Monthly Report on EPA OIG Activities for Recovery Act | Office of Inspector General

Monthly Report on EPA OIG Activities for Recovery Act
March 1-31, 2009

Recovery Act Funds Used on Recovery Act Activity - Cumulative
Total Funding Available	Total Obligations	Total Gross Outlays
$20,000,000	$8,021	$48,661

Major Actions Taken to Date with Recovery Act Funds
Planned and prepared investigative strategy for Recovery Act funds Developed educational and outreach materials Developed educational and outreach briefing packages Formed Fraud Investigative Teams Conducted preliminary analysis of EPA spending plans Participated in EPA Recovery Act subcommittees Coordinated with Department of Justice Antitrust Division Established development files to track Recovery Act activities Conducted liaison activities with Department of Justice, other OIGs, Federal Bureau of Investigation, etc Met with Deputy Associate Administrator for Superfund, Brownfields, and Leaking Underground Storage Tanks Received Department of Justice Antitrust Training Issued initial plan for oversight of Recovery Act funds Made presentation at EPA's National Interagency Agreement Management Training Conference on common findings from audits of EPA grantees Assisted Agency in identifying risks and mitigation strategies for stimulus funds Became member of EPA's Stimulus Steering Committee and subcommittees Met with all offices receiving Recovery Act funds to gain an understanding of how they plan to use the funds

Major Actions Taken to Date with Recovery Act Funds

Planned and prepared investigative strategy for Recovery Act funds
Developed educational and outreach materials
Developed educational and outreach briefing packages
Formed Fraud Investigative Teams
Conducted preliminary analysis of EPA spending plans
Participated in EPA Recovery Act subcommittees
Coordinated with Department of Justice Antitrust Division
Established development files to track Recovery Act activities
Conducted liaison activities with Department of Justice, other OIGs, Federal Bureau of Investigation, etc
Met with Deputy Associate Administrator for Superfund, Brownfields, and Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
Received Department of Justice Antitrust Training
Issued initial plan for oversight of Recovery Act funds
Made presentation at EPA's National Interagency Agreement Management Training Conference on common findings from audits of EPA grantees
Assisted Agency in identifying risks and mitigation strategies for stimulus funds
Became member of EPA's Stimulus Steering Committee and subcommittees
Met with all offices receiving Recovery Act funds to gain an understanding of how they plan to use the funds

Major Actions Taken to Date with Non-Recovery Act Funds for Recovery Act Activities
Briefed State Revolving Fund offices in California, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, Alaska, and Idaho Participated in weekly Agency Sub-Committee on Performance Measurement in advisory and oversight capacity. (Participated in four meetings suggesting that the Agency use a logic model approach to link the application of funds to activities, outputs, and outcomes for clear accountability. Also suggested that risk assessment of potential grantees include a review of grantee prior history from audits and investigations.) Conducted a review of Office of Management Budget Draft Implementation Guidance and issued a report suggesting improvements for assessing and reducing risks in considering potential grantees and reporting results Designed information systems to accommodate Recovery Act results reporting

Major Actions Taken to Date with Non-Recovery Act Funds for Recovery Act Activities

Briefed State Revolving Fund offices in California, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, Alaska, and Idaho
Participated in weekly Agency Sub-Committee on Performance Measurement in advisory and oversight capacity. (Participated in four meetings suggesting that the Agency use a logic model approach to link the application of funds to activities, outputs, and outcomes for clear accountability. Also suggested that risk assessment of potential grantees include a review of grantee prior history from audits and investigations.)
Conducted a review of Office of Management Budget Draft Implementation Guidance and issued a report suggesting improvements for assessing and reducing risks in considering potential grantees and reporting results
Designed information systems to accommodate Recovery Act results reporting

Major Actions Planned to Date with Recovery Act Funds
Refine investigative strategy Finalize edit and approval process for educational materials Finalize outreach briefing packages Complete necessary administrative actions relative to Fraud Investigative Teams Conduct training for Fraud Investigative Teams Participate in EPA Recovery Act subcommittees Develop data collection methodologies for Recovery Act funding Incorporate Department of Justice concerns into OIG strategy Coordinate investigative strategy with other OIGs and Federal Bureau of Investigation Begin briefings to State Revolving Fund staff in top 10 States As funding is set, develop mailing lists for educational materials Maintain recurring contact with federal, State, and local liaisons Conduct investigations relative to Recovery Act funds Refine investigative strategy for non-State Revolving Fund Recovery Act funds Issue OIG's Agency-wide and program specific oversight plan Issue report on open audit recommendations affecting Recovery Act activities Brief EPA's program and administrative offices on OIG planned oversight activities Attend fraud training to develop methodology for Recovery Act recipient reporting audit Prepare suggestion to incorporate into Agency Fiscal Year Federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act guidance

Major Actions Planned to Date with Recovery Act Funds

Refine investigative strategy
Finalize edit and approval process for educational materials
Finalize outreach briefing packages
Complete necessary administrative actions relative to Fraud Investigative Teams
Conduct training for Fraud Investigative Teams
Participate in EPA Recovery Act subcommittees
Develop data collection methodologies for Recovery Act funding
Incorporate Department of Justice concerns into OIG strategy
Coordinate investigative strategy with other OIGs and Federal Bureau of Investigation
Begin briefings to State Revolving Fund staff in top 10 States
As funding is set, develop mailing lists for educational materials
Maintain recurring contact with federal, State, and local liaisons
Conduct investigations relative to Recovery Act funds
Refine investigative strategy for non-State Revolving Fund Recovery Act funds
Issue OIG's Agency-wide and program specific oversight plan
Issue report on open audit recommendations affecting Recovery Act activities
Brief EPA's program and administrative offices on OIG planned oversight activities
Attend fraud training to develop methodology for Recovery Act recipient reporting audit
Prepare suggestion to incorporate into Agency Fiscal Year Federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act guidance

Major Actions Planned to Date with Non-Recovery Act Funds for Recovery Act Activities
Continue participating on Agency Recovery Act Sub-Committee on Performance Measurement

OIG Activities and Accomplishments
Audits/Inspections/Evaluations/Reviews Initiated	1
Audits/Inspections/Evaluations/Reviews Issued	1
Investigations Initiated	0
Investigations Closed	0
Complaints of Whistleblower Reprisal Initiated	0
Complaints of Whistleblower Reprisal Closed	0