Audits

On August 2, 2012, we issued our final report on improvements needed In the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) Grant Oversight Program.  We conducted this audit at FTA’s request.  FTA’s Oversight Program is carried out by its regional offices, as well as its contractors, to ensure that grantees spend funds effectively; comply with Federal laws and regulations; and prevent fraud, waste, and abuse. Our objectives were to assess whether FTA Headquarters provides its regions and contractors with adequate guidance and oversight to accurately identify and track grantee deficiencies and to assess whether FTA’s Region III effectively follows up on grantee deficiencies.  We found that FTA Headquarters does not provide its regions or contractors with adequate guidance or oversight to ensure they consistently identify and track grantee deficiencies.  Further, FTA Region III has not effectively followed up on grantee deficiencies.  We made six recommendations to enhance the level of oversight FTA provides, to develop performance measures assessing the effectiveness of the outcomes of its overall Oversight Program, and to ensure regions do not close findings before receiving documentation showing that a finding has been fully resolved.  FTA fully concurred with our six recommendations and provided responsive plans to address them.  We consider the recommendations resolved but open pending completion of the planned actions.