The purpose of this advisory is to highlight key lessons from prior oversight work that are relevant to USAID’s developing response in Ukraine. As the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has stated, collaboration between an agency and its Office of Inspector General (OIG) on the front end of new or expanded programs “ensures expertise is brought to bear to ensure programs are constructed in ways that strike the balance right between efficient results, equitable access, and program integrity, including minimal waste, fraud, and abuse.”
In preparing this advisory, we drew from prior investigations, audits, and other oversight channels and considered the Top Management Challenges we report for USAID annually. USAID remains responsible for safeguarding entrusted funding from Congress and the American taxpayer, while also being timely and flexible in its efforts. Continued diligence will help ensure USAID uses its significant influx of funding for Ukraine effectively, efficiently, and with appropriate oversight. It is our hope that this advisory helps inform the Agency’s efforts toward this end.
The risks and challenges we share in this advisory for USAID’s consideration relate to procurement, direct cash assistance programs, contributions to World Bank funding mechanisms, sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), program monitoring, and stakeholder coordination.
See also: Ukraine Response - Fraud Awareness