Office of Inspector General’s Organizational Assessment 2016

The Organizational Assessment Report recaps OIG performance on an annual basis. This year’s report summarizes our most significant achievements of FY 2016, which helped promote excellence in DOI and hold wrongdoers accountable.

 

These achievements resulted from our investigations, audits, inspections, and evaluations as well as improvements in how we work internally. Among other achievements—

 

• our investigations on sexual harassment at two National Park Service locations led to congressional hearings, international media attention, and actions by DOI to combat harassment DOI-wide; 

• our work revealed the BIE Director inappropriately hired two individuals, resulting in removal from his position in March 2016; 

• our work helped ensure DOI addressed unacceptable health and safety conditions for children in Indian Country schools;

• our audit work hastened the notification of customers of the USGS Energy Geochemistry Laboratory in Lakewood, CO, about scientific misconduct and data manipulation issues at the lab; and

• we identified approximately $12.6 million in questioned costs and recommendations for funds to be put to better use and helped recover almost $7.4 million through criminal penalties. 

 

Likewise, special projects and internal improvements helped OIG be more effective in meeting our mission. For example— 

 

• to encourage DOI to take action based on our findings, we implemented a new policy to publicly post the results of most investigations; 

• we have taken steps to increase OIG information technology security;

• we increased the capacity of auditors and investigators in the Insular Area to ensure good stewardship of Federal funding; and

• we continued to excel in our scores on the Governmentwide “Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey” results. 

 

These achievements are possible only through the work and dedication of a highly qualified, trained, and motivated workforce.