Open Recommendations

The assistant secretary for information and technology, who also serves as the departments chief information officer establishes a way to ensure compliance documentation and market research on any information and communication technology being procured are submitted to the VA Office of 508 Compliance for approval so that the office can determine whether the technology is the most compliant under Section 508.

The deputy assistant secretary for acquisition and logistics collaborates with the VA Office of 508 Compliance to develop policies and procedures to ensure VAs information and communication technology procurements comply with Section 508 requirements.

We recommend that the PBS Commissioner ensures PBS personnel responsible for measurement and verification activities: are adequately trained to understand how to perform their oversight responsibilities in accordance with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program guidance; independently witness, verify, and document the ESCO’s baseline measurements; and adhere to PBS’s policy to ensure O&M contractor employees do not serve as government witnesses for ESPCs.

We recommend that the PBS Commissioner ensures the project team establishes communication protocols by developing an effective communication plan that is consistent with the PBS Project Management Practice Guide V.2 to prevent the government from incurring unnecessary costs.

We recommend that the PBS Commissioner ensures contracting officers authorize contract changes and implement them through contract modifications, in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR).

Rec. 1.a: The DoD OIG recommended that the Defense Health Agency Health Informatics Division Chief Health Informatics Officer develop and implement a process to monitor and resolve, at least quarterly, scheduling requests routed to the unknown queue.

Rec. 1.b: The DoD OIG recommended that the Defense Health Agency Health Informatics Division Chief Health Informatics Officer configure MHS GENESIS to alert clinicians when an order has an error before generating a scheduling request that routes to the unknown queue.

We recommend the DHS Chief Information Officer strengthen oversight to ensure components adhere to DHS’ policies to remediate all known information security weaknesses in a timely manner.

Work with ARC to resolve the costs questioned totaling $693,374 for non-ARC match construction costs.

Develop policies and procedures for determining the allowability and allocability of costs, record retention, and procurement standards as required under the Uniform Guidance.

Develop policies and procedures to ensure GL grant expenditures are reconciled with supporting documentation to reflect accurate reporting of financial information.

Work with ARC to resolve the reporting discrepancies of non-ARC matching cost share expenditures to reflect the total cost incurred.

We recommend that the Deputy Secretary ensure that EDA, NIST, NTIA, and the GEMS project reconcile the extent to which those bureaus’ grants management requirements can be met by GEMS.

We recommend that the Deputy Secretary ensure that EDA, NIST, NTIA, and the GEMS project develop plans, cost estimates, and schedules to consolidate grants management to the extent possible in GEMS, in accordance with Department goals.

We recommend that the Deputy Secretary ensure that the OCIO reviews the adequacy of the Department’s system of internal control (policies, procedures, and governance bodies) for major IT investments and makes changes to ensure operating units comply with policy and procedures and appropriate officials are held accountable for compliance.

We recommend that the Deputy Secretary ensure that the OCIO reviews the adequacy of EDA’s system of internal control of IT investments provided both through its memorandum of understanding with the Office of the Secretary for OCIO services and other applicable means (policies, procedures, and governance bodies).

We recommend that the Deputy Secretary ensure that the OCIO conducts training on IT investment policy and procedures and QSMO requirements for appropriate personnel.

We recommend that the Deputy Secretary assess the GEMS project’s workforce needs and take appropriate steps as indicated.

We recommend that the Deputy Secretary ensure the project defines and implements management controls for requirements in
accordance with GAO’s Agile Assessment Guide.

We recommend that the Deputy Secretary ensure the project has support for cost estimation and better defines and
implements its cost management controls in accordance with the Department’s Cost Estimating Guide.

We recommend that the Deputy Secretary ensure the project defines and implements management controls for its schedule
in accordance with the Department’s administrative order on Acquisition Project Management (208-16) and GAO best practices.

We recommend that the Deputy Secretary ensure the Department collects lessons learned from NOAA’s GEMS
implementation and incorporates those lessons into plans and procedures for the NIST and EDA implementations.

Develop and implement a process to assess ongoing solicitations for compliance with the company’s procurement manual.

Develop and implement additional guidance to help COs determine when to require end users to provide more detailed cost estimates, in line with leading practices, and consider adjusting its policies accordingly.

Implement a companywide process to consistently collect and analyze key pre-award data elements, such as those we raised for the company’s consideration in our April 2024 report, as necessary to identify indicators of fraud.