Reports

06.09.2021

NOAA Fisheries Implemented the Requirements for Awarding Funds Under the CARES Act but Faces Challenges with the Pace of Funds Disbursement to Fishery Participants

This memorandum provides the results of our evaluation of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS, also known as NOAA Fisheries) plan for the implementation of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act)1 funding.

Report Number OIG-21-028-I

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Audits / Evaluations

05.27.2021

Inspector General Letter to Ranking Member Roger Wicker re: OIG Case No. 19-0714

Dear Ranking Member Wicker: I received your letter of May 17, 2021 that expresses concern about my office's inability to share with you the report of investigation for Office of Inspector General (OIG) case No. 19-0714.

Correspondence

05.25.2021

OMAO Must Define and Implement a Disciplined Requirements Management Process to Ensure Future Acquisitions Meet User Needs

Attached for your review is the final report on the evaluation of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Marine and Aviation Operations' (OMAO's) Ship Fleet Recapitalization Program.

Report Number OIG-21-027-I

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Audits / Evaluations

05.20.2021

Broiler Chicken Producer Indicted for Price Fixing and Bid Rigging

A federal grand jury in Denver, Colorado, returned an indictment charging Norman W. Fries Inc., dba Claxton Poultry Farms (Claxton), headquartered in Claxton, Georgia, with participating in a nationwide conspiracy to fix prices and rig bids for broiler chicken products.

Investigations

05.13.2021

Fiscal Year 2020 Compliance with Improper Payment Requirements

This memorandum provides our final report on fiscal year (FY) 2020 improper payment reporting. Our review objective was to determine the U.S. Department of Commerce's (the Department's) compliance with the Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019 (PIIA).

Report Number OIG-21-026-I

Office of the Secretary

Audits / Evaluations

05.10.2021

The PTAB Faces Operational, Information Technology, and Data Risks

Attached for your review is the final report on the evaluation of the United States Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO's) Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) operations.

Report Number OIG-21-025-I

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO)

Audits / Evaluations

05.03.2021

Audit of National Institute of Standards and Technology Working Capital Fund For Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2019

Attached for your review is the final report on the audit of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) working capital fund (&pos;fund') for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2019.

Report Number OIG-21-024-A

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Audits / Evaluations

04.29.2021

Audit of USPTO's Oversight of Patent Data Capture Contracts

We are initiating an audit of the United States Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO's) oversight of Patent Data Capture contracts. Our objective is to determine whether USPTO awarded and administered Patent Data Capture contracts in compliance with applicable laws and federal and Departmental policies and procedures.

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO)

04.19.2021

Management Alert: BAS Program's Focus on Technology May Overlook Risks Related to Business Processes

Attached is a management alert on the Business Applications Solution (BAS) program's approach to business process reengineering, which requires immediate attention, given that the program is in a crucial design phase of the overall effort.

Report Number OIG-21-023-M

Office of the Secretary

Audits / Evaluations

03.31.2021

Semiannual Report to Congress, March 2021

I am pleased to present the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General's (OIG's) Semiannual Report to Congress for the 6 months ending March 31, 2021.

Report Number SAR-2021-03

Office of the Secretary

Audits / Evaluations, Semiannual Reports to Congress

03.23.2021

Report of SBA OIG Peer Review of Commerce OIG Audit Organization

We have reviewed the system of quality control for the audit organization of the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General (DOC OIG) in effect for the year ended September 30, 2020.

Correspondence