Open Recommendations

Review outreach staffing assignments and ensure appropriate coverage during future disaster response efforts when minimal resources are available.

Immediately conduct outreach efforts in those counties in North Carolina and South Carolina where the deadline to submit loan applications has not elapsed.

Perform a root cause analysis to determine the basis of insufficient outreach efforts in North Carolina and South Carolina and implement appropriate changes to ensure maximum awareness of available assistance to disaster survivors that accounts for rural
areas.

We recommend that APHIS establish a formal conflicts-of-interest policy that outlines the responsibilities and expectations for all VMOs that perform inspections at horse shows.

We recommend that APHIS establish a process to monitor inspectors’ completion of the requirements set forth in its formal conflicts-of-interest policy to ensure all requirements and actions are complete.

We recommend that APHIS conduct and document an assessment to determine the feasibility of implementing an alternative dispute resolution process for noncompliance determinations made during HPA horse shows.

USDA OIG has determined that this recommendation contains sensitive information and will not be publicly released due to privacy concerns.

We recommend that APHIS develop a process to ensure HPA policy guidance and expectations are communicated to the horse show industry in advance of their implementation date and the start of the horse show season.

We recommend that the PBS Region 2 Regional Commissioner take immediate actions to address any fire protection and worker safety deficiencies at the Javits Building by: ensuring that all fire extinguishers are mounted and unobstructed, all elevator machine rooms comply with applicable requirements for fire barriers, and all fire evacuation route diagrams are up to date to comply with fire codes; confirming that the O&M contractor promptly repairs water leaks or displays proper signage in affected areas to prevent slipping accidents in accordance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements. This is especially important for prolonged leaks for which PBS…

We recommend that the PBS Region 2 Regional Commissioner take immediate actions to reassess compliance with Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standards requirements at the Javits Building by: ensuring that proper signage is installed that directs individuals to disability- accessible entrances, exits, restrooms, and other applicable building locations; and cataloging all accessibility violations, resources permitting, throughout the building and developing a plan to remediate them.

We recommend that the PBS Region 2 Regional Commissioner implement controls to ensure that appropriate PBS Region 2 officials notify building occupants of identified EHSF risks in a timely manner in accordance with PBS policies.

The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations update Management Directive 11.6 to ensure roles and responsibilities are clearly defined.

The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations develop procedures to ensure all current NRC staff performing grant-related functions have appropriate authority or delegation letters that fully cover their grant roles and responsibilities.

The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations develop relevant training and a plan to ensure grant staff know their roles and responsibilities.

The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations develop a process to ensure the timely deobligation of funds for grants past their period of performance.

The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations validate the completeness of grant files past their period of performance and deobligate the more than $321,000 in funds specified in this report, or provide documentation to the OIG to justify not deobligating the funds.

The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations validate the completeness of grant files past their period of performance and deobligate the more than $920,000 specified in this report, or provide documentation to the OIG to justify not deobligating the funds.

The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations implement a policy that requires periodic reviews to ensure compliance with 2 C.F.R. Part 200 requirements related to the allowability of costs.

The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations develop a method within existing agency resources to optimize public access, in compliance with all relevant laws and policies, to the results of research funded by NRC grants.

The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations train SBCR staff to ensure they are aware of the communication and documentation requirements related to grant periodic reviews.

Enroll all GPO-issued devices in a Mobile Device Management system capable of controlling application installations, limited to only approved applications, and enforcing policy compliance.

While the current annual GPO Cybersecurity Awareness Training highlights the risks of downloading mobile applications, the OIG recommends that the annual training include more information about or greater emphasis on the prohibition of downloading personal or non-GPO software on GPO-issued mobile devices.

Current GPO IT policy strictly prohibits application downloads. GPO should consider updating IT policies to more clearly define the scope of acceptable and prohibited uses, including establishing a “whitelist” of approved applications. The updated policy should better delineate reasonable personal use, use while off-duty, and the consequences for violations, to include loss of network access or mobile phone use.

We recommend that the Executive Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Field Operations develop and implement a plan to deploy and install the large-scale non-intrusive inspection systems identified in this report.

We recommend that the Executive Director of CBP’s Integrated Logistics Division develop and implement policies and procedures, as required by the modified maintenance contracts, to hold venders accountable by tracking and applying any disincentives for longstanding and ineffective repairs.