Orange Book

The "Orange Book" is a compendium of significant unimplemented, nonmonetary recommendations for improving departmental operations. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) believes that implementation of these recommendations will benefit the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and its customers through increased operational effectiveness and assurance that governmental resources are controlled by reliable financial management and accounting systems.

Generally, these recommendations can be implemented by administrative action, while some call for a change in legislation. Although these recommendations generally have a nonmonetary impact when implemented, the Department may achieve some programmatic savings. The OIG recommendations for proposed legislation are not removed until the law has been enacted – not just proposed. For administrative issues, recommendations are not removed until the action has been substantially completed.

The "Orange Book" supplements other OIG reports. The Inspector General Act requires that OIGs' Semiannual reports to the Congress include "...an identification of each significant recommendations described in previous semiannual reports on which corrective action has not been completed." In compliance with the Act, significant recommendations are highlighted in the semiannual reports. Because of the abbreviated nature of these reports and the potentially significant impact of OIG recommendations, we prepare the "Orange Book" to elaborate further on our most significant nonmonetary issues. Through the "Orange Book," HHS officials, Office of Management and Budget officials, and the Congress have in one document significant program and management improvement recommendations.