Still No Progress in Implementing Controls Over Contracts and Grants With Indians
CED-81-122
Published: Sep 10, 1981. Publicly Released: Sep 17, 1981.
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Highlights
GAO was asked to review the accountability of federal funds and property involving contracts and grants awarded for the benefit of Indians.
Recommendations
Matter for Congressional Consideration
| Matter | Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| During its authorization, oversight, and appropriation deliberations, Congress should require the Secretary of the Interior to report on the progress made in implementing the recommendations of GAO. |
Closed
|
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information. |
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of the Interior | The Secretary of the Interior should direct the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs to revise the Bureau of Indian Affairs policies, procedures, and practices to require that all contract and grant agreements include specific criteria against which to measure performance. |
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
|
| Department of the Interior | The Secretary of the Interior should direct the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs to revise the Bureau of Indian Affairs policies, procedures, and practices to terminate a contract or grant where tribal performance constitutes grounds for termination under the pertinent statute. |
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
|
| Department of the Interior | The Secretary of the Interior should direct the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs to revise the Bureau of Indian Affairs policies, procedures, and practices to prohibit award of contracts in which the starting date precedes the date of award. |
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
|
| Department of the Interior | The Secretary of the Interior should direct the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs to revise the Bureau of Indian Affairs policies, procedures, and practices to enforce compliance with the letter-of-credit procedures. This should include: (1) precluding tribes from obtaining cash in excess of their immediate needs; (2) requiring the tribes to submit timely expense vouchers; and (3) revoking the letter-of-credit authority for tribes that fail to comply with the letter-of-credit procedures. |
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
|
| Department of the Interior | The Secretary of the Interior should direct the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs to revise the Bureau of Indian Affairs policies, procedures, and practices to require monitoring of tribal letter-of-credit withdrawals on each contract or grant to ensure that a tribe does not withdraw more than the amount authorized by the contract or grant. |
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
|
| Department of the Interior | The Secretary of the Interior should direct the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs to revise the Bureau of Indian Affairs policies, procedures, and practices to require the Bureau to arrange with certified public accounting firms for annual financial audits of contracts and grants with Indian tribes. |
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
|
| Department of the Interior | The Secretary of the Interior should direct the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs to revise the Bureau of Indian Affairs policies, procedures, and practices to prohibit, where no law specifically permits carryover of funds, the practice of using prior fiscal year funds to pay for goods and services that are to be provided in the subsequent fiscal year unless the services are part of a contract which is not feasible to divide between fiscal years. |
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
|
| Department of the Interior | The Secretary of the Interior should direct the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs to revise the Bureau of Indian Affairs policies, procedures, and practices to prohibit award of contract modifications without a request from the tribe and a corresponding increase in the work statement or in the amount of services to be provided. |
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
|
| Department of the Interior | The Secretary of the Interior should direct the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs to revise the Bureau of Indian Affairs policies, procedures, and practices to require tribes to submit appropriate financial and program progress reports. |
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
|
| Department of the Interior | The Secretary of the Interior should direct the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs to revise the Bureau of Indian Affairs policies, procedures, and practices to require tribes to develop adequate property management systems. |
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
|
| Department of the Interior | The Secretary of the Interior should direct the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs to consider three possible alternative organizational structures for the Bureau. Also, the reorganization should include establishing full-time contract administrators that report directly to the contracting officer. |
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
|
| Department of Health and Human Services | The Secretary of Health and Human Services should direct the Administrator of the Health Services Administration to revise Indian Health Service policies, procedures, and practices as appropriate to require that all contract and grant agreements include specific criteria against which to measure performance. |
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
|
| Department of Health and Human Services | The Secretary of Health and Human Services should direct the Administrator of the Health Services Administration to revise Indian Health Service policies, procedures, and practices to terminate a contract or grant where tribal performance constitutes grounds for termination under the pertinent statute. |
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
|
| Department of Health and Human Services | The Secretary of Health and Human Services should direct the Administrator of the Health Services Administration to revise Indian Health Service policies, procedures, and practices to prohibit award of contracts in which the starting date precedes the date of award. |
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
|
| Department of Health and Human Services | The Secretary of Health and Human Services should direct the Administrator of the Health Services Administration to revise Indian Health Service policies, procedures, and practices to require tribes to develop adequate property management systems. |
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
|
| Department of Health and Human Services | The Secretary of Health and Human Services should direct the Administrator of the Health Services Administration to revise Indian Health Service policies, procedures, and practices to require tribes to submit appropriate financial and program progress reports. |
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
|
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Topics
ContractsEvaluation criteriaFinancial managementGrant administrationMonitoringNative AmericansProcurement practicesProgram managementProperty and supply managementIndian self-determination