Federal Reports

We conducted this audit in response to allegations made to the Department’s hotline. The objective of our audit was to determine whether Enterprise Services (ES) effectively and efficiently managed contractor performance in accordance with federal regulations and Department policy. Overall, we found significant weaknesses in ES’ management and oversight of the Accenture BPA. Overall, we found significant weaknesses in ES’ management and oversight of the Accenture blanket purchase agreement. Specifically, we found the following: (I) ES was not effective in enforcing performance requirements to ensure contract quality and timeliness standards were met and did not timely assess or adequately document contractor performance in CPARS; and (II) ES contracting officers and the assigned contracting officer’s representatives did not properly maintain invoices or supporting documentation to demonstrate that invoices were reviewed and work was performed prior to approving invoices for payment.

Objective: To report internal control weaknesses, noncompliance issues, and unallowable costs identified in the single audit to the Social Security Administration (SSA) for resolution.

Objective: To determine whether the Social Security Administration (SSA) had adequate controls to ensure it took appropriate actions for beneficiaries in a suspended payment status who may have been deceased.

I am pleased to submit the Amtrak Office of Inspector General Semiannual Report to the United States Congress for the six months ending September 30, 2021. For the past six months, Amtrak continued its recovery after its ridership plunged—losing 97 percent at one point—at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. During this reporting period, however, ridership has significantly returned, and Amtrak appears to be at an inflection point in its 50-year history with significant plans in the offing ranging from capital projects, to acquisitions, and to proposed new routes.

The Office of Inspector General is tasked with ensuring efficiency, accountability, and integrity in the U.S. Postal Service. We also have the distinct mission of helping to maintain confidence in the mail and postal system, as well as to improve the Postal Service's bottom line. We use audits and investigations to help protect the integrity of the Postal Service. Our Semiannual Report to Congress presents a snapshot of the work we did to fulfill our mission for the six-month period ending September 30, 2021. Our dynamic report format provides readers with easy access to facts and information, as well as succinct summaries of the work by area. Links are provided to the full reports featured in this report, as well as to the appendices.

Our objective was to evaluate U.S. Postal Service’s preparedness for the fiscal year (FY) 2022 peak mailing season.Each year, increased mail volume during the Postal Service’s peak mailing season —November through January — significantly strains the Postal Service’s processing and distribution network.During the peak mailing season of FY 2021, package volume increased by about [redacted] million pieces, or 37 percent, compared to package volume during the prior peak mailing season. This increase in packages was largely due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Service performance for all mail classes declined by 13 percent during the FY 2021 peak season, including a nearly [redacted] percent decline in service performance for packages.