Reports

09.04.2015

Audit of USPTO's Management of Unliquidated Obligation Balances

We are initiating an audit of USPTO's unliquidated obligations as a follow-up to our audit report number OIG-13-026, issued in June 2013.

Report Number OIG-15-041-A

09.01.2015

OIG Investigation into Environmental Stewardship on a NOAA Research Vessel

On May 5, 2014, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Inspector General (OIG) opened an investigation based on a complaint by a former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) employee (complainant).

Report Number 14-0505

08.27.2015

Review of Alleged Misconduct and Waste of Government Resources by a Senior Official

On December 2, 2013, a complainant contacted the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the United States Department of Commerce (Department) alleging a senior Department official (Senior Official) engaged in a number of acts constituting waste of government resources and/or fraud.

Report Number 14-0153

08.19.2015

Control Deficiencies Related to the Overtime Approval Process at a Census Bureau Regional Office

The purpose of this memorandum is to inform you about some overtime approval irregularities we identified during a recent regional office site visit. Although this memorandum pertains to one regional office, we believe our findings and recommendations have broader, bureau-wide application.

08.19.2015

OIG Investigation into Alleged Time and Attendance Abuse by a Patent Examiner

In August 2014, two supervisory patent examiners at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) walked into their offices and found copies of the same anonymous letter.

Report Number 15-0076

08.18.2015

Former Deputy Director of Upper Cumberland Development District Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud

Larry Gene Webb, 65, of Smithville, Tennessee, former Deputy Director of the Upper Cumberland Development District (UCDD), and former Director of the Cumberland Regional Development Corporation (CRDC), pleaded guilty yesterday, before U.S. District Judge Aleta A. Trauger, to one count of bank fraud, announced David Rivera, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.

08.14.2015

Audit of NIST Quality System for Measurement Services

As part of our FY 2015 work plan, we are initiating an audit of NIST's Boulder Lab.

Report Number OIG-15-038-M

08.14.2015

Audit of FirstNet's Workforce and Recruiting Challenges, Participation at Discretionary Events, and Internal Control

We are initiating an audit of the First Responder Network Authority's (FirstNet) technical development of the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN).

Report Number OIG-15-036-A

08.14.2015

IG Letter to Senate re FOIA Requests

Dear Chairman Johnson: This letter responds to your June 23, 2015, request that we analyze the involvement of non career officials in the Department of Commerce Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) response process for the period of January I, 2007, to the present.

08.07.2015

Philadelphia Congressman and Associates Charged with Participating in Racketeering Conspiracy

PHILADELPHIA – A Member of Congress and four of his associates were indicted today for their roles in a racketeering conspiracy involving several schemes that were intended to further the political and financial interests of the defendants and others by, among other tactics, misappropriating hundreds of thousands of dollars of federal, charitable and campaign funds.

08.06.2015

The Department Must Strengthen Controls over Premium-class Travel Justification, Approval, and Reporting

We are initiating an audit of premium-class travel spending at the Department. Our overall objective will be to evaluate controls over premium-class travel spending and how they have been implemented.

Report Number OIG-15-034-A