The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) spends about a quarter of a billion dollars each year on travel, making management of travel funds across DOI and its bureaus a priority. We initiated an audit of DOI's GovTrip use and monitoring based on limitations in GovTrip that we discovered during a prior evaluation.
We found significant weaknesses in the design of the system and DOI's management of the travel process. We found that inadequate contract requirements and system implementation caused internal control deficiencies and inhibited DOI's ability to manage travel. In addition, DOI's management of the travel process has not ensured that Federal travel rules and regulations are followed, travel costs are adequately documented and valid, and travel is consistently managed.
This report is the final installment of a series of 8 memorandum reports and 17 Notices of Potential Findings and Recommendations to individual bureau offices that detailed travel management deficiencies found unique to each bureau or office. In this report, we identify common issues and systemic weaknesses in the current system and recommend ways DOI can improve travel management through good internal controls to save money, reduce travel documentation shortcomings, and enhance accountability. A new electronic travel system, slated to come online in November 2013, presents an opportunity to prevent e-travel weaknesses and deficiencies during implementation and throughout the life of the contract.
We made 13 recommendations to improve travel planning efficacy and accounting accuracy; DOI concurred.