Open Recommendations

1. We recommend that the Director of the CHIPS Program Office and the Acting Director of the CHIPS Research and Development Office collaborate with the Director of the NIST Office of Human Resources Management to develop a comprehensive workforce plan that includes a skills assessment, vacancy analysis, and risk assessment.

2. We recommend that the Director of the NIST Office of Human Resources Management implement lessons learned from CPO and CRDO for future NIST hiring efforts.

Reconcile the differences between grantees’ internal accounting records and FFRs to determine the propriety of the component payments or require grantees to perform this reconciliation. In addition, AmeriCorps should report any remaining unmatched reporting errors as improper payments to ensure accuracy, reliability, and consistency of their improper payment reporting. (Modified FY 2022 Recommendation 2.1)

Assess whether FFRs were submitted by eligible organizations during the FFR data pull process, as required by OMB. If it is determined that any grant recipients were ineligible to receive the grant, AmeriCorps should include the entire amount of FFR expenses as an improper payment.

Publish improper payment and unknown payment estimates for NST in the accompanying materials provided with future annual financial statements in accordance with OMB guidance. (Modified FY 2022 Recommendation 5)

Develop goals specific to wait times for customers in the office and time customers wait for scheduled appointments.

Develop the 35 sample cases where Illinois or Texas workers’ compensation benefit payment data were not reflected in beneficiaries’ payment records and establish overpayments, as appropriate.

Reiterate policy and coordinate with Vice President, Engineering Systems to identify opportunities for automated controls to verify that employees are clocking into the correct operation number and supervisors are regularly monitoring timekeeping reports.

Establish a process to assess and analyze Management Operating Data system review results.

Update Handbook M-32, Management Operating Data System (MODS) policy and coordinate with Vice President, Engineering Systems, to update the MODS Coordinator Guidebook to identify current roles and responsibilities and clarify the frequency of Management Operation Data system reviews to ensure consistency.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration develop and implement criteria for incorporating specific, measurable objectives and performance indicators into the award terms and conditions for voluntary contributions to enable measurement of the success of voluntary contributions awarded to public international organizations.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration develop and incorporate output and outcome performance indicators into its monitoring plan to assess progress against the established objectives of its voluntary contributions awarded to public international organizations for the humanitarian assistance response to Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine as appropriate following implementation of Recommendation 1.

Embassy Dili should monitor, evaluate, and prepare required performance reports regarding grants for the Ambassadors Self-Help Fund in accordance with the Federal Assistance Directive and Department standards.

Embassy Dili should comply with the requirements of the 2010 Letter of Agreement, as amended in 2012 between the United States and Timor-Leste, to conduct joint progress evaluations of law enforcement programs.

Embassy Dili should provide consular applicants with toilet facilities and drinking water facilities that meet Department standards.

Embassy Dili should institute regular mechanisms to coordinate the full range of U.S. foreign assistance activities in Timor-Leste.

Embassy Dili should use the Integrated Logistics Management System to track all personal and program property in accordance with Department standards.

Embassy Dili should seek permits from the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations to use shipping containers for functional space in accordance with Department requirements.

Embassy Dili should comply with Department training standards for the use of powered industrial trucks, such as forklifts.

Embassy Dili should review and update its motor vehicle policy in accordance with Department standards.

Embassy Dili should bring its motor pool operations into compliance with Department standards.

Embassy Dili should bring its motor vehicle safety program into compliance with Department standards.

Embassy Dili should manage its bulk fuel operation in accordance with Department standards.

Embassy Dili should bring its contracting officers representative program into compliance with Department standards.

Embassy Dili should close out procurement files in accordance with Department standards.