Reports

02.23.2024

McLean Man Pleads Guilty in COVID-19 Fraud Scheme

This press release announces that a McLean man pleaded guilty to defrauding the Small Business Administration by fraudulently obtaining approximately $455,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds.

Investigations

02.22.2024

The Department Needs to Improve Oversight to Ensure the Success of Its Financial System Modernization

Our audit found that although the program prepared for the operational transition to Business Applications Solution (BAS) at NOAA, the Department needs to improve oversight.

Report Number OIG-24-014-A

U.S. Census Bureau (Census), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office of the Secretary

Audits / Evaluations

02.15.2024

USPTO Quality Reviews of Continuing Patent Applications

This announcement memo initiates an audit of USPTO’s quality review process for continuing patent applications to determine its effectiveness.

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO)

Audits / Evaluations, Audits Initiated

02.14.2024

The Department Needs to Strengthen Its Ethics Oversight for USPTO Patent Examiners

Our evaluation found that USPTO did not effectively administer the Department’s ethics program to protect against potential conflicts of interest by patent examiners.

Report Number OIG-24-013-I

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO)

Audits / Evaluations

02.08.2024

Readout: Justice Department's Procurement Collusion Strike Force Holds Summit in Los Angeles

This press release announces that The United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, and the Procurement Collusion Strike Force hosted a summit where procurement officials and law enforcement partners from across Southern California convened to discuss emerging threats and raise awareness.

Investigations

02.06.2024

Semiannual Status Report on NTIA's Broadband Programs

This report is the third in a series of semiannual reviews providing the status of six NTIA-administered grant programs aimed at expanding broadband access in the United States

Report Number OIG-24-012-I

National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)

Audits / Evaluations

02.05.2024

Independent Evaluation of the 2020 Decennial Census Evaluation and Experiments Operation

The report provides the results of the Institute for Defense Analyses’ evaluation of 2020 Census Experiments and Evaluations Operation.

Report Number OIG-24-011-I

U.S. Census Bureau (Census)

Audits / Evaluations

02.01.2024

2024 Annual Letter to OMB re: Government Charge Card Abuse Act of 2012

This letter transmits the results of our work in accordance with the Government Charge Card Abuse Prevention Act of 2012 (Charge Card Act), Pub. L. No. 112-194, and Office of Management and Budget’s Circular No. A-123, Appendix B.

Report Number OIG-24-010-M

Office of the Secretary

Correspondence

01.25.2024

Letter to Senator Ernst re DOC employee locality pay

This letter transmits the results of our agencywide review in response to the Senator’s August 28, 2023, letter, which contained questions on the Department’s use of telework and remote work.

Correspondence

01.22.2024

The Department Needs to Fully Implement Strong Multifactor Authentication for Its High Value Assets to Protect Them from Cyberattacks

Our audit found that NTIA did not implement adequate multifactor authentication (MFA) to protect high value assets (HVA) against phishing attacks and selected bureaus had not fully implemented MFA for their HVAs in accordance with zero trust architecture principles.

Report Number OIG-24-009-A

Bureau of Economic Analysis, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)

Audits / Evaluations

01.05.2024

Joint Report on the Implementation of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015

This summary report meets the biennial joint reporting requirement of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 (6 U.S.C. § 1501 et seq.) (the Act). The Act was established to improve cybersecurity in the United States through enhanced sharing of cyber threat information.

Report Number AUD-2023-002-U

Audits / Evaluations