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Audits, Inspections, and Evaluations

Report Number Title Issue Date Fiscal Year
OIG-15-134-D The Knoxville Utilities Board received a Public Assistance award of $2.7 million from the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, a FEMA grantee, for damages resulting from severe storms and tornadoes in April 2011. We audited projects totaling $2.5 million. For the projects we reviewed, the Utility properly accounting for and expended FEMA funds according to Federal requirements.

>The Knoxville Utilities Board Effectively Managed FEMA Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded for Damages from Tornadoes and Severe Storms in April 2011 		2015
OIG-15-133-D The Knoxville Utilities Board received a Public Assistance award of $5.2 million from the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, a FEMA grantee, for damages resulting from severe storms and tornadoes in June 2011. We audited projects totaling $4.3 million. For the projects we reviewed, the Utility properly accounting for and expended FEMA funds according to Federal requirements.

>The Knoxville Utilities Board Effectively Managed FEMA Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded for Damages from Tornadoes and Severe Storms in June 2011 		2015
OIG-15-132-D The City of Duluth, Minnesota, (City) received a Public Assistance grant award of $13.34 million from Minnesota’s Department of Public Safety, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (Minnesota), a FEMA grantee, for damages resulting from severe storms and flooding in June 2012. The City did not follow Federal procurement standards in awarding $3.08 million for 12 contracts—$1.54 million for 8 non-exigent contracts and $1.54 million for 4 exigent contracts. Although the City competitively awarded all but 3 of the 12 contracts we reviewed, it did not take required steps to provide opportunities to disadvantaged firms to bid on federally funded work, as Congress intended. Therefore, we question the $1.54 million the City claimed for eight contracts for non-exigent work. We generally do not question costs for work when lives and property are at risk. Therefore, of the $1.54 million the City claimed for exigent work, we question only $8,566 in markups on the cost because one of the City’s contractors billed on a prohibited cost-plus-percentage-of-cost basis.

>FEMA Should Recover $1.78 Million of Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded to the City of Duluth, Minnesota 		2015
OIG-15-131-D This is our third audit of the FEMA Public Assistance grant the City received for 2005 Hurricane Katrina damages. For the majority of the $376 million we reviewed, the City of Biloxi, Mississippi (City) accounted for and expended FEMA funds according to Federal requirements. However, the City did not follow all Federal procurement standards for a contract totaling$21.7 million for management of an infrastructure project. As a result, full and open competition did not always occur, which increased the risk of fraud, waste, and abuse, and at least $8.1 million of the $21.7 million in contract costs was unreasonable.

>FEMA Should Recover $21.7 Million of $376 Million in Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded to the City of Biloxi, Mississippi, for Hurricane Katrina Damages 		2015
OIG-15-130-D The City of Kenner, Louisiana (City), received a $5.4 million FEMA Public Assistance grant award for August 2012 Hurricane Isaac damages. Our audit objective was to determine whether the City accounted for and expended FEMA funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. The City generally accounted for and expended FEMA Public Assistance grant funds according to Federal requirements. However, FEMA should recover $148,500 of the $5.4 million award because the City claimed project costs that insurance covered. In addition, the City awarded 12 contracts totaling $3.1 million, without taking the required affirmative steps to ensure the use of small and minority firms, women’s business enterprises, and labor-surplus area firms when possible. As a result, FEMA has little assurance that these types of firms had sufficient opportunities to bid on federally funded work.

>The City of Kenner, Louisiana, Generally Accounted For and Expended FEMA Grant Funds Properly 		2015
OIG-15-129-D The City of Mankato, Minnesota (City) received a $939,719 grant for damages from a June 2014 disaster. We conducted this audit early in the grant process to identify areas where the City may need additional technical assistance or monitoring to ensure compliance with Federal requirements. The City has established policies, procedures, and business practices to account for and expend FEMA Public Assistance grant funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines.

>Mankato, Minnesota, Has Adequate Policies, Procedures, and Business Practices to Effectively Manage Its FEMA Public Assistance Grant Funding 		2015
OIG-15-128-D FEMA’s selection of the Hurricane Sandy JFO in Lincroft, New Jersey, was not cost effective because FEMA waited until after Hurricane Sandy struck. While FEMA’s policies and procedures provide FEMA disaster response officials flexibility in responding to the unique disaster circumstances, FEMA was unprepared to set up a cost-effective JFO in New Jersey. As a result, FEMA’s selection of the New Jersey JFO for Hurricane Sandy exposed the Federal Government to unnecessary costs and delayed JFO operations. By taking advantage of nearby Federal facilities or locating more affordable flexible office space, FEMA might have avoided these facility costs and saved significant Federal disaster funds. Additionally, FEMA could have saved over $1.5 million by taking corrective actions to reduce lease costs as the disaster workforce decreased.

>FEMA's Process for Selecting Joint Field Offices Needs Improvement 		2015
OIG-15-127-D Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, (Parish) received an award of $18.1 million from the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (Louisiana), a FEMA grantee, for damages resulting from Hurricane Isaac, which occurred in August 2012. Our audit objective was to determine whether the Parish accounted for and expended FEMA funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. The Parish generally accounted for and expended FEMA funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. However, we identified $129,480 of ineligible costs

>Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, Generally Accounted For and Expended FEMA Grant Funds Properly 		2015
OIG-15-126-D On August 24, 2014, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck northern California. FEMA expects eligible damages in the City of Napa, California (City) from the earthquake and aftershocks to exceed $8 million. We conducted this audit early in the grant process to identify areas where the City may need additional technical assistance or monitoring to ensure compliance with Federal requirements. The City has adequate policies, procedures, and business practices to account for Public Assistance grant funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. The City can account for disaster costs on a project-by-project basis and is able to support disaster-related costs adequately. Additionally, the City’s insurance procedures and practices are adequate to assure FEMA that the City can properly manage anticipated insurance proceeds and obtain and maintain insurance to mitigate the cost of future damages.

>The City of Napa, California, Needs Additional Technical Assistance and Monitoring to Ensure Compliance with Federal Regulations 		2015
OIG-15-125-D Scott County’s Physical Development Department in Jordan, Minnesota (County), received a $2.6 million grant for damages from a June 2014 disaster. We conducted this audit early in the grant process to identify areas where the County may need additional technical assistance or monitoring to ensure compliance with Federal requirements. The County has established policies, procedures, and business practices to account for and expend FEMA Public Assistance grant funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines.

>Scott County, Minnesota, Physical Development Department Has Adequate Policies, Procedures, and Business Practices to Effectively Manage Its FEMA Public Assistance Grant Funding 		2015
OIG-15-124 DHS provides grant guidance over the acquisition of public safety communication equipment. However, the guidance the Office of Emergency Communications and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued is unclear, inconsistent, and does not prevent grantees from purchasing non-interoperable communications equipment. The Office of Emergency Communications, within the National Protection and Programs Directorate, develops the National Emergency Communications Plan and the SAFECOM Guidance; however, neither document dictates specific requirements when purchasing emergency communications equipment. FEMA’s grant guidance also does not specify interoperability requirements. Without clear and consistent DHS grant guidance requiring interoperability, grantees could spend Federal funds for non-interoperable communications equipment purchases. Without interoperable emergency communications equipment, the lives of first responders and those of whom they are trying to assist may be at risk.

>DHS Needs to Improve Grant Guidance for Public Safety Communications Equipment 		2015
OIG-15-123-D The County received a $14 million grant for damages from Hurricane Isaac, an August 2012 disaster. We conducted this audit early in the grant process to identify areas where the County may need additional technical assistance or monitoring to ensure compliance with Federal requirements. At the time of our audit, the Jackson County, Mississippi, Board of Supervisors (County) had not established accounting procedures to account for disaster costs on a project-by-project basis, as Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines require. As a result, we had to rely on direct assistance from County officials to identify project costs and related supporting documentation. Additionally, although most of the County’s contracts complied with Federal procurement standards, the County improperly procured an architectural and engineering (A/E) contract totaling $1.3 million for dredging navigation channels. Inadequate competition increased the likelihood of fraud, waste, and abuse of Federal funds and resulted in at least $353,154 of unreasonable costs. Further, in soliciting bids for the A/E contract, the County did not provide opportunities for disadvantaged firms, such as small and minority firms, to bid on federally funded work as Congress intended. Lastly, the contract included a clause making payment contingent upon FEMA funding, which Federal cost principles do not allow.

>The Jackson County, Mississippi, Board of Supervisors Would Benefit from Technical Assistance in Managing Its $14 Million FEMA Grant Award 		2015
OIG-15-120 We reviewed 12 of FEMA Region V’s 166 disaster-related responsibilities and determined that the region was not meeting 3 of these 12 responsibilities. Specifically, Region V did not: (1) have policies and procedures to provide temporary public transportation during disasters; (2) process first-level Public Assistance appeals in a timely manner; and (3) hold mandated meetings to inform the Regional Administrator about the region’s emergency management issues.

>Inspection of FEMA's Regional Offices - Region V 		2015
OIG-15-119-D Pulaski County (County) received an award of $5.8 million from the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (Missouri), a FEMA grantee, for damages resulting from severe storms, straight-line winds, and flooding in August 2013. We conducted this audit early in the grant process to identify areas where the County may need additional technical assistance or monitoring to ensure compliance with Federal grant requirements. The County’s policies, procedures, and business practices were generally adequate to account for and expend FEMA Public Assistance grant funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. However, the County’s procurement policies and procedures did not include all elements needed to comply fully with Federal requirements for the approximately $724,515 in estimated future disaster contracting.

>Pulaski County, Missouri, Could Benefit from Additional Assistance in Managing Its FEMA Public Assistance Grant 		2015
OIG-15-115-D Montgomery County, Maryland (County) received a Public Assistance award of $8.2 million from the Maryland Emergency Management Agency, a FEMA grantee for damages resulting from severe storms during June and July 2012. The County generally accounted for and expended Public Assistance grant funds according to Federal requirements. However, we did identify $36,244 of duplicate equipment costs the County claimed that FEMA should disallow.

>Montgomery County, Maryland, Effectively Managed FEMA Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded for Severe Storms During June and July 2012 		2015
OIG-15-116-D Montgomery County, Maryland (County) received a Public Assistance award of $8.2 million from the Maryland Emergency Management Agency, a FEMA grantee for damages resulting from severe storms during June and July 2012. Our audit objective was to determine whether the County accounted for and expended FEMA funds according to Federal requirements. The County generally accounted for and expended Public Assistance grant funds according to Federal requirements. However, we did identify $36,244 of duplicate equipment costs the County claimed that FEMA should disallow.

>Montgomery County, Maryland, Generally Accounted for and Expended FEMA Public Assistance Grant Funds According to Federal Requirements – Hurricane Sandy Activities ( 		2015
OIG-15-114-D Fox Waterway Agency (Fox Waterway) received a $9.4 million award in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant funds for damages resulting from severe storms, straight-line winds, and flooding during April and May 2013. Our audit objective was to determine whether Fox Waterway expended FEMA funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. Fox Waterway did not account for and expend FEMA funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. The period of performance has expired for all projects, and Fox Waterway has not requested time extensions. Further, Fox Waterway officials could not tell us how much they had spent on disaster-related work or provide us documentation supporting all expenditures. Therefore, we question $9,367,187 of costs— $8,230,969 as ineligible and $1,136,218 as unsupported.

>FEMA Should Recover $9.3 Million of Ineligible and Unsupported Costs from Fox Waterway Agency in Fox Lake, Illinois 		2015
OIG-15-113-D The Mountain View Electric Association (Association) received a $7.1 million award of FEMA Public Assistance grant funds to repair facilities damaged in the Colorado Black Forest Fire. We audited $7.4 million in disaster-related costs, which included $322,417 in cost overruns. The Association did not always account for and expend FEMA Public Assistance grant funds in accordance with Federal regulations. Specifically, the Association did not follow all applicable Federal procurement standards in awarding FEMA-approved work valued at over $4 million for utility repairs and debris removal. As a result, FEMA has no assurance that costs are reasonable or that disadvantaged firms had sufficient opportunities to bid on Federal work as Congress intended.

>FEMA Should Disallow over $4 Million Awarded to Mountain View Electric Association, Colorado, for Improper Procurement Practices 		2015
OIG-15-111-D The City received a Public Assistance grant award of $9.8 million from the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (Oklahoma), a FEMA grantee, to recover from severe storms and tornadoes that occurred in May and June 2013. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, (City) did not always account for and expend FEMA grant funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. The City claimed $4.85 million in contract costs without taking the affirmative steps that Federal regulations require to ensure the use of small and minority firms, women’s business enterprises, and labor surplus area firms when possible, nor did it take the steps that its own affirmative policy required. As a result, FEMA has no assurance that these types of firms had sufficient opportunities to bid on federally funded work as Congress intended.

>FEMA Should Recover $4.85 Million of Ineligible Grant Funds Awarded to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 		2015
OIG-15-110-D Lawrence County Engineer, Ohio (Lawrence), received a FEMA Public Assistance award of $7.5 million for damages resulting from severe storms and flooding in April and May 2011. Our audit objective was to determine whether Lawrence accounted for and expended FEMA funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. Lawrence generally accounted for and expended FEMA Public Assistance grant funds according to Federal requirements. In the days following the flood, Lawrence employees worked diligently to clear and reopen roads. However, Lawrence did not follow all Federal procurement standards in awarding 17 contracts totaling $4.5 million that we reviewed. Lawrence awarded the contracts competitively, but did not take all required affirmative steps to ensure the use of small and minority firms, women’s business enterprises, and labor surplus area firms when possible. Therefore, FEMA has little assurance that these types of firms had sufficient opportunities to bid on Federal work to the extent Congress intended. Lawrence also did not include all required provisions in its contracts, which document the rights and responsibilities of Lawrence and its contractors.

>Lawrence County Engineer, Ohio, Generally Accounted For and Expended FEMA Grant Funds Properly 		2015
OIG-15-109-D The Unified School District #473 in Chapman, Kansas (Chapman), received an award of $65.2 million in FEMA grant funds for damages from severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding that occurred in May and June 2008. After the devastating storms, Chapman did an outstanding job of reopening all schools by August 18, 2008. However, a year after the storms, Chapman began work to rebuild its schools, but did not follow Federal procurement standards in awarding contracts valued at $50 million. As a result, FEMA has no assurance that contract costs were reasonable; full and open competition did not occur; and small and minority/women-owned firms did not receive opportunities to bid on Federal contracts.

>Kansas and the Unified School District #473 in Chapman, Kansas, Did Not Properly Administer $50 Million of FEMA Grant Funds 		2015
OIG-15-107 As a result, we identified more than $67 million in questioned costs related to operational overtime, management and administration, and training that were not spent according to grant guidance or were not adequately supported.

>New York's Management of Homeland Security Grant Program Awards for Fiscal Years 2010-12 		2015
OIG-15-106-D Dixie Electric received a $9.2 million award in FEMA grant funds for 2012 Hurricane Isaac damages to its facilities located in Greenwell Springs, Louisiana. Our audit objective was to determine whether Dixie Electric accounted for and expended FEMA funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. Dixie Electric Membership Corporation (Dixie Electric) generally accounted for and expended Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance grant funds according to Federal requirements. Dixie Electric used its own employees, mutual aid agreements with other electric cooperatives, and contractors to restore power to its customers by September 4, 2012, only 6 days after the disaster. Although Dixie Electric did not always comply with Federal procurement standards in awarding 10 contracts for disaster work totaling $4.4 million, we question only $21,740 for non-compliance because contractors performed most of the work under exigent circumstances to restore power.

>Dixie Electric Membership Corporation, Greenwell Springs, Louisiana, Generally Accounted For and Expended FEMA Grants Funds Properly 		2015
OIG-15-105-D FROM: John E. McCoy II

Assistant Inspector General for Audits

SUBJECT: Office of Inspector General Emergency Management Oversight Team Deployment Audits

Audit Report Numbers OIG-13-84, OIG-13-117, OIG-13-124, OIG-14-50-D, OIG-14-111-D, OIG-15-92-D, OIG-15-102-D, OIG-15-105-D, OIG-16-53-D, OIG-16-85-D, OIG-16-106-D, OIG-17-37-D

After completing an internal review of our audits related to multiple Emergency Management Oversight Team (EMOT) projects, we have decided to permanently remove the subject reports from our public website.

Our internal review found the subject reports may not have adequately answered objectives and, in some cases, may have lacked sufficient and appropriate evidence to support conclusions. Answering objectives with sufficient and appropriate evidence is required under Government Auditing Standards or Quality Standards for Inspection and Evaluation. In an abundance of caution, we believe it best to recall the reports and not re-issue them.

Going forward, our EMOTs will deploy during the response phase of a disaster to identify and alert the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its stakeholders of potential issues or risks if they do not follow FEMA and other Federal requirements. The EMOT’s reviews will not be conducted under Government Auditing Standards. The teams will continue to observe and identify potential risk areas that will be addressed by future traditional audits, if necessary.

A complete list of the projects removed from our website is attached. You should not place any reliance on these reports.

Please contact me at (202) 254-4100 if you have any questions.

>FEMA's Initial Response to Severe Storms and Flooding in Michigan 		2015
OIG-15-104-D We audited FEMA Public Assistance grant funds awarded to the Port of Tillamook Bay, Oregon (Port), for damages resulting from severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides that occurred in December 2007. The Port properly accounted for FEMA funds, but did not always expend the funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines.

>FEMA Should Recover $337,135 of Ineligible or Unused Grant Funds Awarded to the Port of Tillamook Bay, Oregon 		2015
OIG-15-103-D The City of Rocky Mount, North Carolina (City), received a Public Assistance award of $5.4 million from the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management, a FEMA grantee, for damages resulting from Hurricane Irene in August 2011. We audited the projects totaling $5.3 million to determine whether the City accounted for and expended FEMA funds according to Federal requirements. For the projects we reviewed, the City properly accounted for and expended FEMA funds according to Federal requirements.

>The City of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Effectively Managed FEMA Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded for Hurricane Irene Damages 		2015
OIG-15-102-D FROM: John E. McCoy II

Assistant Inspector General for Audits

SUBJECT: Office of Inspector General Emergency Management Oversight Team Deployment Audits

Audit Report Numbers OIG-13-84, OIG-13-117, OIG-13-124, OIG-14-50-D, OIG-14-111-D, OIG-15-92-D, OIG-15-102-D, OIG-15-105-D, OIG-16-53-D, OIG-16-85-D, OIG-16-106-D, OIG-17-37-D

After completing an internal review of our audits related to multiple Emergency Management Oversight Team (EMOT) projects, we have decided to permanently remove the subject reports from our public website.

Our internal review found the subject reports may not have adequately answered objectives and, in some cases, may have lacked sufficient and appropriate evidence to support conclusions. Answering objectives with sufficient and appropriate evidence is required under Government Auditing Standards or Quality Standards for Inspection and Evaluation. In an abundance of caution, we believe it best to recall the reports and not re-issue them.

Going forward, our EMOTs will deploy during the response phase of a disaster to identify and alert the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its stakeholders of potential issues or risks if they do not follow FEMA and other Federal requirements. The EMOT’s reviews will not be conducted under Government Auditing Standards. The teams will continue to observe and identify potential risk areas that will be addressed by future traditional audits, if necessary.

A complete list of the projects removed from our website is attached. You should not place any reliance on these reports.

Please contact me at (202) 254-4100 if you have any questions.

>FEMA's Initial Response to the 2014 Mudslide near Oso, Washington 		2015
OIG-15-101-D FEMA awarded the Chippewa Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation in Montana (Tribe) a $31.6 million grant for damages from a June-July 2010 flood disaster. The Tribe mismanaged this grant, which resulted in a domino effect of negative consequences. First, the Tribe awarded a $3.7 million sole-source contract to a Tribal-owned corporation, the Chippewa Cree Construction Corporation (Corporation). The lack of full and open competition set the stage for fraud, waste, and abuse. Then, the Tribe neglected to identify the material deficiencies in the Corporation’s fiscal controls and accounting procedures. The Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer took advantage of these weaknesses; and a Federal court has since convicted him of Federal corruption charges for embezzling the Tribe’s insurance proceeds and FEMA grant funds, and sentenced him to prison in August 2014. Finally, the Tribe could not provide documentation sufficient to support the $3.9 million it claimed for Project 117.

>The Chippewa Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation in Montana Mismanaged $3.9 Million in FEMA Disaster Grant Funds 		2015
OIG-15-100-D We prepared this report to assist recipients of FEMA disaster assistance grants. We have updated this guide to include information on FEMA’s alternative procedures under the Sandy Recovery Improvement Act. We also added information about Title 2 CFR Part 200: Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards.

>Audit Tips for Managing Disaster-Related Project Costs 		2015
OIG-15-99-D Boulder County, Colorado (County) received a $95 million grant for damages from a September 2013 disaster and anticipates repair costs will exceed $100 million. We conducted this audit early in the grant process to identify areas where the County may need additional technical assistance or monitoring to ensure compliance with Federal requirements. The County has adequate policies, procedures, and business practices to account for and expend Public Assistance grant funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. The County accounted for disaster costs on a project-by­project basis and adequately supported repair costs. Additionally, the County has adequate procurement policies and procedures to ensure compliance with Federal procurement requirements. Further, the County’s insurance procedures and practices are adequate to ensure that anticipated insurance proceeds are deducted from eligible projects.

>Boulder County, Colorado, Has Adequate Policies and Procedures to Manage Its Grant, but FEMA Should Deobligate about $2.5 Million in Unneeded Funds 		2015
OIG-15-96-D The City of Atlanta, Georgia, (City) received a $13.5 million award from the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, a FEMA grantee, for damages resulting from severe storms and flooding in September 2009. For the projects we reviewed, the City properly accounted for and expended FEMA funds according to Federal guidelines.

>The City of Atlanta, Georgia, Effectively Managed FEMA Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded for Severe Storms and Flooding in September 2009 		2015
OIG-15-92-D FROM: John E. McCoy II

Assistant Inspector General for Audits

SUBJECT: Office of Inspector General Emergency Management Oversight Team Deployment Audits

Audit Report Numbers OIG-13-84, OIG-13-117, OIG-13-124, OIG-14-50-D, OIG-14-111-D, OIG-15-92-D, OIG-15-102-D, OIG-15-105-D, OIG-16-53-D, OIG-16-85-D, OIG-16-106-D, OIG-17-37-D

After completing an internal review of our audits related to multiple Emergency Management Oversight Team (EMOT) projects, we have decided to permanently remove the subject reports from our public website.

Our internal review found the subject reports may not have adequately answered objectives and, in some cases, may have lacked sufficient and appropriate evidence to support conclusions. Answering objectives with sufficient and appropriate evidence is required under Government Auditing Standards or Quality Standards for Inspection and Evaluation. In an abundance of caution, we believe it best to recall the reports and not re-issue them.

Going forward, our EMOTs will deploy during the response phase of a disaster to identify and alert the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its stakeholders of potential issues or risks if they do not follow FEMA and other Federal requirements. The EMOT’s reviews will not be conducted under Government Auditing Standards. The teams will continue to observe and identify potential risk areas that will be addressed by future traditional audits, if necessary.

A complete list of the projects removed from our website is attached. You should not place any reliance on these reports.

Please contact me at (202) 254-4100 if you have any questions.

>FEMA Provided an Effective Response to the Napa, California, Earthquake 		2015
OIG-15-90-D The Borough of Seaside Heights, New Jersey (Borough) received a $16.9 million grant award from the New Jersey Emergency Management Agency (New Jersey), a FEMA grantee, for Hurricane Sandy damages in October 2012. Although the Borough accounted for FEMA funds on a project-byproject basis, we identified $2,038,893 of unneeded project funding that FEMA should deobligate and put to better use. In addition, the Borough did not comply with Federal procurement standards in awarding contracts for disaster work and claimed $712,657 of questionable costs. The Borough also did not comply with the Single Audit Act, which requires non-Federal entities that expend $500,000 or more in a year in Federal awards to obtain a single or program-specific audit for that year.

>FEMA Should Recover $2.75 Million of $16.9 Million in Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded to the Borough of Seaside Heights, New Jersey 		2015
OIG-15-89-D This report focuses solely on the FEMA's application of the Cost Estimating Format for the Port of Tillamook Bay, Oregon's (Port) most significant project, an alternate project totaling $44.6 mllion. FEMA officials did not use the Cost Estimating Format correctly in estimating damages to the Port’s railroad. Specifically, FEMA did not follow applicable laws, regulations, and guidelines because it used improper assumptions in calculating estimated project costs using the Cost Estimating Format. As a result, FEMA overstated the Port’s construction (base) and non-construction costs, which resulted in FEMA overfunding Alternate Project 936 by $8,021,884.

>FEMA Misapplied the Cost Estimating Format Resulting in an $8 Million Overfund to the Port of Tillamook Bay, Oregon 		2015
OIG-15-77 KPMG LLP reviewed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) internal control over financial reporting. The management letter contains 15 observations related to internal control and other operational matters for management’s considerations.

>Federal Emergency Management Agency's Management Letter for DHS' FY 2014 Financial Statements Audit 		2015
OIG-15-67-D As of February 2014, the Port Authority requested an estimated $213 million in Public Assistance funding for 2012 Hurricane Sandy damages. We conducted this audit early in the Public Assistance process to identify areas where the Port Authority may need additional technical assistance or monitoring to ensure compliance with Federal grant requirements. At the time of the grant award, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (Port Authority) did not have adequate accounting and procurement policies and procedures in place to ensure compliance with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant requirements. However, in late 2013, the Port Authority made changes to its accounting and procurement policies and procedures for FEMA-funded work. These changes should provide FEMA reasonable assurance that the Port Authority has the capability to account for and expend FEMA grant funds according to Federal requirements.

>The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's Recently Updated Policies, Procedures, and Business Practices Should Be Adequate to Effectively Manage FEMA Public Assistance Grant Funds 		2015
OIG-15-66-D The South Carolina Department of Transportation (Department) expects to claim about $165.2 million in Public Assistance grant funds for debris removal activities associated with a February 2014 severe winter storm. We conducted this audit early in the Public Assistance process to identify areas where the Department may need additional technical assistance or monitoring to ensure compliance with Federal requirements. The Department generally has established policies, procedures, and business practices to adequately account for and expend FEMA grant funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. The Department has accounting systems in place to account for disaster costs on a project-by-project basis and has adequate support for costs it plans to claim under the grant award. Further, the contracts the Department awarded to accomplish work under the grant met Federal and FEMA procurement requirements.

>South Carolina Department of Transportation Has Adequate Policies, Procedures, and Business Practices to Effectively Manage Its FEMA Public Assistance Grant Funding 		2015
OIG-15-65-D Holy Cross received an $89 million FEMA grant award for 2005 Hurricane Katrina damages to its campus in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans. By 2011, the school had completed work on 12 of its 16 projects. However, at the time of our audit, Louisiana had not submitted a final claim for the 12 projects and FEMA had closed only 1 large project. Holy Cross did not follow Federal procurement standards in awarding 21 contracts totaling $82.4 million. As a result, FEMA has no assurance that costs were reasonable. This is especially true for projects that FEMA funds at 100 percent of the costs. Further, the lack of open and free competition increased the risk of fraud, waste, and abuse and decreased opportunities for small businesses, minority-owned firms, and women’s business enterprises to compete for federally funded work. For the most part, we do not question costs that Holy Cross incurred to reopen school in January 2006, or to operate temporary facilities in the Ninth Ward. However, in 2007, Holy Cross decided to relocate from the Ninth Ward to the Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans. Holy Cross set up a temporary campus in Gentilly in 2007 and began work on permanent facilities there in 2008. By 2007, exigent circumstances no longer existed, so Holy Cross should have procured competitive bids according to Federal regulations for the work in Gentilly.

>FEMA Should Disallow $82.4 Million of Improper Contracting Costs Awarded to Holy Cross School, New Orleans, Louisiana 		2015
OIG-15-54 We contracted with the independent public accounting firm KPMG LLP to perform the audit of the consolidated financial statements of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for the year ended September 30, 2014. KPMG LLP evaluated selected general information technology controls, information technology entity level controls, and business process application controls at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). KPMG LLP determined that FEMA had taken corrective action to design and consistently implement certain account management and configuration management controls. However, KPMG LLP continued to identify general information technology control deficiencies related to security management, logical access, configuration management, segregation of duties, and contingency planning for FEMA’s core financial and feeder systems. Such control deficiencies limited FEMA’s ability to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of its critical financial and operational data.

>Information Technology Management Letter for the Federal Emergency Management Agency Component of the FY 2014 Department of Homeland Security Financial Statement Audit 		2015
OIG-15-52 KPMG LLP reviewed National Flood Insurance Program’s internal control over financial reporting. The resulting management letter contains four observations related to internal controls and other operational matters for management’s consideration. KPMG LLP noted deficiencies and the need for improvements in certain National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) processes. These deficiencies did not meet the criteria to be reported in the Independent Auditors’ Report on DHS’ FY 2014 Financial Statements and Internal Control over Financial Reporting, dated November 14, 2014, included in DHS’ fiscal year (FY) 2014 Agency Financial Report. These observations are intended to improve internal control or result in other operating efficiencies.

>National Flood Insurance Program's Management Letter for DHS' FY 2014 Financial Statements Audit (Redacted) 		2015
OIG-15-50-D The Palm Beach County School District, Florida (District) received a $15.0 million grant award from the Florida Division of Emergency Management (Florida), a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grantee for Hurricane Jeanne damages in September 2004. The District did not fully comply with Federal procurement requirements for contract work valued at $7.7 million. Florida, as the grantee, was responsible for ensuring that the District was aware of and followed all Federal requirements. Normally, we would question such improper costs; however, we are not in this case because FEMA said the costs were reasonable and allowed the costs at project closeout using the agency’s authority granted under 44 CFR 13.6(c). We also identified $145,145 of ineligible costs consisting of $98,645 of unreasonable contract costs and $46,500 in duplicate benefits.

>Florida and Palm Beach County School District Did Not Properly Administer $9.2 Million of FEMA Grant Funds Awarded for Hurricane Wilma Damages 		2015
OIG-15-51-D The Palm Beach County School District, Florida (District) received a $34.0 million grant award from the Florida Division of Emergency Management (Florida), a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grantee, for Hurricane Wilma damages in October 2005. The District did not comply with Federal procurement standards or record retention requirements for contracts valued at $9.2 million. Florida, as the grantee, was responsible for ensuring that the District was aware of and followed all Federal requirements. In fact, the District’s 2006 Single Audit report disclosed these problems, yet we found no evidence that either Florida or the District did anything to correct them. As a result, full and open competition did not occur, and the risk that fraud, waste, and abuse occurred is high. Normally, we would question such improper costs; however, we do not in this case because FEMA said the costs were reasonable and allowed the costs at project closeout using the agency’s authority granted under 44 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 13.6(c). We also determined that the District claimed $33,239 of costs that were ineligible because it did not credit its claim for rebates it received for installing energy efficient roofs provided for under the award.

>Florida and the Palm Beach County School District Did Not Properly Administer $7.7 Million of FEMA Grant Funds Awarded for Hurricane Jeanne Damages 		2015
OIG-15-49-D The Palm Beach County School District, Florida (District) received a Public Assistance award of $6.4 million from the Florida Division of Emergency Management, a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grantee, for Hurricane Frances damages in September 2004. Our audit objective was to determine whether the District accounted for and expended FEMA funds according to Federal requirements. For the projects we reviewed, the District generally accounted for and expended FEMA Public Assistance grant funds according to Federal requirements.

>Palm Beach County School District, Florida, Effectively Managed FEMA Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded for Hurricane Frances Damages 		2015
OIG-15-48-D The East Jefferson General Hospital, Metairie, Louisiana (Hospital) received a $14.3 million award from the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (Louisiana), a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grantee, for damages resulting from Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. Our audit objective was to determine whether the Hospital accounted for and spent FEMA funds according to Federal requirements. The Hospital did not comply with Federal procurement standards in awarding $9.5 million for 17 contracts. Ten of the 17 contracts were prohibited cost-plus-a-percentage-of-cost contracts for exigent work. We did not question the majority of contract costsbecause contractors performed most of the work under exigent circumstances. We did, however, question $395,032 ofmarkups on costs because Federal regulations strictly forbid the cost-plus-a-percentage-of-cost method of contracting because it provides a disincentive for contractors to control costs. Because of our audit, the Hospital was preparing a Disaster Policy Guide to assist them in complying with Federal regulations for any future disasters.

>FEMA Should Recover $395,032 of Improper Contracting Costs from $14.3 Million Grant Funds Awarded to East Jefferson General Hospital, Metairie, Louisiana 		2015
OIG-15-40-D We reviewed $1,726,151 of costs the County claimed for one large project (Project 3095). This amount was $945,640 more than the $780,511 that FEMA initially authorized and obligated for the project. The County improperly claimed $945,640 more than the $780,511 that FEMA Region IX initially authorized to construct a wall to stabilize a damaged section of road. The County incurred the additional costs because, rather than adhere to the scope of work that FEMA authorized, it built a superior wall to lessen the susceptibility of damage that anticipated wildfires might cause in that location. FEMA Headquarters ultimately approved this funding and awarded the County both the initial $780,511 and an additional$945,640 for the already-completed project. However, FEMA Headquarters did not provide a reasonable justification for its decision and did not perform a benefit/cost analysis as required to fund mitigation measures. As a result, FEMA and taxpayers had no assurance that the mitigations work was cost effective, as Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines require.

>FEMA Needs to Ensure the Cost Effectiveness of $945,640 that Los Angeles County, California Spent for Hazard Mitigation Under the Public Assistance Program 		2015
OIG-15-37-D Gwinnett County, Georgia (County) received an award of $6.3 million from the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (Georgia), a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grantee, for damages resulting from a September 2009 flood. We audited projects totaling $4.6 million to determine whether the County accounted for and expended FEMA funds according to Federal requirements. For the projects we reviewed, the County generally accounted for and expended FEMA funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. The County’s claim did include $87,208 of ineligible costs that insurance covered; however, this occurred because of a minor FEMA funding error. In addition, Georgia overpaid the County a total of $871,129 under several projects. Although these overpayments to the County do not affect the amount of obligated Federal funds, the County should return the excess funds to Georgia to be put to better use.

>Gwinnett County, Georgia, Generally Accounted for and Expended FEMA Public Assistance Grant Funds According to Federal Requirements 		2015
OIG-15-34-D Larimer County, Colorado (County) received a $22.5 million grant for damages from a September 2013 disaster. We conducted this audit early in the grant process to identify areas where the County may need additional technical assistance or monitoring to ensure compliance with Federal requirements. The policies, procedures, and business practices of the County are not adequate to account for and expend Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant funds according to all Federal requirements. As a result, the County is at risk of losing some or all of its FEMA-approved funding, which totaled $22.5 million as of June 2014.

>Larimer County, Colorado, Needs Assistance to Ensure Compliance with FEMA Public Assistance Grant Requirements 		2015
OIG-15-35-D The Imperial Irrigation District (District) received a $10.5 million award of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance grant funds for damages resulting from an April 2010 earthquake. We audited $7.8 million, or 74 percent of the total award. The District did not always account for and expend FEMA grant funds according to Federal requirements. The District awarded contracts totaling $3.6 million without taking the required affirmative steps to ensure the use of small and minority firms, women’s business enterprises, and labor surplus area firms when possible. As a result, FEMA has no assurance that these types of firms had opportunities to bid on Federal work as Congress intended. The District’s claim also included $45,408 of ineligible contract costs and $1,473 of unsupported equipment costs. In addition, FEMA should deobligate $2.5 million and put those funds to better use because the District completed disaster work and no longer needs those funds.

>FEMA Should Recover $6.2 Million of Ineligible and Unused Grant Funds Awarded to the Imperial Irrigation District, California 		2015
OIG-15-30-D The City of Loveland, Colorado (City) received a $21.1 million grant for damages from a September 2013 disaster. We conducted this audit early in the grant process to identify areas where the City may need additional technical assistance or monitoring to ensure compliance with Federal requirements. The City generally has established policies, procedures, and business practices to adequately account for and expend FEMA Public Assistance Program grant funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. However, we identified areas related to accounting, procurement, and insurance in which the City needs to improve its procedures to ensure compliance with Federal requirements for the $21.1 million Federal disaster award.

>The City of Loveland, Colorado, Could Benefit from Additional Assistance in Managing its FEMA Public Assistance Grant Funding 		2015
OIG-15-08 Although Ohio took steps in recent years to improve its management of funds awarded under the HSGP, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) cannot be assured that Ohio effectively managed grant funds from fiscal years (FY) 2010 through 2012. Specifically, Ohio needs to improve its performance measures, the accounting for grant funds, the timeliness of releasing funds to subgrantees, and its monitoring of subgrantees, including their procurement and property management practices. Although we identified many of these same challenges in two previous audits of Ohio’s management of HSGP funding, FEMA has not changed its oversight practices to target Ohio’s areas of repeated deficiencies. Ohio continues to disregard some Federal regulations and grant guidance. Consequently, the State may be limited in its ability to prevent, prepare for, protect against, and respond to natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other manmade disasters.

>Ohio’s Management of Homeland Security Grant Program Awards for Fiscal Years 2010 Through 2012 (Revised) 		2015

*NDAA, Pub. L. 117-263, section 5274 Response Received. View responses

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