Reports

We prepared this white paper to report on the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 7(a) loan program performance during SBA’s response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and address potential risks SBA should consider in managing the program. We identified factors that could impact the 7(a) loan program and should be considered in SBA’s program risk strategy. Specifically, in FY 2021, the total amount of loans increased to $31.4 billion from $19.4 billion in FY 2020 (62 percent increase) and $20.6 billion in FY 2019 (53 percent increase), as did the average loan amount...

In FY 2021-22, state agencies administered $20.2 billion in federal financial assistance, including $5.9 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 22 federal programs that accounted for 58.9 percent of the federal financial assistance administered. We provided an unmodified opinion on federal compliance for 21 of the programs we reviewed. However, we again qualified our opinion on compliance for certain requirements related to the Emergency Rental Assistance...

The PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence (PACE) data scientists identified $5.4 Billion in potential identity fraud associated with over 69,000 questionable Social Security Numbers (SSNs) used on applications across disbursed loans in the Small Business Administration’s COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program and Paycheck Protection Program. Through collaborative verification methods with the Social Security Administration, we identified that these SSNs were used in connection with over 99,000 applications and warrant further scrutiny. The results of this Fraud Alert...

This report is a summary of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee’s accomplishments between April 1, 2022, and September 30, 2022.

We provided unmodified audit opinions on University of Wisconsin (UW) System’s FY 2021-22 financial statements, including its aggregate discretely presented component units. We also completed a limited-scope review of how UW institutions administered supplemental federal funds from three sources. We found that UW institutions used $239,200 from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund for costs that were unallowable by criteria that the federal government established. In addition, we recommend UW System Administration improve its oversight of a new computer application.

We provided unmodified audit opinions on the State of Wisconsin’s FY 2021-22 financial statements. These financial statements are included in the State’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report. We reported seven significant deficiencies in internal control over financial reporting, and we made 24 recommendations to state agencies. We also reviewed certain aspects of the federal funding the State received for the public health emergency, and we included in our report certain other matters of interest related to the State’s activities in FY 2021-22.

As requested by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, we have completed a limited-scope review of how the Department of Administration (DOA) used supplemental federal funds provided in response to the public health emergency. DOA paid $2.2 billion to other state agencies and spent $1.5 billion on its own programs. As of June 30, 2022, $1.8 billion in discretionary funds were remaining. In December 2022, DOA indicated it had plans for using most of these funds.

Recognizing how critical telehealth has been to the federal COVID-19 response, the PRAC Health Care Subgroup—which includes six Federal Offices of Inspectors General—worked together to provide insights on the use of telehealth and its associated program integrity risks.

Using supplemental federal funding, the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) awarded $220.7 million through its We’re All In program to small businesses, restaurants, and similar entities and $375.2 million through its Wisconsin Tomorrow program to small businesses and lodging establishments. We performed a detailed review of 172 grants and found DOR did not follow written eligibility requirements when it awarded 45 of these grants. We recommend that DOR report to the Joint Legislative Audit Committee on the results of its ongoing efforts to identify and recover program grants it made in...

This report represents our current assessment of the U.S. Small Business Administration's programs and activities that pose significant risks, including those that are particularly vulnerable to fraud, waste, error, mismanagement, or inefficiencies. The Challenges are not presented in order of priority, except for the COVID 19 challenge, which we address first in this report. We also view the other challenges as critically important to SBA operations.