice, or other materials used mainly in construction and landscaping—under the authority of the Materials Act of 1947, as amended. The United States uses about 2 billion tons of mineral materials annually, and in fiscal year 2011, BLM issued about 2,800 contracts and permits to sell mineral materials, including 2,616 sales valued at approximately $17 million, as well as instances of free use for public purposes such as State and local roadway projects. We found that BLM's management of the program is hindered by outdated regulations and policies; does not always recover the processing costs for mineral materials contracts, resulting in $846,117 of lost revenue to the Government; or verify production volumes reported for sales.