Open Recommendations

FHFA’s Chief Information Officer should prioritize existing Office of Technology and Information Management resources based on the Plan of Action and Milestones to ensure that Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Known Exploitable Vulnerabilities are remediated in accordance with Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s Binding Operational Directive 22-01 and FHFA’s Office of Technology and Information Management Vulnerability Management Process, Revision 2.7 (September 7, 2022).

FHFA’s Chief Information Officer should implement security controls to lock down USB ports so that only authorized USB devices are allowed.

We recommend that EAC require the DOS to implement procedures to ensure property purchased with federal funds is used, managed, and disposed of properly.

Require that the PLUS system for receiving, processing, and assigning applications tracks applications and captures application intake, screening, and status, including key dates; captures data on the type of underwriter used; includes a portal for receiving documents and communicating with lenders; and generates FHA loan numbers. This will allow HUD to identify, monitor, and address processing delays and issues on a continuous basis; evaluate its performance and processes; and manage future challenges.

Update policies and procedures to include methods that will be used when applications exceed underwriter capacity, align intake and screening processes, and explain when timeframes will be enforced, including in PLUS.

Issue an industry wide letter to reinforce how intake, screening, and enforcement of timeframes will be handled.

We recommend that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services direct the MACs to recover from hospitals the portion of the $382,032 in identified overpayments for the sampled claims during our audit period that are within the 4-year reopening period in accordance with CMS's policies and procedures.

We recommend that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services educate hospitals on correctly counting the hours of mechanical ventilation and submitting claims with correct procedure and diagnosis codes, which could have saved an estimated $79,354,175 for our audit period.

We recommend that the PBS NCR Regional Commissioner improve management oversight to ensure that PBS NCR contracting officers and contracting officer’s representatives: maintain complete contract files; verify that contractor and subcontractor employees are paid in accordance with Construction Wage Rate Requirements; enforce contractor compliance with subcontracting limitations required for sole-source 8(a) program contracts; and, enforce security requirements for contractor employees.

We recommend that the PBS NCR Regional Commissioner train PBS NCR contracting officers and contracting officer’s representatives on their duties and responsibilities with respect to: maintaining complete contract files; verifying that contractor and subcontractor employees are paid in accordance with Construction Wage Rate Requirements; enforcing contractor compliance with subcontracting limitations required for sole-source 8(a) program contracts; and, enforcing security requirements for contract employees.

We recommend that the PBS NCR Regional Commissioner conduct a review of PBS NCR’s current basic repairs and alterations contracts to ensure that: contract files are complete; contractor and subcontractor employees are paid in accordance with Construction Wage Rate Requirements; contractors are complying with limitations on subcontracting for sole-source 8(a) program contracts; contractor employees have the required security clearances; and, FPDS-NG contains current, complete, and accurate information.

We recommend the Del Rio Sector Chief, Border Patrol, CBP, in coordination with partner agencies, continue to refine current strategies and identify new strategies to manage delays in detainee transfers to partners to minimize detainees’ time in custody and implement throughout the Del Rio sector.

We recommend to the Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner, Operations Support, Office of Chief Medical Officer, CBP, ensure the number of onsite contract medical staff at short-term holding facilities in the Del Rio sector meets contract requirements to provide quality care to all detainees in custody.

We recommend that OPM develop a SORN for WHF and publish the SORN in the Federal Register.

Review the current contract language and determine if there is a need to clarify thethird-party administrators claims adjudication responsibilities in its contracts to includethe identification of unauthorized dental procedures and adjudication of possible denials of payment or implement controls within VA that will perform this adjudication function for dental claims.

Enable the Office of Finances automated payment system to deny payment for community dental services if the procedure codes on the dental claims do not fall within the Standardized Episodes of Care on the referral.

Establish procedures to conduct periodic reviews for compliance with merchant information requirements and address noncompliance within a reasonable timeframe.

Establish procedures to ensure it provides a clear indication of when and where the Postal Service takes custody of all ePostage packages, monitor compliance with its procedures, and notify merchants of noncompliance.

Establish automated processes to identify merchants that shortpay, and create and issue automated noncompliance notifications to merchants and label providers, when applicable.

Modify processing instructions for priority cases to include appropriate processing timeframes and follow-up procedures to support the Social Security Administration and Disability Determination Services’ monitoring of processing times.

Coordinate with Boeing, the SLS Stages prime contractor, to develop a quality management system training program that is compliant with AS9100D and reviewed by the appropriate NASA officials.

Institute financial penalties for Boeing’s noncompliance with quality control standards.

Perform a detailed cost overrun analysis on Boeing’s Stages contract for EUS development.

Coordinate with DCMA to ensure contractual compliance with EVMS clauses.

EXIM’s Office of the Chair, in coordination with the China and Transformational Exports Program (CTEP) office, should establish policy and procedures that clearly define the authorities, roles, and responsibilities across EXIM for CTEP implementation.