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OFFICE OF 

INSPECTOR GENERAL 

U.S.DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Progress Made by the 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

in Implementing Government 

Charge Card Recommendations,

Fiscal Year 2019

Report No.: 2020-FIN-014 January 2020
 

 

 

 

OFFICE OF 

INSPECTOR GENERAL 

U.S.DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Mick Mulvaney, Director 

Office of Management and Budget 

725 17th Street, NW 

Washington, DC 20503 

Subject: Progress Made by the U.S. Department of the Interior in Implementing 

Government Charge Card Recommendations, Fiscal Year 2019 

Report No. 2020-FIN-014 

Dear Mr. Mulvaney: 

This letter provides the status of progress made by the U.S. Department of the Interior 

(DOI) in implementing previous Government charge card recommendations as of the end of 

fiscal year (FY) 2019, as well as other DOI-related charge card activities and Office of Inspector 

General (OIG) reviews. 

The Government Charge Card Abuse Prevention Act of 2012 (Public Law No. 112‐194) 

requires all executive branch agencies to establish and maintain safeguards and internal controls 

for purchase, travel, and centrally billed accounts. The Act reinforced efforts to prevent fraud, 

waste, and mismanagement of Governmentwide charge card programs. In addition, the Act 

requires agency OIGs to conduct periodic risk assessments of agency purchase card or 

convenience check programs to analyze the risk of illegal, improper, or erroneous purchases and 

payments. We use these risk assessments to determine the necessary scope, frequency, and 

number of audits or reviews that we will perform related to these programs. We are also required 

to report to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget on the DOI’s progress in 

implementing our audit recommendations related to Government charge cards. 

In FY 2019, the Department had more than $696 million in charge card purchases. 

During this same period, we issued 2 audit reports with a total of 10 recommendations related to 

internal controls over Government purchase cards at the DOI (see below and attachment). 

OIG Charge Card-Related Work 

We issued two audit reports in FY 2019: 

• 2017-ER-015, Internal Controls for the Department of the Interior’s Purchase Card

Program Need Improvement, was issued on March 29, 2019, with five

Office of Inspector General | Washington, DC 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

recommendations related to internal controls over Government purchase cards. As of 

the close of FY 2019, all five recommendations are resolved but not implemented. 

• 2017-ER-015A, Improvement Needed in Internal Controls for the Use of

Convenience Checks at the Department of the Interior, was issued on March 26,

2019, with five recommendations related to internal controls over Government

purchase cards. As of the close of FY 2019, four recommendations were resolved,

implemented, and closed, and one recommendation was resolved but not

implemented.

New Purchase Card Contractor and Process Began November 2018 

The DOI selected Citibank as its new charge card contractor to replace J.P. Morgan 

Chase, effective on November 30, 2018. The new DOI charge card is no longer one integrated 

card with separate business lines for purchase, fleet, and travel; instead, Citibank issues separate 

cards for each. 

If you have any questions about this progress report or require further information, please 

contact me at 202-208-5745. 

Sincerely, 

Mark L. Greenblatt 

Inspector General 

cc: Kenneth R. Casey, Charge Card Program Manager, Office of Acquisition and Property 

Management 

Megan Olsen, Director, Office of Acquisition and Property Management 

Attachment 

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Attachment 

Status of Government Charge Card Recommendations 

2017-ER-015, Internal Controls for the U.S Department of the Interior’s 

Purchase Card Program Need Improvement 

Report Date: 03/29/2019 

1. The DOI and its bureaus enforce all governing requirements for 

supporting documentation and supervisory review of purchase 

card transactions and hold accountable supervisors who do not 

perform reviews in accordance with the DOI Integrated Charge 

Card Policy (ICCP). 

2. The DOI and its bureaus train staff on the ICCP manual's 

requirement for separation of duties. 

3. The DOI establish criteria for requiring cardholders to document a 

justification for use of non-required sources and third-party 

vendors for approval by AOs 

4. The DOI establish internal controls to identify cardholder accounts 

with invalid or improper purchase limits and to assign limits as 

designated in applicable policy and guidance. 

5. The DOI establish and implement a policy for the payment of 

sales tax. This should include a requirement for documenting 

attempts to recover any State and local taxes paid. 

Resolved, but not 

implemented 

Resolved, but not 

implemented 

Resolved, but not 

implemented 

Resolved, but not 

implemented 

Resolved, but not 

implemented 

2017-ER-015-A, Improvement Needed in Internal Controls for the Use of 

Convenience Checks at the U.S. Department of the Interior 

Report Date: 03/26/2019 

1. Strengthen controls to ensure approving officials review 

transactions and verify supporting documentation 

2. Establish and implement policy on the requirements for completing 

IRS Form 1099 when using a convenience check to pay for 

services. 

3. Provide updated guidance on proper use and limitations of 

convenience checks. 

4. Generate monthly system reports of transactions over $2,000 (to 

identify those over the micro-purchase limits for supplies, services, 

and construction), and make these reports available for 

management review. 

5. Establish procedures for cardholders to document purchases and 

confirm the availability of funds based on single-purchase and cycle 

limits prior to making a purchase with a convenience check. 

Resolved, 

implemented, 

and closed 

Resolved, 

implemented, 

and closed 

Resolved, 

implemented, 

and closed 

Resolved, 

but not 

implemented 

Resolved, 

implemented, 

and closed 

3 
Report Fraud, Waste,

and Mismanagement

Fraud, waste, and mismanagement in

Government concern everyone: Office 

of Inspector General staff, departmental 

employees, and the general public. We 

actively solicit allegations of any 

inefficient and wasteful practices, fraud, 

and mismanagement related to 

departmental or Insular Area programs 

and operations. You can report 

allegations to us in several ways.

 By Internet: www.doioig.gov

 By Phone: 24-Hour Toll Free: 800-424-5081

Washington Metro Area: 202-208-5300

 By Fax: 703-487-5402

 By Mail: U.S. Department of the Interior

Office of Inspector General

Mail Stop 4428 MIB

1849 C Street, NW.

Washington, DC 20240