Reports

In FY 2020-21, state agencies administered $20.8 billion in federal financial assistance, including $6.6 billion that was expended related to the public health emergency and that was separately identified in the State’s Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards. Our audit focused on 24 federal programs that accounted for 82.3 percent of the federal financial assistance administered. We found that state agencies generally complied with federal requirements, and we provided an unmodified opinion on federal compliance for 22 of the programs we reviewed. However, we qualified our opinion on...

The Emergency Rental Assistance program helps individuals affected by the public health emergency to cover the cost of rent and utilities. Through June 2021, DOA received $434.7 million in federal funds through the Consolidated Appropriations Act and the American Rescue Plan Act for the program. From March 2021 through September 2021, the program provided $64.0 million in benefits for 15,968 households. We make recommendations for DOA to improve how it administers the Emergency Rental Assistance program, including by improving the program’s application process, modifying the process for...

In this performance audit of the State of Illinois's response to the management of the COVID-19 outbreak at the LaSalle Veterans' Home, the Illinois Office of the Auditor General identified that while the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) was notified of the increasing number of COVID-19 cases at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home beginning on November 1, 2020, they did not identify and respond to the seriousness of the outbreak despite it being a responsibility of the department to provide guidance and monitoring to protect the residents at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home.

Our inspection identified $155,575 in CARES Act and pandemic-related purchase card transactions with insufficient documentation.

Our inspection identified several issues with CARES Act and pandemic-related purchase card transactions made through September 30, 2020.

Our inspection identified several concerns with CARES Act and pandemic-related contract actions made through October 31, 2020.

Our objective was to determine whether NIST is complying with the requirements of the CARES Act. Specifically, we determined (1) what steps NIST took to implement and comply with the CARES Act, (2) challenges NIST faced during implementation, and (3) NIST’s status in the processing of applications and awarding funds under the CARES Act. Overall, we found that NIST implemented and followed the requirements of the CARES Act and applicable grant award policies and procedures. In addition, NIST implemented measures to mitigate challenges resulting from an increased workload and a forced transition...

We reviewed the actions the BLM has taken to protect its employees, volunteers, and the visiting public during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For our evaluation of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS, also known as NOAA Fisheries) plan for the implementation of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) funding, our objective was to determine whether NOAA complied with the requirements of the CARES Act. Specifically, we determined (1) what steps NOAA took in implementing the requirements for awarding funds, (2) challenges NOAA faced during implementation, and (3) NOAA’s current status in processing applications and award funds under the CARES Act...

On March 27, 2020, Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) was enacted. To date the CARES Act has provided the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) with $909.7 million, which includes direct apportionments of $756 million to support the needs of DOI programs, bureaus, Indian Country, and the Insular Areas, and a $153.7 million transfer from the U.S. Department of Education to the BIE. This report presents the DOI’s progress as of January 31, 2021, in spending CARES Act appropriations. Specifically, the DOI’s expenditures to date total $613,068,783, and its obligations...