Reports
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Small Business Administration OIG
SBA’s Actions to Address Forgiven PPP Loans Subsequently Flagged as Potentially Ineligible
This report presents the results of our management advisory bringing the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) attention to concerns regarding forgiven Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans subsequently flagged as potentially ineligible using hold code 70 (potential clawback) for which the agency has not completed its review to facilitate recovery of improper payments for ineligible loans. A hold code is an identifier placed on a loan in the agency’s system indicating a potential issue needs to be resolved. SBA uses hold code 70 to flag forgiven PPP loans for which it subsequently suspects...
Small Business Administration OIG
COVID-19 Pandemic EIDL and PPP Loan Fraud Landscape Recommendations Update
This report updates Congress on progress made by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) on the 39 open pandemic-related recommendations referenced in Office of Inspector General (OIG) Report 23-09, COVID-19 Pandemic EIDL and PPP Loan Fraud Landscape. Over the course of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, SBA disbursed approximately $1.2 trillion of COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan and Paycheck Protection Program funds. The economic assistance was intended to help eligible small business owners and entrepreneurs adversely affected by the crisis. In Report 23-09, we...
Small Business Administration OIG
SBA’s Use of Hold Codes for Potentially Fraudulent PPP Loans Referred by Lenders
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) is issuing this management advisory to bring attention to concerns regarding SBA’s use of hold codes for potentially fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans referred by lenders. Opportunities exist for SBA to enhance its handling of lender-referred PPP loans suspected of fraud or illegal activity and its process for capturing these loans to ensure they are promptly flagged to mitigate fraud risk and financial loss. SBA’s Office of Credit Risk Management (OCRM) established a project for lenders to refer PPP loans suspected of fraud or illegal...
Pandemic Response Accountability Committee
A Review of Pandemic Relief Funding and How It Was Used In Six U.S. Communities: Marion County, Georgia
To learn how communities across the nation responded to the pandemic, we initiated a multi-part review of six communities—two cities, two rural counties, and two Tribal reservations. This report is the fourth community-specific report and focuses on our work in Marion County, Georgia, where we previously identified that recipients, including city government, small businesses, and individuals, received almost $39 million from 27 pandemic relief programs and subprograms. This report provides a closer look at six pandemic programs and subprograms provided to Marion County by six federal...
AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General
Management Alert: Concerns Regarding the Obligation of Rescinded Pandemic Funds and Grant Process Documentation
In early 2021, AmeriCorps received $1 billion in supplemental funding under the American Rescue Plan (ARP) primarily to award grants in support of its programs. These funds were to remain available until September 30, 2024. On June 3, 2023, however, Congress rescinded all unobligated AmeriCorps ARP program funds. As part of our oversight of ARP funds, the AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General (AmeriCorps OIG) identified more than 100 Notices of Grant Award involving ARP funds issued after June 3, 2023. Although AmeriCorps’ position is that these grants could still be awarded because they were...
Department of the Treasury OIG
Desk Review of the State of Utah’s Use of Coronavirus Relief Fund Proceeds
Department of the Treasury OIG
Desk Review of State of Arizona's Use of Coronavirus Relief Fund Proceeds
Department of the Treasury OIG
Desk Review of Dallas County, Texas’ Use of Coronavirus Relief Fund Proceeds
Department of the Treasury OIG
Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERA2) – Questioned Cost Finding, Thurston County, Washington (Redacted)
This report is redacted.
Department of the Treasury OIG
Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERA2) – Questioned Cost Finding, State of Washington (Redacted)
This report is redacted.
Department of Education OIG
Yukon-Koyukuk School District’s Use of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds (Alaska)
We performed this review to determine whether the Yukon-Koyukuk School District’s (Alaska) expended Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) grant funds for allowable purposes in accordance with applicable requirements. We determined that all of the ESSER expenditures we reviewed for the Yukon-Koyukuk School District (Yukon-Koyukuk) were allowable. However, we found that Yukon-Koyukuk did not comply with key competitive procurement process or documentation requirements when procuring the goods or services associated with three (38 percent) of eight non-personnel expenditures...
Department of the Treasury OIG
Desk Review of the State of Georgia’s Use of Coronavirus Relief Fund Proceeds
Department of Education OIG
Linn-Mar Community School District’s Use of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Grant Funds (Iowa)
We performed this review to determine whether Linn-Mar Community School District (Iowa) expended Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) grant funds for allowable purposes in accordance with applicable requirements. We determined that all 20 (100 percent) ESSER expenditures that we reviewed for Linn-Mar were allowable. However, we found that Linn-Mar did not comply with key competitive procurement process or documentation requirements when procuring the goods or services associated with 6 (40 percent) of the 15 non-personnel expenditures, totaling $228,510 (49 percent) of the...
Department of Education OIG
Lower Kuskokwim School District’s Use of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds (Alaska)
We performed this review to determine whether the Lower Kuskokwim School District expended Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) grant funds for allowable purposes in accordance with applicable requirements. We determined that all the ESSER expenditures we reviewed for Lower Kuskokwim were allowable and in accordance with applicable requirements. We also found that Lower Kuskokwim complied with key Federal procurement requirements, including those covering the procurement methods to be followed and contract cost, price, and provisions, when procuring the goods or services...
Pandemic Response Accountability Committee
A Review of Pandemic Relief Funding and How It Was Used In Six U.S. Communities: Sheridan County, Nebraska
To learn how communities across the nation responded to the pandemic, we initiated a multi-part review of six communities—two cities, two rural counties, and two Tribal reservations. This report is the third community-specific report and focuses on our work in Sheridan County, Nebraska, where we previously identified that recipients, including city government, small businesses, and individuals, received almost $61 million from 31 pandemic relief programs and subprograms. This report provides a closer look at six pandemic programs and subprograms provided to Sheridan County by six federal...
Department of Education OIG
Southeast Polk Community School District’s Use of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Grant Funds (Iowa)
We performed this review to determine whether the Southeast Polk Community School District t expended Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) grant funds for allowable purposes in accordance with applicable requirements. We determined that all 20 expenditures (5 personnel and 15 non-personnel) that we reviewed were allowable. Allowable activities generally include those authorized by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, and...
Department of Education OIG
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District’s Use of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds (Alaska)
We performed this review to determine whether the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District expended Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) grant funds for allowable purposes in accordance with applicable requirements. We determined that all the ESSER expenditures we reviewed for Matanuska-Susitna were allowable and in accordance with applicable requirements. We also found that Matanuska-Susitna complied with key Federal procurement requirements, including those covering the procurement methods to be followed and contract cost, price, and provisions, when procuring the goods...
Department of Education OIG
Des Moines Independent Community School District’s Use of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Grant Funds
We performed this review to determine whether the Des Moines Independent Community School District expended ESSER grant funds for allowable purposes in accordance with applicable requirements. We determined that of the 20 expenditures that we reviewed, 17 were allowable and in accordance with applicable requirements. Two expenditures totaling $164,580 were unallowable because they were for advertising and public relations costs prohibited under the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (2 Code of Federal Regulations part 200), and a...
Department of Education OIG
Florida Department of Education’s Administration and Oversight of Emergency Assistance to Nonpublic Schools Grant Funds
Congress provided $5.5 billion for the Emergency Assistance to Nonpublic Schools (EANS) program. The purpose of the EANS programs, authorized under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA) and American Rescue Plan (ARP), is to provide services or assistance to eligible nonpublic schools to address educational disruptions caused by the COVID-19 emergency. We conducted an audit to determine whether the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) designed and implemented (1) application processes that adequately assessed nonpublic schools’ eligibility for EANS-funded...
Department of Education OIG
Anchorage School District’s Use of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Grant Funds (Alaska)
We performed this review to determine whether Anchorage School District (Anchorage) expended ESSER grant funds for allowable purposes in accordance with applicable requirements. We determined that all the ESSER expenditures we reviewed for Anchorage were allowable and in accordance with applicable requirements. We also found that Anchorage complied with key Federal procurement requirements, including those covering the procurement methods to be followed and contract cost, price, and provisions, when procuring the goods or services associated with each ESSER expenditure we reviewed. Because we...
Department of Education OIG
Burlington Community School District’s Use of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Grant Funds (Iowa)
We performed this review to determine whether the Burlington Community School District (Burlington) expended Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) grant funds for allowable purposes in accordance with applicable requirements. We determined that all the ESSER expenditures we reviewed for Burlington were allowable and in accordance with applicable requirements. We also found that Burlington complied with key Federal procurement requirements, including those covering the procurement methods to be followed and contract cost, price, and provisions, when procuring the goods or...
Pandemic Response Accountability Committee
A Review of Pandemic Relief Funding and How It Was Used In Six U.S. Communities: Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
To learn how communities across the nation responded to the pandemic during the first 18 months, we initiated a multi-part review of six communities—two cities, two rural counties, and two Tribal reservations. This report is the second community-specific report and focuses on our work in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, where we previously identified that recipients, including city government, small businesses, and individuals, received almost $314 million from 45 pandemic relief programs and subprograms. This report provides a closer look at eight pandemic programs and subprograms provided to Coeur d...
Pandemic Response Accountability Committee
A Review of Pandemic Relief Funding and How It Was Used In Six U.S. Communities: Springfield, Massachusetts
To learn how communities across the nation responded to the pandemic, we initiated a multi-part review of six communities—two cities, two rural counties, and two Tribal reservations. This report is the first community-specific report and focuses on our work in Springfield, Massachusetts, where we previously identified that recipients, including city government, small businesses, and individuals, received almost $1.88 billion from 52 pandemic relief programs and subprograms. This report provides a closer look at nine pandemic programs and subprograms provided to Springfield by eight federal...
Pandemic Response Accountability Committee
Why Unemployment Insurance Fraud Surged During the Pandemic
UI was already a strained system, but the pandemic exacerbated existing challenges and created new ones which lead to massive fraud. We sampled 45 cases and learned about the schemes and methods fraudsters used. Find out what can be done to improve UI for the future. Read our report to find out more.
Pandemic Response Accountability Committee
Pandemic Relief Experiences: A Focus on Six Communities
The PRAC along with 10 of our member Offices of Inspectors General conducted this second phase of our review in order to provide insights on the experiences of the two cities, two rural counties, and two Tribal reservations that, during the first part of our review, received a combined $2.65 billion in pandemic relief funding across 89 pandemic programs and subprograms. We found that the six communities shared similar experiences even though their populations, demographics, locations, and contexts were unique. Specifically, we identified four themes which provide valuable insights to...
Pandemic Response Accountability Committee
Agile Oversight in a Time of Crisis: Lessons Learned and Best Practices in Conducting Oversight during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Recognizing the importance of an agile process, the PRAC, in coordination with CIGIE, hosted an Agile Oversight Forum in January 2023. This report captures the lessons learned and best practices shared by oversight experts from around the country at the Forum. The product is intended to be a starting point for offices and is not a standard for conducting oversight work.
New York State Comptroller
Department of Health: Use, Collection, and Reporting of Infection Control Data (Follow-Up)
The purpose of this report is to determine the extent of implementation of the five recommendations included in our initial audit report, Use, Collection, and Reporting of Infection Control Data (Report Number: 2020-S-55). The five recommendations included four recommendations to the Department of Health and one to the Governor.
Department of Education OIG
U.S. Department of Education’s Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Audit Resolution Activities
The report presents information on independent audits with findings pertaining to the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) and audit resolution activities conducted by the U.S. Department of Education. Our review focused on independent audits of HEERF recipients from April 2020 through June 2023. We found that the number of independent audits with findings pertaining to HEERF and requiring resolution by the Office of Finance and Operations (OFO) increased significantly over the past few years, as did the number of audits with complex findings as determined by OFO staff. However, the...
Arizona Auditor General
Arizona school districts’ and charter schools’, and ADE’s discretionary, COVID-19 federal relief spending—in fiscal year 2022 and in total through June 30, 2022
This special report provides summary information and 4 interactive dashboards with Arizona school districts’ and charter schools’ (districts and charters) reported spending in fiscal year (FY) 2022 and in total through June 30, 2022, and planned future spending of allocated/awarded (awarded) COVID-19 federal relief monies (relief monies), as required by Laws 2021, Ch. 408, §54. This special report also provides Arizona Department of Education (ADE)-reported spending in FY 2022 and in total through June 30, 2022, and planned future spending of the discretionary federal relief monies that it...
New York State Comptroller
New York City Economic and Demographic Indicators in Relation to New York State
New York City is the largest municipality by population in both New York State and the United States. The City is also the main economic engine of the State, a powerhouse that sits at the center of one of the largest metropolitan economies in the world. While the COVID-19 pandemic initially reversed the City’s progress of the years prior to the pandemic, its economy has since rebounded. This reference document includes major demographic, economic and fiscal indicators that highlight New York City’s contribution to the State. Indicators are provided, where available, going back to 2017 and...
Pandemic Response Accountability Committee
Key Insights: Contracts and Grants Workforce Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
During the pandemic, the contracts and grants workforce played a critical role in providing support to taxpayers, local governments, and other recipients through pandemic relief programs. The CARES Act directed the PRAC to review the sufficiency of contract and grant staffing and other resources from agencies across the federal government to determine if they had the resources necessary to adequately perform their duties. The PRAC conducted a survey of 29 agencies, and each provided their experiences on the impact the pandemic had on their agency’s ability to effectively perform their work...
Department of Agriculture OIG
COVID 19 - ReConnect Program
This informational report provides general information and highlights CARES Act funding as of June 30, 2023. This informational report does not contain any findings or recommendations, and it was prepared using information obtained during the audit work and from public sources.
Pandemic Response Accountability Committee
Review of Personnel Shortages in Federal Health Care Programs During the COVID-19 Pandemic
While personnel shortages existed in the health care community before the pandemic, the pandemic exacerbated these shortages. Maintaining an appropriate level of personnel in health care facilities is essential to providing a safe work environment for health care personnel and safe care to patients. The Pandemic Response Accountability Committee’s (PRAC) Health Care Subgroup developed this report to share insights into personnel shortages across four select federal health care programs, or the providers they reimburse. Together, these four programs provide health care services to approximately...
Pandemic Response Accountability Committee
Identity Fraud Victim Redress Processes and Systems
Following up on our previous work which highlights the decentralized nature of identity fraud redress across the federal government, the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee commissioned the MITRE Corporation to conduct an independent study and define the elements needs for a whole-of-government approach to identity fraud victim redress. The report proposes a federal redress process that places the victim at the center and requires agencies to assist in a comprehensive manner. Framed as a single enterprise or “one-stop shop,” this process would provide an equitable experience for all...
Mississippi Office of the State Auditor
Mississippi’s Historic Unemployment Fraud
The Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES) administers Mississippi’s unemployment benefits programs. With the influx of jobless claims and COVID relief aid as a result of the pandemic, total unemployment benefit claims increased from $59.6 million in FY 2019 to $2.1 billion in FY 2020. With this infusion of money came massive fraud and misspending. For example, from FY 2020 to FY 2021, known overpayments increased from $118 million to $474 million. The massive loss of money from Mississippi’s unemployment fund is partially the result of MDES bypassing or altering their own...
District of Columbia Office of the Auditor
Controls Lacking in CARES Act/Coronavirus Relief Fund Spending
EFPR Group, CPA's PLLC, has been engaged by the Office of the District of Columbia Auditor to assess whether the $495 million received by the District of Columbia from the Coronavirus Relief Fund which was established under the CARES Act were spent in compliance with Federal and District of Columbia laws and regulations. As part of the scope of this engagement, the receipt of the $495 million was observed and analyzed to verify that the District of Columbia received the maximum available from Federal legislation.
Department of Education OIG
Federal Student Aid’s Use of Pandemic Assistance Student Aid Administration Funds
We found that as of November 30, 2022, FSA obligated nearly 100 percent of the $161.1 million in appropriations it received for pandemic assistance student aid administration funds. Nine FSA business units obligated approximately $157.8 million (98 percent) of the total pandemic assistance student aid administration funds, with one business unit, the Next Gen FSA Program Office, accounting for 78 percent of the obligations. The pandemic assistance student aid administration funds were used for personnel compensation and benefits, information technology systems and services contracts, and...
Department of the Treasury OIG
Desk Review of State of Ohio’s Use of Coronavirus Relief Fund Proceeds
Department of the Treasury OIG
Desk Review of State of Texas’ Use of Coronavirus Relief Fund Proceeds
Department of the Treasury OIG
Desk Review of Phoenix, Arizona’s Use of Coronavirus Relief Fund Proceeds
Department of the Treasury OIG
Desk Review of State of Florida’s Use of Coronavirus Relief Fund Proceeds
Department of the Treasury OIG
Desk Review of State of California’s Use of Coronavirus Relief Fund Proceeds
Pandemic Response Accountability Committee
Tracking Pandemic Relief Funds that Went to Local Communities Reveals Persistent Data Gaps and Data Reliability Issues
The PRAC along with 10 of our member Offices of Inspectors General began a case study-based review, in part, to learn more about how much pandemic relief funding went to recipients within six randomly selected communities. Using a combination of federal, state, and local data sources, we identified that 10 federal agencies provided approximately $2.65 billion in pandemic relief funds to the six communities through approximately 89 pandemic relief programs and subprograms during the first 18 months of the pandemic (March 2020 through September 2021). We also found that tracking pandemic funds...
Arizona Auditor General
Follow Up: Arizona School Districts' and Charter Schools', and ADE's Discretionary, COVID-19 Federal Relief Spending - In Fiscal Year 2022 and in Total Through June 30, 2022
This special report provides summary information and four interactive dashboards with Arizona school districts' and chart schools' reported spending in fiscal year 2022 and in total through June 30, 2022, and planned future spending of allocated/awarded COVID-19 federal relief monies as required by law. In total, districts and charters reported spending $2.2 billion, or almost half of their relief monies through June 30, 2022.
Department of the Treasury OIG
Desk Review of New York City’s Use of Coronavirus Relief Fund Proceeds
Department of the Treasury OIG
Desk Review of Chippewa Cree Tribe’s Use of Coronavirus Relief Fund Proceeds
Department of the Treasury OIG
Desk Review of State of Illinois’ Use of Coronavirus Relief Fund Proceeds
New Jersey Office of the State Comptroller
Follow-Up Review of COVID-19 CARES Act Marine Fisheries Assistance Grant Program
The Office of the State Comptroller issued a report in connection with its initial, limited review of the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) administration of the New Jersey COVID-19 CARES Act Marine Fisheries Assistance Grant Program (Fisheries Program). This letter memorializes the results from the Office of the State Comptroller and the independent COVID-19 Integrity Oversight Monitors reviews of the Fisheries Program and reports on DEP’s recent commitment to recoup public funds that should be returned to the State.
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation OIG
White Paper: Searching Plan Records for Deceased Participants
Louisiana Department of Education Financial Audit Services Management Letter
We performed procedures at the Department of Education (DOE) to provide assurances on financial information that is significant to the state’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report; evaluate the effectiveness of DOE’s internal controls over financial reporting and compliance; and determine whether DOE complied with applicable laws and regulations. In addition, we determined whether management has taken actions to correct the findings reported in the prior year. For the second consecutive audit, DOE did not comply with Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act reporting requirements.
Pandemic Response Accountability Committee
FRAUD ALERT FOLLOW-UP: Improved Sharing of Death Records and Use of the Do Not Pay System Would Strengthen Program Integrity and Better Protect the Public
This update expands on our January 2023 Fraud Alert that identified 69,000 questionable Social Security Numbers (SSNs) used to obtain $5.4 billion in potentially fraudulent loans made in the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). As detailed in that Fraud Alert, PRAC data scientists, using our Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence, identified the questionable SSNs after determining that the names, SSNs, and/or dates of birth used in connection with COVID-19 EIDL/PPP applications did not match Social Security Administration’s (SSAs)...
Department of Justice OIG
Inmate Perceptions of the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Management of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic
To view the survey, please visit: https://oig.justice.gov/reports/inmate-perceptions-federal-bureau-priso…
Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery
Alert Memorandum: Closure of Participating Main Street Lending Program Bank
Alert Memorandum:Closure of Participating MainStreet Lending Program Bank