Federal Reports

This report was submitted to the Comptroller General in accordance with Section 5 of the Government Accountability Office Act of 2008. The report summarizes the activities of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the six-month reporting period ending March 31, 2022. During the reporting period, the OIG issued two audit reports and began one performance audit. In addition, the OIG closed five investigations including a self-initiated inquiry and opened seven new investigations including two self-initiated inquiries. The OIG processed 63 hotline complaints, many of which were referred to other OIGs for action because the matters involved were within their jurisdictions.The OIG remained active in the GAO and OIG communities by briefing new GAO employees on its audit and investigative missions and participating in committees and working groups of the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, including those related to the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee. Details of these activities and other accomplishments are provided in the report.

What We Looked AtRecognizing that Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) is the fastest growing segment of the aviation industry and in response to a Presidential Memorandum, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) initiated the 3-year UAS Integration Pilot Program (IPP) in 2017. Through the IPP, FAA worked with selected State, local, and tribal governments, who partnered with private sector entities (e.g., UAS operators) to accelerate safe integration and help develop new rules to enable more complex UAS operations in the National Airspace System (NAS). After ending the IPP as planned in October 2020, FAA launched a follow-on program called BEYOND to address remaining UAS-related challenges, including operations beyond visual line of sight. Citing the importance of the IPP's efforts, the Ranking Members of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and its Subcommittee on Aviation requested that we assess FAA's IPP, including next steps. Accordingly, our audit objectives were to assess (1) the results of FAA's IPP and (2) FAA's plans for using those results, including how the Agency will incorporate them into its new program BEYOND.What We FoundWhile FAA made progress advancing UAS operations through the IPP, results did not fully meet industry and participant expectations and integration challenges remain. Further, challenges with planning, data requirements, and the Agency's organization hindered the IPP's overall success. FAA also faced challenges balancing the need to ensure aviation safety with UAS innovation, especially given the complexity of proposed operations. In addition, issues coordinating across multiple FAA lines of business and Agency turnover contributed to participant frustration and program challenges. Finally, while FAA incorporated lessons learned and best practices into BEYOND, challenges that limited the IPP's success remain. As a result, it is uncertain when FAA and industry will be positioned to enable operations beyond visual line of sight that are economically viable throughout the NAS.Our RecommendationsWe made six recommendations to improve FAA's use of UAS IPP results, including in its current program, BEYOND. FAA concurred with all six of our recommendations and provided appropriate actions and planned completion dates.

Management Report: Improper Payment Determination for Fiscal Year 2021

The objective was to conduct an unannounced inspection of South Texas ICE Processing Center to monitor compliance with select ICE detention standards.

The report summarizes the FTC OIG’s activities and accomplishments during the first half of the FY 2022 reporting period.

Between 2014 and 2016, a former executive director of an Alaska Native organization embezzled $174,290.67 through unauthorized use of accounts.