http://www.oig.dot.gov/rss.jsp?type=9 The 10 most recent releases on the U.S. DoT OIG web site ... ARRA Advisories en-US webmaster@oig.dot.gov (OIG Webmaster) http://www.oig.dot.gov/images/dot.gif http://www.oig.dot.gov/rss.jsp?type=9 http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2523 The Office of Inspector General is working to ensure that the more than $48 billion in stimulus funds allocated to the Department of Transportation is committed to infrastructure projects that meet ARRA requirements. We issued this advisory to alert the Department that FAAs process for awarding ARRA grants for Airport Improvement Program (AIP) projects did not ensure all ARRA requirements were met. Specifically, FAAs guidance to regional officials for selecting airport projects did not adequately reconcile national ARRA goals with the Agencys National Priority Rating (NPR) process for scoring potential AIP projects, and the economic merit of some lowerranked projects may be questionable. Additionally, some projects may involve recipients with histories of grant management problems. As a result, some of these grants may not fully comply with ARRA requirements calling for transparent, meritbased selections and effective administration of funds. We offer proposed actions for change for the Departments consideration. Most broadly, to ensure only projects of the highest priority and economic merit receive ARRA funds, FAA needs to reconcile its guidance to regional officials with ARRA requirements and provide a transparent selection process. We suggest that until FAA can demonstrate their economic merit, it should refrain from awarding additional grants for lowerranked projects. For such projects that have been approved but for which no ARRA funds have been expended, FAA should show their economic merit or consider withdrawing those grants. Finally, FAA should increase its oversight over ARRA grant recipients that historically have not administered AIP funds effectively. We plan to follow up on the information in this advisory with a full audit. Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2523 http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2495 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 DOTs 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. Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2495 http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2473 The Transportation 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 tool for preventing such risk is the DOT Suspension and Debarment Program that protects the government from doing business with dishonest, unethical, or irresponsible businesses and individuals that pose a risk to the government. The Office of Inspector General issued an advisory report emphasizing the need for timelier processing and reporting of DOT suspension and debarment actions. Greater attention to these areas is needed to ensure government funds, including Recovery Act dollars, are awarded to responsible businesses and individuals. Mon, 18 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2473