Open Recommendations

Using a risk-based approach, review, and take appropriate actions on, remaining unissued remittance funds.

Provide targeted training to Program Service Center employees who process remittance exceptions on the policy-compliant procedures to address the errors we identified.

We recommend that FSIS update its policy to include applicable legal requirements and financial processes pertaining to its Cooperative Interstate Shipment program.

We recommend the DHS Secretary designate a DHS component or office to oversee parole expiration for parolees under the reviewed parole processes who are no longer authorized to remain in the United States, and report on the prevalence of this issue.

We recommend the Commissioner of CBP and the Director of USCIS develop and implement a process to identify parolees under the reviewed parole processes who are no longer authorized to remain in the United States.

We recommend that the Commissioner of CBP and the Director of USCIS develop and implement a process to ensure ICE receives timely, accurate data regarding parolees under the reviewed parole processes who are no longer authorized to remain in the United States.

The St. Cloud VA Medical Center Director completes a comprehensive review of surgical service credentialing and privileging processes, ensures facility policy and practice in alignment with Veterans Health Administration policy, and as necessary, consults with Veterans Integrated Service Network leaders, and monitors for compliance.

The St. Cloud VA Medical Center Director reviews the processes specific to ongoing professional practice evaluations, ensures alignment with Veterans Health Administration policy, including surgical service chief consideration of the use of specialty-specific metrics, including surgical procedures performed in the operating room, and monitors compliance.

The St. Cloud VA Medical Center Director completes a review of Medical Staff Executive Council meeting minutes, specific to focused and ongoing professional practice evaluations for the surgical service chief, identifies deficiencies, and takes action as warranted to ensure completion according to Veterans Health Administration requirements.

Update their methodology to evaluate merchant data compliance to include analyzing the volume of packages without unique data for each platform.

Reiterate existing compliance policies to supervisors to drive consistent and effective implementation by staff.

Some or all of the recommendation is not publicly available due to concerns with information protected under the Freedom of Information Act.

Identify and address Merchant Rate Card platforms' technical compliance issues to improve rate accuracy.

Require quarterly business reviews to include data analytics to validate the platforms charge accurate postage and fees and resolve platform issues.

Coordinate with platforms to collect previously undetected short-payments resulting from postage discrepancies identifiable based on package information transmitted to the Postal Service.

Coordinate with platforms to refund previously undetected over-payments resulting from postage discrepancies identifiable based on package information transmitted to the Postal Service.

Review current outreach strategies, including staffing assignments, and make appropriate changes to optimize resources, ensuring maximum awareness of available assistance to disaster survivors.

Implement processes to gather feedback from applicants that would assist the agency in monitoring the effectiveness of its outreach methods.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration develop and implement internal controls to ensure that performance progress reports are complete before finalizing an award's monitoring plan and report.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration develop and implement oversight and governance processes for the use of Artificial Intelligence for reviewing awards'performance reports.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (a) determine whether the $400 in questioned costs related to HIAS Inc.'s cooperative agreement (SPRMCO23CA0242) for a meal that was contractually required to include wine are allowable and (b) recover any costs determined to be unallowable.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (a) determine whether the $2,324 in questioned costs related to Fondazione Associazione Volontari Per Servizio Internazionale's cooperative agreement (SPRMCO23CA0207) for a contracted social worker are supported and (b) recover any costs determined to be unsupported.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (a) determine whether the $2,430 in questioned costs related to Pan American Development Foundation Inc.'s cooperative agreement (SPRMCO23CA0344) for clothing are allowable and (b) recover any costs determined to be unallowable.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (a) determine the correct Modified Total Direct Cost and associated indirect cost reimbursement related to Fondazione Associazione Volontari Per Servizio Internazionale's cooperative agreement (SPRMCO23CA0207) and (b) recover any costs (at least $36,891) determined to be in excess of what is allowable.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (a) determine whether the $108,000 in unsupported costs related to Fondazione Associazione Volontari Per Servizio Internazionale's cooperative agreement (SPRMCO23CA0207) for beneficiary housing are supported and (b) recover any costs determined to be unsupported.