Summary

GAO reviewed the Defense Logistics Agency's (DLA) continuing efforts to implement and comply with the Federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act of 1982 (FMFIA).

GAO found that: (1) DLA has made progress toward implementing a program for evaluating its systems of internal accounting and administrative controls, but the program experienced developmental problems that delayed full implementation; (2) DLA failed to identify several significant management control problems during the evaluation process; (3) the evaluation of DLA accounting systems did not include testing systems in operation; (4) the limited involvement of DLA headquarters elements hampered full disclosure of all material weaknesses; and (5) DLA needs to improve its approach for evaluating automatic data processing (ADP) internal controls. GAO also found that: (1) DLA did not have an adequate basis for reporting that its accounting systems were in conformance with Comptroller General requirements because of the lack of review of those systems in operation; (2) 48 percent of all contract disbursements were performed manually which increased the risk of over or underpayments to contractors; (3) additional deficiencies were not reported; (4) corrective actions were mostly long range and dependent on a proposed ADP equipment replacement program; and (5) the DLA evaluation system has not been developed to the point that it can provide a sufficient basis to ensure the requirements of the act have been met.