Open Recommendations

Update the Enhanced Strategic Workforce Planning: Office Director and Regional Administrator Guidance to incorporate attrition rates so that the NRC quantifies and considers non-retirement separations in workforce planning.

Update agency policy and procedures to include Human Capital Operating Plan information—specifically, information regarding the periodicity of the plan’s review, approval, and updating—in accordance with the Office of Personnel Management’s Human Capital Operating Plan Guidance: Fiscal Years 2022-2026.

Perform security control assessments of the video surveillance system and obtain an authorization to operate in accordance with set policy.

Implement a centralized, interactive, and user-friendly system for administering data exchanges.

Submit legislative proposals in Fiscal Year 2024 for data the Agency does not have the authority to obtain.

Refund to the Federal Government the portion of the estimated $42,336,162 for hospice services that did not comply with Medicare requirements and that are within the 4-year claims reopening period.

Exercise reasonable diligence to identify, report and return any overpayments in accordance with the 60-day rule and identify any of those returned overpayments as having been made in accordance with this recommendation.

OIG recommends that U.S. Embassy Baghdad, Iraq, develop, implement, document, and communicate a policy and procedures to secure the keys and limit access to the destruction yard holding area at the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center to only those people who need access to the area.

OIG recommends that U.S. Embassy Baghdad, Iraq, take actions to ensure that all existing property in storage facilities has been (a) affixed with a barcode label and (b) added into the Integrated Logistics Management System - Asset Management module.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Administration conduct a review of the integration of the Integrated Logistics Management System - Asset Management and the Computerized Maintenance Management System to ensure that all updated information is being communicated between systems.

OIG recommends that U.S. Embassy Baghdad, Iraq, determine (a) how many of the 15,785 nonexpendable property assets, valued at $7.6 million, were used, how many remain in storage, and how many have been disposed of, along with the reasons for disposal, and (b) whether maintaining these 15,785 assets in storage is necessary and reasonable.

OIG recommends that U.S. Embassy Baghdad, Iraq, develop, implement, document, and communicate a policy and procedures, consistent with 14 Foreign Affairs Manual 412, to require that personnel responsible for purchasing clearly demonstrate a bona fide need supporting the purchase of nonexpendable property.

OIG recommends that Embassy Baghdad, Iraq, in coordination with the Bureau of Administration, develop, implement, document, and communicate a policy and procedures to provide information and periodic training to U.S. Embassy Baghdad staff who manage nonexpendable property on the capabilities and proper use of the Integrated Logistics Management System - Analytics module to ensure that the embassy efficiently manages and utilizes existing nonexpendable property at post and properly procures nonexpendable property that the embassy needs.

ACF should improve Head Start grant recipients' self-reporting of incidents of child abuse, lack of supervision, and unauthorized release through better guidance and stronger consequences for failure to report.

ACF shpould improve data-sharing with States about incidents of child abuse, lack of supervision, and unauthorized release in Head Start centers.

ACF should disseminate information about innovative practices that OHS regional offices have developed to better identify and prevent incidents that threaten children's safety.

Coordinate with the Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service executive director to (1) develop and issue guidance clearly articulating eligibility requirements for the lifetime benefit amounts to address non-service-connected disabilities and (2) communicate this guidance in an effective manner, such as including specific language in handbooks, providing examples of scenarios to reinforce the requirements, and requiring annual training to make sure all prosthetic staff responsible for the program understand these eligibility requirements.

Reduce RRMB medical services expenses by implementing a strategy that considers: (1) incentivizing contractors to reduce medical claims by structuring awards in a way that eliminates premiums on healthcare costs; (2) structuring awards in a way that does not commit the BOP to reimburse contractors at Medicare rates when the provider bills are less than the Medicare rate; (3) whether the BOP should have a more central role in negotiating out-of-network costs; (4) how the BOP can minimize invoicing errors and improper use of CPT codes; and (5) cost saving mechanisms for pharmaceutical costs and interest costs resulting from late…

We recommend that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: direct the MACs to recover from acute-care hospitals the portion of the $39,310,499 in identified improper payments for our audit period that are within the 4-year reopening period in accordance with CMS's policies and procedures;

based upon the results of this audit, notify appropriate providers (i.e., those for whom CMS determines this audit constitutes credible information of potential overpayments) so that the providers can exercise reasonable diligence to identify, report, and return any overpayments in accordance with the 60-day rule and identify any of those returned overpayments as having been made in accordance with this recommendation;

identify any outpatient claims after our audit period for services provided to beneficiaries who were inpatients of other facilities and direct the MACs to recover any improper payments;

(U) Rec. 1.a: This recommendation is Controlled Unclassified Information

We recommend that the NIST WCF and Departmental WCF develop, document, and implement a policy to require divisions providing services to customers to periodically solicit formal feedback from customer bureaus, document and assess the feedback received, and document the 'going-forward' considerations surrounding the feedback received.

We recommend the FEMA Administrator collaborate with the National Board to reallocate all unclaimed and unpaid funds for all phases with closed spending periods to the earliest possible phase.

We recommend the FEMA Administrator collaborate with the National Board to develop a more proactive approach to determine, as early in the process as possible, whether Local Boards and State Set-Aside Committees are willing to accept funds, so that funds can be reallocated from jurisdictions unwilling or unable to participate in the Emergency Food and Shelter Program.