Federal Reports

We performed a required review of USDA’s FY 2014 Agency Financial Report (AFR) and accompanying information to determine whether the agency was compliant with improper payment requirements.

The letter report addresses the requirements of the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act and presents the rationale for why the Act does not apply to NEA.

The objective of this review was to determine the status of Grant No. 12-6200-7033 and HRAC's current financial condition. The review was conducted in accordance with the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency's Quality Standards for Inspections and Evaluations, as applicable, and concluded that the Houma Regional Arts Council (HRAC) did not comply with financial management system requirements. HRAC could not account for funds received from NEA or provide supporting documentation for costs charged to the grant. In addition, HRAC did not submit the Final Descriptive Report or Federal Financial Report for the award. Further, HRAC did not maintain an active registration in the General Services Administration's System for Award Management.

In accordance with Section 3 (b) of Public Law 111-204, Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act of 20 IO (hereafter referred to as IPERA), this memorandum communicated the results of the OIG's determination of the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) compliance with applicable provisions of IPERA during the FTC's fiscal year 2014 activities.

The U.S. Postal Service spends more than $800 million each year to lease 23,000 buildings across the country. We took a closer look at the leases in the Eastern Area, one of seven postal areas. We found the Postal Service could potentially shave off $2.2 million out of $111 million in annual lease costs in that area by renegotiating 77 leases that are due to expire over the next 2 years.

ARC grant funds were used to cover employee salary and benefits, travel costs, program materials and other indirect and administrative costs for the grantee.

Limited scope audits involve a limited review of financial and non-financial information of grant recipients to ensure validity and accuracy of reported information, and compliance with state and Federal requirements. Our audit was conducted in accordance with the Government Auditing Standards (2011), issued by the Comptroller General of the United States, and concluded that MAAF generally complied with financial management system and recordkeeping requirements. However, we identified some areas for improvement to ensure that MAAF complies with OMB and NEA grant requirements and improves its management of NEA awards. MAAF did not have written policies and procedures on suspension and debarment. MAAF included unallowable costs in its total outlays reported on one Federal Financial Report (FFR). Also, MAAF included unsupported costs in its total outlays reported on other FFRs.

Please see the link below for a video discussing the results of this review.

ARC report to Congress

This Semiannual Report to Congress summarizes the activities of our office for the 6-month period

Recent BAMR reports provided information indicating progress in 32 of 73 grants identified in Report 14-42 including completion in several cases, construction in progress and updated intentions to proceed in other cases and one de-obligation of $300,000

Periodic assessment of ARC administered older open grants determined that ARC continued to administer these grants in an effective manner

To see our report, please click on the link below.

To view the report, please click the link below.

The report summarizes the FTC OIG’s activities and accomplishments during the first half of the FY 2015 reporting period.

The report summarizes the FTC OIG’s activities and accomplishments during the first half of the FY 2015 reporting period.

During this reporting period, we issued two audit reports, three evaluation reports, and two memoranda which included twenty-six recommendations. We received and processed one FOIA request. The two audit reports issued were for the annual financial statement and FISMA audits. The financial statement audit resulted in a clean opinion, and the FISMA audit resulted in one recommendation.

Semiannual Report to the Congress October 1, 2014 - March 31, 2015

Semiannual Report

This report summarizes the oversight work performed by EAC OIG during the 6-month period ended March 31, 2015.

This report summarizes work we initiated and completed during this semiannual period on a number of critical departmental activities. Over the past 6 months, our office completed 14 audits, inspections, and responses to Congressional requests, as well as 4 Congressional testimonies addressing programs and personnel associated with the International Trade Administration, First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet), U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and the Department itself.

The United States Capitol Police (USCP) Office of Inspector General (OIG) contracted with the independent public accounting firm Cotton & Company LLP (Cotton) to conduct a performance audit of USCP prox cards. The objectives of the performance audit were to determine (1) the effectiveness of USCP's internal control over prox cards to ensure accountability of those sensitive items, and (2) whether USCP complied with applicable policies and procedures as well as applicable laws and regulations.  Cotton was to follow up, if applicable, on the status of previous recommendations the OIG for the U.S. House of Representatives (House OIG) made. Our scope included controls, processes, and operations related to USCP controlled security objects for fiscal year (FY) 2014.

To (1) evaluate existing disability and authentication fraud risks, (2) understand and evaluate existing anti-fraud activities to address the risks identified and management tolerance for fraud, and (3) identify any gaps or weaknesses in existing and/or proposed anti-fraud measures and provide recommendations. The objectives were aimed at determining the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) performance against Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-123, Management’s Responsibility for Internal Control, requirements related to management responsibility over potential fraud.

SIGTARP's Quarterly Report to Congress

This semiannual report is issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC’s) Office of Inspector General (OIG) pursuant to the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended. It summarizes the OIG’s activities and accomplishments for the period October 1, 2014, through March 31, 2015.

Declining First-Class Mail (FCM) volumes pose a major financial challenge to the U.S. Postal Service because FCM contributes by far the largest proportion of revenue to the Postal Service’s bottom line. Between fiscal years 1995 and 2013, FCM single-piece volume dropped by 61 percent. But a close analysis of the decrease reveals significant variations in this decline by geographicarea. In some areas, for instance, the percent of volume lost was even greater than 61 percent, but in other areas, it was almost zero. Additionally, the rate of decline is slowing or has stopped even in many of the areas that have lost the most mail volume, suggesting a new base level of demand for FCM has been reached in those regions.As the Postal Service plans for its future, it must keep in mind that the needs of its customers vary at least as widely as these differences in mail volumes. Because there is no average mail customer, strategic planning designed around average mail volume data will inevitably result in inefficient solutions. The Postal Service would benefit by examining the widely varying levels of demand for FCM and using that information to develop its operational and customer service plans.