Federal Reports

Our objective was to determine whether U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) complied with the National Standards on Transport, Escort, Detention, and Search (TEDS).

We are issuing this management alert to advise the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that its Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Funeral Assistance Program operating procedures contradict FEMA’s previous interpretation of long-standing regulations for ineligible funeral expenses established in FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program and Policy Guide (IAPPG). This interpretation of regulations for ineligible funeral expenses remains unchanged in FEMA Policy 104-21-0001 (COVID-19-specific policy).

This report presents a summary of the results of our self-initiated audits assessing mail delivery, customer service, and property conditions at three select delivery units in the Columbus, OH, region (Project Number 22-052). These delivery units include the Lewis Center Main Post Office (MPO) in Lewis Center, OH, and the South Columbus Station and East City Annex in Columbus, OH. We previously issued interim reports to district management for each of these delivery units regarding the conditions we identified. In addition, we issued a report on the efficiency of operations at the Columbus, OH, Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC), which services these three delivery units.All three delivery units are in the Ohio 2 District of the Central Area. The three delivery units have a combined total of 74 city routes and 20 rural routes. Staffing at the delivery units during our audit included 82 full-time city carriers, 12 part-time city carriers, 17 full-time rural carriers, 14 part-time rural carriers, 12 full-time clerks, and 11 part-time clerks (see Table 1).

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) evaluated the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) procedures to award a contract for data analysis and loan recommendation services for Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications and Targeted EIDL Advance applications related to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.To increase loan processing capabilities and quickly disburse loans during the pandemic, SBA used an existing contract awarded to RER Solutions and its subcontractor Rocket Loans set aside for small businesses. SBA initially set a contract ceiling of $100 million and then used emergency contracting authority to increase the contract ceiling to $850 million. This increase was done in a noncompetitive process to quickly administer the COVID-19 EIDL program.To quickly award loans during the COVID-19 economic crisis, SBA relied on an earlier 2018 contract but did not follow the proper procedures to ensure that contract provided the best value to the government. SBA awarded the contract for data analysis and loan recommendation services without adequately ensuring the contract prices were fair and reasonable in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation and agency policy.SBA’s needs had changed significantly from the 2018 disaster loan contract to the requirements for processing COVID-19 EIDLs, and those changes were not fully taken into consideration when awarding following contracts. As a result, there is no assurance that the rates SBA paid for services under the data analysis and loan recommendation contract were fair and reasonable.SBA also did not ensure the contractor complied with established size standards to be eligible for a small business set-aside award. In addition, SBA did not ensure the contractor complied with subcontracting limitations, exceeding the limit by $13 million. These awards are intended to help small businesses compete and win government contracts. Instead, the COVID-19 contract was noncompetitively awarded and largely performed by an affiliate of one of the nation’s largest mortgage lenders.We made six recommendations to strengthen SBA’s procurement policies and enhance controls to ensure compliance with SBA’s contracting program requirements. SBA agreed or partially agreed with all six recommendations.

The Office of the Inspector General conducted a review of the Allen Integrated Site (Allen) to identify factors that could impact Allen’s organizational effectiveness. During the course of our evaluation, we identified positive behavioral factors, including relationships with team members and business units outside Allen; however, we also identified behavioral concerns with two managers. In addition, we identified operational factors needing improvement related to (1) perceptions of ineffective work management, (2) fire alarm system repairs, and (3) site security and access concerns. Management is addressing some of these concerns by implementing a Gas Operations’ initiative to address work management, overseeing fire alarm system repairs, and submitting documentation to upgrade site security.

This report presents the results of our self-initiated audit of the U.S. Postal Service’s Mail Transport Equipment (MTE) Program (Project Number 21-229). Our objective was to assess Postal Service management of the MTE program. See Appendix A for additional information about this audit.MTE consists of containers (including sacks, pouches, trays, wheeled containers, pallets, etc.) used to contain mail during processing and while transporting it between postal facilities, delivery units, and mailers.The Postal Service purchases and distributes MTE to transport mail. The use of MTE is provided as a courtesy to convey mail to and from facilities and mailers and it may not be retained or used for unauthorized purposes. Additionally, to reduce processing costs, all MTE must be properly containerized or finalized as Postal Prepared Finished Goods (PPFG) and must have a Mail Transport Equipment Labeler (MTEL) placard affixed prior to it being returned to the Mail Transport Equipment Service Center (MTESC).The Postal Service’s MTESC network is comprised of 14 contractor-operated centers that are responsible for processing, repairing, storing, and distributing MTE in a timely and efficient manner. The Mail Transport Equipment Support System (MTESS) supports MTESCs and processes orders for facilities and large mailers.

The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted a healthcare inspection to assess allegations related to a primary care provider’s delivery of hypertension treatment and post-stroke care, nursing staff communication and documentation, and facility telephone communication processes at the Amarillo VA Healthcare System (system) in Texas. The OIG was unable to determine whether delays in treatment for hypertension and headaches caused the patient’s stroke and did not find primary care-related treatment failures in the weeks leading up to the stroke. However, when the patient presented to the clinic with stroke-like symptoms in early 2021, the provider and clinic nurse failed to ensure the patient received urgent medical attention. The delay in evaluation and treatment may have resulted in a more difficult recovery for the patient.The OIG did not substantiate allegations regarding a failure to order cardiology and neurology consults, that a licensed vocational nurse diagnosed the cause of the patient’s headaches, or that secure messaging was the only way the patient could communicate with the primary care team. The OIG was unable to determine whether nurses’ communications were dismissive and condescending.The OIG identified multiple system leaders’ failure to assess and follow through on the provider’s ongoing quality of care deficits. These failures allowed the provider to continue practicing substandard medicine, and as a result, patients experienced adverse outcomes. The provider has been functioning in an administrative capacity without direct patient care duties since spring 2021.The OIG made one recommendation to the Veterans Integrated Service Network Director to assess system leaders’ actions related to professional practice evaluations, institutional disclosure, and staff training.The OIG made five recommendations to the System Director related to vital sign protocols, clinical practice evaluation of a nurse, respectful communications, critical view alerts and other quality of care reviews, and communication and documentation requirements.