Federal Reports

The OIG investigated whether a former superintendent of the National Park Service (NPS) improperly applied for a commercial use authorization (CUA) permit in 2015 to give tours at a park that he previously managed. The former park superintendent also allegedly directed that a trail be relocated at the park in 2002, which affected the financial interest of the tour company with which his family member was reportedly affiliated at the time. Years later, he purchased the tour company.We did not find evidence that the former superintendent violated post-employment restrictions when he applied for a CUA at the park after retirement. We did not investigate whether he attempted to manipulate the alignment of the trails to benefit the tour company or his family member. The timing of the alleged trail relocation exceeded the 5-year statute of limitations on criminal conflict of interest laws and the official was no longer employed with the Federal Government.

OIG data analytics identified Boston, MA, Fort Point Station had refunds by money order exceeding $37,000 for June through August of fiscal year (FY) 2018. Subsequent research disclosed refunds, issued by money order as well as those disbursed through Accounting Services Center, for June 2018, totaled $281,129, the highest in the nation for that month. Except for June, prior months of Quarter (Q)3 and the subsequent months of Q4 were all less than $500. The objective of this audit was to determine whether refunds for postage and fees at Fort Point Station were valid and properly supported.

We completed the survey phase of our evaluation of the National Park Service (NPS) Law Enforcement Field Training and Evaluation Program (FTEP). The objective of our evaluation was to determine if a disproportionate number of women and minority trainees fail FTEP.Our survey work revealed that the NPS did not have a disproportionate number of women and minority trainees fail FTEP. We did, however, identify two concerns outside the scope of this evaluation that we want to bring to the attention of NPS management officials: (1) the location FTEP trainees receive their field training, and (2) the required experience for an FTEP graduate to become a field training officer. We issued a memo to the NPS to notify it of the results of our survey work and closed the evaluation.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Community Living (ACL), did not always resolve audit recommendations in a timely manner during Federal fiscal years (FYs) 2015 and 2016. Specifically, ACL resolved 65 of the 71 audit recommendations that were outstanding during FYs 2015 and 2016. However, it did not resolve 34 of the 65 recommendations (52.3 percent) within the required 6-month resolution period. In addition, as of September 30, 2016, ACL had not resolved six audit recommendations that were past due for resolution. These six past-due recommendations were procedural in nature and involved policies and procedures and internal controls; none of them involved dollar amounts such as recommended disallowances.

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As required by the Inspector General Act of 1978 (as amended), this Semiannual Report summarizes the activities of the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General for the preceding 6-month period.