Federal Reports

Mid-Ohio Regional Planning and Development Council (MOVRC) undertakes planning activities in response to the needs of its members governments and its constituents or through opportunities that staff brings to the local level.

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

As part of the OIG's annual audit plan, we audited costs billed to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) by Geosyntec Consultants, Inc., for professional environmental services under Contract No. 00050771. Our audit included $6 million in costs paid by TVA between November 14, 2011, and May 1, 2014. Our objective was to determine if the costs billed to TVA were in compliance with the contract terms and conditions. In summary, we determined Geosyntec overbilled TVA $162,307, including (1) $95,425 in travel costs and (2) $66,882 in miscellaneous expenses. Additionally, we found Geosyntec (1) did not obtain advance written approval from TVA's Contracting Officer for $333,556 in subcontract costs billed and (2) billed TVA $32,386 using lump sum pricing provisions not provided for in the contract. Summary Only

This is a publication by GAO's Inspector General that concerns internal GAO operations. The report summarizes the activities of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the first reporting period of fiscal year 2015.

Delivery to curbside mailboxes or neighborhood cluster box units costs less than delivery to the door. But do curbside and cluster box delivery result in a lower level of customer engagement with mail? To find out, the Office of inspector General (OIG) asked the market research firm InfoTrends Inc. to conduct a survey of 5,000 postal customers. The OIG then asked Professor Michael Bradley of George Washington to analyze the survey data to determine how customer engagement with advertising mail varied by mode of delivery.

The City of West Point is a small city in Clay County, MS, an ARC designated distressed county. West Point and Clay county have struggled economically since the closure of West Point's Sara Lee Corporation facility in 2007, which resulted in a loss of 2,000 jobs.

At the request of Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) Supply Chain, we audited AREVA NP, Inc.'s, calendar year 2012 and 2013 rate adjustments required under Contract No. 004027. The contract provided for AREVA to complete engineering, licensing, construction, and start-up operations of a single Bellefonte Nuclear Plant unit by the end of 2017. The objective of our audit was to determine if AREVA's rate adjustments were in accordance with the contract terms. In summary, we determined AREVA's 2012 and 2013 rate adjustments totaling $5,107,878 were overstated by $1,817,940. AREVA previously issued TVA credits totaling $607,637. Accordingly, TVA is due the remaining $1,210,303. In addition, we found AREVA billed $5,618,666 in labor costs and associated fee in 2012 and 2013 using cost center rates not included in the contract. Summary Only

We have all read the negative headlines of U.S. Postal Service’s looming financial demise. However, in its new paper, U.S. Postal Service Revenue: Is the Glass Half Empty or Half Full?, the OIG finds that the Postal Service may be turning a corner. An increase in parcel volume, significant cost reductions, and the exigent price increase are collectively driving an improvement in the Postal Service’s financial health. Nevertheless, the Postal Service still faces numerous challenges, including the continued and persistent decline in First-Class Mail volume, an ever-increasing number of delivery points, and an increased need to make investments for its future. While significant, these challenges are not insurmountable. In order to further improve its financial position, the Postal Service will need to focus on increasing the revenue yield of its traditional products wherever market forces and conditions allow, including taking advantage of the growing parcel market.

At the request of Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) management, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) audited the TVA project to implement ComTrac for use in managing TVA's coal supply fuel chain. Our objectives were to evaluate whether (1) federal and TVA systems development processes were being followed and (2) server and application controls were considered during implementation of the project. In summary, we determined the TVA project team followed TVA systems development processes and included consideration of business processes during implementation. During the audit, items of potential risk and concern identified by the OIG were communicated to the project management team, project sponsors, and/or Executive Steering Committee. The project team addressed all of our findings by either implementing our recommendations or accepting the risk to the project prior to the time ComTrac went live. Summary Only

This report contains Sensitive But Unclassified information. To obtain further information, please contact the OIG Office of Counsel at OIGCounsel@oig.treas.gov, (202) 927-0650, or by mail at Office of Treasury Inspector General, 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington DC 20220.

EAC OIG, through the independent public accounting firm of McBride, Lock & Associates, LLC, audited $18.0 million in funds received by the Delaware Commissioner of Elections under the Help America Vote Act. The objectives of the audit were to determine whether the Commissioner of Elections (1) used payments authorized by Sections 101, 102, and 251 of the grant in accordance with grant and applicable requirements; (2) accurately and properly accounted for property purchased with grant payments and for program income; and (3) met HAVA requirements for Section 251 funds for creation of an election fund, providing required matching contributions, and meeting the requirements for maintenance of a base level of state outlays, commonly referred to as Maintenance of Expenditures (MOE).

This report identifies seven grants for follow-up based on limited reported disbursements and 12 grants with expired performance periods and ARC balances.