Open Recommendations

Develop and implement a comprehensive plan to perform trend analyses and analyze risks posed by individuals whose consular interviews were waived by the Dos with data captured at mitigation plans., and using the results, develop and implement mitigation plans.

NRCS needs to prioritize the correction of outstanding inaccurate IIJA WFPO reporting on USAspending.gov and ensure existing award data are accurately reported to the public in accordance with OMB and DATA Act requirements.

NRCS needs to design and implement internal control activities over information processing to address inaccurate reporting identified in Recommendation 1 to ensure compliance with OMB and DATA Act requirements and the accuracy of future reporting of IIJA WFPO data on USAspending.gov.

NRCS should ensure it documents its merit review and selection process for competitive awards and adequately documents the methodology used to select the best projects for funding.

We recommend that USAID/Southern Africa verify that Centre for Community Impact corrects the two instances of material noncompliance detailed on pages 31 and 32 of the audit report.

The Under Secretary for Health conducts a review of the Veterans Integrated Service Network leaders awareness and oversight of the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care Systems operations including clinical staffing, hiring and retention of qualified candidates, and leaders adherence to high reliability organizational principles.

The Under Secretary for Health utilizes the above review to standardize Veterans Integrated Service Network leaders roles and responsibilities across the system to ensure each Veterans Integrated Service Network practices structured and robust oversight activities in support of high-quality healthcare delivery at each healthcare facility.

The Under Secretary for Health evaluates the circumstances that led to Veterans Integrated Service Network leaders lack of awareness of the 11-month curtailment of cardiothoracic surgeries and takes action as needed to ensure effective Veterans Integrated Service Network oversight of facility clinical operations.

The Veterans Integrated Service Network Director ensures facility leaders implement high reliability organization principles to plan for clinical operation changes that include stakeholders, service and section leaders, and staff input.

The Veterans Integrated Service Network Director ensures that the educational needs of the facilitys residents are evaluated and maintained during service and program changes, including on-site supervision, as required by Veterans Health Administration directive.

8. We recommend that the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office update USPTO policy to meet the federal minimum standard of 2 years and 6 months of log retention.

9. We recommend that the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office fully implement log retention controls for USPTO systems according to departmental requirements.

10. We recommend that the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration direct the Office of Privacy and Open Government Director to implement compensating controls and redundant procedures for receiving incidents reported to the Department Chief Privacy Officer.

Update and communicate Delivering for America Plan financial projections based on current conditions and environment.

Develop a plan to track, measure, and communicate progress on initiatives that result from the Delivering for America Plan.

1. We recommend that the NOAA Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator ensure OCM program staff document deviations from the cooperative agreement's budget and awards.

2. We recommend that the NOAA Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator implement a financial oversight process to ensure award recipients seek budget revision approvals for any changes to the approved budget categories.

3. We recommend that the NOAA Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator ensure PRDNER obtains and retains all required documentation, including (a) all procurement documentation including sole-souce justifications and award decisions from General Services Administration, (b) notifications to NOAA of costs not included in the budget, and (c) approvals from the NOAA Grants Officer, when required.

4. We recommend that the NOAA Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator collaborate with PRDNER, Puerto Rico's Office of Management and Budget, and the Office of the Administration and Transformation of Human Resources administrators to develop and implement a plan to hire sufficient staff, or consider subcontracting personnel, to resolve JBNERR's staffing challenges.

5. We recommend that the NOAA Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator consider options for a split-operations award with a supporting entity to assist JBNERR in meeting its performance requirements.

We recommend the FSA Chief Operating Officer ensure that best practices are followed in maintaining the BPO masterschedule for the remaining transition activities, including updating schedules and tasks to reflect current progress,keeping task identification numbers and names consistent on updates to the master schedule, and maintaining aschedule narrative to provide an explanation of changes made to the master schedule.

We recommend the FSA Chief Operating Officer ensure that BPO vendor project schedules are reviewed for alignmentwith the FSA master schedule and with each other.

We recommend the FSA Chief Operating Officer ensure that FSA’s LMM is followed for the remaining phases to betransitioned, to include completing all required steps and documentation, maintaining required documentation, andobtaining required signatures for each stage gate before system release.

We recommend the FSA Chief Operating Officer ensure that each task in the master schedule has staff assigned to itwho will be responsible for ensuring that the task gets completed.

We recommend the FSA Chief Operating Officer ensure that FSA provides adequate staffing resources to the Next Genoffice to effectively transition assigned servicing and recovery activities to the BPO vendors.

We recommend the FSA Chief Operating Officer establish a baseline schedule for the specialty servicing transition assoon as possible now that transition timeframes have been established.

We recommend the FSA Chief Operating Officer continue to assess the SLA targets for non-servicing activities to ensurethey are realistic and achievable while also providing FSA and its customers FSA’s desired level of service.

We recommend the FSA Chief Operating Officer review specialty servicing and recovery related SLAs to ensure they arerealistic and achievable before the activities are transitioned to the BPO vendors.

We recommend that the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Finance and Operations ensure that the office ofAcquisition, Grants, and Risk Management develops and implements a process for ensuring that contractor,subcontractor, grantee and subgrantee employees are notified in writing of their whistleblower protections in thepredominant native language of the workforce.

We recommend that the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Finance and Operations ensure that Federal Student Aidand Contracts and Acquisition Management staff are aware of and adhere to applicable Department policy (e.g.,Acquisition Alerts) and FAR requirements and that the Department's contract review processes are following currentrequirements and policy.

We recommend that the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Finance and Operations include reference to 2 C.F.R.200.300, which includes a specific reference to the Section 4712, or other language highlighting a grantee's responsibilityto inform their employees of whistleblower protections, in new Grant Award Notifications, similar to the specific referenceincluded in contract awards.

We recommend that the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Finance and Operations ensure that the contracts noted inthe OIG's review that included the incorrect clause are updated.

We recommend the Executive Associate Director of Enforcement and Removal Operations assign an office responsible for managing and overseeing the risk classification assessment process.

We recommend Senior Vice President, Power Operations, and the Vice President and Chief Information and Digital Officer, Technology and Innovation, design and implement cybersecurity monitoring, as appropriate, for the operational technology.

We recommend that the OCFO implement written policies and procedures over the trust fund management and related systems in accordance with the GAO Green Book, including but not limited to: Processes for acceptance and usage of Payroll Office RITS' data. Processes for importing data from RITS to the FMCD2812 system, accounting and other functions conducted within the FMCD2812 system, and the uploading of data into the AIOS system. Extraction and use of financial systems reports in the FMCD2812 system.

We recommend that the OCFO implement written policies and procedures over the trust fund management and premium payment processes in accordance with the GAO Green Book, including but not limited to: Approval and payment of funds to the carriers via ACH. Approval and transfer of funds from the contingency reserve to the Letter of Credit system. Approval and transfer of funds from the contingency reserve to the FEHBP carriers via ACH. Explanations for the securities, maturity, and investment due dates for the FEHBP trust fund. Supervisory activities over trust fund management and premium payment processes activities. The TFM office's succession/contingency…

We recommend that OPM establish an enterprise-wide fraud policy or an antifraud strategy to ensure compliance with OMB Circular A-123 as it relates to implementation of GAO's Fraud Risk Management Framework.

We recommend the Assistant Commissioner, OFAM, CBP, develop and implement guidance to standardize the process of identifying, validating, prioritizing, and resolving critical repairs at CBP-owned LPOEs identified through the FCA process.

Coordinate with CBP to establish an effective approach to detain and remove inadmissible travelers.

Inventory inadmissible travelers released on parole between October 1, 2020, and September 30, 2023, who failed to return for removal flights, and ensure that each of these inadmissible travelers is issued an NTA.

Ensure sufficient staffing to issue NTAs to released inadmissible travelers who fail to return for removal flights.

We recommend that USAID/Bureau for Management/Office of Acquisition & Assistance ensure that Jhpiego documents key processes and controls in its company policies and procedures to include the approval requirements associated with its access revocation process, new hire orientation checklist, initial salary determinations, international travel, travel expense report, invoices, and financial reports.

We recommend that USAID/Bureau for Management/Office of Acquisition & Assistance require FHI-360 to develop and implement procedures to include the Compensated Personal Absence rate in its supporting documentation and negotiations leading up to the execution of a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, unless USAID provides written approval to bill the rate on applicable awards.

We recommend that CPB management require KMOJ-FM to identify the corrective actions and controls it will implement to ensure future compliance with Act and CPB requirements for open financial records.

The Bureau of Diplomatic Security should modify the waivers and exceptions tracker to provide more granular data to assess compliance with established process timelines and to identify and resolve bottlenecks in the waivers and exceptions processes.

The Bureau of Diplomatic Security, in coordination with the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, should implement internal controls to verify whether all aspects of each mitigation plan are fully implemented, as required by the approved waivers and exceptions packages.

The Bureau of Diplomatic Security should update and implement its guidance related to facilities that do not meet Overseas Security Policy Board standards to clearly delineate when exceptions to physical security standards are required and when they are not and ensure that the guidance is consistent with Overseas Security Policy Board standards.

Formally issue a System of Internal Rules Handbook that contains procedural details on the internal rules process.

Track and monitor the total time it takes for Desk Procedures to complete each step of the rule development and issuance process. Establish key performance indicators, including interim milestones for the directive development and issuance process.

The CIO should ensure that ******************************************* *********************************************** are remediated by the plan of action and milestones due date.