Open Recommendations

Prioritize and complete the review of the 2,172 awards that were flagged by the point-of-sale partner as having unsupported gross sales and take appropriate administrative actions to recover improper payments, which includes 110 awards that were suspected of fraud.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Administration develop and implement a process to improve oversight of posts' Furniture and Appliance Pool program management activities. The process should include oversight controls that address Furniture and Appliance Pool data issues.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Administration, in coordination with the Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services, develop and implement oversight controls to prevent overseas posts from maintaining Furniture and Appliance Pool program assets in ineligible locations. The oversight controls should include a plan of action to consult with the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations when necessary.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Administration, in coordination with the Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services and the Foreign Service Institute, enhance current Furniture and Appliance Pool program training to provide detailed guidance on asset classification; asset lifecycles; asset replacement dates; spending plans; furniture and appliance pool eligible and ineligible assets; maintenance of the furniture, furnishings, appliances, and equipment listing; and data, asset, and financial management.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Administration, in coordination with the Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services and the Foreign Service Institute, annually disseminate information to all personnel with Furniture and Appliance Pool program responsibilities at overseas posts regarding the availability of and expectation to complete furniture and appliance pool-specific training developed in response to Recommendation 3.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Administration, in coordination with the Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services, reevaluate existing policy requirements for furniture and appliance pool asset lifecycles and update policies and procedures with clarifying language related to adjusting furniture and appliance pool asset lifecycles from the standards specified.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Administration, in coordination with the Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services, develop and disseminate guidance that instructs overseas posts to periodically review and update the furniture, furnishings, appliances, and equipment listing in posts' Furniture and Appliance Pool program policies.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services revise Furniture and Appliance Pool (FAP) program policy to clarify the requirement for overseas posts to maintain multi-year FAP program spending plans.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services update policies and procedures for retaining overseas posts’ Furniture and Appliance Pool program fee-related records so the information is readily available and accessible upon request for a period of time specified in the guidance.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Administration develop and implement controls within the Integrated Logistics Management System that require the use of mandated, minimum replacement standards for furniture and appliance pool asset lifecycles.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Administration implement controls within the Integrated Logistics Management System that ensure periodic updates to the replacement dates for furniture and appliance pool assets.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services develop and annually distribute to overseas posts guidance related to reconciling Furniture and Appliance Pool (FAP) program fee calculation worksheets to the furniture, furnishings, appliances, and equipment listings in posts’ FAP program policies and to the Foreign Affairs Handbook prior to submitting requests to change FAP program fees.

Implement and regularly monitor quality assurance mechanisms to ensure detainees’ stored property is returned, and it transits with detainees when they are transferred, repatriated, or released.

Develop, issue, and regularly monitor the implementation of guidance on the appropriate handling of detainees’ religious items.

We recommend that CPB management require KCCU-FM to identify the corrective actions and controls it will implement to ensure future compliance with Act and CPB requirements for open financial records.

We recommend that CPB management require KCCU-FM to update its Diversity Statement to fully address diversity requirements.

We recommend that CPB management require KCCU-FM to identify the corrective actions and controls it will implement to ensure future compliance with diversity requirements.

In coordination with the Vice President for Pricing and Costing and the Vice President for Product Solutions, further collaborate with stakeholders from the mailing industry to develop and implement initiatives with specific, measurable objectives to directly reduce Flats costs and address the causes of inefficiencies in Flats operations identified by the Postal Regulatory Commission.

Ensure that the Georgia CJCC require that appropriate WMO officials receive training in the financial management and administration of DOJ grants, fraud awareness, the appropriate use of the DOJ Grants Financial Guide including standards related to conflicts of interest, and the applicable VOCA program guidance.

Remedy $76,929 in unsupported costs charged to the subawards.

Remedy $8,813 in unallowable costs charged to the subawards.

Work with the Georgia CJCC and WMO to develop and implement comprehensive written policies and procedures to help ensure WMO's compliance with the DOJ Grants Financial Guide and federal award requirements. Specifically, the policies should ensure: a. the Executive Director's time and effort is documented, reviewed by the Board of Directors, and maintained available for any future review by the Georgia CJCC or other external monitoring;

Work with the Georgia CJCC and WMO to develop and implement comprehensive written policies and procedures to help ensure WMO's compliance with the DOJ Grants Financial Guide and federal award requirements. Specifically, the policies should ensure: b. WMO's established expectation for the use and supervisory review of timesheets is formalized in WMO's policies and procedures

Work with the Georgia CJCC and WMO to develop and implement comprehensive written policies and procedures to help ensure WMO's compliance with the DOJ Grants Financial Guide and federal award requirements. Specifically, the policies should ensure: c. the proper authorization and disbursement of funds

Work with the Georgia CJCC and WMO to develop and implement comprehensive written policies and procedures to help ensure WMO's compliance with the DOJ Grants Financial Guide and federal award requirements. Specifically, the policies should ensure: d. the segregation of duties for the authorization of disbursements, preparation of checks, and signature of checks.