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Audits, Inspections, and Evaluations

Report Number Title Issue Date Fiscal Year
OIG-16-100 Since 2001, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program has awarded fire departments and first responder organizations almost $10 billion through AFG and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants. We reviewed whether recipients complied with grant requirements and guidance to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse of grant funds. This report on AFG grants is being issued as a companion report to our previously issued report on SAFER grants.

>FEMA's Grant Programs Directorate Did Not Effectively Manage Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program - AFG Grants 		2016
OIG-16-104-D The Louisiana Office of Community Development (OCD) received $702.9 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds for hazard mitigation grant program (HMGP) work on 9,588 properties under Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. We received allegations that the timeliness of OCD payments was placing financial hardship on program contractors. Therefore, our objective was to determine whether OCD processed payments to contractors in a timely manner and according to Federal regulations, FEMA guidelines, and State laws. We did not verify the validity of costs claimed or completion of work.

>The Office of Community Development Paid Most Contractors in a Timely Manner for Hazard Mitigation Work on Louisiana Homes 		2016
OIG-16-105 Based on GSA’s eRETA system, between fiscal years 2003 and 2014, DHS and its components authorized more than 18,000 RWAs with GSA, totaling $4.1 billion. We conducted this audit to determine whether the Department’s use of RWAs was in compliance with statutory, regulatory, departmental, and component requirements.

>DHS' Use of Reimbursable Work Agreements with GSA 		2016
OIG-16-106-D FROM: John E. McCoy II

Assistant Inspector General for Audits

SUBJECT: Office of Inspector General Emergency Management Oversight Team Deployment Audits

Audit Report Numbers OIG-13-84, OIG-13-117, OIG-13-124, OIG-14-50-D, OIG-14-111-D, OIG-15-92-D, OIG-15-102-D, OIG-15-105-D, OIG-16-53-D, OIG-16-85-D, OIG-16-106-D, OIG-17-37-D

After completing an internal review of our audits related to multiple Emergency Management Oversight Team (EMOT) projects, we have decided to permanently remove the subject reports from our public website.

Our internal review found the subject reports may not have adequately answered objectives and, in some cases, may have lacked sufficient and appropriate evidence to support conclusions. Answering objectives with sufficient and appropriate evidence is required under Government Auditing Standards or Quality Standards for Inspection and Evaluation. In an abundance of caution, we believe it best to recall the reports and not re-issue them.

Going forward, our EMOTs will deploy during the response phase of a disaster to identify and alert the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its stakeholders of potential issues or risks if they do not follow FEMA and other Federal requirements. The EMOT’s reviews will not be conducted under Government Auditing Standards. The teams will continue to observe and identify potential risk areas that will be addressed by future traditional audits, if necessary.

A complete list of the projects removed from our website is attached. You should not place any reliance on these reports.

Please contact me at (202) 254-4100 if you have any questions.

>FEMA Was Generally Effective in Its Initial Response to the Severe Wildfires in California 		2016
OIG-16-107-D At the time of our audit, FEMA had granted the Commission a $7.4 million grant for damages from severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding that occurred in April and May 2014. We conducted this audit early in the grant process to identify areas where the Commission may need additional technical assistance or monitoring to ensure compliance with Federal requirements. What We

>The Baldwin County Commission Effectively Managed FEMA Grant Funds Awarded for Damages from Spring 2014 Storms 		2016
OIG-16-108 Management Advisory - DHS Should Better Evaluate the Performance of Its Working Capital Fund 2016
OIG-16-109-D We prepared this report to assist recipients and subrecipients (grantees and subgrantees) of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster assistance grants. We have updated this guide to include information on FEMA’s Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide (PAPPG) that supersedes many of the Public Assistance publications and individual policy documents. The PAPPG is effective for all emergencies and major disasters declared on or after January 01, 2016.

>Audit Tips For Managing Disaster-Related Project Costs 		2016
OIG-16-110-D The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (Board) received a $2.4 million award in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant funds for damages in Minneapolis, Minnesota, from severe storms, straight-line winds, and flooding in June 2013. Our audit objective was to determine whether the Board accounted for and expended FEMA funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines.

>Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Generally Accounted For and Expended FEMA Grant Funds Properly 		2016
OIG-16-111-VR Verification Review of Transportation Security Administration's Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques/Behavior Detection and Analysis Program 2016
OIG-16-112-D Nashville-Davidson County, Tennessee (County) received a net grant award of $69.8 million from the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (Tennessee), a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grantee, for damages resulting from a May 2010 flood. We audited 14 projects for emergency work totaling $19.3 million, or 71 percent of the $27.2 million awarded for emergency work.

>FEMA Should Recover $2.2 Million of $27.2 Million in Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded to Nashville-Davidson County, Tennessee, for May 2010 Flood Emergency Work 		2016
OIG-16-113-VR ICE Still Struggles to Hire and Retain Staff for Mental Health Cases in Immigration Detention 2016
OIG-16-114-D The Village of Pilger, Nebraska (Village), received a $5.6 million Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) award for damages resulting from severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding in June 2014. We conducted this audit early in the grant process to identify areas where the Village may need additional technical assistance or monitoring to ensure compliance.

>The Village Of Pilger, Nebraska, Took Corrective Actions to Comply with Federal Grant Award Requirements 		2016
OIG-16-115-D Mississippi received a $29.9 million Hazard Mitigation grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the state’s Coastal Retrofit Program (Program). The goal of the Program was to help 2,000 Mississippi homeowners strengthen their homes against wind damages in future disasters. We received complaints that the state was mishandling Federal funds for this Program.

>FEMA Should Suspend All Grant Payments on the $29.9 Million Coastal Retrofit Program Until Mississippi Can Properly Account for Federal Funds 		2016
OIG-16-116-D At the time of our audit, the City of Hazelwood, Missouri (City), estimated it had sustained approximately $3.3 million in damages from flooding in December 2015. We conducted this audit early in the grant process to identify areas where the City may need additional technical assistance and monitoring to ensure compliance with Federal requirements.

>City of Hazelwood, Missouri, Needs Additional Assistance and Monitoring to Ensure Proper Management of Its Federal Grant 		2016
OIG-16-117-D Ocean County, New Jersey (County) received a $105 million Public Assistance grant award from the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management (New Jersey), a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grantee, for Hurricane Sandy damages in October 2012. Our audit objective was to determine whether the County accounted for and expended FEMA funds according to Federal requirements.

>Ocean County, New Jersey, Generally Accounted for and Expended FEMA Public Assistance Funds Properly 		2016
OIG-16-119-D The City of Louisville (City), Mississippi, received a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance award of $51.7 million for damages resulting from April 2014 storms. We reviewed Project 104 totaling $47.3 million for compliance with the Public Assistance AlternativeProcedures Pilot (PAAP) Program authorized by the Sandy Recovery Improvement Act of 2013.

>FEMA Improperly Awarded $47.3 Million to the City of Louisville, Mississippi 		2016
OIG-16-118-D Wisner-Pilger Public Schools (Wisner-Pilger) received a $7.9 million Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant award for damages from severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding in June 2014. We conducted this audit early in the grant process to identify areas where Wisner-Pilger may need additional technical assistance or monitoring to ensure compliance.

>Wisner-Pilger Public Schools, Nebraska, Took Corrective Actions to Comply with Federal Grant Award Requirements 		2016
OIG-16-120-D FEMA estimated that the County had sustained approximately $1.97 million in damages from severe storms and flooding in late 2015. We conducted this audit early in the grant process to identify areas where the County may need additional technical assistance or monitoring to ensure compliance with Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines.

>Phelps County, Missouri, Needs Additional Assistance and Monitoring to Ensure Proper Management of Its $1.97 Million FEMA Grant 		2016
OIG-16-122-D The severe winter storms, straight-line winds, flooding,landslides, and mudslides during December 6–23, 2015, caused severe damageto the City of Portland, Oregon (City). City officials estimate that disaster-related costs may exceed $11 million. We conducted this audit early in the PublicAssistance process to identify areas where the Citymay need additional technical assistance or monitoring to ensure compliance with Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines.

>Portland, Oregon, Has Adequate Policies, Procedures, and Business Practices to Manage Its FEMA Grant Funding 		2016
OIG-16-121-D Washington County, Florida, (County) received an award of $13.9 million from the Florida Division of Emergency Management Agency (Florida), a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grantee, for damages resulting from a July 2013 flood. We audited 14 projects totaling $3.6 million. Our audit objective was to determine whether the County accounted for and expended FEMA funds according to Federal requirements.

>Washington County, Florida, Effectively Managed FEMA Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded for a July 2013 Flood 		2016
OIG-16-123 In response to a request from Senator Tom Coburn, we reviewed U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Office of Professional Responsibility’s (OPR) actions to determine whether its collection, storage, and sharing of sensitive personally identifiable information (PII) violated the Privacy Act of 1974 or Department policies. We also sought to determine whether CBP OPR’s policies and training for protecting sensitive PII are adequate.

>CBP's Office of Professional Responsibility's Privacy Policies and Practices 		2016
OIG-16-128 We conducted this audit to determine whether TSA’s background check processes ensure only eligible individuals receive credentials and remain in the program.

>TWIC Background Checks are Not as Reliable as They Could Be 		2016
OIG-16-124-D The Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) received a $7.6 million Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant award from the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (Nebraska), a FEMA grantee, for damages it sustained from severe storms, tornadoes, straight line winds, and flooding in May 2014. Our audit objective was to determine whether NPPD accounted for and expended FEMA funds according to Federal requirements. What We

>Nebraska Public Power District Properly Managed FEMA Grant Funds Awarded for May 2014 Storms 		2016
OIG-16-127-D We conducted this audit to gain a better understanding of the problem and identify ways FEMA can improve Reservist performance.

>FEMA Can Enhance Readiness with Management of Its Disaster Incident Workforce 		2016
OIG-16-126-D FEMA grants billions of dollars each year to recipients that contract for services to help communities respond to and recover from disasters. We performed this audit to assess the extent to which FEMA has allowed contract costs we questioned for noncompliance with Federal procurement requirements. We also assessed whether FEMA has granted an exception to procurement requirements for a class of grants, rather than on a case-by-case basis.

>FEMA Can Do More to Improve Public Assistance Grantees’ and Subgrantees’ Compliance with Federal Procurement Rules 		2016
OIG-16-129 The Government Charge Card Abuse Prevention Act of 2012 (Charge Card Act) requires the Office of Inspector General to conduct an annual risk assessment on agency charge card programs. We conducted this risk assessment to determine whether the Department of Homeland Security implemented sufficient internal controls to prevent illegal, improper, and erroneous purchases and payments.

>Fiscal Year 2015 Risk Assessment of the DHS Bank Card Program Indicates Moderate Risk 		2016
OIG-16-125-D The Long Beach City School District, New York (District) received a $35.5 million Public Assistance grant award from the New York Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (New York), a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grantee, for damages from Hurricane Sandy that occurred in October 2012.

>Long Beach City School District in New York Generally Accounted For and Expended FEMA Public Assistance Funds Properly 		2016
OIG-16-130 When aliens apply for U.S. citizenship, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) obtains information about their immigration history through fingerprint records. Our objective was to determine whether USCIS uses these records effectively during the naturalization process.

>Potentially Ineligible Individuals Have Been Granted U.S.Citizenship Because of Incomplete Fingerprint Records 		2016
OIG-16-134 We sought to determine whether the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has an intelligence-driven, risk-based security strategy that informs security and resource decisions across all transportation modes.

>Transportation Security Administration Needs a Crosscutting Risk-Based Security Strategy 		2016
OIG-16-131 We evaluated the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) enterprise-wide security program for Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information intelligence systems. We assessed DHS programs for continuous monitoring management, configuration management, identity and access management, incident response and reporting, risk management, security training, plans of actions and milestones, remote access management, contingency planning, and contractor systems. This report will be issued to the Office of the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community, in accordance with reporting instructions dated May 10, 2016.

>Review of DHS’ Information Security Program for Intelligence Systems for Fiscal Year 2016 		2016
OIG-16-133-D The Ouachita Parish Police Jury, Louisiana (Ouachita Parish), sustained potential damages of approximately $3.7 million from severe storms and flooding in March 2016. We conducted this audit early in the grant process to identify areas where the parish may need additional technical assistance or monitoring to ensure compliance with Federal requirements.

>Louisiana Should Provide the Ouachita Parish Police Jury Assistance in Managing FEMA Grant Funds 		2016
OIG-16-132-D The April 17, 2013 fertilizer plant explosion devastated the City of West, Texas, killing 15 and leveling homes in a 5-block radius. The West School Administration (School District) received $63.4 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant funds from the Texas Division of Emergency Management, a FEMA grantee, for emergency and permanent recovery work.

>FEMA Miscalculated the 50 Percent Rule when Deciding to Replace School Buildings after the West, Texas Explosion 		2016
OIG-16-135-D Hope Academy (Hope) in D’Iberville, Mississippi, received a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance award of $3.5 million for damages Hurricane Katrina caused in August 2005. Both FEMA and the Office of Inspector General had concerns about the eligibility of Hope as an applicant for assistance and about Hope’s purchase of land for permanent relocation of damaged properties.

>FEMA Should Recover $3.4 Million of the $3.5 Million Awarded to Hope Academy for Hurricane Katrina Damages 		2016
OIG-16-136-D Calaveras County, California (County), received a $10.8 million grant for damages from the September 2015 Butte Fire. We conducted this audit early in the grant process to identify areas where the County may need additional technical assistance or monitoring to ensure compliance.

>Calaveras County, California, Needs Additional State and FEMA Assistance in Managing Its $10.8 Million FEMA Grant ( 		2016
OIG-16-137-D At the time of our audit, FEMA estimated that the City of Eureka, Missouri (City), had sustained approximately $1.5 million in damages from flooding in December 2015. We conducted the audit early in the grant process to identify areas where the City may need additional technical assistance or monitoring to ensure compliance with Federal procurement requirements.

>City of Eureka, Missouri, Needs Additional Assistance and Monitoring to Ensure Proper Management of Its $1.5 Million FEMA Grant 		2016
OIG-16-138 In 2012, we reported on DHS’ challenges in implementing an effective information technology (IT) management program. FITARA was enacted in 2014 to institutionalize IT reform across the Federal Government. We conducted this audit to determine the extent to which DHS has implemented FITARA to improve department-wide IT management and oversight.

>DHS’ Progress in Implementing the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act 		2016
OIG-16-141 The Reducing Over- Classification Act requires Federal Government Inspectors General of departments that make original classification determinations to conduct no less than two evaluations of their agencies’ classification policies, procedures, rules, and regulations. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) implemented the two recommendations from our first evaluation. In this second evaluation, we assessed DHS’ progress in its classification management program after implementing the recommendations. What We

>DHS Has Not Trained Classified Network Users on the Classification Management Tool 		2016
OIG-16-140-D The Town of North Hempstead, New York, (Town) received a $36.6 million Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant award for damages from Hurricane Sandy, which occurred in October 2012. We audited four projects totaling $20.9 million for debris removal and emergency protective services.

>FEMA Should Recover $9.9 Million of $36.6 Million Awarded to the Town of North Hempstead, New York, for Hurricane Sandy Damages 		2016
OIG-16-142 Title IV, Section 406 of the Cybersecurity Act of 2015 requires Inspectors General to assess agency National Security Systems (NSS) and other systems that provide access to personally identifiable information (PII). We reviewed information security policies and practices for logical access and data protection at the Department of Homeland Security in four key areas, asrequired by the Act.

>Review of the Department of Homeland Security's Implementation of the Cybersecurity Act of 2015 		2016
OIG-16-139-D Time is of the essence in establishing a Joint Field Office (JFO) as the nexus of disaster response and recovery efforts. FEMA needs to implement consistent JFO selection guidance so its disaster response is effective, efficient and economical. This audit was conducted as a follow up to our prior report on the JFO Selection in New Jersey and as part of our 2015 disaster deployment efforts in Texas and South Carolina.

>FEMA Should Implement Consistent Joint Field Office Guidance 		2016
OIG-16-143-D The City of Louisville (City), Mississippi, received a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant award of $61.7 million for damages resulting from an April 2014 disaster. We had concerns about how effectively the City complied with the Public Assistance Alternative Procedures Pilot Program (PAAP program) authorized by the Sandy Recovery Improvement Act of 2013.

>FEMA Should Recover $25.4 Million in Grant Funds Awarded to Louisville, Mississippi, for an April 2014 Disaster 		2016
OIG-17-01 We determined that the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) did not have adequate protections in place on systems to which Master Central Index (MCI) information was migrated.  These problems occurred because USSS has not consistently made IT management a priority.  The USSS Chief Information Officer (CIO) lacked authority for all IT resources and was not effectively positioned to provide necessary oversight, inadequate attention was given to updating USSS IT policies, and high turnover and vacancies within the Office of the CIO meant a lack of leadership to ensure IT systems were properly managed.  In addition, USSS personnel were not adequately trained to successfully perform their duties. We made 10 recommendations to USSS and 1 recommendation to the DHS Privacy Office to reduce the risk of future unauthorized access and disclosure of sensitive information. The USSS and the DHS Privacy Officer concurred with these recommendations.

>USSS Faces Challenges Protecting Sensitive Case Management Systems and Data 		2017
OIG-17-02 We determined that overall; the Department cannot be assured that its preparedness plans can be executed effectively during a pandemic event.  As a result, the eight components we reviewed may not be fully prepared to continue mission essential functions during a pandemic event.  The Department concurred with all seven recommendations and has initiated corrective actions

>DHS Pandemic Planning Needs Better Oversight, Training, and Execution 		2017
OIG-17-04 We determined that airports do not always properly account for access media badges after they have been issued, and that the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) current inspection practice of relying on information reported by airports about access media badges limits its oversight of controls over badge accountability.  We made three recommendations to improve TSA’s oversight of airport access media badge controls. 

>TSA Could Improve Its Oversight of Airport Controls over Access Media Badges (Redacted) 		2017
OIG-17-03 We determined that the maritime missions and responsibilities of the agencies are not duplicative and their efforts bolster the overall effectiveness of DHS maritime border security. Given the large area of responsibility, different activities, and limited resources, eliminating the maritime law enforcement responsibilities of either agency — or combining them — could be harmful to border security.  However, Air and Marine Operations and the Coast Guard could improve coordination in some areas.  DHS concurred with our two recommendations to improve oversight, and coordination of maritime operations.

>AMO and Coast Guard Maritime Missions Are Not Duplicative, But Could Improve with Better Coordination 		2017
OIG-17-05 We determined that CBP, ICE and USSS have been able to maintain staffing levels close to the authorized number of law enforcement personnel, but they continue to have significant delays in hiring. The additional steps in the hiring process add to the time it takes to hire law enforcement officers, but the components also do not have the staff or comprehensive automated systems needed to hire personnel as efficiently as possible.  Although they have taken steps to reduce the time it takes to hire law enforcement personnel, it is too early to measure the long-term effects of the Department’s and the components’ recent actions. We made five recommendations to make the law enforcement hiring process more efficient.

>DHS Is Slow to Hire Law Enforcement Personnel 		2017
OIG-17-08 This report summarizes what we consider the most serious management and performance challenges to both the Department as a whole, as well as individual components challenges.  We remain concerned about the systemic nature of these challenges, some of which span multiple Administrations and changes in Department leadership.  We also assess the Department’s progress in addressing those challenges.  This year, we are reporting the Department’s major challenges in the following areas: Unity of Effort, Employee Morale and Engagement, Acquisition Management, Grants Management, Cybersecurity, Management Fundamentals.  We did not make any new recommendations in this report.

>Major Management and Performance Challenges Facing the Department of Homeland Security 		2017
OIG-17-09 We determined that the Department’s oversight of its drug interdiction efforts did not align with the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s (ONDCP) National Drug Control Strategy.  .  This occurred because DHS lacks formal oversight roles and responsibilities to ensure its drug interdiction performance activities met both ONDCP and legislative requirements.  As a result, DHS could not ensure its drug interdiction efforts met required national drug control outcomes nor accurately assess the impact of the approximately $4.2 billion it spends annually on drug control activities.  We made two recommendations that, if implemented, will improve DHS’ drug interdiction efforts.  DHS concurred with both recommendations.

>DHS Drug Interdiction Efforts Need Improvement 		2017
OIG-17-07-D We determined that Pennsylvania did not comply with Federal regulations.  Since 2005 Pennsylvania has returned to compliance.  However, it has not remitted earnings on drawdowns held as investments.  We recommended that FEMA collect $2,430,541 from Pennsylvania in investment earnings on disaster assistance funds.  FEMA Region III concurred with the two recommendations in the report.

>FEMA Should Recover $2.4 Million in Investment Gains Pennsylvania Improperly Earned on Federal Disaster Funds 		2017
OIG-17-10 We determined that the U.S. Secret Service has clearly taken the Protective Mission Panel’s (PMP) recommendations seriously, which it has demonstrated by making a number of significant changes.  Specifically, it has improved communication within the workforce, better articulated its budget needs, increased hiring, and committed to more training.  However, fully implementing many of the PMP’s recommendations will require long-term financial planning, further staff increases, consistent re-evaluation of the initiated actions’ effectiveness, and a multi-year commitment by Secret Service and Department of Homeland Security leadership.  We have made five recommendations.

>The Secret Service Has Taken Action to Address the Recommendations of the Protective Mission Panel 		2017

*NDAA, Pub. L. 117-263, section 5274 Response Received. View responses

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