The following categories are used to describe the status of the recommendations:
- Response Not Yet Due – DOE’s or the non-DOE federal agency’s initial response to the recommendation is not yet due.
- Resolved – DOE or the non-DOE federal agency has agreed to implement the recommendation or has proposed actions that will address the recommendation.
- Unresolved – The initial deadline for DOE’s or the non-DOE federal agency’s response to the recommendation has passed, and it has not agreed to implement the recommendation or has not proposed actions that will 2 address the recommendation. The OIG may also convert a recommendation from “Resolved” to “Unresolved”, if it determines that DOE or the non-DOE federal agency is not making sufficient progress towards implementation.
- On Hold/Pending with OIG – The completion of the OIG’s assessment of the status of the recommendation is on hold or pending due to ongoing reviews or other factors.
Below is a glossary of other terms used in reference to our recommendations.
Open Recommendation – A recommendation for which the OIG has determined that sufficient action has not yet been taken to fully implement the recommendation.
Closed Recommendation – A recommendation for which the OIG determined sufficient action has been taken to fully implement the recommendation.
Priority Recommendation – A priority recommendation is one that the OIG believes that, when implemented, will have the most benefit or impact to the agency’s mission, operations, programs, or funds. Factors an OIG may consider when designating an open recommendation with a priority status include: monetary impact; reduction to waste, fraud, abuse, or misconduct; impact on program efficiency and effectiveness; impact on health, safety, national security, or the economy; current value to policy makers; and the recommendation’s relationship to a high-profile area such as OIG top management challenges, agency strategic priorities, CIGIE top challenges, Congressional interest, and global or national emergencies.
Report Issuance Date – For recommendation aging purposes, the date of the final report.
DOE Component – An agency, bureau, office, or other subdivision of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Questioned Cost (QC) – A cost that is questioned by the OIG because of
- an alleged violation of a provision of a law, regulation, contract, grant, cooperative agreement, or other agreement or document governing the expenditure of funds;
- a finding that, at the time of the audit, such cost is not support by adequate document; or
- a finding that the expenditure of funds for the intended purpose is unnecessary or unreasonable.
Unsupported Cost – A cost that is questioned by the OIG because the OIG found that, at the time of the audit, such cost is not supported by adequate documentation.
Funds Put to Better Use (FBU) – A recommendation by the OIG that funds could be used more efficiently if management of an establishment took actions to implement and complete the recommendation, including:
- eductions in outlays;
- deobligation of funds from programs or operations;
- withdrawal of interest subsidy costs on loans or loan guarantees, insurance, or bonds;
- costs not incurred by implementing recommended improvements related to the operations of the establishment, a contractor or grantee;
- avoidance of unnecessary expenditures noted in preaward reviews of contract or grant agreements; or
- any other savings which are specifically identified.
Dollar Related Open Recommendations – All recommendations in which the OIG identified questioned costs, unsupported costs, or funds that could be put to better use by DOE.