Open Recommendations

OIG recommends that the Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources immediately formally designate and establish leadership responsibilities for the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership (TSCTP) program, in accordance with 18 Foreign Affairs Manual 201.3, "Delegations of Authority," to a position that has authority to lead, coordinate, and execute all TSCTP projects and activities within the Department of State and coordinate interagency TSCTP efforts with the United States Agency for International Development and the Department of Defense.

OIG recommends that the designated Department of State (Department) leader of the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership (TSCTP) program (as identified in Recommendation 1) coordinate with the Department's Managing for Results Strategic Planning and Performance Team, co-managed by the Bureau of Budget and Planning and the Office of Foreign Assistance, to revise the comprehensive 5-year strategy for TSCTP program efforts to include all elements required by the TSCTP Program Act of 2022; 18 Foreign Affairs Manual 301.2, "Department of State Strategic Planning;" and the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.

OIG recommends that the designated Department of State leader of the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership (TSCTP) program (as identified in Recommendation 1) develop and implement procedures that includes completion of the Foreign Service Institute's Strategic Planning and Performance Management training course (PA315) to ensure bureaus and offices responsible for the redevelopment and future modification of the TSCTP strategy are aware of applicable Foreign Affairs Manual requirements related to strategic planning.

OIG recommends the Executive Secretariat modify 2 Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) 1200, "Action and Clearance Procedures," to include the Managing for Results Strategic Planning and Performance Team, co-managed by the Bureau of Budget and Planning and the Office of Foreign Assistance, as a mandatory clearing office for any strategy documents that meet the requirements listed in 18 FAM 301.2, "Department of State Strategic Planning."

Develop guidance for staff on the requirements of FAR § 16.103(d)(1), including updating templates. The guidance should address all the required elements and specify whether it will be documented in the acquisition plan or another document in the contract file.

Provide training to PBGC staff involved in contracting on the requirements of FAR § 16.103(d)(1), highlighting how the staff are required to document contract type risk considerations in the contract file.

Ensure timely development and approval of contract type D&Fs that address all FAR requirements, including a mechanism to track the timeliness of this process.

Review and update guidance to program office staff to ensure they provide information to support all required FAR elements for contract type D&Fs.

Provide training to procurement and program office staff on additional requirements for contract types other than firm-fixed-price. This training should include guidance as to what is needed for sufficient justifications required to comply with FAR requirements related to maximizing the use of firm-fixed-price on future acquisitions.

The Chief, Taxpayer Services, should require that additional documentation be provided with all Form 1310 filings.

The Chief, Taxpayer Services, should ensure that consistent guidance is provided to employees regarding how to handle a Form 1310 that has missing or erroneous calendar and tax year information.

In June 2024, we sent an alert to the IRS noting our concern with the denial of the programming request that would enable Accounts Management employees to systemically release refunds associated with surviving spouses. We recommended that the Chief, Taxpayer Services coordinate with the appropriate IRS offices and senior officials to expedite the approval, funding, and implementation of the programming request

The Chief, Taxpayer Services, should ensure that the decedent refund programming request has appropriate controls to systemically calculate the accurate interest owed to survivors or claimants and avoid overpaying and underpaying interest on the refunds.

The Chief, Taxpayer Services, should update internal guidelines to advise Individual Taxpayer Advisory Specialists and Customer Service Representatives to obtain a Form 1310 while assisting taxpayers and electronically route the document to employees assigned to the case.

The Chief, Taxpayer Services, should develop procedures to upload claimant responses enabling assigned employees to electronically access supporting documentation for decedent refund cases.

Complete development and implementation of the Integrated Safety Dashboard and include milestones for full deployment and use of the system by FAA's lines of business.

Establish procedures for how FAA will use the Integrated Safety Dashboard to analyze safety data, identify trends, and make decisions, as well as develop metrics to determine whether these efforts prevent and mitigate runway incursions.

Implement the recommendations from the draft MITRE report along with developing an implementation plan.

Continue developing detailed cost and schedule estimates to complete the Agency's "Technology Sprint" Initiative, as well as estimates for sustaining its legacy surface surveillance technologies.

Until implemented, provide quarterly updates, using existing reporting mechanisms, to internal and external stakeholders, including Congress, on the Agency's progress in implementing the Safety Review Team's recommendations. This includes updating target action dates for implementing the recommendations, highlighting recommendations that are considered safety critical, and those FAA has exclusive control over to implement.

(U) Rec. 1: The DoD OIG recommended that the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment define pathway requirements for weapon system acquisitions and either:
a. (U) Update and implement DoD policy to require weapon system acquisitions to only operate within the six Adaptive Acquisition Framework pathways, or
b. (U) Update and implement DoD policy to provide guidance on how acquisition programs are to operate and report outside of the six Adaptive Acquisition Framework pathways, including:
(U) scenarios and timelines for which operating outside of a pathway is acceptable;
(U) alternative paths for acquisition programs to transition into;
(U)…

(U) Rec. 2: The DoD OIG recommended that the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology) update and implement Army policy to reflect the DoD's updated policy on transitioning acquisition programs and reporting required information.

Rec. 1: The DoD IG recommended that the Defense Commissary Agency Internal Review Chief develop policies and procedures to describe how the Defense Commissary Agency Internal Review Office addresses Government Auditing Standards in the following areas: Independence; Quality control and peer review; Fieldwork for performance audits; and Reporting for performance audits.

Rec. 2: The DoD IG recommended that the Defense Commissary Agency Director direct the Administration Division Chief to approve and implement Defense Commissary Agency Manual 90?05.01, "Internal Review Manual," in a timely manner after the Internal Review Chief develops policies and procedures in response to Recommendation 1.

Rec. 3: The DoD IG recommended that the Defense Commissary Agency Internal Review Chief develop a tool, such as a post?audit checklist, to ensure that the Internal Review Office distributes audit reports to appropriate audited entity officials in a timely manner in accordance with Government Auditing Standard 9.58 and maintains evidence of the distribution in the audit file.