This advisory regarding construction projects managed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Office of Facilities Management and Construction (OFMC) is part of our ongoing effort to oversee and ensure the accountability of funding appropriated to the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). During our review, we found issues relating to project planning, design, quality assurance, and funding processes that impacted effective and efficient use of Recovery Act funds.
OFMC received approximately $278 million in Recovery Act funding for school replacement and major facility improvement and repair (FI&R) projects at existing schools. These projects represent 56 percent of the Recovery Act funds appropriated to BIA.