Federal Reports

The audit objectives were to determine whether program funds were managed in accordance with the ARC and Federal grant requirements

The OIG audited the costs billed to TVA by Choctaw Generation Limited Partnership (CGLP) for power purchases. TVA and Choctaw Generation, Inc., entered into a contract with an effective date of February 20, 1997. Choctaw Generation, Inc. became CGLP through an assignment agreed to by TVA, effective April 30, 1998. The contract obligated TVA to buy 92 percent of the annual power generated for 30 years from a coal generation plant to be built by CGLP in Choctaw County, Mississippi.CGLP constructed the Red Hills Generation Facility (RH) to burn lignite coal in two fluidized-bed combustion boilers generating a combined 440 megawatts of power. The facility's fuel is supplied by Mississippi Lignite Mining Company's lignite mine located adjacent to RH. TVA's 30-year obligation to buy power from CGLP started when RH began commercial operation April 1, 2002. Our audit included $400.3 million in costs billed by CGLP associated with the period October 1, 2010, through September 30, 2013. Our objective was to determine if the costs billed were in accordance with the contract's terms and conditions.In summary, we found:TVA's electronic workbook used to calculate the invoice amount does not contain a formula needed to account for unexcused hours when TVA directs RH to provide less energy than at full capacity (derated) and RH cannot produce any power.TVA needs to improve documentation and communication of adjustments to the RH meter data.CGLP billed TVA $12,674 in costs for meter readings not supported by actual meter data on the October 2011 invoice.CGLP overbilled TVA a net $5,135 due to data entry errors made by TVA in the electronic workbook used to calculate the invoice amount.We recommended TVA management take action to (1) revise the electronic workbook to include a formula to address time periods when TVA directs RH to provide derated capacity and RH cannot produce any power; (2) recover $12,674 in unsupported costs; (3) establish a procedure for documenting and communicating adjustments to the RH meter data; and (4) recover $5,135 in overbilled costs. Summary Only

The VA Office of Inspector General reviewed the Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) and primary care clinics (PCCs) of the Wilmington VA Medical Center. The purpose of the review was to determine whether the CBOCs and PCCs provide safe, consistent, and high-quality health care for our veterans. The review covered the clinical care components of alcohol use disorder and medication management and evaluated if processes were in place for designated women’s health providers to maintain proficiency in women’s health. We also randomly selected the Cape May County CBOC, Cape May, NJ, and Kent County CBOC, Dover, DE, for site visits during the week of March 3, 2014, to evaluate the environments of care. OIG noted opportunities for improvement and made 10 recommendations in the following reviews: Alcohol Use Disorder, Medication Management, Designated Women’s Health Provider Proficiency, and Environment of Care.

The audit objectives were to determine whether program funds were managed in accordance with the ARC and Federal grant requirements

The OIG found official stations were generally appropriate for TVA's most frequent travelers. However, we noted departments with employees who frequently travel to multiple locations assign official stations in differing ways. Additionally, controls and policies could be strengthened by including guidance on evaluating official stations and requiring approval from the appropriate level of management for decisions not to change official stations based on the dollar values of travel expenses incurred or expected to be incurred. As part of our audit we followed up on TVA management's actions taken in response to the OIG's previous travel review, Inspection 2006-522I, Review of TVA Travel Reimbursements, we noted action plans agreed to in the past do not appear to have been fully implemented.

The audit objectives were to determine whether program funds were managed in accordance with the ARC and Federal grant requirements

The OIG audited TVA's payments to the Alabama Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) and the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) under two contracts with the State of Alabama. Under the contracts, AEMA and ADPH cooperated in a program to operate and maintain the Radiological Emergency Preparedness (REP) programs for TVA's Browns Ferry and Sequoyah Nuclear plants. Our objective was to determine if the costs paid under the contracts were in compliance with the contract terms. Our audit included $6,601,445 TVA paid to AEMA ($5,666,875) and ADPH ($934,570) for the period October 1, 2007, through September 30, 2013.In summary, we found the current contract's compensation terms should be revised to (1) clarify whether TVA will reimburse costs incurred or pay an annual lump sum to AEMA and ADPH and (2) require AEMA, ADPH, and the five counties, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, and Morgan, to provide details to TVA on actual funds spent during a fiscal year in support of the REP program. We also noted the salaries paid to emergency management personnel varied significantly between the five counties.We recommended TVA management take action to revise the contract language to address the two issues noted above. TVA management agreed the contract language needs to be revised in these areas and plans to revise the language accordingly in a new contract with the State of Alabama to be effective October 1, 2014. Summary Only

The audit objectives were to determine whether program funds were managed in accordance with the ARC and Federal grant requirements

Printing and Mailing

In a previous OIG review of how TVA organizations assess the condition of assets, we learned asset condition assessments completed by River Operations (RO) had determined some assets were deteriorated. As a follow up to our prior work, we reviewed whether TVA was taking action to address RO systems and components with deteriorated conditions. These assets were designated as "red" or "yellow." According to RO personnel, a red rating indicated equipment condition was poor, while a yellow rating indicated equipment condition was marginal.In RO, 1,438 systems and components had been rated red or yellow. We randomly selected 50 systems and components for review, eight with a red rating and 42 with a yellow rating. We found actions had been taken to address some systems and components with poor or marginal health. Of the eight systems and components with a red rating, all had either a project or work order developed to address the condition as required by the guidance. For five, actions to improve the asset condition were currently in progress, and for three, no actions were underway or planned within the next three years. Of the 42 systems and components with yellow ratings, for 32, no action had been taken, and for 10, projects were being developed to address the identified deficiency. Of the 10 that had projects under development, two had projects that were funded or being worked, seven had projects that were not currently funded, and one had a project that was completed.Additionally, we found TVA had identified asset condition of non-nuclear generation as a top Enterprise Risk Management risk in FY2014. ROR-SPP-09.21, System and Component Health Program, was superseded by an engineering guidance document, which had no requirements, only recommendations. This could result in health report assessments not being completed. Without accurate and timely equipment health report assessments, TVA cannot effectively manage equipment reliability risk.

The audit objectives were to determine whether program funds were managed in accordance with the ARC and Federal grant requirements

The OIG assessed the effectiveness of the Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) organization's role within TVA's overall risk management program. To aid in our assessment, we compiled the results of prior relevant audits and evaluations to identify common themes that bear on the ERM organization's effectiveness.We found TVA has made improvements in its ERM program since a 2008 OIG inspection was completed. However, we made the following observations in our recent review: (1) risks were not aligned to strategic objectives that support TVA's mission, (2) TVA had not established and communicated a risk appetite or risk appetite statement, (3) the risk management culture was not fully embedded throughout the organization, (4) risk tolerances reported by SBUs/BUs could be improved, and (5) multi-point risk assessments were not used as part of the risk assessment process. Also, the current application used to collect and analyze risks limits the effectiveness and efficiency of the ERM program, and information in and the process for reviewing TVA's risk management program guidelines and policy could be improved.We made six recommendations for improving the effectiveness of the ERM program. Prior to our issuing the final report, TVA addressed the deficiencies in its risk management policy and guidelines. Management generally agreed with the remaining findings and recommendations. Summary Only

KPMG LLP, the auditor under contract having performed the audits of the office of D.C. Pension's (ODCP) consolidated financial statements as of and for the fiscal years ended 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 has withdrawn its opinion on those respective consolidated financial statements as a result of subsequent discovery of material errors. Accordingly, the previously issued independent auditors' reports, on the 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 consolidated financial statements dated December 15, 2010, report number OIG-11-050; December 16, 2011, report number OIG-12-029; December 10, 2012, report number OIG-13-021; and June 2, 2014, report number OIG-14-037 have been removed from the OIG website and Oversight.gov)

During this period, we closed 73 investigations involving fraud or corruption related to the Department’s programs and operations, securing more than $18.7 million in settlements, fines, restitutions, recoveries, and savings. In addition, as a result of our investigative work, criminal actions were taken against a number of people, including school officials who cheated the students they were in positions to serve. We also issued 13 reports that included recommendations to improve program operations.

To see our report, click on the link below

At the request of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Supply Chain organization, the OIG audited $22.7 million in costs billed to TVA by Comdata Network, Inc. The contractor was to provide TVA with a MasterCard platform and issue fuel cards to TVA personnel to purchase fuel, vehicle fluids, and car washes for TVA-related business. The objective of the audit was to determine if costs paid by TVA from October 1, 2011, through June 30, 2013, were billed in accordance with contract terms. In summary, the OIG determined TVA was overbilled $1,044,302, including:$846,022 for duplicate invoices submitted by the contractor.$83,271 in duplicate costs charged on merchant transactions.A net $106,174 in state taxes paid on fuel purchases which included (1) $157,065 in state fuel taxes from which TVA was exempt, (2) $59,229 in state fuel excise taxes that had been stripped from invoices by the contractor and for which TVA was liable, and (3) $8,338 in state excise taxes from states outside TVA's service region and from which TVA may be exempt.$8,835 in unauthorized transactions.In addition, the contractor owes TVA $11,459 in interest on overpayments made by TVA due to duplicate invoices submitted by the contractor.In response to our draft report, the contractor stated TVA should reimburse it a net $192,042 for state taxes stripped from invoices for which either TVA is liable ($65,907) or the contractor cannot file for a refund from the states ($126,135). Based on additional documentation provided, the OIG determined TVA may owe the contractor up to $164,663 of the $192,042 it claimed it was owed for state taxes that had been stripped from invoices, including:$59,229 in state taxes applicable to TVA (discussed above).$93,227 in Alabama state taxes that the contractor had stripped from invoices and for which the contractor cannot file for a refund. (TVA will need to recover the taxes from Alabama and provide a credit to the contractor for the stripped amount.)$9,411 in Tennessee state taxes that the contractor had stripped from invoices that should not have been.$3,045 in Georgia state taxes that had been stripped from invoices and for which the contractor cannot file a refund. (TVA will need to recover the taxes from Georgia and provide a credit to the contractor for the stripped amount.)Less the $249 overbilled to TVA for North Carolina taxes.The OIG recommended TVA management take action to recover:$846,022 from the contractor for payments made on duplicate invoices plus $11,459 in interest.$83,271 overbilled by merchants due to duplicate costs charged on merchant transactions.$253,337 from the appropriate party for state fuel taxes billed by the contractor for tax exempt fuel purchases, pay the contractor $164,663 for state fuel taxes stripped from invoices for which either TVA is liable or the contractor cannot file for a refund from the respective state, and determine if TVA can recover $8,338 in state excise taxes billed by the contractor for other states outside TVA's service region.$8,835 from the contractor for unauthorized charges billed. Summary Only

The Inspector General Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-452), as amended, requires that the Inspector General report semiannually to the head of the Department and the Congress on the activities of the office during the 6-month periods ending March 31 and September 30. The semiannual reports are intended to keep the Secretary and the Congress fully and currently informed of significant findings and recommendations by the Office of Inspector General.