http://www.oig.dot.gov/rss.jsp?subject=3 The 10 most recent releases on the U.S. DoT OIG web site related to Department-wide Audits en-US webmaster@oig.dot.gov (OIG Webmaster) http://www.oig.dot.gov/images/dot.gif http://www.oig.dot.gov/rss.jsp?subject=3 http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2250 On February 29, we responded to Chairman Waxmans December 7, 2007, letter requesting that the DOT OIG provide a list of recommendations it has made from January 1, 2001, to the present that have not been implemented by agency officials or by Congress. We identified 168 key recommendations, included in 81 audit reports, which remain open for the Department. We also reported four key recommendations, contained in one audit report, that are currently open for NTSB. We defined "key" open recommendations as recommendations that address significant safety, security, and oversight issues, or provide financial benefits. Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2250 http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2209 The Office of Inspector General is undertaking an audit of TransportationRelated PublicPrivate Partnerships. The objectives of this audit are to: (1)determine the cost advantages and disadvantages to the public sector of PPP transactions compared to the more traditional financing of transportation infrastructure projects through the issuance of debt by government or quasigovernment entities in the public or municipal bond markets; (2)evaluate the benefits and value realized through PPPs to both the private and public sector in order to determine the overall equity of the transactions; and (3) determine whether, and to what extent, PPPs result in operating efficiencies. Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2209 http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2121 On September 7, we issued our review of congressional earmarks within Department of Transportation programs. In August 2006, Senator Coburn requested that we conduct an independent analysis of congressional earmarks. Consistent with Senator Coburns request, we determined (1) the total number and amount of earmarks within DOT for FY 2006, (2) the inclusion of earmarks in DOTs annual planning and project evaluation processes, and (3) the effects of earmarks on DOTs mission and goals.Overall, we identified 8,056 earmarked projects within the Departments programs that received more than $8.54 billion for FY 2006. Our review of 7,760 earmarked projects valued at $8.05 billion within Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, and Federal Aviation Administrationwhich accounted for 99 percent of these earmarked projectsdisclosed that 7,724 of the 7,760 projects either were not subject to the agencies review and selection processes or bypassed the states normal planning and programming processes. There were earmarked projects we reviewed that were evaluated as "highest" priority projects and would have been fully funded regardless of being earmarked. However, many earmarked projects considered by the agencies as low priority are being funded over higher priority, nonearmarked projects; and other earmarks are providing funds for projects that would otherwise be ineligible. We are not making any recommendations in this report as the nature of this review was to conduct and independent analysis of the amount and impact of congressional earmarks for the most recent fiscal year. Fri, 07 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2121 http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2114 On August 29, 2007, we issued our report on incurredcost audits of DOT procurement contracts. The report discusses the Departments initiative to use a new structured approach for obtaining incurredcost audits of procurement contracts. However, we found that Operating Administrations had made little progress in obtaining these audits. Additionally, we found that although the Department has recovered over $4 for every audit dollar spent on these audits, contracting officers have not taken consistent actions in a timely manner to recover overpayments made to contractors. We reported that the Department has the potential to recover between $8 million and $10.3 million more in these overcharges. We recommended that the Department require Operating Administrations to review their fiscal year 2007 audit plans and document revisions, and ensure that audits are obtained and audit reports are resolved in accordance with departmental guidance. The Department generally agreed with our recommendations and also agreed that our estimated savings was reasonable for tracking purposes. Wed, 29 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2114 http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2045 Thu, 10 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2045 http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2032 On April 24, the Inspector General testified regarding the Federal transit benefit program before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. The Inspector General testified that while the Department has strengthened internal controls over its transit benefit program, further improvements can be made, including: (1) enhancing supervisory oversight of the commuting costs claimed by employees; and (2) requiring employees to adjust their transit benefits upon changes to their commuting methods or work schedules. Opportunities also exist to improve internal controls over the transit benefit program governmentwide, such as: (1) including the transit benefit program in agencies assessments of their internal controls during the A123 process; (2) requiring Federal employees to annually recertify their eligibility; (3) reviewing and applying appropriate lessons learned in other Government programs; (4) developing and enforcing consistent disciplinary policies; and (5) mandating use of the SmartBenefits program throughout Government agencies in the National Capital Region. Tue, 24 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2032 http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2168 Sun, 01 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2168 http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=1931 On November 17, we initiated a review of congressional earmarks within the Department.The review was requested by Senator Tom Coburn, Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, and International Security. Consistent with Senator Coburns request, the objectives for this review are to determine: (1) the total number and cost of congressional earmarks within DOT programs for fiscal year 2006; (2) whether earmarks are included in DOTs annual planning and project evaluation processes; and (3) the effects of earmarks on DOTs mission and goals. Fri, 17 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=1931 http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=1924 On November 9, we issued a Quality Control Review report on the audited fiscal year (FY) 2006 and FY 2007 financial statements for the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC). Dembo, Jones, Healy, Pennington & Marshall, P.C. performed the audit and rendered an unqualified (clean) opinion on the financial statements. The audit did not identify any internal control weaknesses or material noncompliances with laws or regulations.The SLSDCs Fiscal Year 2006 Annual Report contains the Dembo, Jones, Healy, Pennington & Marshall, P.C. report (beginning on page 22) and complete SLSDC Financial Statements. Thu, 09 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=1924 http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=1752 We issued a report to the FAA and the Department regarding physical security of FAA facilities and the Departments headquarters building. We examined the: (1) security processes and standards applied to FAA facilities; (2) access controls to FAAs staffed National Airspace System (NAS) critical facilities; and (3) security at FAA staffed facilities to ensure that contract security guards meet FAAs requirements for security training, weapons qualification, and background checks. As a result of our initial testing of the access controls at the two FAA Headquarters buildings and the fact that the same company provides security services at FAA and the Departments headquarters buildings, the Department asked that we include the Departments Headquarters building in our testing and security guard review. We made specific recommendations to strengthen physical security over FAA facilities and DOT Headquarters buildings. FAA and DOT management generally agreed our findings and has taken steps to strengthen existing access controls and to accelerate and complete security upgrades on the most mission critical facilities.The Department of Transportation has determined that this report contains Sensitive Security Information (SSI) as defined by 49 CFR Part 1520. Accordingly, it is not available for public inspection or copying. The regulations provide that, under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act, should a document contain both SSI and nonSSI information, the Department may disclose the document with the SSI information redacted, as long as this information is not otherwise exempt from disclosure under FOIA or the Privacy Act. Tue, 14 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=1752