Develop and implement adequate written policies to ensure that cardholders obtain appropriate authorizations to support charges to their government travel cards and establish a process for submitting a written request to OCFO for a merchant code unblock.
Publication Report
2017-KC-0009 | September 26, 2017
Some HUD Employees Used Travel Cards for Potentially Improper Purchases and Purchase Cards Without All Required Approvals
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General audited the HUD’s travel and purchase card programs for fiscal year 2016 based on (1) our annual risk assessment of these programs and (2) our requirement under the… moreRelated Recommendations
Chief Financial Officer
Develop and implement written policies to ensure that program offices adequately follow up on identified questionable charges and inform OCFO of significant travel card violations when they are identified.
- Status2017-KC-0009-001-COpenClosedClosed on September 06, 2019$555,337.00Questioned Costs
Recommendations with questioned costs identify costs: (A] resulting from an alleged violation of a law, regulation, contract, grant, or other document or agreement governing the use of Federal funds; (B] that are not supported by adequate documentation (also known as an unsupported cost]; or (C] that appear unnecessary or unreasonable.
Review the identified 3,160 transactions totaling $555,337 to determine whether they were for official government travel. If they were not for official travel, OCFO should determine whether the cardholders paid the credit bill for the improper charges, request reimbursement when applicable, and take all other appropriate actions.
Chief Procurement Officer
Strengthen current purchase card controls to ensure that purchases are supported by all required approvals before the purchase is made.
Review the four cardholders with incomplete approvals and determine whether the purchases were allowable and proper. If they were not for official government use, OCPO should determine whether the cardholders paid the credit bill for the improper charges, request reimbursement when applicable, and ensure that appropriate administrative sanctions are taken.