GAO was asked to review the fiscal controls over the Combined Federal Campaign to see if greater safeguards are needed to ensure that Federal employee gifts are properly accounted for, controlled, and distributed to participating charitable groups. The specific concern was whether the difference between gifts pledged and gifts actually received, commonly called shrinkage, is being properly allocated to participating groups.

Combined Federal Campaign administrative offices, called central receiving points, receive detailed information on gifts by Federal employees during the annual September through December solicitation period, including the charity or charities and amounts of any designated gifts. However, during the succeeding calendar year, when pledged gifts are actually withheld from employee paychecks, central receiving points did not receive from Federal payroll offices the detailed information on shrinkage needed to ensure the proper distribution of contributions to participating charities. Without knowing which pledges are fully contributed and which are not, central receiving points cannot be assured that they are properly allocating shrinkage to participating charitable groups. GAO found that central receiving points are forced to allocate shrinkage based on distribution methods which may have little relationship to shrinkage applicable to specific charities. As a result, some charitable groups may absorb too high a share of overall shrinkage while other charitable groups may absorb less than their proper share. GAO believes that the implementation of a composite check procedure is a viable solution to this problem.

Status Legend:

Review Pending-GAO has not yet assessed implementation status.

Open-Actions to satisfy the intent of the recommendation have not been taken or are being planned, or actions that partially satisfy the intent of the recommendation have been taken.

Closed-implemented-Actions that satisfy the intent of the recommendation have been taken.

Closed-not implemented-While the intent of the recommendation has not been satisfied, time or circumstances have rendered the recommendation invalid.

• Review Pending
• Open
• Closed - implemented
• Closed - not implemented

Recommendations for Executive Action

Recommendation: The Director of the Office of Personnel Management should direct the Combined Federal Campaigns to comply with the annual audit requirement and monitor their compliance.

Agency Affected: Office of Personnel Management

Status: Closed

Comments: Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.

Recommendation: The Director of the Office of Personnel Management should instruct all Federal agencies to use multiple-copy contribution pledge forms in soliciting employee contributions.

Agency Affected: Office of Personnel Management

Status: Closed

Comments: Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.

Recommendation: The Director of the Office of Personnel Management should require Federal payroll offices to identify themselves when they remit employee contributions made through payroll deductions.

Agency Affected: Office of Personnel Management

Status: Closed

Comments: Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.

Recommendation: The Director of the Office of Personnel Management should direct that a pilot test of the composite check procedure be conducted at several agency payroll offices to determine the cost of instituting such a procedure Government-wide and to see whether such a procedure is cost beneficial. This test should be closely coordinated with the cognizant Combined Federal Campaign central receiving points.

Agency Affected: Office of Personnel Management

Status: Closed

Comments: Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.