Open Recommendations

We recommend that the Executive Director develop and implement a process for tagging capitalized property and equipment.

We recommend that the Executive Director conduct a physical inventory of capitalized property and equipment as soon as possible, document the results, and do so at least every two years.

Update and implement contracting policies to include the following: • requirements for sole source justification;• discouragement of automatically renewing contracts, when possible and if terms allow. If automatically renewing contracts are unavoidable, consider setting up automated reminders to periodically reevaluate contracts;• requirements for periodic re-competition of contracts, when appropriate; and• requirements for full documentation for each contract action, including the request for proposals, vendor selection and approval.

We recommend that the Executive Director implement a control to ensure only authorized cardholders have access to card information. In the event another staff member needs to use a credit card and the cardholder cannot make the purchase for them, adequate documentation should be maintained to show that the cardholder authorized the purchase and access to the card was limited.

We recommend the Executive Director update NJP’s written policies for credit cards to include, at a minimum, the following:• guidelines on personal use and disallowed charges;• guidelines on properly documenting any deviations from policy;• restrictions on cash advances and ATM withdrawals;• deadlines for providing supporting documentation;• procedures for cardholders to review and acknowledge credit and purchase card policies.

We recommend that the Executive Director document the complete cost allocation process including the adjustments made to arrive at the final allocations for indirect costs.

We recommend that the Executive Director enable distinct user access roles for the NJP accounting staff that are commensurate with their responsibilities to ensure adequate segregation of duties is maintained in the accounting software.

We recommend that the Executive Director implement a process requiring dated approvals prior to expenses being incurred.

We recommend the Executive Director establish a process to document advance approval for employee travel, and, if appropriate, set a threshold above which such approval must be documented and not only given verbally.

We recommend that the Executive Director develop policies to ensure the timely disposition of outstanding checks.

We recommend that the Executive Director ensure NJP’s Accounting Manual (and, if applicable, Personnel Manual) is updated to include the grantee’s processes surrounding the referenced criteria. This includes:• payroll procedure details,• roles/responsibilities,• frequency,• documentation requirements, and• review/approval requirements (including changes/adjustments).

OIG recommends that the Department of State’s Executive Secretary, or another official with delegated authority, finalize and sign the updated memorandum of agreement with the Department of Defense that governs noncombatant evacuations (previously titled “Memorandum of Agreement Between the Departments of State and Defense on the Protection and Evacuation of U.S. Citizens and Nationals and Designated Other Persons from Threatened Areas Overseas,” dated July 14, 1998) to memorialize the agencies’ arrangements for the collection, tracking, analysis, and sharing of evacuee data.

OIG recommends that the Department of State's Executive Secretary, or another official with delegated authority, finalize the "Memorandum of Understanding Between Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) and Department of State (State) for Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation Tracking System (NTS) Agreement Number: M2330" to improve noncombatant evacuation operation (NEO) data collection and sharing before, during, and after a NEO.

OIG recommends that the Department of States Executive Secretary, or another official with delegated authority, finalize and sign the updated memorandum of agreement with the Department of Defense that governs noncombatant evacuations (previously titled Memorandum of Agreement Between the Departments of State and Defense on the Protection and Evacuation of U.S. Citizens and Nationals and Designated Other Persons from Threatened Areas Overseas, dated July 14, 1998) to memorialize the agencies arrangements for the collection, tracking, analysis, and sharing of evacuee data.

OIG recommends that the Department of State's Executive Secretary, or another official with delegated authority, finalize the "Memorandum of Understanding Between Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) and Department of State (State) for Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation Tracking System (NTS) Agreement Number: M2330" to improve noncombatant evacuation operation (NEO) data collection and sharing before, during, and after a NEO.

Require International Rescue Committee to develop and implement procedures to include complete environmental information in its program reports or obtain Agency approval to exempt recipients from the reporting requirements.

OCIO to follow OFM policies and procedures for collecting advance payments prior to providing products or services and review the $29.5 million in questioned costs identified in this report after implementing recommendation 7.

OCIO to update and publish billing rates to approximate cost recovery in accordance with 49 U.S. Code (U.S.C.) 327. Implementing this recommendation could put up to $194 million in funds for better use.

OFM to develop procedures to prevent future overbillings such as the $16,949.05 overbilled and identified in this report as a questioned cost.

OCIO to develop and implement a review process to validate the charges in its Financial Management System are accurate prior to providing OFM documentation used to bill customers.

OCIO to follow the procedures for reporting WCF transactions to OFM, including the $14.7 million identified in this report in accordance with DOT Order 2300.3B.

OFM to develop and implement written procedures for determining if the WCF is recovering costs and identifying advances and excess funds that should be returned to Treasury.

OCIO to develop a process for identifying severable services on IAAs to ensure that billing occurs in the correct fund year in accordance with the DOT Order and the Principles of Federal Appropriations Law.

We recommend the Director of USCIS develop and implement a multi-year operational plan that will enable USCIS to adjudicate new affirmative asylum claims consistent with the law and reduce the backlog. The plan should include clear priorities and goals, appropriate staffing levels, an analysis of funding, and how that funding will be generated.

We recommend the Director of USCIS prepare and submit annual budget requests consistent with the established multi-year operation plan as outlined in Recommendation 1.