Open Recommendations

(U) Rec. 1.b: Report is Classified.

Review, and take appropriate corrective action for, the 67 remittance exceptions that employees processed incorrectly.

Using a risk-based approach, review, and take appropriate actions on, remaining unissued remittance funds.

Provide targeted training to Program Service Center employees who process remittance exceptions on the policy-compliant procedures to address the errors we identified.

We recommend that FSIS update its policy to include applicable legal requirements and financial processes pertaining to its Cooperative Interstate Shipment program.

We recommend the DHS Secretary designate a DHS component or office to oversee parole expiration for parolees under the reviewed parole processes who are no longer authorized to remain in the United States, and report on the prevalence of this issue.

We recommend the Commissioner of CBP and the Director of USCIS develop and implement a process to identify parolees under the reviewed parole processes who are no longer authorized to remain in the United States.

We recommend that the Commissioner of CBP and the Director of USCIS develop and implement a process to ensure ICE receives timely, accurate data regarding parolees under the reviewed parole processes who are no longer authorized to remain in the United States.

Update their methodology to evaluate merchant data compliance to include analyzing the volume of packages without unique data for each platform.

Some or all of the recommendation is not publicly available due to concerns with information protected under the Freedom of Information Act.

Identify and address Merchant Rate Card platforms' technical compliance issues to improve rate accuracy.

Require quarterly business reviews to include data analytics to validate the platforms charge accurate postage and fees and resolve platform issues.

Coordinate with platforms to collect previously undetected short-payments resulting from postage discrepancies identifiable based on package information transmitted to the Postal Service.

Coordinate with platforms to refund previously undetected over-payments resulting from postage discrepancies identifiable based on package information transmitted to the Postal Service.

Review current outreach strategies, including staffing assignments, and make appropriate changes to optimize resources, ensuring maximum awareness of available assistance to disaster survivors.

Implement processes to gather feedback from applicants that would assist the agency in monitoring the effectiveness of its outreach methods.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration develop and implement internal controls to ensure that performance progress reports are complete before finalizing an awards monitoring plan and report.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration develop and implement oversight and governance processes for the use of Artificial Intelligence for reviewing awards performance reports.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (a) determine whether the $400 in questioned costs related to HIAS Inc.s cooperative agreement (SPRMCO23CA0242) for a meal that was contractually required to include wine are allowable and (b) recover any costs determined to be unallowable.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (a) determine whether the $2,324 in questioned costs related to Fondazione Associazione Volontari Per Servizio Internazionales cooperative agreement (SPRMCO23CA0207) for a contracted social worker are supported and (b) recover any costs determined to be unsupported.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (a) determine whether the $2,430 in questioned costs related to Pan American Development Foundation Inc.s cooperative agreement (SPRMCO23CA0344) for clothing are allowable and (b) recover any costs determined to be unallowable.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (a) determine the correct Modified Total Direct Cost and associated indirect cost reimbursement related to Fondazione Associazione Volontari Per Servizio Internazionales cooperative agreement (SPRMCO23CA0207) and (b) recover any costs (at least $36,891) determined to be in excess of what is allowable.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (a) determine whether the $108,000 in unsupported costs related to Fondazione Associazione Volontari Per Servizio Internazionales cooperative agreement (SPRMCO23CA0207) for beneficiary housing are supported and (b) recover any costs determined to be unsupported.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration develop and implement internal controls to ensure that non-federal entities meet the single or program-specific audit requirement before receiving an award.

We recommend the CBP Office of Intelligence develop and issue policy for identifying and screening SIAs.