Federal Reports

Audit Report

The OIG reviews decision analysis reports (DARs) in advance of Investment Review Committee (IRC) meetings to determine whether the requested investments are reasonable business decisions and are in the best interest of the U.S. Postal Service.In FY 2017, the OIG evaluated 64 DARs totaling $2.9 billion that required the Postal Service Headquarters Finance team’s validation and subsequent IRC approval or disapproval. We provided our individual reviews to DAR sponsors and the IRC considered these reviews during its approval process. Six of the 64 investment requests that we reviewed (totaling $1.42 billion) were subsequently canceled prior to receiving the Postmaster General’s approval.We determined that all DARs reviewed in FY 2017 were reasonable business decisions or in the best interest of the Postal Service; however, we identified concerns for eight DARs that totaled $218.8 million.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) estimated that the City of Cedar Falls, Iowa (City), had sustained approximately $893,000 in damage caused by severe storms and flooding from September 21 through October 3, 2016. We audited early in the grant process to identify areas in which the City may need additional technical assistance or monitoring to ensure compliance with Federal procurement requirements. Except for procurement, the City’s policies, procedures, and business practices appear to be adequate to account for and expend FEMA grant funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA policies. Specifically, the City’s procurement policies did not provide sufficient opportunities for disadvantaged firms to compete for contracts, or prevent awarding contracts to debarred or suspended contractors. After we discussed these issues, City officials moved quickly to modify procurement policies to comply with Federal requirements.

The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted a focused evaluation of the quality of care delivered at the VA Northern California Health Care System (facility). The review covered key clinical and administrative processes associated with promoting quality care—Leadership and Organizational Risks; Quality, Safety, and Value (QSV); Medication Management: Anticoagulation Therapy; Coordination of Care: Inter-Facility Transfers; Environment of Care (EOC); High-Risk Processes: Moderate Sedation; and Long-Term Care: Community Nursing Home (CNH) Oversight. OIG also provided crime awareness briefings to 404 employees. The facility has generally stable executive leadership to support patient safety, quality care, and other positive outcomes; however, leaders should continue to take actions to improve outpatient satisfaction scores. OIG’s review of accreditation organization findings, sentinel events, disclosures, Patient Safety Indicator data, and Strategic Analytics for Improvement and Learning (SAIL) results did not identify any substantial organizational risk factors. Although the senior leadership team was knowledgeable about selected SAIL metrics, the leaders should continue to take actions to improve performance of the Quality of Care and Efficiency metrics likely contributing to the current 2-star SAIL rating. OIG noted findings in the six areas of clinical operations reviewed and issued 13 recommendations that are attributable to the Chief of Staff and Associate Directors. The identified areas with deficiencies are: (1) QSV • Peer review process • Review of Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluation data (2) Medication Management: Anticoagulation Therapy • Anticoagulation management policy • Laboratory testing • Employee competency assessments (3) Coordination of Care: Inter-Facility Transfers • Patient transfer documentation (4) EOC • EOC rounds attendance • Security surveillance television system testing • Locked mental health unit employee and Interdisciplinary Safety Inspection Team training  (5) High-Risk Processes: Moderate Sedation • Assessments of previous history/experience with sedation • Timeout checklist (6) Long-Term Care: CNH Oversight • Annual reviews • Monthly clinical visits

Under a contract monitored by the NCUA OIG, KPMG, an independent certified public accounting firm, performed an audit of NCUA’s financial statements as of December 31, 2017. The contract required that the audit be performed in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards issued by the Comptroller General of the United States, Office of Management and Budget audit guidance, and the Government Accountability Office/President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency Financial Audit Manual.KPMG’s audit report for 2017 includes an opinion on the financial statements, conclusions on internal control over financial reporting, and a section addressing compliance and other matters.

OIG investigated allegations that a former attorney-advisor for the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) Office of the Solicitor (SOL), may have violated post-employment restrictions by representing a DOI employee in her Equal Employment Opportunity complaint against the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). The former attorney-advisor made a counter allegation that she was the subject of harassment by the SOL.We found no evidence the former attorney-advisor was involved in matters during her tenure at DOI that would have prohibited her from representing her client. We also determined the former attorney-advisor’s counter allegation was outside our investigative purview.