Open Recommendations

We recommend the Vice President and Chief Information and Digital Officer, Technology and Innovation, implement the planned project to upgrade software and hardware to supported versions.

We recommend the Vice President and Chief Information and Digital Officer, Technology and Innovation, take action to remediate both instances of insecure protocols in use where technically and operationally possible.

The Executive Director ensures staff store reusable medical equipment in temperature- and humidity-controlled storage locations.

Re-evaluate the OSTEM performance goals to ensure they are distinct and well correlated with outcomes.

Develop a procedure to ensure OSTEM tracks and reports funding for all Agency STEM engagement activities.

Re-evaluate jurisdictions eligible for EPSCoR funds to ensure effective and equitable distribution of Agency funds.

Require all NASA organizations capture STEM engagement activities in STEM Gateway.

The Commissioner, SB/SE Division, and Chief, Criminal Investigation, should identify opportunities to partner with the EPA to use the agency’s expertise and data when selecting, conducting examinations and investigations involving taxpayers that claimed biofuel tax credits and revise the MOU as needed.

The Under Secretary for Health, Veterans Integrated Service Network directors, and facility leaders ensure staff enter data into the local cancer registry database in a timely manner.

Provide facility management an opportunity to include facility specific information when requesting a job posting to help ensure external applicants are aware of job requirements.

Create processing timeframes for returned funds for current and future disaster programs.

Rec. 1.a: The DoD OIG recommended that the DoD Education Activity Director develop and implement policy that requires the DoD Education Activity Civil Rights Program to review all Serious Incident Reports, including ensuring that Serious Incident Reports related to discriminatory conduct are linked when appropriate.

Rec. 1.b: The DoD OIG recommended that the DoD Education Activity Director develop and implement policy that requires updating incorrectly identified discriminatory conduct Serious Incident Reports.

Rec. 1.c: The DoD OIG recommended that the DoD Education Activity Director develop and implement policy that requires documenting in the Serious Incident Report or Director?s Critical Information Report database all instances of reported discriminatory conduct.

Rec. 1.d: The DoD OIG recommended that the DoD Education Activity Director direct the Civil Rights Program to create and provide to all current and incoming administrators a mandatory training class on identifying and reporting discriminatory conduct and harassment.

Rec. 1.e: The DoD OIG recommended that the DoD Education Activity Director develop and implement policy that requires updates to Serious Incident Reports at the Civil Rights Program's request and requires the Civil Rights Program to approve all civil rights related Serious Incident Reports prior to closing the records.

Rec. 1.f: The DoD OIG recommended that the DoD Education Activity Director develop and implement policy that requires that the Civil Rights Program records and tracks all informally resolved complaints of hostile environments and discriminatory conduct (as identified in DoDEA AI 1443.01, section 4.1.a) in a standardized format.

Ensure that Ralston House maintains an adequate accounting system in compliance with the DOJ Grants Financial Guide, including separately and accurately tracking all federal financial assistance.

We recommend that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services establish procedures to improve communication among all stakeholders involved in setting new CDLT rates during a PHE.

We recommend that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services improve its procedures, which may require seeking legislative authority, for setting and adjusting rates for new CDLTs during a PHE by providing the MACs with the flexibility needed to set and adjust payment rates that would cover the laboratory costs of providing services when responding to a PHE.

We recommend that the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response develop internal written policies and procedures for the JFA process that align with Federal requirements and include the use of allocation methodologies that accurately reflect the benefiting offices' use of the product or service.

We recommend that the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response review the FY 2018 and 2019 JFA allocation methodologies along with the methodologies used during subsequent FYs to determine whether the costs were allocated to each office based on appropriate methodologies, and correct any improper allocations to avoid potential Antideficiency Act violations.

We recommend that the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response maintain documentation of the work performed by employees whose salaries are paid using BARDA funds to ensure that appropriations are used for their intended purposes in accordance with Federal requirements.

We recommend that the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response review the 10 remaining sampled employees that we could not interview to determine whether any salaries were improperly charged to BARDA appropriations and identify potential Antideficiency Act violations.

We recommend that the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response report any Antideficiency Act violations identified.