Federal Reports

The OIG performed an interim audit of costs billed to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) by Bechtel Power Corporation for providing engineering, procurement, and construction services in support of the completion of TVA's Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Unit 2. Our audit included about $397 million in costs billed to TVA from October 1, 2007 to December 31, 2009. Our objective was to determine if Bechtel billed TVA in accordance with the contract terms and conditions. We determined Bechtel overbilled TVA an estimated $1,449,752 including:$903,698 in labor and related costs, which included (1) $778,617 in ineligible home office labor costs, (2) $75,309 in excess payroll additive costs, (3) $34,098 in excessive labor costs, and (4) $15,674 in fees for manual personnel seconded services. In addition, we found Bechtel did not invoice costs for seconded services separately as required by the contract, and seconded service costs were improperly included in Bechtel's annual performance fee base.$546,054 in other ineligible or unsupported direct costs, which included (1) $534,835 for relocation, temporary assignment, and travel costs; (2) $5,795 for other nonlabor direct costs; and (3) $5,424 for fees on subcontractor costs.We recommend TVA management (1) recover $1,449,752 in overbilled costs from Bechtel, (2) ensure Bechtel separately invoices all seconded service costs, and (3) ensure seconded service costs are excluded from Bechtel's annual performance fee base. Summary Only