Open Recommendations

We recommend that APHIS establish a process to monitor inspectors’ completion of the requirements set forth in its formal conflicts-of-interest policy to ensure all requirements and actions are complete.

We recommend that APHIS conduct and document an assessment to determine the feasibility of implementing an alternative dispute resolution process for noncompliance determinations made during HPA horse shows.

USDA OIG has determined that this recommendation contains sensitive information and will not be publicly released due to privacy concerns.

We recommend that APHIS develop a process to ensure HPA policy guidance and expectations are communicated to the horse show industry in advance of their implementation date and the start of the horse show season.

We recommend that USAID/Uganda verify that Joint Clinical Research Center corrects the three material weaknesses in internal control detailed on pages 33 to 37 of the audit report.

We recommend that USAID/Uganda verify that Joint Clinical Research Center corrects the two instances of material noncompliance detailed on pages 41 to 43 of the audit report.

We recommend that the PBS Region 2 Regional Commissioner take immediate actions to address any fire protection and worker safety deficiencies at the Javits Building by: ensuring that all fire extinguishers are mounted and unobstructed, all elevator machine rooms comply with applicable requirements for fire barriers, and all fire evacuation route diagrams are up to date to comply with fire codes; confirming that the O&M contractor promptly repairs water leaks or displays proper signage in affected areas to prevent slipping accidents in accordance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements. This is especially important for prolonged leaks for which PBS…

We recommend that the PBS Region 2 Regional Commissioner take immediate actions to reassess compliance with Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standards requirements at the Javits Building by: ensuring that proper signage is installed that directs individuals to disability- accessible entrances, exits, restrooms, and other applicable building locations; and cataloging all accessibility violations, resources permitting, throughout the building and developing a plan to remediate them.

We recommend that the PBS Region 2 Regional Commissioner implement controls to ensure that appropriate PBS Region 2 officials notify building occupants of identified EHSF risks in a timely manner in accordance with PBS policies.

1.  We recommend that the NOAA Administrator ensure that OMAO monitors and annually reports on acquisition status, program accomplishments, operations, maintenance, and planned actions for the coming year. It should also identify year-over-year changes to aircraft service life and planned retirements, major repairs or service life extensions, updated condition assessments, and new validated observational collection capability requirements. 

2. We recommend that the NOAA Administrator ensure that OMAO develops comprehensive mitigation plans to offset a likely gap in both hurricane hunter missions that includes major maintenance work packages, cost estimates, and required scheduling to ensure that the WP-3Ds remain mission-ready until the C-130Js are mission ready.

3. We recommend that the NOAA Administrator ensure that Program-level management controls are designed and documented for its G550 and C-130J programs, in accordance with Department policy and guidance. 

4. ​​​​We recommend that the NOAA Administrator ensure that OMAO or another appropriate office conducts cost-benefit and business case analyses for using tailored acquisitions support (e.g., from the U.S. Navy or U.S. Air Force) to bolster NOAA’s ability to execute complex and challenging aircraft acquisitions.

5. We recommend that the NOAA Administrator ensure that NOAA develops and implements a program oversight structure that can perform rigorous and continuous evaluation of program risks, opportunities, and progress against established benchmarks for complex and technically challenging acquisitions. 

6. We recommend that the NOAA Administrator ensure that NOAA conducts a detailed root cause analysis and lessons-learned review of the G550 program to identify opportunities for improvement in the management and oversight of the second G550 acquisition and the C-130J program. 

7.  We recommend that the NOAA Administrator ensure that NOAA develops and implements systems engineering policy and processes in accordance with best practices and applicable guidance.

The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations update Management Directive 11.6 to ensure roles and responsibilities are clearly defined.

The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations develop procedures to ensure all current NRC staff performing grant-related functions have appropriate authority or delegation letters that fully cover their grant roles and responsibilities.

The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations develop relevant training and a plan to ensure grant staff know their roles and responsibilities.

The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations develop a process to ensure the timely deobligation of funds for grants past their period of performance.

The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations validate the completeness of grant files past their period of performance and deobligate the more than $321,000 in funds specified in this report, or provide documentation to the OIG to justify not deobligating the funds.

The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations validate the completeness of grant files past their period of performance and deobligate the more than $920,000 specified in this report, or provide documentation to the OIG to justify not deobligating the funds.

The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations implement a policy that requires periodic reviews to ensure compliance with 2 C.F.R. Part 200 requirements related to the allowability of costs.

The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations develop a method within existing agency resources to optimize public access, in compliance with all relevant laws and policies, to the results of research funded by NRC grants.

The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations train SBCR staff to ensure they are aware of the communication and documentation requirements related to grant periodic reviews.