Open Recommendations

Develop and implement a methodology that can be applied to data in NHTSAs financial system to track drug control-related obligations, by budget decision unit and drug control function.

Develop a budget formulation methodology that provides a reasonable basis for consistent estimation of NHTSAs drug control budget that fairly quantifies its financial commitment to drug control activities and provides the methodology to the Office of National Drug Control Policy for approval.

1. We recommend that the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the Director of NIST revise MEP's economic impact reports for FYs 2022 and 2023 and other references to economic impacts on MEP's website attributable to the Centers we reviewed; in addition, disclose MEP's reported economic impacts may be based on inaccurate data and therefore their reliance and use should be limited.

2. We recommend that the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the Director of NIST establish procedures for NIST personnel to ensure data reliability (reasonably free from error and bias), including but not limited to (1) formal policies requireing staff to diligently review significant impacts for accuracy and connection to services provided by Centers and (2) techniques to analyze survey data for anomalies before it is finalized.

3. We recommend that the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the Director of NIST establish and implement procedures for Centers and subrecipients to (1) comply with NIST guidelines and (2) ensure data reliability (reasonabley free from error and bias), including but not limited to techniques that hold Centers accountable, such as including consequences for noncompliance and certification of Center executives confirming integrity, independence, and due diligence that the reported economic impacts represent what they are intended to: actual economic benefits realized over the last 12 months that are attributable to the services provided.

4. We recommend that the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the Director of NIST establish procedures that hold Centers accountable for monitoring subrecipient compliance with NIST survey guidelines and ensuring data reliablility (reasonably free from error and bias), including consequences for noncompliance.

5. We recommend that the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the Director of NIST revise MEP's economic impact reports for FYs 2020 through 2023 to (1) accurately reflect NIST's return on investment and (2) clearly articulate that total federal invistment does not include other federal funding sources that may contribute to reported ecomonic impacts.

6. We recommend that the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the Director of NIST establish procedures for NIST personnel to ensure future economic impact reports accurately reflect NIST's return on investment.

7. We recommend that the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the Director of NIST direct MEP to immediately remove from NIST reporting guidelines statements that currently direct Centers to write the expection of completing the MEP survey into contracts.

8. We recommend that the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the Director of NIST direct MEP to immediatley direct Centers and their subrecipients to remove contract clauses requiring clients to take the MEP survey.

We recommend that CBP’s Office of Facilities and Asset Management establish and implement a CBP-wide policy to include designated roles and responsibilities for managing and overseeing the facility condition assessment program.

We recommend that CBP’s Office of Facilities and Asset Management establish and implement a CBP-wide process for conducting facility condition assessments that aligns with DHS’ policy; identifying, prioritizing, and resolving deficiencies identified during facility condition assessments; and reporting and monitoring deficiencies.

We recommend that CBP’s Office of Facilities and Asset Management implement a quality control process to ensure facility condition assessment data within TRIRIGA is accurate and complete.

Develop its own internal program to recover unclaimed assets instead of remaining dependent upon Fiscal Service.

We recommend the Senior Vice President, Generation Projects and Fleet Services, work with Power Operations to confirm that all Tennessee Valley Authority specifications (1) are included in solicitation documentation, (2) have been updated, and (3) are applicable to the type of project being bid.

We recommend the Senior Vice President, Generation Projects and Fleet Services and Vice President, Supply Chain, work with Transmission Planning and Power Operations personnel to (1) assess the Cumberland and Kingston procurement for cybersecurity risk and take appropriate actions, if necessary, and (2) establish and/or clarify responsibilities related to Supply Chain cybersecurity compliance with standards for equipment covered in procurements.

We recommend that HUD's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity update protocols to promote consistent expectations for timely supervisory, legal, and headquarters reviews of complex cases.

We recommend that HUD's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity review and update the MOUs with OGC for each region to identify and remove inefficiencies that can lead to longer FHEO investigation times and OGC review times and identify best practices that can be implemented across all regions.

We recommend that HUD's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity review and update investigative processes followed by each regional office to identify best practices that can be implemented across all regions and identify and remove inefficiencies that can lead to longer investigation times.

The Chief Tax Compliance Officer and Chief, Taxpayer Services should develop a coversheet to be included with and/or revise the CP161 notice to clearly inform business taxpayers that they are in a Federally declared disaster area, they have been automatically granted payment relief, and the payment of their balance due taxes is not due until the end of the postponement period shown on the coversheet and/or notice as the due date. If a coversheet is included with the CP161 notice, ensure that taxpayers are informed to disregard the payment due date shown on the CP161 notice.

(U) Establish requirements for regularly soliciting input from judges eligible to participate in the HIDS program, evaluating the judges' input, and assessing the feasibility of implementing changes that will increase HIDS program enrollment and help ensure current participants remain enrolled in the program.

(U) Track alarm monitoring participation rates, consider feedback from judges about why they choose not to obtain monitoring services, and make any necessary changes to the HIDS program to maximize the number of judges electing to include alarm monitoring in their HIDS configuration.

(U) Require district JSls to conduct residential security surveys of the home of all HIDS participants upon their enrollment in the program, unless the participant specifically declines.

(U) Update the HIDS Program Guide to identify and define the authorities, qualifications, roles, and responsibilities of all individuals tasked with facilitating, executing, and overseeing the HIDS program.

(U) Update the HIDS Program Guide to require all appropriate JSD personnel to complete periodic HIDS training and track the completion of any HIDS training for all attendees.