Report Contents
What OIG Inspected
OIG inspected foreign assistance program management in the Bureau of Counterterrorism.
What OIG Recommends
OIG made 7 recommendations to the Bureau of Counterterrorism. In its comments on the draft report, the Bureau of Counterterrorism concurred with all 7 recommendations. OIG considers all 7 recommendations resolved. The bureau’s response to each recommendation, and OIG’s reply, can be found in the Recommendations section of this report. The bureau’s formal written response is reprinted in its entirety in Appendix B.
What OIG Found
- The Bureau of Counterterrorism made substantial progress in setting up strategic planning and business operations processes to support an expansion of its foreign assistance program funding since FY 2016. Nonetheless, the bureau did not develop a fully integrated internal planning process to incorporate the range of its programs and those of partner agencies.
- The bureau's monitoring and evaluation framework did not fully comply with Department of State standards. Specifically, the bureau had yet to develop performance management plans for 13 of its 15 major programs.
- The bureau relied on third-party contractors to help with foreign assistance program oversight. OIG identified instances where third-party contractors performed inherently governmental functions.
- Federal agency implementing partners did not submit quarterly performance and financial reports or submitted fewer than required, which contributed to weaknesses in funds control and program management. The bureau also faced challenges in closing out its interagency agreements.
- Federal assistance awards files did not always include monitoring documentation to show whether a recipient performed the award in accordance with the statement of work.
- The bureau returned $51.9 million in expired and canceled funds from FY 2016 to FY 2019, partly as a result of the weaknesses in funds control.
Report Terms
Report Recommendations
The Bureau of Counterterrorism should develop and implement a strategic planning process that includes all the bureau’s counterterrorism foreign assistance programs and all partner agencies.
The Bureau of Counterterrorism should comply with Department standards for monitoring and evaluation of its foreign assistance programs.
The Bureau of Counterterrorism should comply with Department standards regarding the use of third-party contractors in its Office of Programs.
The Bureau of Counterterrorism should include standard language on closeout procedures in each interagency agreement, in accordance with Department standards.
The Bureau of Counterterrorism should comply with Department standards for Federal assistance award files documentation.
The Bureau of Counterterrorism should implement a process to identify and reclassify foreign assistance funds at risk of cancellation, in accordance with Department standards.
The Bureau of Counterterrorism should monitor funds spent through its interagency agreements with the Department of Justice Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development and Assistance Training and take corrective actions as needed, in accordance with Department guidance.