Open Recommendations

BOP should modify its policies regarding SHU round forms, including BOP Program Statement 5500.14, Section 310, to refer employees to the document retention schedule for SHU round forms, or otherwise ensure that its employees across all institutions are aware of the retention schedule.

BOP should ensure that all Special Investigative Services Staff, Executive Management Staff, staff involved with evidence collection and preservation, and other relevant staff are trained/advised on how to preserve SHU logs and to recognize when they may be needed as original evidence in criminal or administrative investigations and proceedings, e.g., when there is an escape or death in custody and the original log may reflect who purportedly conducted round counts during the pertinent time period.

Revise procedures for reviewing and approving grant application packages to add steps to verify that the applications are complete and accurate.

Revise the Agency's policies for collecting, reviewing, and approving Buy American Preferences waivers to require the waiver requests to be timely, complete, and accurate, and define the "extraordinary circumstances" that would allow grant recipients to deviate from Buy American requirements. Implementation of this recommendation could result in funds put to better use of $49.6 million.

After revising Buy American policies, develop and implement Buy American Preferences waiver training for field offices.

Fully implement the 90-day closeout process for National Small Business Week as outlined in SOP 90 75 5, as amended, and resolve the identified closeout discrepancy between the fiscal agent and the Office of Strategic Affairs for business week 2023.

Determine the allowability of $1.354 million in ineligible questioned costs detailed on pages 27 to 38 of the audit report and recover any amount that is unallowable.

We recommend that CPB management require the station to repay $25,179 in CSG overpayments.

We recommend that CPB management require the station to identify the corrective actions and controls it will implement to ensure future compliance with all CPB NFFS reporting requirements, specifically addressing:a) endowment revenues, andb) revenue from ineligible sources, as well as, c) documenting staff time spent on TV and radio activities.

We recommend that the Contracting Officer disallow $1,083,534 in FEHBP overcharges due to PNS errors. To date, $228,641 has been recovered and $854,893 remains due to the FEHBP.

[Description omitted; DOJ has determined that this recommendation contains information that is limited official use or classified.]

[Description omitted; DOJ has determined that this recommendation contains information that is limited official use or classified.]

[Description omitted; DOJ has determined that this recommendation contains information that is limited official use or classified.]

Develop strategies to ensure that staff assign accurate, consistent, and timely Mental Health Care Level designations to inmates.

Assess the benefit and feasibility of expanding its policy requiring After Action Reviews to include reviews of all inmate homicides and deaths by accidental and unknown factors, not just for inmate suicides.

Clarify responsibility for tracking at an enterprise level the reports and recommendations required in the wake of an inmate death by suicide, homicide, accident, or unknown factors, and assess the information contained therein for broader trends, applicability, and implementation.

Evaluate existing electronic devices used for inmate screening to identify whether they are functioning as intended, and, if necessary, implement any needed adjustments or upgrades.

Ensure that all institutions conduct required mock suicide drills, and develop strategies to increase staff participation in those drills.

Ensure that all appropriate staff are trained in automated external defibrillator use and that automated external defibrillators are strategically placed, readily available, and regularly checked to ensure that they are in working order at each BOP institution.

Ensure that cut-down tools in working order are accessible to staff in each housing unit at each institution, that staff are trained on proper use of the tool, and that the BOP determines whether staff should be issued and required to keep their own cut-down tool on their duty belt during their entire shift.

Ensure that each institution has a sufficient number of maneuverable gurneys in strategic locations to provide proper medical response during inmate transport.

Issue standard, enterprise-wide guidance and training to staff on using the radio to communicate clear, descriptive information during inmate medical emergencies.

Ensure that staff receive both the initial and refresher naloxone training and are fully prepared to administer naloxone to an unresponsive inmate suspected of having experienced a drug overdose.

Ensure that all Evidence Recovery Teams are properly trained on post-incident evidence recovery protocols.

Develop procedures to ensure that all required death-related records are completed and collected consistently and in accordance with established deadlines.

Ensure the chief of supply chain services conducts and documents quarterly physical inventory memoranda of “A” classified items in accordance with Veterans Health Administration’s Directive 1761, Supply Chain Management Operations.

Fully assess the operational condition of the chiller plant and establish a replacement plan as warranted.

Develop a plan to address and possibly replace the old and dirty air ducts. If duct replacement is not an option, develop a comprehensive cleaning schedule to address this concern.

Update or prepare schematics to reflect the current locations of all ventilation and air cleaning components.

Develop and implement a comprehensive renovation plan for the ventilation and air cleaning system at the GPO Central Complex in accordance with the pending building utilization plan.

[Description omitted; DOJ has determined that this recommendation contains information that is limited official use or classified.]

[Description omitted; DOJ has determined that this recommendation contains information that is limited official use or classified.]

[Description omitted; DOJ has determined that this recommendation contains information that is limited official use or classified.]

[Description omitted; DOJ has determined that this recommendation contains information that is limited official use or classified.]

[Description omitted; DOJ has determined that this recommendation contains information that is limited official use or classified.]

[Description omitted; DOJ has determined that this recommendation contains information that is limited official use or classified.]

[Description omitted; DOJ has determined that this recommendation contains information that is limited official use or classified.]

[Description omitted; DOJ has determined that this recommendation contains information that is limited official use or classified.]

Rec. B.1.a: The DoD OIG recommended that the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology) implement controls sufficient to ensure that contracting officials are following Federal and DoD requirements related to administration and management of cost-plus-award-fee contracts.

Rec. B.1.b: The DoD OIG recommended that the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development, and Acquisition) implement controls sufficient to ensure that contracting officials are following Federal and DoD requirements related to administration and management of cost-plus-award-fee contracts.

Rec. C.1.a: The DoD OIG recommended that the Defense Pricing and Contracting Principal Director, in coordination with the Military Departments and Defense agencies, establish and implement a solution to accurately capture all relevant cost-plus-award-fee data.

Rec. C.1.b: The DoD OIG recommended that the Defense Pricing and Contracting Principal Director, in coordination with the Military Departments and Defense agencies, evaluate the effectiveness of the award fees paid.

2. We recommend that the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office direct the Chief Administrative Officer to implement processes to ensure that all examiners with filing obligations are captured in the FD Online system and examiners submit DFDRs as required.

4. We recommend that the Department's General Counsel direct the Chief of the Ethics Law and Programs Office to ensure ELPO leverages subject-matter expertise from USPTO to carry out reviews of CFDRs that comply with regulations and internal policies.

7. We recommend that the Department's General Counsel direct the Chief of the Ethics Law and Programs Office to ensure patent examiners receive clear and accurate guidance in response to CFDR filings and specific requests.

8. We recommend that the Department's General Counsel direct the Chief of the Ethics Law and Programs Office to develop and implement a written process to identify and track conflict-of-interest risks and ensure risk assessment results are used to inform ethics training and guidance given.

We recommend that the FWS require the Department to provide accounting detail of license revenues used as investment principal.

We recommend that the FWS require the Department to ensure wildlife management area staff are informed of boundaries and their responsible land areas.

We recommend that the FWS require the Department to implement policies and procedures that ensure the Department maintains control over license revenue funds when they are invested.

We recommend that the FWS require the Department to analyze and provide justification regarding the allowability of the Iowa Treasurer of State to invest restricted license revenue.