Reports

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...

Full Details: Oversight.gov Report Page

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...

Full Details: Oversight.gov Report Page

Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery

Audit of Direct Loan Program Recipient – Mesa Airlines, Inc.

Full Details: Oversight.gov Report Page

Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery

Interim Report: Audit of the Effects the Main Street Lending Program’s Loan Losses Have on Treasury’s Investment in the Program

Full Details: Oversight.gov Report Page

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...

Full Details: Oversight.gov Report Page

Department of Homeland Security OIG

Ineffective Controls Over COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Leave the Program Susceptible to Waste and Abuse

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) did not always implement effective internal controls to provide oversight of COVID-19 Funeral Assistance. FEMA’s funeral assistance program greatly expanded the universe of reimbursable expenses for deaths related to COVID-19, even beyond those specifically identified as ineligible under established FEMA policy, without establishing guardrails to ensure relief was limited to necessary expenses and serious needs as required by statute.

Full Details: Oversight.gov Report Page

Audit | 8/24/2023

1 - Open

We recommend that the FEMA Administrator resolve questioned costs totaling an estimated $24,438,662 for expenses deemed ineligible by FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program and Policy Guide and determine the amount of any debts owed by recipients for erroneous payments.

2 - Closed

We recommend that the FEMA Administrator resolve other questioned costs included in our report and determine the amount of any debts owed by recipients for erroneous payments. Other questioned costs requiring resolution include: a) $1,348,546 for awards issued to multiple applicants for the same decedents; b) $554,653 for awards issued for applications that exceeded the $9,000 per decedent award limit; and c) $591,805 for 93 applications for which FEMA did not adequately review eligibility criteria of the applications.

3 - Open

We recommend that the FEMA Administrator ensure that future iterations of the Individual Assistance Program and Policy Guide and supporting procedures (a) provide consistent guidance on eligibility of funeral expenses for all future disaster declarations; and (b) allow for reimbursement of only necessary expenses and serious needs, consistent with the law.

4 - Closed

We recommend that the FEMA Administrator strengthen and monitor improvement of FEMA’s COVID-19 Funeral Assistance training practices with particular focus on: a) distinguishing legitimate sources of potential duplication such as decedent’s name and social security number from potential duplications that arise due to FEMA using a repurposed Individual Assistance processing system, with a data field such as damaged dwelling address; b) preventing FEMA from reimbursing expenses exceeding the maximum $9,000 per decedent; and c) deducting financial assistance received from outside sources such as pre-need funeral arrangements, burial insurance, and assistance from other voluntary or government agencies.

5 - Open

We recommend that the FEMA Administrator ensure that FEMA provides its COVID-19 Funeral Assistance call center contractor the guidance and training necessary to meet the quality control and production monitoring metrics as prescribed by its agreement with the contractor.

Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery

Independent Review of Executive Compensation: Yellow Corporation

The objective of this audit is to determine whether Yellow, and its affiliates, complied with executive compensation limits under Section 12.05 of its Loan and Guarantee Agreement with the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Department of Homeland Security OIG

FEMA Did Not Effectively Manage the Distribution of COVID-19 Medical Supplies and Equipment

Although the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) worked with its strategic partners to deliver critical medical supplies and equipment in response to COVID-19, FEMA did not effectively manage the distribution process. Specifically, FEMA did not use the Logistics Supply Chain Management System (LSCMS), its system of record for managing the distribution process, to track about 30 percent of the critical medical resources shipped, as required.

Full Details: Oversight.gov Report Page

Audit | 7/20/2023

1 - Closed

We recommend the FEMA Administrator clarify existing guidance and ensure FEMA personnel use the Logistics Supply Chain Management System or an alternative integrated solution as the system of record during disaster response operations to manage the distribution of FEMA-owned commodities, supplies, and equipment as well as those sourced by FEMA from partners across the Federal Government, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector to fulfill state, local, tribal, and territorial requests.

2 - Open

We recommend the FEMA Administrator take action to develop and improve the Logistics Management Directorate’s internal controls, guidance, and system integration to obtain more accurate information that enhances logistics decision making regarding the fulfillment of commodity requests during disaster response operations. At a minimum, FEMA should: a. develop internal controls to ensure appropriate information related to facility types, intermediate locations, and transportation-only orders is accurately reported in the Logistics Supply Chain Management System or an alternative integrated solution; b. update guidance and deliver training to ensure there is a clear audit trail when aggregating distribution data on FEMA-owned commodities, supplies, and equipment as well as those sourced by FEMA from partners across the Federal Government, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector to fulfill state, local, tribal, and territorial requests; and c. improve integration between the Logistics Supply Chain Management System and the Web Emergency Operations Center Crisis Management System to ensure the systems are, to the extent practicable, compatible and share information as required by the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006.

3 - Open

We recommend the FEMA Administrator issue guidance and ensure a standardized process for collecting and maintaining documentation to confirm delivery and receipt of FEMA-owned commodities, supplies, and equipment, as well as those sourced by FEMA from partners across the Federal Government, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector to fulfill state, local, tribal, and territorial requests. At a minimum, the guidance and standardized process should: a. identify the required types of documentation to confirm delivery and receipt such as signed bills of lading, packing slips, and other forms; b. include controls to ensure the shipment documentation includes item descriptions and the specific quantity of items delivered and received; c. clarify the procedures for executing and documenting the delivery of commodities, supplies, and equipment to locations where no FEMA personnel are present to receive shipments; and d. establish appropriate repositories for delivery and receipt documentation.

Federal Reserve Board & CFPB OIG

The Board and FRB Boston Generally Followed Their Process for Purchasing MSLP Loan Participations but Can Formally Document Some Key Processes

Full Details: Oversight.gov Report Page

Inspection / Evaluation | 7/17/2023

Federal Reserve Board & CFPB OIG

Audit of the CFPB’s Consumer Response Operations

Pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act, the CFPB’s Office of Consumer Response collects, monitors, and responds to consumer complaints on financial services and products. The CFPB uses these consumer complaints to help inform the agency’s supervision activities, enforce federal consumer financial laws, and write rules and regulations. With an increase in consumer complaints as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Consumer Response faces an operational risk with respect to the timeliness in which it can respond to consumer complaints. We plan to assess the effectiveness of the CFPB’s processes for reviewing and responding to consumer complaints.

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State (State and Local Reports)

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Reports

Key Insights: Contracts and Grants Workforce Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Review of Personnel Shortages in Federal Health Care Programs During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Audit of Direct Loan Program Recipient – Mesa Airlines, Inc.

Interim Report: Audit of the Effects the Main Street Lending Program’s Loan Losses Have on Treasury’s Investment in the Program

Identity Fraud Victim Redress Processes and Systems

Ineffective Controls Over COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Leave the Program Susceptible to Waste and Abuse

Independent Review of Executive Compensation: Yellow Corporation

FEMA Did Not Effectively Manage the Distribution of COVID-19 Medical Supplies and Equipment

The Board and FRB Boston Generally Followed Their Process for Purchasing MSLP Loan Participations but Can Formally Document Some Key Processes

Audit of the CFPB’s Consumer Response Operations

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