Federal Reports

The U.S. Postal Service’s universal service obligation (USO), which establishes what mail services the Postal Service must provide, lacks a clear, comprehensive definition. The current USO is assumed to be a hodgepodge of various legal requirements and regulations that, in most cases, provide only broad guidance. Add in the disruptive and transformative effects of digital communications, which have cut into mail volumes, and it’s clear that the Postal Service USO needs addressing: What exact services do policy makers and the American public – senders as well as receivers – now need the Postal Service to provide? This white paper says that now is the appropriate time to update and clarify the USO.

The auditors found that the Department’s FY 2014 Closing Package Financial Statements were presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The report noted the issues identified in the Department’s and FSA’s financial statements and the need for the Department and FSA to mitigate the persistent information technology control deficiencies and their noncompliance with the timing requirements of the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014.

This audit report, required by the Accountability of Tax Dollars Act of 2002, presented an unmodified (clean) opinion on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)'s FY 2014 financial statements. The OIG contracted with the independent certified public accounting firm of Brown & Company CPAs, PLLC (Brown & Company) to audit the financial statements of the FTC as of September 30, 2014 and 2013, and for the years then ended. In its audit, Brown & Company found (1) the financial statements are presented fairly, in all material respects, in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles; (2) no material weaknesses in the FTC's internal control over financial reporting; and (3) no reportable noncompliance with applicable provisions of laws and regulations. The OIG commended the FTC for the noteworthy accomplishment of attaining an unmodified opinion for the 18th consecutive year.

As part of our annual audit plan, we performed an interim audit of costs billed to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) by Bechtel Power Corporation for providing engineering, procurement, construction, and related services in support of the completion of TVA's Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Unit 2. Our audit included about$520 million in noncraft costs billed to TVA from January 1, 2010, to September 30, 2013, (craft costs will be audited separately). Our objective was to determine if Bechtel billed TVA in accordance with the contract terms and conditions. In summary, we determined Bechtel overbilled TVA an estimated $2,066,495, including:$923,231 in labor and related costs, which included (1) $696,841 in ineligible labor hours and rates billed, (2) $228,490 in ineligible home office labor costs,(3) $24,044 in excessive payroll additive costs, and (4) a net credit of $26,144 in other labor costs.$938,928 in ineligible or unsupported relocation, permanent and temporary assignment, and travel costs, which included (1) $520,370 in relocation costs,(2) $372,048 in permanent and temporary assignment monthly allowances,(3) $23,932 in other temporary assignment costs, and (4) $22,578 in travel costs.$204,336 in ineligible or unsupported affiliate company and subcontractor costs. Summary Only

OMB Circular A-136, Financial Reporting Requirements, requires that the Inspector General provide the agency head with a summary of the top management and performance challenges facing the agency. After careful analysis, it is our assessment that the areas of Financial Management, Human Capital, Information Technology, and Grantee Accountability represent the top management and performance challenges for NEA.

For FY 2014, both the Department and FSA received an unmodified (clean) opinion on their financial statements; however, the financial statement auditors identified one significant deficiency in internal control over financial reporting and one instance of reportable noncompliance. The significant deficiency involved information technology controls over security management, personnel security, access controls, and configuration management, which can increase the risk of unauthorized access to the Department’s systems used to capture, process, and report financial transactions and balances, affecting the reliability and security of the data and information. The instance of noncompliance involved a provision of the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, as amended by the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014, that requires Federal agencies to notify the Secretary of the Treasury of debts that are over 120 days past due.

For FY 2014, both the Department and FSA received an unmodified (clean) opinion on their financial statements; however, the financial statement auditors identified one significant deficiency in internal control over financial reporting and one instance of reportable noncompliance. The significant deficiency involved information technology controls over security management, personnel security, access controls, and configuration management, which can increase the risk of unauthorized access to the Department’s systems used to capture, process, and report financial transactions and balances, affecting the reliability and security of the data and information. The instance of noncompliance involved a provision of the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, as amended by the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014, that requires Federal agencies to notify the Secretary of the Treasury of debts that are over 120 days past due.

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.

The OIG monitored the work of TVA's external auditor, Ernst & Young LLP (EY), to assure the work was performed in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards (GAGAS). Our review of their work, as differentiated from an audit in accordance with GAGAS, was not intended to enable us to express, and we did not express, an opinion on TVA's financial statements or on the effectiveness of TVA's system of internal control over financial reporting. EY is responsible for the auditor's reports dated November 14, 2014, and the conclusions expressed in those reports. Our review disclosed no instances where EY did not comply in all material respects with GAGAS.

Our FY 2014 review found that the Department’s information technology security program generally complied with FISMA and related Office of Management and Budget information security standards and that the Department had made progress in strengthening its information security program; however, many longstanding weaknesses remain and the Department’s information systems continue to be vulnerable to serious security threats. We found that the Department did not fully comply with 6 of the 11 FISMA reporting metrics and has still had not addressed problems identified in previous OIG audit reports, as our work showed repeat or modified repeat findings for five reporting metrics identified in OIG reports issued from FY 2011 through FY 2013.

EAC OIG, through the independent public accounting firm of Brown & Company CPAs and Management Consultants, PLLC, audited EAC's financial statements for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2014, and September 30, 2013.

EAC OIG, through the independent public accounting firm of CliftonLarsonAllen LLP, audited EAC's compliance with the Federal Information Security Management Act and related information security policies, procedures, standards, and guidelines for fiscal year 2014.

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

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.

The OIG performed six agreed-upon procedures requested solely to assist management in determining the validity of the Winning Performance payout awards for the year ended September 30, 2014. Following are the results of the procedures applied.The fiscal year (FY) 2014 Winning Performance goals for the enterprise-wide and Strategic Business Unit measures were properly approved. One change form for FY 2014 was approved by the Chief Executive Officer on September 22, 2014. The change form affected three scorecards and resulted in no change to payout.The FY 2014 goals (i.e., target) for the corporate multiplier measures were properly approved.The actual year-to-date results for the Strategic Business Unit scorecard measures agreed with the respective supporting documentation, without exception.The actual year-to-date results for the enterprise-wide scorecard measures agreed with the underlying support, without exception.The actual year-to-date results for the corporate multiplier measures agreed with the underlying support, without exception.The FY 2014 Winning Performance payout percentages provided by the Benchmarking and Performance Analysis organization on October 20, 2014, were mathematically accurate and agreed with the Office of Inspector General's recalculations.

Through our audits, inspections, investigations, and other reviews, we continue to identify areas of concern within the Department’s programs and operations and recommend actions the Department should take to address these weaknesses. The Reports Consolidation Act of 2000 requires the OIG to identify and report annually on the most serious management challenges the Department faces. The Government Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010 requires the Department to include in its agency performance plan information on its planned actions, including performance goals, indicators, and milestones, to address these challenges. Last year we presented five management challenges: improper payments, information technology security, oversight and monitoring, data quality and reporting, and information technology system development and implementation. Although the Department made some progress in addressing these areas, each remains as a management challenge for fiscal year 2015.

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) engaged in three major initiatives during fiscal year (FY) 2009 through FY 2013 related to workforce productivity and operational performance: DeWolff, Boberg & Associates, Inc.'s (DBA) workforce performance, McKinsey and Company's Pilot and Performance Boost, and TVA's Diet and Exercise (D&E). Our audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of TVA's management of those productivity and operational performance improvement initiatives. Based on our assessment of the effectiveness of TVA's management of the DBA, McKinsey Pilot and Boost, and D&E initiatives, we determined TVA management did not effectively monitor achievement of all performance improvements. Specifically, we identified a deficiency in the control design related to monitoring and tracking for verification of savings claimed from the DBA and the McKinsey initiatives. In addition, the sustainability of the performance improvement initiatives was hindered by a lack of employee engagement and resource constraints that made operational efficiency improvements unachievable or unrealistic. Further, employee morale suffered during the DBA initiative due to employees' perceptions of disrespectful behavior towards them by DBA. Morale also suffered during the McKinsey initiative from a perceived lack of follow-through by TVA management to provide funding to implement improvements. Based on the above, we recommended TVA (1) assess the cultural climate through meaningful dialogue with employees about the impacts of the initiatives to determine the long-term effects on employee engagement and morale and (2) establish a standard process and procedure for future improvement programs. TVA management reviewed a draft of the report and agreed the contents were factually correct. TVA management is working on a plan to address our recommendations. Summary Only