Open Recommendations

Inadequate Management of Unsupported Software Processes (Inventory Asset Management)

Establish internal controls to ensure the Service Standard Directory is updated timely when service changes in specific markets.

Evaluate the reasons for cancellations of freight auction and repetitive highway contract route trips to reduce the associated excess payments for these trips during the post-peak season.

Adjust package processing plans and staffing plans during peak season to ensure full capacity of machines is used to minimize delayed mail volume.

Direct and monitor division management decisions in the offload process during peak season to incorporate strategic factors, such as facility type, resources, and equipment capacity.

Develop a process for clear communication of offloads between all levels of processing and logistics functions.

Evaluate the reasons for cancellations of freight auction and repetitive highway contract route trips to reduce the associated excess payments for these trips during peak season.

Assess and update peak season key performance indicators and initiatives.

Develop measures and targets to evaluate the customer experience during peak season.

Adjust the timelines for peak initiatives to incorporate post-peak season package volume on operations.

Rec. 1.a: The DoD OIG recommended that the Director, Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Service evaluate whether current document retention policies for civilian pay ensure proper documentation is readily available to support pay and benefits transactions and personnel record updates.

Rec. 1.b: The DoD OIG recommended that the Director, Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Service develop and implement appropriate control activities to ensure accurate and complete recording of payroll and benefit transactions based on the maintained supporting documentation.

(U) Rec. 1: The DoD OIG recommended that the Air Force Program Executive Officer for Cyber and Networks define the Secret and Below Releasable Environment network minimum viable capability release standards to better determine policy constraints and the required exception processes and ensure that the system is developed in compliance with these requirements.

(U) Rec. 3: The DoD OIG recommended that the DoD Chief Information Officer, in coordination with the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer, develop and implement policy that establishes the standards for the tagging and labeling of information shared on the Mission Partner Environments.

The Associate Director for Health Services recognizes and shares Peace Corps/The Gambia’s promising practices with other posts to help guide their medical inventory practices and needed improvements.

The Country Director of Peace Corps/Namibia instructs the Peace Corps Medical Officer and other medical staff to perform a full medical inventory count of controlled substances under the supervision of Director of Management and Operations and witness the inventory count.

The Country Director of Peace Corps/Namibia ensures all controlled substances are securely locked in a cabinet inside a secure room and monitors access to the storage unit.

The Country Director and Director of Management and Operations of Peace Corps/Namibia conduct staff training on the medical inventory process and educate staff on agency requirements, roles and responsibilities, procedures for implementing the inventory system, and special standards for controlled substances in accordance with agency requirements.

The Country Director and Director of Management and Operations of Peace Corps/Namibia and develop a plan to provide additional oversight through at least calendar year 2026 to ensure that the processes required to manage controlled substances are being followed and that the personnel are adequately managing medical inventories.

The Country Director of Peace Corps/Namibia ensures controls over dispensing records, including signed receipts from the volunteers (form Peace Corps-734D), are monitored, the dispensing book is secured properly, and copies are distributed to designated staff and filed in a timely manner.

The Country Director and Director of Management and Operations of Peace Corps/Namibia review the Health Unit Assessment and recommendations completed in August 2024 and create a plan for addressing the recommendations fully with target dates for implementation.

The Associate Director for Health Services and the Regional Director of the Africa Region follow up with the Country Director and Peace Corps Medical Officer in Peace Corps/Namibia to ensure appropriate action is taken to implement these recommendations to improve management of controlled substances.

Define the company’s requirements for managing and monitoring FMLA leave use, including the tools and data it needs for effective oversight and workforce planning.

Assess the costs and benefits of potential solutions to address the company’s requirements for managing and monitoring FMLA leave use. Options the company could consider include: (1) outsourcing all oversight activities, (2) developing an internal team or software to manage and monitor leave use, and (3) a combination of these strategies, or others as appropriate.

Based on the company’s cost-benefit analysis, select a strategy that would most effectively meet company requirements and develop a plan to implement it.

Based on the strategy the company ultimately selects, reassess staff roles and communicate changes as necessary.

In the interim, develop a process to regularly communicate FMLA oversight expectations and train staff on their respective roles and responsibilities.

Revise and implement policies, procedures and automated and/or manual processes to align with applicable federal guidance and regulations; comply with GAO’s government internal control standards; enhance asset management and operational efficiency; improve data accuracy and reporting capabilities; and ensure the consistent application of asset management practices.

Maintain documentation that supports the lifecycle of its assets.

Conduct a complete (“book to floor and floor to book”) 100 percent physical inventory and correct the inventory records as appropriate, to include a review of reported costs.

Establish and implement asset management training on how to properly acquire, safeguard, transfer, label and dispose of assets; store assets and maintain inventory levels; record an asset and create/use reports; and apply cost-effective and economical asset management techniques.

Reassess the amount and condition of leased storage space needed to support current program operations and reduce waste.

Work with states to ensure appropriate job classifications for disability determination services (DDS) employees, particularly disability examiners.

Resume the retention and recruitment workgroup, or a similar endeavor, to develop initiatives that provide support to DDSs.

Consider technologies, such as artificial intelligence, that could accelerate the Transferability of Skills Assessment or other processes without compromising the accuracy of DDS' disability determinations.

Work with DDSs to identify an ideal staffing level at each DDS and estimate the costs to achieve those staffing levels to support congressional budget requests.

Create procedures that give DDSs the flexibility to replace staffing losses as needed throughout the year based on annual budget estimates.

The District 5 Director conducts a full review of care provided to the client by the Everett Vet Center Director and counselor, consults with Human Resources and General Counsel Offices, and takes action as needed.

The District 5 Director ensures vet center leaders and staff are knowledgeable about applicable state laws pertaining to duty to warn.

The District 5 Director makes certain that the Everett Vet Center Director and staff adhere to requirements for consultation with support facility external consultants and suicide prevention coordinators when indicated, and monitors compliance.

The Chief Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service provides written guidance to clarify crisis reporting criteria and monitoring responsibilities.

The Chief Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service establishes written policy that clarifies clinical record documentation requirements regarding entry dates; non-visit progress note completion time frames; and progress note deletion and addition, and monitors compliance.

The Chief Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service establishes written guidance regarding time requirements for the completion of risk assessment documentation in clients clinical records.

The District 5 Director ensures readjustment counselors compliance with updating and reviewing safety plans as required by Readjustment Counseling Service policy.

The Chief Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service ensures that vet center directors are issued the correct position description and are performing duties within the identified scope of work.

The District 5 Director conducts a review of the care provided to complex clients by the Everett Vet Center Director since March 2021 and addresses identified clinical needs.

We recommend that the Grantee develop and implement written policies and procedures surrounding the management of Federal awards, in accordance with the Uniform Guidance and the ARC grant manual.

We recommend that the Grantee establish a proper accounting system to accurately maintain and track grant records of funds related to Federally-funded activities, in accordance with Federal requirements.

The Under Secretary for Health assesses the feasibility of the 7-day appointment scheduling requirement for Care in the Community consults and considers stratifying the time frame requirement according to risk.

The VA Maryland Health Care System Director develops and implements an education plan to address incomplete Care in the Community consult submissions and monitors efficacy of the plan.