Open Recommendations

We recommend that FS develop and implement an action plan for the overpayments and underpayments identified in FS’ internal review of all salary increase payments. As appropriate, recover any costs determined to be unallowable.

We recommend that FS consider an innovative approach, such as automation, technology, or a combination of both, that would allow for more timely completion of its review of salary increase payments.

We recommend for the current project, the Vice President, Financial Operations and Performance, and the Director, Technology and Innovation Portfolio Management, work with affected business units to identify all boundary system requirements and reporting needs prior to testing.

We recommend for future projects the Vice President, Financial Operations and Performance, and the Director, Technology and Innovation Portfolio Management, include key stakeholders early in the process in order to identify business units’ needs and concerns.

We recommend for the current project, the Vice President, Financial Operations and Performance, and the Director, Technology and Innovation Portfolio Management, develop and manage the GL project based on a complete schedule that includes all business units’ resource needs.

We recommend for future projects the Vice President, Financial Operations and Performance, and the Director, Technology and Innovation Portfolio Management, manage projects using a complete schedule.

We recommend the Vice President, Financial Operations and Performance, and the Director, Technology and Innovation Portfolio Management, (1) hold contractors accountable for performance issues and (2) perform a lessons learned assessment on contractor use on the GL project and document corrective actions for future projects.

Ensure supervisors conduct monitoring activities, including periodic reviews of expendable and nonexpendable inventory and root cause analyses of identified discrepancies to strengthen controls over VA supplies.

Establish routine monitoring for the accountable officer to verify the required use of barcode labels to track and identify supplies and equipment and report deficiencies for barcode replacement.

Address all unaccepted equipment and establish a requirement for custodial officers to routinely accept equipment in Maximo.

Implement a mechanism for the accountable officer to routinely monitor and ensure service'line staff who conduct physical inventory are designated in writing by the custodial officers and receive the appropriate nonexpendable inventory training annually.

Require the accountable officer and supply chain staff to verify and update the information in the Maximo system and create procedures to ensure all nonexpendable equipment is received through the warehouse, recorded in Maximo, delivered in a timely manner to the requesting service, and accepted by the custodial officer.

Address the physical security issues identified and provide recurring training on proper physical security controls and procedures to individuals with authorized access to the primary inventory point and warehouse.

Ensure all biological and nonbiological implants are recorded in the approved inventory management system and are routinely reconciled with other systems used to manage implant expiration dates.

Develop controls to ensure implant program staff identify and create local agreements for existing consignment implants and establish agreements for future consignment implants in accordance with national guidance.

Officially designate a facility implant coordinator and establish a monitoring mechanism to ensure compliance with implant coordinator roles and responsibilities.

Update the local implant management policy to clarify roles and responsibilities and to train staff in these roles about their implant management responsibilities.

USAID/Pakistan determine the allowability of $94,863 in ineligible questioned costs detailed on pages 32 to 38 of the audit report and recover any amount that is unallowable.

We recommend that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services provide MACs with a thorough explanation of the QASP results.

We recommend that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services update the audit program to incorporate revised change requests and TDLs so MACs can obtain a better understanding of CMS expectations and be evaluated on current requirements.

We recommend that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services offer MACs additional training and guidance, based on the results of their QASP, and include best practices used by MACs.

OIG recommends that the Office of Global Partnerships revise 2 Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) 970, "Public-Private Partnerships," to include a standardized action memorandum template for public-private partnerships. This template should outline all required elements from 2 FAM 970, which was updated in March 2024, to ensure completeness and consistency. The template should also include instructions for users to provide an explanation if any required element does not apply.

OIG recommends that the Office of Global Partnerships revise 2 Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) 970, "Public-Private Partnerships," to specify the conditions in which memoranda of understanding (MOU) are mandatory or optional for public-private partnerships. Given the critical role of MOUs in establishing clear partnership arrangements, responsibilities, and expectations, this revision should also clarify the specific information responsible officials must include in the action memorandum if an MOU is not prepared.

OIG recommends that the Office of Global Partnerships update and clarify the criteria for what constitutes a partnership requiring approval under 2 Foreign Affairs Manual 970, "Public-Private Partnerships."

OIG recommends that the Office of Global Partnerships enhance existing training related to public-private partnerships (PPP) to include specific examples of Department of State (Department) partnerships that model the differing structures and governance that partnerships can have. At a minimum, the training should clearly explain that the requirements included in 2 Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) 970, "Public-Private Partnerships," apply to all PPPs, including those for which a Department grantee is an intermediary or a grantee is acting on behalf of the Department in forming the partnership.