Federal Reports

While conducting site visits at the Los Angeles Terminal Handling Services (THS) for our ongoing Air Mail Not Moving as Assigned audit, the OIG found significant opportunities to improve the Postal Service’s air carrier contract management. The purpose of this alert is to bring these issues to the Postal Service’s attention and make recommendations for immediate corrective action.The Postal Service’s air transportation network costs for fiscal year (FY) 2021 were about $3 billion, as of July 31, 2021. In FY 2020, costs totaled $3.5 billion, an increase of about $390 million (or 12.7 percent) over FY 2019. These costs consisted of contracted services from [redacted], commercial airlines (CAIR), [redacted], supplemental charters, and THS operations.

As part of our annual audit plan, we audited costs billed to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) by Black & Veatch Corporation (B&V) for engineering services under Contract No. 10820. Our audit objective was to determine if costs were billed in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract. Our audit scope included about $42.46 million in costs billed to TVA from November 2, 2015, through February 13, 2020. In summary:We determined B&V overbilled TVA an estimated $5,771,839, including (1) an estimated $5,657,998 for unapproved OT costs for exempt labor categories, (2) $69,383 in travel and temporary living allowance costs, and (3) a net $44,458 for incorrect hourly billing rates.We noted several opportunities to improve contract administration by TVA. Specifically, we determined TVA paid an estimated $3.3 million more in labor costs by using fixed hourly labor rates instead of negotiating cost reimbursable compensation terms in its contract with B&V. We also found (1) invoices were not submitted timely, (2) B&V did not submit an electronic billing file to the TVA Office of the Inspector General in the format provided for in the contract, (3) site expenses were not provided for in the contract, and (4) the labor categories included in the contract's pricing schedule did not correspond to B&V's internal job titles.(Summary Only)

During our unannounced inspection of Otay Mesa in San Diego, California, we identified violations of ICE detention standards that compromised the health, safety, and rights of detainees. Otay Mesa complied with standards for classification and generally provided sufficient medical care to detainees. In addressing COVID-19, Otay Mesa did not consistently enforce precautions including use of facial coverings and social distancing. Overall, we found that Otay Mesa did not meet standards for grievances, segregation, or staff-detainee communications. Specifically, Otay Mesa did not respond timely to detainee grievances and did not forward staff misconduct grievances to ICE as required.