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Review of Federal Contributions Program, Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization, Executive Office of the President

B-133209 Published: Dec 19, 1961. Publicly Released: Dec 19, 1961.
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Highlights

This document is our review of the Federal Contributions Program of the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization (OCDM), Executive Office of the President. Our review has shown that OCDM administered the Federal Contributions Program in a manner which resulted in the expenditure of Federal funds for equipment and other facilities which the States and their political subdivisions acquired primarily for their normal governmental activities rather than for civil defense as intended by the Congress, Much of the equipment for which the Federal Government contributed half the cost was purchased by the applicants to meet their normal requirements, and, under these circumstances, there is doubt that OCDM's administration of the program resulted in the increased civil defense capability intended by the Congress, We are recommending that future approvals of civil defense projects be suspended until adequate criteria can be developed for governing the eligibility of the various program categories, that approved applications be reviewed in the light of these criteria , and that, where pertinent, ineligible portions be canceled. Certain programs should be discontinued unless their need for civil defense purposes can be clearly demonstrated. Our review has also shown procedural inadequacies which resulted in (a) approvals of projects for normal needs rather than for civil defense needs, (b) improper payments to State and local governments, (c) dual Federal financing for generators under two assistance programs, and (d) unnecessary advances of several millions of dollars of Federal funds. OCDM did not require sufficient documentation for determining whether claims submitted for payment were proper and did not make comprehensive continuing reviews of program activities.

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