Defined below are a few terms to help you better understand OIG audit recommendations. Want to learn more about the DOT OIG's audit process? Visit our Audit Proccess page or find answers to frequently asked questions about our audit recommendations.
Open Recommendation
- A recommendation is opened on the date the audit report is issued. Once opened, a recommendation is 'unresolved' until the Department and OIG agree on the step(s) necessary to address the recommendation. Then the recommendation is considered 'resolved' and remains open until the Department completes the corrective action and provides OIG with sufficient supporting evidence of the actions taken.
Closed Recommendation
- A recommendation is closed after the Department has agreed with the recommendation, takes appropriate corrective action, and provides OIG with sufficient supporting evidence to demonstrate that the action was taken.
Financial Recommendations
- Funds Put to Better Use. Recommendations that funds be put to better use estimate funds that could be used more efficiently. For example, recommendations that funds be put to better use could result in reductions in spending, deobligation of funds, or avoidance of unnecessary spending.
- Questioned Costs. Recommendations with questioned costs identify costs: (A) resulting from an alleged violation of a law, regulation, contract, grant, or other document or agreement governing the use of Federal funds; (B) that are not supported by adequate documentation (also known as an unsupported cost); or (C) that appear unnecessary or unreasonable.
- Unsupported Costs. Recommendations with unsupported costs identify costs that are not supported by adequate documentation.
Sensitive Recommendations
- Some recommendations are associated with audit reports containing sensitive information protected by law. For security reasons, these sensitive audit reports and their recommendations are not published online.
DOT Offices and Operating Administrations
- FAA: Federal Aviation Administration
- FHWA: Federal Highway Administration
- FMCSA: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
- FRA: Federal Railroad Administration
- FTA: Federal Transit Administration
- MARAD: Maritime Administration
- NHTSA: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- OST: Office of the Secretary of Transportation
- PHMSA: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- RITA: the former Research and Innovative Technology Administration is now a subomponent of the Office of the Secretary of Transportation
- SLSDC: Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation
Non-DOT Transportation Entities
- Amtrak: National Railroad Passenger Corporation
- MWAA: Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
- NTSB: National Transportation Safety Board
- STB: Surface Transportation Board