ARRA Advisory - Sampling of Improper Payments in Major DOT Grants Programs Department of Transportation
The Office of Inspector General is working to identify potential business risks for the more than $48 billion in stimulus funds allocated to the Department of Transportation (DOT). One important control for preventing such risks is the DOT's improper payment testing, which is conducted pursuant to the Improper Payments Information Act of 2002 (IPIA). This testing, when conducted properly, can better identify improper payments and determine the seriousness or extent of such payments. The Office of Inspector General issued an advisory report emphasizing the need for ensuring the integrity of the sample selection, including expanding the sample size, for the improper payments testing. Greater attention to these areas is needed to ensure government funds, including Recovery Act dollars, are not improperly paid.
The Federal Aviation Administration's Role in Safety Oversight of Air Carriers
On June 10, the Inspector General testified before the Senate Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security regarding the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) role in the oversight of air carriers. The Inspector General noted that while FAA has made progress toward improving aspects of its safety oversight, there are still vulnerabilities that must be addressed, especially in five critical areas: (1) risk–based inspections, repair stations, aging aircraft, disclosures of safety violations made through the Aviation Safety Action Program, and internal reviews of whistleblower complaints.
The Inspector General also noted operational differences between regional and mainline carriers that could impact safety and discussed his office's recently initiated review in this area. This review was requested by the Subcommittee as a result of a National Transportation Safety Board hearing last month that highlighted pilot training and fatigue issues following the crash of Colgan flight 3407. The Office of Inspector General's review will focus on (1) aspects of pilot training, such as FAA’s standards for and oversight of certification of commercial pilot training, (2) FAA regulations and airline policies regarding crew rest requirements, and (3) possible correlations between accidents and pilot experience and compensation.
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