Audit of the Process To Approve, Disburse, and Report Rewards for Justice Payments

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, in conjunction with the Bureau of Legislative Affairs, (a) identify the detailed steps and action entities needed to prepare and submit reports on reward payments made within 30 days of the payment of such rewards; (b) determine the amount of time for each step, including the amount of time the Bureau of Legislative Affairs needs to finalize and send each report to Congress; and (c) redesign the flow and processes to meet the 30-day reporting requirement.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Diplomatic Security (a) develop and implement a process to follow up with the nominating agencies on the status of the reward payment receipts to help expedite the submittal of Reward Payment Reports within the mandated 30-day reporting timeline and (b) consider entering into formal agreements (that is, Letters of Agreement) with the nominating agencies to strengthen the joint commitments toward timely submissions of reports to Congress.

OIG recommends that the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, in coordination with the Bureau of Legislative Affairs, establish and implement a process to (a) identify the expenses necessary to operate the Rewards for Justice Program, (b) compile and accumulate data on operating expenses annually, (c) prepare the annual report, and (d) submit the report to the Bureau of Legislative Affairs within timeframes as agreed to by the Bureau of Legislative Affairs to meet the requirement to submit the annual report no later than 60 days after the end of each fiscal year.