Federal Reports

During our unannounced inspection of U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Denver Contract Detention Facility (Denver) in Aurora, Colorado, we found that Denver’s staff complied with Performance-Based National Detention Standards 2011, revised in December 2016, for recreation, use of force, library, and the voluntary work program. However, facility and ICE staff did not comply with standards related to staff-detainee communication and grievance practices. In addition, ICE did not maintain proper documentation of detainee grievances and a current log of paper requests and grievances, nor did they provide timely and appropriate responses to all requests.

Objective: To report internal control weaknesses, noncompliance issues, and unallowable costs identified in the single audit to SSA for resolution action.

Why We Did This ReportWhile conducting an evaluation of American Creosote Works Inc. in Pensacola, Florida, to determine whether the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency implements and oversees institutional controls, we noted the proximity of the Escambia Wood Treating Company, another Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act-funded Superfund site. To optimize the value of our site visit, we drove past this site and observed insufficient engineering controls and poorly enforced institutional controls. Summary of FindingsThe EPA is not providing sufficient oversight of the maintenance of engineering controls, specifically physical access controls, and institutional controls to protect human health and the remedy addressing soil contamination at the site. According to site documents, camping and trespassing have been ongoing issues since at least March 2007. However, the EPA did not work with state and local partners to enforce the established institutional controls or take administrative action to ensure this unauthorized use did not continue even though the protectiveness of the remedy depends on it. It is the site’s remedial project manager’s opinion that encampments of homeless persons at the site do not pose an unacceptable risk despite the site’s restrictive covenants. This opinion conflicts with the EPA’s official site decision documentation. Further, the poorly maintained physical access controls and conflicting zoning enable continued camping and trespassing.

We announced two concurrent audits to determine whether First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) is ensuring that AT&T is achieving the desired results for device connection targets and Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN) coverage for each state and territory. We separated these objectives into three components that include (1) the evolution of the desired results for device connection targets and network coverage as executed through contract modifications, (2) oversight of device connection targets, and (3) oversight of network coverage. This report focuses on the second component: FirstNet Authority’s oversight of device connection targets. We found that FirstNet Authority did not adequately assess contractor performance to ensure AT&T achieved the desired results for device connection targets for each state and territory. Specifically, FirstNet Authority did not develop measurable performance standards and methods of surveillance to assess if reported device connections complied with the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 and contract requirements; develop an adequate performance metric to accurately measure public safety use and adoption; review AT&T’s quality control program results or consistently conduct audits of raw data; or remediate deficiencies for device connections.