Recommendation Dashboard

USAID's Office of Acquisition and Assistance, Cost, Audit and Support determine the allowability of $1,262,423 in unsupported questioned costs and collect as appropriate any disallowed amounts from Africare.

USAID's Office of Acquisition and Assistance, Cost, Audit and Support follow up with Africare to ensure that it has implemented the auditor's recommendation for Findings 2015-001 through 2015-004, 2013-001, 2012-002, 2012-003, 2011-001 and 2011-004 (see pages 1-29 thru 1-38).

USAID/Haiti work with the Haitian Government to implement a detailed sustainability plan that transfers the responsibility for paying the facilities' health workers from USAID to another source.

USAID/Haiti evaluate and document its decision regarding Pathfinder International's request for additional funds and provide such funds only as part of a long-term sustainable approach to funding the project's health workers.

USAID/Haiti clarify in writing to Pathfinder International its expectations on the work plan, performance management plan, and quality assurance surveillance plan, and approve these plans when they are completed.

USAID/Haiti establish a schedule with deadlines for Pathfinder to bring performance data for the project in line with USAID's data quality standards and take corrective action if the deadlines are not met.

USAID/Haiti instruct Pathfinder to provide each facility with written instructions on how to complete each field on the monthly form used to record health services delivered. The instructions should include common examples of what should and should not be reported.

USAID/Haiti evaluate and document its conclusion regarding the proper classification of project health workers and set a deadline for Pathfinder to confirm that it complies with the Haitian Labor Code of 1984.

USAID/Haiti, in coordination with the Haitian Government, implement a plan to close the gap in health worker compensation and mitigate the challenges of retaining staff in the health-care industry.

USAID/Azerbaijan issue additional guidance, such as training materials and reporting templates, to clarify the allowability of and accounting for in-kind and cash contributions.

USAID/Belarus issue additional guidance, such as training materials and reporting templates, to clarify the allowability of and accounting for in-kind and cash contributions.

USAID/Ukraine issue additional guidance, such as training materials and reporting templates, to clarify the allowability of and accounting for in-kind and cash contributions.

USAID/Azerbaijan issue an official notice, provide training, or update operating procedures to remind agreement officers about the Automated Directives System 303 requirement for cost-sharing memorandums.

USAID/Belarus issue an official notice, provide training, or update operating procedures to remind agreement officers about the Automated Directives System 303 requirement for cost-sharing memorandums.

USAID/Ukraine issue an official notice, provide training, or update operating procedures to remind agreement officers about the Automated Directives System 303 requirement for cost-sharing memorandums.

The Bureau for Policy, Planning and Learning determine whether Automated Directives System 201 should include guidance on cost-sharing determination and design.

The Bureau for Policy, Planning and Learning, in consultation with the Office of Acquisition and Assistance, develop supplemental guidance on cost-sharing determination and best practices.

USAID/Azerbaijan implement procedures to confirm that USAID teams conduct a documented analysis in determining the amount of cost sharing to require.

USAID/Belarus implement procedures to confirm that USAID teams conduct a documented analysis in determining the amount of cost sharing to require.

USAID/Ukraine implement procedures to confirm that USAID teams conduct a documented analysis in determining the amount of cost sharing to require.

The Bureau for Policy, Planning and Learning, in consultation with the Office of Acquisition and Assistance, analyze whether and how to allow USAID missions and field offices to provide input about their posts when cost-sharing amounts and requirements pertaining to worldwide grants are determined.

USAID/Azerbaijan issue an official notice, provide training, or update operating procedures to remind agreement officer's representatives of their responsibility to monitor cost-sharing progress.

USAID/Belarus issue an official notice, provide training, or update operating procedures to remind agreement officer's representatives of their responsibility to monitor cost-sharing progress.

USAID/Ukraine issue an official notice, provide training, or update operating procedures to remind agreement officer's representatives of their responsibility to monitor cost-sharing progress.

The Office of Human Capital and Talent Management modify training for agreement officer's representatives to expand discussion on the impacts of cost sharing and the responsibilities associated with monitoring its progress.

USAID/Afghanistan remind all personal services contractors and Office of Management personnel of eligibility requirements for the involuntary separate maintenance allowance, including minimum tour lengths, and incorporate this reminder into the new employee orientations held at post.

USAID/Afghanistan adopt the Office of Human Capital and Talent Management's policy requiring applicants for the involuntary separate maintenance allowance to submit a copy of their spouse's or domestic partner's passport or driver's license signature for comparison with the one on the standard form.

USAID/Afghanistan remind all employees applying for involuntary separate maintenance allowance of the requirement to file a Foreign Service Residence and Dependency Report and encourage them to use the supplemental checklist.

USAID/Malawi determine the allowability of the $462,757 in questioned costs ($47,717 ineligible and $415,040 unsupported) identified on pages 11 to 15 of PricewaterhouseCoopers' audit report and recover from the Nkhoma Synod Relief and Development the amounts determined to be unallowable.

USAID/Malawi ensure that Nkhoma Synod Relief and Development corrects the three material weaknesses in internal control detailed on pages 21 to 23 of PricewaterhouseCoopers' audit report.

USAID/Malawi ensure that Nkhoma Synod Relief and Development corrects the seventeen instances of material noncompliance detailed on pages 24 to 41 of PricewaterhouseCoopers' audit report.

USAID/Malawi determine the allowability of $84,883 in unsupported questioned cost sharing contributions detailed on page 37 of PricewaterhouseCoopers' audit report and take any corrective action under ADS 303.3.10 deemed necessary.

We recommend that the Millennium Challenge Corporation Department of Administration and Finance require MCC staff and contractors responsible for compliance with the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act to take training on the requirements in Office of Management and Budget Circulars A-123 and A-136 pertaining to Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act compliance and reporting.

We recommend that the Millennium Challenge Corporation Department of Administration and Finance conduct an Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act risk assessment for fiscal year 2016 that includes all MCC programs.

We recommend that the Millennium Challenge Corporation Department of
Administration and Finance instruct MCC staff and contractors in writing to use current Office of Management and Budget guidance to conduct the fiscal year 2016 Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act risk assessment and report on it in the Agency Financial Report.

We recommend that the Millennium Challenge Corporation Department of
Administration and Finance assess whether the methodology and risk factors used in
the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act risk assessment are relevant and sufficient to identify the risk of improper payments.

We recommend that the Millennium Challenge Corpordtlon Department of
Administration and Finance develop procedures on documenting and maintaining dear,complete records of (1) the risk ratings (including the payment transaction testing performed) for each program and risk factor, (2) payment transaction testing performed for the quantitative assessment, and (3) Millennium Challenge Corporation's review and approval of the overall risk assessment analysis.

We recommend that the Millennium Challenge Corporation Department of
Administration and Finance prepare a written oversight plan to verify contractor
compliance with Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act requirements.

We recommend that the Millennium Challenge Corporation Department of
Administration and Finance issue written guidance that defines the oversight roles and responslbllltfes for verifying that MCC meets the requirements in Office of Management and Budget Circulars A-123 and A-136 for Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act compliance and reporting

We recommend that the Millennium Challenge Corporation Department of
Administration and Finance instruct MCC staff and contrdctors in writing to use the most current Office of Management and Budget Circular A-136 and comply with all applicable Agency Pinancial Report reporting requirements for the fiscal year 2016 recapture payment audit programs and Do Not Pay Initiative.

USAID/Southern Africa determine the allowability of the $20,057 in ineligible questioned costs comprised of $5,597 in ineligible costs identified on page 27 of PricewaterhouseCoopers' audit report and the $14,460 unexplained difference between the prior year ending fund balance and the current year opening balance included on page 29 and recover from the Church Alliance for Orphans the amounts determined to be unallowable.

USAID/Southern Africa ensure that Church Alliance for Orphans corrects the fifteen significant deficiencies in internal control detailed on pages 34 to 53 of PricewaterhouseCoopers' audit report.

USAID/Southern Africa ensure that Church Alliance for Orphans corrects the four instances of material noncompliance detailed on pages 56 to 59 of PricewaterhouseCoopers' audit report.

USAID/Cambodia work with Winrock International Institute for Agriculture Development to implement a plan advocating governmental approval of the subdecree protecting the core forest in Prey Lang Landscape.

USAID/Cambodia work with Winrock International Institute for Agriculture Development to implement a plan to find buyers for nontimber forest products in Prey Lang Landscape so producers get fair prices.

USAID/Cambodia work with Winrock International Institute for Agriculture Development to revise its data collection methods for income-generating activities to count only participants that reside in the communities supported by the project.

USAID/Cambodia work with Winrock International Institute for Agriculture Development to align the performance monitoring and evaluation plan with the performance indicator definitions, data collection methodology, and intended results in the reference sheets for performance indicators.

USAID/Cambodia implement a plan to comply with the mission order on performance monitoring, which requires agreement officer's representatives to verify data during site visits and document the results.

USAID/Cambodia work with Winrock International Institute for Agriculture Development to implement an advocacy plan with the Cambodian Government for the adoption of a revenue-sharing agreement for the Seima Protection Forest demonstration site.

USAID/Cambodia implement a plan to conduct and document periodic physical inspections of all award files to ensure compliance with the requirements in designation letters.

USAID/Guatemala work with Rainforest Alliance to review and document whether the program's established indicators and targets need to be revised to align with expected results, and modify the performance management plan and agreement as needed.

USAID/Guatemala work with Rainforest Alliance to prepare a data quality assessment and clearly define, develop, and implement data quality standards as stated in the data quality assessment completed in 2014 and include in the assessment the method and frequency of data collection, and
who is responsible for it.

USAID/Guatemala work with Rainforest Alliance to have its regional staff and consortium members trained on data quality standards for the program's indicators.

USAID/Guatemala work with Rainforest Alliance to develop a written sustainability plan as defined under the agreement of the program.

USAID/Guatemala include a sustainability analysis in the midterm evaluation of the Climate, Nature, and Communities in Guatemala Program.

USAID/Guatemala issue clear written guidance to Rainforest Alliance on how to report on new private resources that meets criteria, and revise the previously reported results based on the agreement.

USAID/Guatemala develop and implement a process to verify and monitor the amounts reported by Rainforest Alliance as new private resources to make sure it is properly calculated and supported.

USAID/Guatemala work with Rainforest Alliance to implement procedures to monitor, validate, and correctly report cost sharing in progress reports in accordance with USAID and U.S. federal regulations.

USAID/Guatemala work with Rainforest Alliance to modify the standardized sign-in sheet to accurately report the duration of training sessions held by the program, clearly define the difference between training and technical assistance, identify what training should be entered into USAID's Webbased participant training management system database in the future, and retrain regional staff on participant training matters to avoid misreporting.

USAID/Guatemala update Mission Order 253 to spell out implementers' responsibilities and procedures for verifying information entered into USAID's Web-based participant training management database to follow the requirements of Automated Directives System 253.

USAID/Guatemala review and update its training approval process in Mission Order 253 to prevent participants from attending training without undergoing background checks, and distribute the revised process to mission personnel and implementers.

USAID/Guatemala submit to the embassy the names of participants who attended the training session "Exchange of Experiences About Payment for Hydric Environmental Services" held in Olanchito, Honduras, to determine whether U.S. Government funds were used in violation of Automated
Directives System 206.3.9.

USAID/Afghanistan immediately instruct the Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance to stop establishing new public-private alliances under the Assistance in Building Afghanistan by Developing Enterprises Program.

USAID/Afghanistan, in coordination with the Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance, implement a detailed plan, including milestones, for concluding the Assistance in Building Afghanistan by Developing Enterprises Program at no additional cost to USAID.

USAID/Afghanistan not fund any currently contemplated job apprenticeship activity via the Assistance in Building Afghanistan by Developing Enterprises Program.

USAID/Afghanistan develop a case study for training purposes that uses the lessons learned from the Assistance in Building Afghanistan by Developing Enterprises Program.

USAID/Afghanistan conduct and document a review to determine whether to continue activities under the Assistance in Building Afghanistan by Developing Enterprises Program's enterprise enabling environment activity (Component 3) or put the remaining $1.6 million in unused funds to better use.

USAID/Afghanistan evaluate whether the methodology used in compiling results reported under the performance indicators for the Assistance in Building Afghanistan by Developing Enterprises Program is justifiable and, based on the results of this review, require the implementer to update its monitoring and evaluation plan to reflect any changes.

USAID/Afghanistan develop a schedule of periodic meetings with Assistance in Building Afghanistan by Developing Enterprises Program staff at the U.S. Embassy compound in Kabul to review performance results and other related issues.

USAID/Afghanistan implement a plan to have third-party monitoring contractors verify performance indicator results reported by the Assistance in Building Afghanistan by Developing Enterprises Program.

USAID/Afghanistan implement a plan to confirm that the Assistance in Building Afghanistan by Developing Enterprises Program is included in the annual performance plan and report and any mission-wide data quality assessments.

USAID/Afghanistan require the Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance to include in quarterly reports for the Assistance in Building Afghanistan by Developing Enterprises Program detailed information on the status of equipment procurements, delivery, installation, and any actions taken or planned to resolve delays and expedite activities that are behind schedule.

USAID/Afghanistan require the Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance to implement a plan to improve financial oversight over all partners implementing the Assistance in Building Afghanistan by Developing Enterprises Program.

USAID/Afghanistan determine the allowability of $18,034 in questioned costs ($6,638 ineligible and $11,396 unsupported) and recover from the Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance any amounts determined to be unallowable.