Recommendations

After the OIG issues a recommendation to a DOJ component, the OIG continuously engages with and monitors the relevant DOJ component’s progress toward implementing the OIG recommendation. The OIG may close a recommendation when the OIG determines sufficient actions have been taken by the relevant DOJ component to fully implement the recommendation.

Recommendations that DOJ determined contain information that is limited official use or classified will be indicated as follows: “[Description omitted; DOJ has determined that this recommendation contains information that is limited official use or classified.]” DOJ may identify a recommendation as containing limited official use or classified information if it determines, for example, that its disclosure to unauthorized individuals could negatively impact law enforcement operations, sources, or methods; expose operational vulnerabilities; or harm national security.

The status of each recommendation is subject to change due to DOJ’s ongoing efforts to implement them, and the OIG’s independent review of information about those efforts. Although DOJ may have taken steps to implement the recommendations listed on our website, including by partially remedying the questioned costs associated with a recommendation, a recommendation is not considered closed until it has been fully implemented. Please note the OIG sometimes issues recommendations with multiple subparts in order to better track their implementation. Therefore, the recommendations on our website list subparts as separate items. The website also includes recommendations to a non-DOJ federal agency that contracted with the OIG to audit its information technology systems pursuant to the Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA). As a result, the non-DOJ federal agency is responsible for implementing its recommendations, which are included in the statistics described below.

The following categories are used to describe the status of the recommendations:

• Response Not Yet Due – DOJ’s initial response to the recommendation is not yet due.
• Resolved – DOJ has agreed to implement the recommendation or has proposed actions that will address the recommendation.
• Unresolved – The initial deadline for DOJ’s response to the recommendation has passed, and it has not agreed to implement the recommendation or has not proposed actions that will address the recommendation. The OIG may also convert a recommendation from “Resolved” to “Unresolved”, if it determines that DOJ is not making sufficient progress towards implementation.
• On Hold/Pending with OIG – The completion of the OIG’s assessment of the status of the recommendation is on hold or pending due to ongoing reviews or other factors.

Below is a glossary of other terms used in reference to our recommendations.

Open Recommendation – A recommendation for which the OIG has determined that sufficient action has not yet been taken to fully implement the recommendation.

Closed Recommendation – A recommendation for which the OIG determined sufficient action had been taken to fully implement the recommendation; or, rarely, a recommendation for which the OIG determined that full implementation was no longer practicable, e.g., due to factors outside of the DOJ’s control.

Priority Recommendation – A priority recommendation is one that the OIG believes that, when implemented, will have the most benefit or impact to the agency’s mission, operations, programs, or funds. Factors an OIG may consider when designating an open recommendation with a priority status include: monetary impact; reduction to waste, fraud, abuse, or misconduct; impact on program efficiency and effectiveness; impact on health, safety, national security, or the economy; current value to policy makers; and the recommendation’s relationship to a high-profile area such as OIG top management challenges, agency strategic priorities, CIGIE top challenges, Congressional interest, and global or national emergencies.

Report Issuance Date – For recommendation aging purposes, the date of the final report.

DOJ Component – An agency, bureau, office, or other subdivision of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Questioned Cost (QC) – A cost that is questioned by the OIG because of

1. an alleged violation of a provision of a law, regulation, contract, grant, cooperative agreement, or other agreement or document governing the expenditure of funds;
2. a finding that, at the time of the audit, such cost is not support by adequate document; or
3. a finding that the expenditure of funds for the intended purpose is unnecessary or unreasonable.

Unsupported Cost – A cost that is questioned by the OIG because the OIG found that, at the time of the audit, such cost is not supported by adequate documentation.

Funds Put to Better Use (FBU) – A recommendation by the OIG that funds could be used more efficiently if management of an establishment took actions to implement and complete the recommendation, including:

1. reductions in outlays;
2. deobligation of funds from programs or operations;
3. withdrawal of interest subsidy costs on loans or loan guarantees, insurance, or bonds;
4. costs not incurred by implementing recommended improvements related to the operations of the establishment, a contractor or grantee;
5. avoidance of unnecessary expenditures noted in preaward reviews of contract or grant agreements; or
6. any other savings which are specifically identified.

Dollar Related Open Recommendations – All recommendations in which the OIG identified questioned costs, unsupported costs, or funds that could be put to better use by DOJ.