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Open Recommendations

Economic Development: Additional Training Could Help Small Lenders Implement Technology
GAO-24-106226
Apr 11, 2024
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of the Treasury The Secretary of the Treasury should ensure that the Director of the CDFI Fund develops training or other materials for improving CDFIs' technology capacity. These resources should address the specific capacity limitations of and challenges faced by CDFIs, particularly smaller institutions. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Justice40: Additional Efforts Needed to Improve Tribal Applicants' Access to Federal Programs Under Environmental Justice Initiative
GAO-24-106511
Apr 10, 2024
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9 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Environmental Protection Agency The Administrator of EPA should ensure that the program offices of EPA Justice40 covered programs document previously identified statutory and regulatory barriers to access for tribal applicants informing their implementation of the Justice40 Initiative. As a part of this process, the agency should—with input from Tribes—identify any additional changes necessary to address remaining statutory and regulatory barriers, recommending legislative changes where the agency determines appropriate. The agency should make a summary of the results of this process publicly available. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Federal Emergency Management Agency The Administrator of FEMA should ensure that program offices of FEMA Justice40 covered programs document previously identified statutory and regulatory barriers to access for tribal applicants informing their implementation of the Justice40 Initiative. As a part of this process, the agency should—with input from Tribes—identify any additional changes necessary to address remaining statutory and regulatory barriers, recommending legislative changes where the agency determines appropriate. The agency should make a summary of the results of this process publicly available. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Agriculture The Secretary of Agriculture should ensure that program offices of USDA Justice40 covered programs document previously identified statutory and regulatory barriers to access for tribal applicants informing their implementation of the Justice40 Initiative. As a part of this process, the agency should—with input from Tribes—identify any additional changes necessary to address remaining statutory and regulatory barriers, recommending legislative changes where the agency determines appropriate. The agency should make a summary of the results of this process publicly available. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Environmental Protection Agency The Administrator of EPA should ensure that program offices implementing Justice40 covered programs maintain records of related consultations with Tribes and consider—with tribal input—publicly sharing a high-level summary of consultation results, as appropriate, to improve tribal applicants' access to information about tribal input on federal programs and decrease the burden on Tribes and eligible Indigenous communities. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Federal Emergency Management Agency The Administrator of FEMA should ensure that program offices implementing Justice40 covered programs maintain records of related consultations with Tribes and consider—with tribal input—publicly sharing a high-level summary of consultation results, as appropriate, to improve tribal applicants' access to information about tribal input on federal programs and decrease the burden on Tribes and eligible Indigenous communities. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Agriculture The Secretary of the USDA should ensure that program offices implementing Justice40 covered programs maintain records of related consultations with Tribes and consider—with tribal input—publicly sharing a high-level summary of consultation results, as appropriate, to improve tribal applicants' access to information about tribal input on federal programs and decrease the burden on Tribes and eligible Indigenous communities. (Recommendation 6)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Small Business Administration: Targeted Outreach about Disaster Assistance Could Benefit Rural Communities
GAO-24-106755
Feb 22, 2024
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Small Business Administration The SBA Administrator should ensure that the Associate Administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience distinguishes between rural and urban communities in SBA's outreach and marketing plan and incorporates actions to mitigate challenges encountered by rural communities in accessing the Disaster Loan Program. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Disaster Recovery: HUD Should Develop Data Collection Guidance to Support Analysis of Block Grant Fraud Risks
GAO-23-104382
Aug 17, 2023
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7 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Housing and Urban Development The Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development should develop guidance for CDBG-DR grantees and subrecipients on collecting complete and consistent data to better support applicant eligibility determinations and fraud risk management. (Recommendation 1)
Open
At the time of the report's issuance, HUD agreed with this recommendation. HUD told GAO that it intended to develop guidance for grantee applicant data collection and provide technical assistance to grantees and subrecipients on best practices for data collection, data format, and personally identifiable information protections. In February 2024, HUD stated that it is working with its Privacy Office to develop training or training materials on data collection, data consistency for data analysis purposes, and protection of personally identifiable information and hoped to complete these actions by September 30, 2024. GAO will continue to monitor HUD's efforts to develop guidance for grantee applicant data collection and provide technical assistance.
Department of Housing and Urban Development The Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development should update the Monitoring Handbook for Disaster Recovery Community Development Block Grant monitoring activities to provide additional guidance in the selection of contracts for review. This should include factors such as contractors that present increased risk to the CDBG-DR environment, including those where allegations of fraud, waste, or abuse have been made. (Recommendation 2)
Open
At the time the report's issuance, HUD neither agreed nor disagreed with this recommendation. HUD maintained that fraud data analytics are led at the department level. HUD also stated it planned to initiate a fraud risk management process over the next 12 months that involves oversight from the department's Chief Risk Officer. In February 2024, HUD told GAO that it is communicating with the HUD Office of Inspector General to collaborate on a fraud risk training session, tentatively scheduled for May 2024. Additionally, HUD stated it plans to provide one-on-one fraud risk technical assistance and intends to do so by the end of FY2024 or early FY2025. GAO will continue to monitor HUD's efforts to provide additional monitoring guidance.
Department of Housing and Urban Development The Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development should identify ways to collect and combine contractor and subcontractor data across grantees and subrecipients to facilitate risk analyses, such as by expanding the Disaster Recovery Data Portal, Disaster Recovery Grant Reporting System, or other appropriate systems. (Recommendation 3)
Open
At the time of the report's issuance, HUD neither agreed nor disagreed with this recommendation. HUD stated it was taking steps to improve its fraud risk assessment and annual grantee risk analysis. In February 2024, HUD told GAO it plans to develop and implement fraud analytics. HUD did not provide a timeframe for completion but committed to providing regular status updates. GAO will continue to monitor HUD's efforts to identify ways to collect and combine data across grantees and subrecipients to facilitate risk analyses.
Department of Housing and Urban Development The Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development should develop and implement guidance for CDBG-DR grantees and subrecipients to collect contractor and subcontractor data to facilitate identification of contractor and cross-cutting fraud risks through approaches such as network analysis. (Recommendation 4)
Open
At the time of the report's issuance, HUD disagreed with this recommendation. HUD stated there was no program requirement for a grantee to undertake specific actions beyond attendance at mandatory HUD Office of Inspector General training. Additionally, HUD did not consider it practical for grantees to simultaneously administer network analysis and recovery programs. In February 2024, HUD told GAO that it plans to develop and implement fraud analytics. However, it is unclear how HUD's use of fraud analytics will develop and implement guidance for grantees and subrecipients on data collection to identify fraud risks. HUD did not provide a timeframe for completing its fraud analytics, but committed to providing regular status updates. GAO will continue to monitor HUD's efforts to develop and implement guidance for grantees and subrecipients to collect contractor and subcontractor data to identify fraud risks.
Department of Housing and Urban Development The Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development should develop guidance on data elements to be collected by grantees and subrecipients, to determine if a contractor has been suspended, debarred, or excluded from working on government contracts. (Recommendation 5)
Open
At the time of the report's issuance, HUD agreed with this recommendation. HUD stated it will develop guidance on data elements. In February 2024, HUD told GAO that it will provide training for grantees on how to use SAM.gov, clarify the data elements associated with debarment checks, and increase awareness of state and local debarment lists at HUD's CDBG-DR Problem Solving Clinic in May 2024. GAO will continue to monitor HUD's efforts to develop data collection guidance to determine a contractor's suspension or debarment status.
Department of Housing and Urban Development The Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development should ensure that grantees and subrecipients have attended fraud-related training as required. This could include requesting and reviewing attendance documentation from the OIG and grantees. (Recommendation 6)
Open
At the time of the report's issuance, HUD disagreed with this recommendation. HUD stated it was planning on coordinating with the HUD Office of Inspector General to request attendance documentation and additional training for grantees but disagreed with monitoring CDBG-DR grantees for this purpose. In February 2024, HUD told GAO that it is communicating with the HUD Office of Inspector General to develop a process for validating fraud training attendance documentation and expects to implement a solution by the third quarter of FY2024. GAO will continue to monitor HUD's efforts to ensure that grantees and subrecipients have attended fraud-related training.
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