Open Recommendations

The Lead Office or Officials should establish effective metrics to measure EXIM’s Sub-Saharan Africa Mandate performance to inform the growth strategy (e.g., the number of U.S. exporters, lenders, and importers in sub-Saharan Africa reached, relationships established, total commitments and authorizations, and export value). The Sub-Saharan Africa Mandate performance metrics should also be incorporated within the next EXIM Annual Performance Plan.

EXIM’s Office of Board Authorized Finance and Office of General Counsel should conduct a comprehensive review of the post-authorization process to identify the primary factors within the documentation phase that contribute to the lag between authorization and disbursements and devise strategies to remedy these shortcomings.

EXIM’s Office of Global Business Development should devise a detailed plan to directly engage importers in sub-Saharan Africa that are not already engaging with EXIM’s sub-Saharan Africa programs. The office must ensure that the plan is incorporated as an integral part of the overarching strategy devised by the Lead Office or Officials.

The Lead Office or Officials should devise a plan to directly engage U.S. businesses that are not already engaging with EXIM’s sub-Saharan Africa programs.

EXIM’s Office of Policy Analysis and International Relations should conduct an analysis of the potential impacts of lowering the mandated domestic content policy for EXIM programs targeted to sub-Saharan Africa on U.S. jobs and present its findings to EXIM’s Board of Directors.

Allocate all unassigned software licenses to the CSRs working on the TAC Appointment Telephone Line so they can assist taxpayers with existing appointments without the need to transfer them to a different CSR.

Rec. 1.a: The DoD OIG recommended that the Air Force Chief of Safety, in coordination with the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center Commander, update Air Force Manual 91-119 to include detail and clarity of independent verification and validation requirements. Specifically, Air Force Manual 91-119 should be updated to include procedures to select an independent verification organization team.

Rec 1.b: The DoD OIG recommended that the Air Force Chief of Safety, in coordination with the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center Commander, update Air Force Manual 91-119 to include detail and clarity of independent verification and validation requirements. Specifically, Air Force Manual 91-119 should be updated to include procedures to document the independent verification organization team's independence with the Air Force Safety Center; define technical, managerial, and financial independence; and comply with these levels of independence during an independent verification and validation.

Rec. 1.c: The DoD OIG recommended that the Air Force Chief of Safety, in coordination with the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center Commander, update Air Force Manual 91-119 to include detail and clarity of independent verification and validation requirements. Specifically, Air Force Manual 91-119 should be updated to include procedures to define how the prime contractor's laboratory, equipment, and software can be used during independence verification and validation when the independent verification organization team does not have access to Government laboratory, equipment, and software.

Rec. 1.d: The DoD OIG recommended that the Air Force Chief of Safety, in coordination with the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center Commander, update Air Force Manual 91-119 to include detail and clarity of independent verification and validation requirements. Specifically, Air Force Manual 91-119 should be updated to include procedures to define the responsibilities of the independence verification and validation with the Air Force Safety Center and documenting and coordinating the modifications to and deviations from software with the prime contractor.

Rec. 2.a: The DoD OIG recommended that the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness identify exceptions to the transfer timelines for approved Expedited Transfers.

Rec. 2.b: The DoD OIG recommended that the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness establish and implement an exception to policy process for transfers that cannot be processed within the required timelines, to include identifying the appropriate approving official for the exceptions.

Rec. 3.a: The DoD OIG recommended that the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office Director review the effectiveness of the Military Departments' procedures to regularly review and assure the quality of data entered into the Defense Sexual Assault Incident Database, and implement additional training, reminders, or other corrective actions, as necessary.

Rec. 3.b: The DoD OIG recommended that the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office Director develop and implement a process to periodically review Defense Sexual Assault Incident Database data on Expedited Transfers, outside of the annual validation period, and applicable Case Management Group meeting minutes, to determine whether the Services are properly executing the requirements of the Expedited Transfer policy.

Rec. 3.c: The DoD OIG recommended that the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office Director configure the Defense Sexual Assault Incident Database to capture the date that the Service member requested a review of their Expedited Transfer request by a senior-level official.

Formalize the executive director’s intent by requiring the submission to the OIG of a related plan and documentation of progress on implementing VA’s maintenance of an independent and updated list of contract facilities.

Enforce contractual requirements for vendors to conduct inspections and recertify all facilities to ensure ADA and OSHA compliance.

Rec. 1.a.1: The DoD OIG recommended that the Deputy Secretary of Defense designate a DoD Component to lead the DoD effort to satisfy the requirements of section 1088 of the FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, including coordinating with Congress to determine the actions necessary to satisfy the requirements of section 1088 of the FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act.

Rec. 1.a.2: The DoD OIG recommended that the Deputy Secretary of Defense designate a DoD Component to lead the DoD effort to satisfy the requirements of section 1088 of the FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, including developing and implementing a plan of action with milestones to ensure that the DoD satisfies the requirements of section 1088 of the FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act.

We recommend that the Director of the Census Bureau ensure that acquisition personnel, contracting officers, and CORs administer and execute contracts and task orders in accordance with federal regulations and department requirements.

We recommend that the Director of the Census Bureau ensure that contracts and task orders include measurable performance standards (quality, timeliness, quantity, etc.) and the method for assessing contractor performance against standards, as required by FAR section 37.601.

We recommend that the Director of the Census Bureau ensure that quality assurance surveillance plans prepared by either the government or a contractor include all work requiring surveillance and the method of surveillance, as required by FAR section 46.401.

We recommend that the Director of the Census Bureau ensure that CORs use all QASPs, whether contract-level or order-level, to monitor contractor compliance with the contract terms, as required by FAR sections 1.602-2 and 1.604.

We recommend that the Director of the Census Bureau ensure that CORs maintain surveillance documentation of contractor performance in contract files, as required by FAR sections 1.604 and 4.803.

We recommend that the Director of the Census Bureau ensure that CORs receive and maintain in the COR file documentation supporting invoice payments, as required by contract terms and the FAR.