Open Recommendations

FCC should improve and continue to perform cost benefit analyses to determine a proper level of effort to monitor the HCMF; specifically, identifying higher-risk areas and implementing additional sampling, analytics, and other methods to ensure the carrier
compliance status for the enrolled program is reasonably supported.

Direct USAC to modify testing procedures for verification reviews to ensure that the deployment date tested by the Verification Team is reflective of the date entered and certified in HUBB by the carrier and supported by appropriate evidence.

Direct USAC to develop and implement procedures that identify possible erroneous deployment dates and document whether a change to past-compliance statuses is warranted. Further, USAC should determine if any of the payments made to these
carriers would be considered an improper payment.

Direct USAC to modify testing procedures for verification reviews to ensure that carriers are offering the speeds per the corresponding program requirements for minimum speeds. Examples of testing procedures include reviewing stronger evidence, such as an engineer certification or actual network speed testing results performed by a third party or through collaboration with USAC’s engineers.

Create and implement a plan to automate the oversight and review process of missing 091 transactions and completion of Postal Service Form 1017-B before the pay week closes.

Provide training to ISSPOs, ISOs, and Information Owners on their roles and responsibilities to follow the PBGC RMF and POA&M processes.

Confirm the requirement that deficiencies identified by SPA&A reviews that are not remediated within 30 days after identification are tracked via POA&Ms with accountable personnel.

Periodically monitor the satisfaction of the system risk assessment and POA&M creation requirements to help ensure ongoing compliance associated with the timely completion of and updates to system risk assessments and documentation and tracking of POA&Ms.

We recommend PBGC management to coordinate with its CSP to update its service agreement and shared responsibility matrix to address ambiguities regarding accountable parties for key controls and develop and implement a contingency plan for the system.

Continue to monitor First Solar’s impact, including through the June 30, 2026 annual Development Outcomes Survey and midpoint performance assessments, to have relevant information for assessing the project’s core impacts and metrics.

Adjust the ESOC Award Fee Plan to include clear, objective criteria for the Management and Technical Performance, Business Management, Compliance with Safety and Health Requirements evaluation category

Align definitions in the ESOC Award Fee Plan with Federal Acquisition Regulation guidance

Coordinate with an existing NASA supply chain group (e.g., Supply Chain Risk Management Program) to investigate alternative supply chain management strategies, such as evaluating the feasibility of incorporating the Supply Chain Visibility Data Requirement Deliverable into ESOC to increase visibility into spacesuit supply chains.

We recommend the Executive Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Field Operations to enhance the existing process by conducting a documented semiannual review to ensure the daily risk assessments in the cruise ship environment remain effective. This semiannual review should include a thorough review of risk assessment methodologies, data quality, and operation effectiveness.

We recommend the National Incident Command Center Logistics Section coordinate with the Border Patrol and the DOD to identify and document appropriate functions and steps to effectively use DOD support in the “Operation Homeland Resolve Strategic Approach” and the “Departmental migration resource and response plan,” directed by former DHS Secretary Mayorkas in his October 27, 2023, memorandum.

We recommend the Chief, Border Patrol, regularly and continuously refine strategies to incorporate demographic information of aliens approaching the Southwest border in the allocation of Border Patrol facility holding units.

We recommend the National Incident Command Center Logistics Section document the communication and use of resource request tracking tools, such as WebEOC, in the “Operation Homeland Resolve Strategic Approach” and the “Departmental migration resource and response plan.”

EXIM OIG recommends the Office of Board-Authorized Finance update its policies and procedures to consider additional documentation on the status of collateral as part of the scheduled or ad hoc credit risk reviews. These updates should include information on inspections or site visits performed as well as the appropriateness of maintaining a one level improvement on the Budget Cost Level.

Require and document its justification when the agency chooses to forgo its existing agency-wide grant monitoring procedures–such as site visits and risk-based reviews of source documentation.

Develop comprehensive guidance that details the analysis its grant management specialists should perform and document when conducting payment verification and approval reviews.

Conduct an assessment of the $548 million we identified as unsupported costs to ensure the FFWR grantees’ past payment requests were used for authorized purposes. Pursue recovery for any determined improper payments.

For future grant programs, establish a process to conduct a program risk assessment and continually assess risks associated with post-award monitoring activities.

Review and correct the 48 claims we identified from Population 2, as appropriate, including development in accordance with the Social Security Administration’s policies.

To prevent future errors, establish controls to ensure employees request all relevant evidence and document all required actions in its systems before denying a claim for child’s insurance benefits, when required.

Review all processing errors on cases the OIG review team identified, correct those errors to the extent possible, and report back on the results of those actions.