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EPA’s Fleet Management 

Program Needs Improvement

Report No. 15-P-0001 October 6, 2014

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

Spending Taxpayer Dollars
Report Contributors: Marcia Hirt-Reigeluth

Anthony Grear

Cara Lindsey

Andres Calderon

Gloria Taylor-Upshaw

Michael Davis

Abbreviations

AST Automotive Statistical Tool

EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

FAST Federal Automotive Statistical Tool

FMR Federal Management Regulation

GAO Government Accountability Office

GSA General Services Administration

NEIC National Enforcement Investigations Center

OARM Office of Administration and Resources Management 

OCEFT Office of Criminal Enforcement, Forensics and Training

OIG Office of Inspector General

OMB Office of Management and Budget 

U.S.C. U.S. Code

FY Fiscal year

Cover photo: Picture of an EPA fleet vehicle taken during the audit. (EPA OIG photo)

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More information at www.epa.gov/oig/hotline.html.

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 15-P-0001

October 6, 2014

Why We Did This Review

The U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency (EPA), 

Office of Inspector General 

(OIG), initiated this audit to

determine whether the EPA’s 

fleet program is in accordance 

with federal fleet requirements 

for vehicle operations, 

acquisitions and utilization. 

Federal agencies are to use 

government vehicles to fulfill 

their mission. The Federal 

Management Regulation sets 

forth requirements governing 

the economical and efficient 

management and control of 

motor vehicles that the 

government owns, leases 

commercially, or leases 

through the General Services 

Administration fleet.

This report addresses the 

following EPA goal or 

cross-agency strategy:

 Embracing EPA as a highperforming organization.

Send all inquiries to our public 

affairs office at (202) 566-2391 or 

visit www.epa.gov/oig. 

The full report is at:

www.epa.gov/oig/reports/2015/ 

20141006-15-P-0001.pdf

 

EPA’s Fleet Management Program Needs Improvement

 What We Found

The EPA’s oversight of its fleet 

management program needs improvement. 

The OIG identified three areas that 

reinforce the need for more oversight:

 The EPA has not finalized or issued 

guidance documentation to manage

the fleet in over 5 years. 

 Fleet managers were not following program requirements and federal 

regulations for vehicle emission testing, tracking vehicle usage, and ensuring 

operator responsibilities. 

 The EPA lacks documentation to support its approval of law enforcement 

vehicles in home-to-work status. 

Without adequate oversight of the fleet program, the agency is not ensuring that 

the $6 million-per-year program is efficient and effective to perform the agency’s 

mission, and is placing taxpayer funds at risk.

We also found that the EPA should increase monitoring of data within the 

agency’s fleet information system, known as the Automotive Statistical Tool 

(AST). We identified missing, incomplete or incorrect information in the fleet 

system. In addition, user data input from one report or screen in the AST is not 

reported consistently in other system reports. The EPA has not developed or 

issued an AST manual or a list of procedures to ensure users correctly input 

information into the system. The AST-programmed data checks are not effective 

in identifying differences in varying system reports. If data in the EPA’s fleet 

information system is not accurate, the agency is at risk of reporting errors to the 

federal information system.

 Recommendations and Planned Corrective Actions

The OIG recommended that the Assistant Administrator for Administration and 

Resources Management:

 Finalize and issue the Fleet Management Manual to ensure that fleet 

managers operate programs within the agency’s policies and procedures.

 Require fleet managers to perform vehicle emission testing, use a tracking 

system for vehicle usage, and require operators to acknowledge 

responsibilities.

 Require fleet managers with law enforcement vehicles to confer with the 

Office of Administration and Resources Management to ensure the agency 

has an acceptable level of documentation to meet reporting requirements.

 Develop and issue an AST manual or a list of procedures for users to help 

ensure data input is correct in the system.

The agency agreed with our recommendations and provided corrective actions.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Inspector General

At a Glance

If oversight of the EPA’s fleet is 

not improved, the $6 millionper-year program could be 

ineffective and inefficient in 

supporting the agency’s mission

and reporting data to the federal 

system, and could place

taxpayer funds at risk.
October 6, 2014

MEMORANDUM

SUBJECT: EPA’s Fleet Management Program Needs Improvement

Report No. 15-P-0001

FROM: Arthur A. Elkins Jr.

TO: Nanci Gelb, Acting Assistant Administrator

Office of Administration and Resources Management

This is our report on the subject audit conducted by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This report contains findings that describe the problems 

the OIG has identified and corrective actions the OIG recommends. This report represents the opinion of 

the OIG and does not necessarily represent the final EPA position. Final determinations on matters in 

this report will be made by EPA managers in accordance with established audit-resolution procedures.

The office responsible for implementing the recommendations is the Office of Administration and 

Resources Management’s Office of Administration, Facilities Management and Services Division.

Action Required

In accordance with EPA Manual 2750, your office provided acceptable and complete planned corrective 

actions in response to OIG recommendations. All recommendations are resolved and no final response to 

this report is required. 

We will post this report to our website at http://www.epa.gov/oig. 

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460

THE INSPECTOR GENERAL
EPA’s Fleet Management Program 15-P-0001

Needs Improvement

Table of Contents

Chapters

1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1

Purpose ..................................................................................................... 1

Background................................................................................................ 1

Responsible Office..................................................................................... 2

Scope and Methodology ............................................................................ 2

2 EPA Needs to Improve Oversight of Its Fleet Management Program ........... 3

EPA’s Oversight of Its Fleet Management Program................................ 3

Federal Laws and Regulations Governing the Management and

 Monitoring of a Fleet Program................................................................ 4

 EPA Has Not Issued a Fleet Manual That Provides Direction to 

 Fleet Managers...................................................................................... 5

 EPA Fleet Managers Did Not Follow Program Requirements .................... 5

 EPA Needs to Improve Documentation to Support Home-to-Work 

 Use of Law Enforcement Vehicles ......................................................... 6

EPA Should Be Consistent in Documenting Emission Testing and 

State Inspections................................................................................... 8

Conclusion................................................................................................. 9

Recommendations..................................................................................... 9

Agency Comments and OIG Evaluation..................................................... 10

3 EPA Needs to Increase Data Monitoring of Its Fleet Information

System............................................................................................................... 11

EPA’s Automotive Statistical Tool Is Its Fleet Information System.............. 11

Federal Regulations Governing Information System Data Management .... 12

The AST Needs a Manual, a List of Procedures and More

 Data Checks...................................................................................... 12

Conclusion................................................................................................. 13

Recommendations..................................................................................... 14

Agency Comments and OIG Evaluation..................................................... 14

Status of Recommendations and Potential Monetary Benefits........................... 15

Appendices

A OARM Response to Draft Report and OIG Comment..................................... 16

B Distribution ...................................................................................................... 19
15-P-0001 1

Chapter 1

Introduction

Purpose

The purpose of this assignment was to help the U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA) embrace its cross-cutting strategy to be a high-performing 

organization. The audit objective of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) was to

determine whether the EPA’s fleet program operates in accordance with federal 

fleet requirements for vehicle operations, acquisitions and utilization.

Background

Federal agencies are to use government vehicles to fulfill their mission. As part of 

our audit, we relied on specific provisions of the Federal Management Regulation

(FMR), Subchapter B, Part 102-34, titled Motor Vehicle Management. This 

federal regulation sets forth requirements governing the economical and efficient 

management and control of motor vehicles that the government owns, leases 

commercially, or leases through the General Services Administration (GSA) fleet.

All executive agencies are required to comply with the provisions of this part. We 

reviewed several subparts of this regulation, including Subpart A, General 

Provisions, which identifies the motor vehicles that are covered and not covered 

by this subpart. Section 102-34.20(d) provides that motor vehicles regularly used 

by an agency to perform investigative, law enforcement or intelligence duties are 

subject to only Subpart D, and Subpart J of the subchapter.

We also reviewed Subpart D, Official Use of Government Motor Vehicles;

Subpart F, Scheduled Maintenance of Motor Vehicles; and Subpart J, Federal 

Fleet Report.

The FMR requires the establishment of a fleet management information system 

that identifies and collects accurate inventory, cost and usage data that covers the 

vehicle lifecycle. We noted that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) 

publication, Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government 

(November 1999), provides that application controls are designed to help ensure

completeness, accuracy, authorization and validity of all transactions during 

application processing. An application control is designed to cover the processing 

of data within the application software. According to the Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) Circular A-123, “internal control is an integral component of 

an organization’s management” that provides reasonable assurance that the 

organization is achieving the objective of “effectiveness and efficiency of 

operations.”
15-P-0001 2

During our audit we also reviewed the Office of Criminal Enforcement, Forensics 

and Training (OCEFT) policy, titled Government-Owned Vehicles 

(OCEFT-P-006), dated June 30, 2012. This policy sets forth procedures governing 

OCEFT’s law enforcement vehicles. 

As of July 2013, the EPA’s fleet was comprised of 1,064 vehicles. This number 

includes 119 vehicles acquired in fiscal year (FY) 2013 and 225 vehicles acquired 

in FY 2012. The EPA’s fleet costs for FY 2013 were $6 million.

Responsible Office

The office responsible for implementing the recommendations in this report is the 

Office of Administration and Resources Management’s Office of Administration, 

Facilities Management and Services Division.

Scope and Methodology

We conducted this audit from June 2013 through July 2014, in accordance with 

generally accepted government auditing standards issued by the Comptroller 

General of the United States. Those standards require that we plan and perform 

the audit to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable basis 

for our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. We believe that 

the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for our findings and 

conclusions based on our audit objectives.

We reviewed EPA policies and procedures governing the fleet program. We also 

interviewed the Agency Fleet Manager, as well as program office, regional and 

local fleet managers. The EPA’s contractor staff trained our audit team on the 

EPA’s Automotive Statistical Tool (AST), and the OIG obtained data from the 

system to verify with source documentation. We sampled 18 vehicles (7 percent) 

of the 236 vehicles located in Atlanta, Georgia; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and 

the Washington D.C., metro area. We selected our sample based on the location 

of the staff and the number of vehicles each staff could review during the 

preliminary research period. 

For each sample vehicle we reviewed utilization records, fuel and repair costs; 

inventoried the vehicle type, license plates, and mileage; and noted any general 

observations. We did not increase our sample after preliminary research due to 

our finding of the need for increased oversight. 

During this audit we also performed an internal review of the OIG fleet. We plan 

to address issues identified in a separate report to the Inspector General, which 

will be made available to the public on our website at http://www.epa.gov/oig.
15-P-0001 3

Chapter 2

EPA Needs to Improve Oversight of Its Fleet 

Management Program

The EPA’s oversight of its fleet management program needs improvement. We 

identified the following three areas that contribute to the need for more oversight:

 The EPA has not finalized or issued guidance documentation to 

manage the fleet in over 5 years. 

 Fleet managers were not following program requirements and federal 

regulations for vehicle emission testing, tracking vehicle usage, and 

ensuring operator responsibilities.

 The EPA lacks documentation to support its approval of law

enforcement vehicles in home-to-work status.

Federal requirements for fleet management provide that agencies are to exercise 

economical and efficient management and control of motor vehicles that the 

government owns or leases. Also, OMB Circular A-123 provides that internal 

control is an integral component of an organization’s management that provides 

reasonable assurance that the organization is achieving the objective of

effectiveness and efficiency of operations. By not having enough oversight of the 

fleet program, the agency is not ensuring that the $6 million-per-year program is 

efficient and effective, and is placing taxpayer funds at risk.

EPA’s Oversight of Its Fleet Management Program

The EPA’s December 2013 draft fleet manual provides that the Assistant 

Administrator for the Office of Administration and Resources Management 

(OARM) has the responsibility to provide direction for developing and 

establishing an effective and efficient fleet management program. Specifically, 

the responsibilities include providing guidance on good management practices 

based on established policies and procedures; evaluating and reviewing fleet 

management operations and processes; and assigning responsibilities to others by 

grants of authority, instruction and direction.

The Agency Fleet Manager is responsible for administering and implementing 

fleet management guidelines (i.e., the guidelines set forth in the manual) across all 

designated vehicle motor pools for EPA regions, offices and programs. The 

Agency Fleet Manager has responsibilities for inspecting operations and activities 

for compliance with laws and regulations governing the use of government-owned 

vehicles; and providing agencywide review of all vehicle acquisitions, operations 
15-P-0001 4

and disposals. Fleet managers at the program office, regional, and local levels1

have numerous responsibilities for all government-owned vehicles and motor 

pools within their purview, including daily operations of EPA’s motor vehicles.

Federal Laws and Regulations Governing the Management and 

Monitoring of a Fleet Program 

Several federal laws and regulations address how agencies should manage and

monitor their fleet programs. The FMR, Subchapter B, Personal Property, is the

regulation that governs fleet management. The federal regulation sets forth

requirements governing the economical and efficient management and control of

motor vehicles that the government owns, leases commercially, or leases through 

the GSA fleet. Subpart D, Section 102-34.205, provides that vehicle operators 

may not use a government vehicle for transportation between a residence and a 

place of employment, unless the agency authorizes such use after making a

determination under the U.S. Code using 31 U.S.C. 1344. The agency must keep a 

copy of the written authorization within the agency and monitor the use of the 

vehicles. 

Subpart F, Section 102-34.275, requires that an agency have a scheduled 

maintenance program for each motor vehicle owned or leased commercially. The 

scheduled maintenance program must meet federal and state emissions and safety 

standards, manufacturer warranty requirements, ensure the safe and economical 

operating condition of the motor vehicle throughout its life, and ensure that 

inspections and servicing occur as recommended by the manufacturer or more 

often if local operating conditions require. Section 102-34.280 requires that an 

agency perform federally mandated emissions inspections when required by the 

relevant state motor vehicle administration or state environmental department.

Subpart J, Section 102-34.335, provides that on an annual basis agencies must 

submit to the GSA the information needed to produce the Federal Fleet Report

through the Federal Automotive Statistical Tool (FAST). The FAST is an 

Internet-based reporting tool. This section also requires reporting on the following 

five categories: inventory, acquisitions, operating costs, miles traveled, and fuel 

used. Section 102–34.345 provides that agencies are responsible for developing 

and keeping adequate accounting and reporting procedures for government motor 

vehicles. These procedures ensure the accurate recording of inventory, costs and 

operational data needed to manage and control motor vehicles, and will satisfy 

reporting requirements.

 

1 Heretofore, any references in this report to the plural “fleet managers” pertains to the fleet managers at the program 

office, regional and local levels but not the “Agency Fleet Manager.”
15-P-0001 5

OMB Circular A-123, Revised, Section II, states:

Internal control is an integral component of an organization’s 

management that provides reasonable assurance that the following 

objectives are being achieved: effectiveness and efficiency of 

operations, reliability of financial reporting, and compliance with 

applicable laws and regulations. 2Internal control, in the broadest 

sense, includes the plan of organization, methods and procedures 

adopted by management to meet its goals. Internal control includes 

processes for planning, organizing, directing, controlling, and 

reporting on agency operations.

EPA Has Not Issued a Fleet Manual That Provides

Direction to Fleet Managers

The EPA has not finalized the fleet program guidance that details all requirements 

for the program and the required procedures for program offices. The EPA’s fleet 

manual has been in the draft phase for at least 5 years. During the course of our 

audit, we were able to identify three draft versions of the manual. One draft was 

dated April 2009, another version was provided to us as a July 2012 draft, and the 

latest version was provided on December 2013. The Agency Fleet Manager said

he might need to remind fleet managers to read the manual; however, it was not 

clear which version of the manual the Agency Fleet Manager expected fleet 

managers to use prior to final issuance. A finalized policy is an internal control 

that contributes to providing the EPA with reasonable assurance that it is 

achieving effective and efficient operations. We believe the EPA must finalize 

and issue a fleet manual to ensure that the program has guidelines to support the 

agency’s $6 million-per-year operating costs for the program. 

Without any official agency policy in place, fleet managers are not using specific 

processes to manage and monitor use of vehicles. By not making it a priority to 

finalize and issue a fleet manual, the EPA is not able to enforce program policies 

and procedures and is placing the fleet program in jeopardy. In April 2014, the 

agency said it recognizes that the manual needs be finalized, and in July 2014, the 

EPA provided the OIG with a final draft that is currently going through a

clearance process before being published as an official EPA manual. 

EPA Fleet Managers Did Not Follow Program Requirements

The EPA’s fleet managers were not following program requirements specific to

performing vehicle emission testing, tracking vehicle usage, and ensuring vehicle 

operators were aware of responsibilities.

 

2

Internal control standards and the definition of internal control are based on the GAO’s Standards for Internal 

Control in the Federal Government, November 1999 (referred to as the “Green Book”).
15-P-0001 6

For our sampled vehicles, fleet managers were not able to provide supporting 

documentation to verify emission testing for vehicles. In addition, managers do 

not consistently use a tracking system to record the use of vehicles. We found that 

fleet managers used different processes to obtain vehicle information. Some 

sampled vehicles did not have utilization logs, or the logs were incomplete and

vehicle operators had not acknowledged their responsibilities. 

The Agency Fleet Manager said his office relies on fleet managers to enforce 

established federal requirements and the requirements in the draft manual. Also, 

workshops are held, and quarterly newsletters are issued, to keep key personnel 

informed about fleet requirements. The Agency Fleet Manager noted that some

fleet managers do not have supervisory authority over all the fleet managers in 

their area. He stated that for some fleet managers, implementing the program is a 

collateral function of their primary duties. Further, due to the lack of travel funds, 

the Agency Fleet Manager said his office is unable to perform site visits. We 

believe that the EPA should determine if its investment in the fleet program 

warrants implementing a process to ensure fleet managers are enforcing program

requirements. 

By not ensuring that vehicles have supporting documentation for emission testing, 

the EPA’s fleet may be at risk of not meeting state emission standards. Also, the 

EPA increases the chance that the unauthorized use of vehicles could go 

undetected by not utilizing a tracking system. Lastly, without vehicle operators 

having the required knowledge about their responsibilities, the agency has no 

means of holding vehicle operators accountable for implementing federal 

requirements while operating the vehicle. 

In an effort to address local fleet managers not consistently complying with 

guidance provided in the fleet manual, the EPA plans to issue a memorandum to 

remind personnel about fleet management oversight duties and to outline new 

fleet management measures. In addition, the EPA noted that in order to provide 

better oversight, the agency plans to incorporate random monthly checks of 

vehicle utilization reports to determine appropriate vehicle tracking, and to 

incorporate random monthly checks of vehicle operator responsibility forms to 

determine appropriate fleet operations. 

EPA Needs to Improve Documentation to Support Home-to-Work Use

of Law Enforcement Vehicles

OCEFT Policy P-006, Government-Owned Vehicles, allows government-owned 

or leased vehicles to be used for official purposes only. The policy prohibits the 

mingling of personal business with official business while using a government 

vehicle, except for defined, permitted personal or incidental uses as allowed in the 

policy. The policy also addresses the various appropriate uses and procedures for 

the management of vehicles owned or leased by the government. Section 3.2(a) 
15-P-0001 7

13 states that special agents and protective service detail employees, as authorized 

by the Administrator, can use government-owned vehicles to commute directly 

from their residences to their duty stations and from their duty stations to their 

residences at any time. 

The FMR, Subpart D, Section 102-34.205, provides that an agency can authorize 

the use of government vehicles between a residence and a place of employment 

(home-to-work), after the agency makes such a determination under 31 U.S.C. 

1344, maintains a copy of the written authorization within the agency, and

monitors the use of these motor vehicles. Also, 31 U.S.C. 1344 (a)(2)(B) provides 

that transportation between the residence of an officer or employee and various 

locations (i.e., transportation viewed as essential for the safe and efficient 

performance of intelligence, counterintelligence, protective services, or criminal 

law enforcement duties) is transportation for an official purpose when approved in 

writing by the head of the federal agency.

We requested the EPA’s written authorization for law enforcement vehicles’

home-to-work usage. The EPA provided documentation supporting the agency 

head’s approval in an April 29, 1988, memorandum from the Administrator

authorizing the use of vehicles between home and work for occupational series 

GS-1811 criminal investigators appointed through the National Enforcement 

Investigations Center (NEIC), Office of Criminal Investigations. The agency also 

provided an authorization through a May 31, 2005, memorandum for occupational

series GS-1801 operations support specialists. However, OCEFT’s Criminal 

Investigation Division was not mentioned in the documentation.

OCEFT explained that in the early 1990s, the NEIC reorganized and criminal 

investigators were generally assigned within OCEFT’s Criminal Investigation 

Division. OCEFT stated its opinion that the authorizations from 1988 and 2005 

permitted home-to-work use by criminal investigators and protective service 

personnel. However, OCEPT agreed that the authorizations needed to be updated

to include the current organizational information and GS-1810 personnel assigned 

to the protective service detail. Therefore, OCEFT needs to update in writing its 

Administrator’s approval for home-to-work usage and it must maintain the written 

authorization, as required by 31 U.S.C. 1344 (a)(2)(B), and update OCEFT

internal policy accordingly. 

Additionally, OCEFT should have documentation to monitor vehicle usage.

Section 3.2(g) of OCEFT Policy P-006 provides that “[government-owned 

vehicle] operators must submit required reports to management and provide 

information to track use and expenses and ensure the efficient and proper use of 

the government vehicle fleet.” We requested home-to-work support for three law 

enforcement vehicles in our sample. The law enforcement program office stated 

that home-to-work vehicles used by criminal investigators are authorized for the 

safe and efficient performance of criminal law enforcement and protective service 
15-P-0001 8

duties under 31 U.S.C. § 1344(a)(2)(B); therefore, the law enforcement program 

is not required to fill out the forms.

We acknowledge that the agency has no required forms for law enforcement 

vehicles; however, in accordance with the FMR, Subpart D, Section 102-34.205,

the agency should monitor vehicles used for transportation between a residence

and a place of employment.

Because federal regulations state that agencies should monitor vehicles in 

home-to-work status, we believe that, at a minimum, OCEFT should ensure that 

an updated written authorization is on file and confer with the EPA to ensure that 

the agency has an acceptable level of documentation needed to meet its 

monitoring requirements. Having documentation would ensure that the agency 

has accurate records needed to manage and control the use of vehicles. The EPA’s 

lack of monitoring and supporting documentation increases the risk that the 

unauthorized use of the vehicles could go undetected.

In March 2014, OCEFT said it is committed to updating and correcting the 

authorization for home-to-work use of vehicles by criminal investigators and 

protective service personnel. Also, OCEFT and the Agency Fleet Manager said

they are working on acceptable documentation for monitoring, in order to ensure 

balance with investigative requirements.

EPA Should Be Consistent in Documenting Emission Testing and 

State Inspections

OCEFT Policy P-006 states that the maintenance, care and storage of 

government-owned vehicles requires EPA employees operating fleet motor

vehicles to comply with federal policy and program rules for maintenance. The 

program rules are designed to ensure the proper use, care, safety, and efficiency of 

vehicles. The policy also states that preventive maintenance is the routine 

scheduled maintenance of motor vehicles, including the inspection of motor 

vehicles. Federal agencies must perform federally mandated emissions 

inspections when required by the relevant state motor vehicle administration. 

During our review of law enforcement vehicles, we noted that for our sample of 

three vehicles, emissions testing was not due for one vehicle, and another vehicle 

had the required testing and state inspection. The third vehicle did not have the 

testing, and the fleet manager could not provide a copy verifying the vehicle is

registered with the state. 

We believe that the EPA should be consistent in performing maintenance and 

emission testing on its leased vehicles throughout the agency. In March 2014, 

OCEFT stated that “[w]hile fleet managers are following federal regulations for 

vehicle maintenance, utilization, and operator responsibilities, the adherence to 

those requirements could be more clearly documented within EPA’s systems....” 
15-P-0001 9

Conclusion

The EPA needs to improve its oversight to ensure that fleet managers implement 

controls to protect the agency’s fleet in accordance with federal requirements. If 

the agency does not finalize and issue a fleet manual—and fleet managers are not 

following vehicle maintenance, utilization and operator responsibilities—the EPA 

is placing its $6 million-per-year fleet program in jeopardy of not being effective 

in accomplishing its mission, and is placing taxpayer funds at risk. The EPA has 

stated its plans to improve oversight of the fleet program by issuing a fleet 

manual, performing monthly usage and operator responsibility checks, and 

working with program offices with law enforcement vehicles on home-to work 

documentation. Should the EPA implement these actions, its oversight would 

improve the fleet program. 

Recommendations

We recommend that the Assistant Administrator for Administration and 

Resources Management:

1. Finalize and issue the Fleet Management Manual to ensure that fleet 

managers operate their programs within the EPA’s policies and 

procedures.

2. Develop a scheduled maintenance program for each vehicle that is

owned or leased commercially by the agency. The program should

include vehicle emission testing as required by federal and state 

policies. 

3. Require fleet managers to use a tracking system for vehicle usage and 

require vehicle operators to acknowledge their responsibilities as 

required by program requirements, and support FMR, Subpart J, 

Section 102-34.345 for operational data.

4. Require OCEFT to obtain the Administrator’s approval in writing for 

home-to-work usage by OCEFT’s Criminal Investigation Division,

and maintain the approval as required by 31 U.S.C. 1344 (a)(2)(B), so 

that the approval includes current organizational information and 

personnel assigned to the protective service detail. Also, require 

OCEFT to update its internal policy accordingly.

5. Require fleet managers with law enforcement vehicles to confer with 

OARM on vehicle monitoring and make any needed changes, to 

ensure it has an acceptable level of documentation needed for the 

agency to meet its requirement to monitor vehicles, as stated in FMR, 

Subpart D, Section 102-34.205.
15-P-0001 10

Agency Comments and OIG Evaluation

Comments received from the Assistant Administrator for Administration and 

Resources Management agreed with Recommendations 1 through 5. The agency’s 

responses and corrective action plans are found in Appendix A. 

We agree with the agency’s responses to all recommendations. All 

recommendations are resolved and require no final response to this report. 
15-P-0001 11

Chapter 3

EPA Needs to Increase Data Monitoring 

of Its Fleet Information System

The EPA should increase the monitoring of data within the agency’s fleet 

information system or the AST. We identified missing, incomplete or incorrect 

information in the fleet system. In addition, user data input from one report or 

screen in the AST is not reported consistently in other system reports. The EPA 

has not developed or issued an AST manual or a list of procedures to ensure that 

users correctly input information into the system. The AST-programmed data

checks are not effective in identifying differences in varying system reports.

Federal requirements for fleet management require agencies to establish a fleet 

management information system that identifies and collects accurate inventory, 

cost, and usage data that covers the vehicle lifecycle. 

The GAO’s Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government provides 

that application controls are designed to help ensure the completeness, accuracy, 

authorization and validity of all transactions during application processing. If data 

in the EPA’s fleet information system is not accurate, the agency is at risk of 

reporting errors to the federal information system. 

EPA’s Automotive Statistical Tool Is Its Fleet Information System

According to the draft version of the Fleet Management Manual, as of 

December 2013, the AST is the electronic means for the agency to collect and 

report vehicle data. The AST is a secure website that can be accessed by 

authorized EPA employees and contractors. All data on a vehicle’s registration, 

identification, maintenance, fuel consumption, organizational alignment and 

ownership must be maintained in the AST. Fleet managers are responsible for 

ensuring the timely and accurate submission of vehicle data. The Agency Fleet 

Manager submits the EPA’s overall vehicle data annually to the Department of 

Energy and to the GSA via the FAST database.

The EPA stated that the AST has some data checks for entry and certification. 

The data checks include: 

 Checks on the Master Record. 

 “Environmental Compliance Dashboard,” which identifies potential data 

issues concerning mileage and fuel consumption.

 “Verify Data Integrity” tool, which identifies data issues such as duplicate 

vehicle identification numbers, high acquisition costs, high lease costs, 

high maintenance costs, unreasonable fuel costs, and a miles-per-gallon

variance.
15-P-0001 12

The EPA said fleet managers and headquarters have roles in correcting data found 

in the Verify Data Integrity tool. The EPA noted that with respect to the tool 

itself, the tool is provided to allow fleet managers to quality check their data 

periodically throughout the fiscal year; if errors are found, the system will allow 

them to correct the errors within their access rights. The tool also allows 

headquarters to perform a quality check on end-of-the-year data; if errors are 

found, headquarters either contacts the fleet manager to make the corrections or 

headquarters itself makes the corrections. At a minimum, the data integrity tool is 

used to check for errors prior to the annual submission of the data to the FAST.

Federal Regulations Governing Information System 

Data Management

Federal regulations addressing information system data management for fleets are 

addressed in the FMR, Subchapter B, Subpart J, Section 102-34.340, which 

provides that a fleet management information system is required at the agency 

level to identify and collect accurate inventory, cost and usage data that covers the 

vehicle lifecycle. In addition, the system should provide the information necessary 

to satisfy reporting requirements and data required for the FAST. The GAO’s

Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government provides that 

application controls are designed to help ensure the completeness, accuracy, 

authorization and validity of all transactions during application processing.

Controls should be installed where an application interfaces with other systems, in 

order to ensure that all inputs are received and valid, and outputs are correct and

properly distributed. 

The AST Needs a Manual, a List of Procedures and More 

Data Checks 

The EPA should increase data monitoring of the agency’s fleet information 

system known as the AST. We identified missing, incomplete or incorrect 

information in the fleet system. In addition, reports are not consistently showing 

user data input throughout the system.

Our audit found fleet managers either did not input fuel and maintenance receipts 

correctly or did not have receipts to record in the system. One program office 

recorded incorrect operating locations for its fleet due to the lack of knowledge 

that the system would allow the correct location. Once we pointed out to the 

agency that the system is not limited to specific locations, the program office 

subsequently corrected the addresses for its vehicles in the AST to show the 

actual operating location of its vehicles. Lastly, the EPA included a commercially 

leased vehicle in the AST, but the vehicle was a subcontractor-owned vehicle for 

which the EPA tracked vehicle expenses in the AST. 
15-P-0001 13

The EPA has not developed or issued an AST manual or a list of procedures to 

define data elements to identify required corrections or verifications of data by 

system users. Users told us that they received on-the-job training from a mentor,

and that experience with the AST has been gained by hands-on use. We believe 

that if users had a manual or a list of procedures to refer to in order to enforce the 

system’s data-input requirements, users could have identified corrections for these 

issues.

When our audit team received formal training on the AST, we found that user 

data input from one report or screen in the AST is not consistent with other 

system reports. For one vehicle, we found that the “FY 2013 Fuel Usage/Cost 

History” screen showed odometer readings that ranged from 3,839 miles to 5,601 

miles when fuel purchases were made throughout the fiscal year. When we 

reviewed the same vehicle on another AST screen titled “Flex Fuel Consumed 

Drilldown,” the vehicle’s minimum and maximum odometer readings were both

5,601 miles. The EPA’s trainer noted that the AST’s Verify Data Integrity tool 

should have identified the error. To date, the agency has not been able to explain 

what caused the error. We believe that the AST’s data checks are not effective in 

identifying mistakes in data from detailed vehicle records for summary reports.

In April 2014, the EPA stated that by July 2014 it plans to develop and distribute 

an AST user manual for guidance on system navigation and use. Additionally, the 

agency said that by August 2014 it would hold a live walk-through webinar to 

help users understand the system and its capabilities. The EPA said it will review 

the AST and develop additional quality controls for data, as needed, in order to 

better manage the EPA’s fleet data.

Conclusion

The EPA needs more data monitoring of its fleet information system to ensure 

that users make corrections to inaccurate information and data checks are 

effective in identifying errors. If the EPA does not develop and issue an AST 

manual or a list of procedures, and the agency does not increase its data checks in 

the information system, inaccurate data and reports in the AST may lead to 

incorrect decision-making regarding the EPA’s fleet. Also, the EPA increases the 

risk that the information system will have inaccurate information reported in its 

annual submission to the FAST. The agency said it plans to issue an AST manual, 

help users with system training, and develop additional quality controls as needed. 

Should the EPA implement these actions, information system monitoring would 

be an improvement for the fleet program. 
15-P-0001 14

Recommendations

We recommend that the Assistant Administrator for Administration and 

Resources Management:

6. Develop and issue an AST manual or a list of procedures for AST 

users to follow, in order to help ensure that users input correct data 

into the system. At a minimum, require training for all fleet managers 

and new users.

7. Perform data checks of the AST system in order to reveal mistakes in 

extracting data from vehicle records for summary reports, and to make 

corrections to the data as necessary.

Agency Comments and OIG Evaluation

Comments received from the Assistant Administrator for Administration and 

Resources Management agreed with Recommendations 6 and 7. The agency’s 

responses and corrective action plans are found in Appendix A. 

We agree with the agency’s responses to all recommendations. All

recommendations are resolved and require no final response to this report.
15-P-0001 15

Status of Recommendations and 

Potential Monetary Benefits

RECOMMENDATIONS

POTENTIAL MONETARY BENEFITS (in 

$000s)

Rec. 

No.

Page 

No. Subject Status1 Action Official

Planned 

Completion 

Date

Claimed 

Amount Agreed-To Amount

1 9 Finalize and issue the Fleet Management 

Manual to ensure that fleet managers operate 

their programs within the EPA’s policies and 

procedures.

O Assistant Administrator for 

Administration and 

Resources Management

12/1/14

2 9 Develop a scheduled maintenance program for 

each vehicle that is owned or leased 

commercially by the agency. The program 

should include vehicle emission testing as 

required by federal and state policies.

O Assistant Administrator for 

Administration and 

Resources Management

8/14/15

3 9

Require fleet managers to use a tracking 

system for vehicle usage and require vehicle 

operators to acknowledge their responsibilities 

as required by program requirements, and 

support FMR, Subpart J, Section 102-34.345 

for operational data.

O Assistant Administrator for 

Administration and 

Resources Management

8/14/15

4 9 Require OCEFT to obtain the Administrator’s 

approval in writing for home-to-work usage by

OCEFT’s Criminal Investigation Division, and 

maintain the approval as required by 31 U.S.C. 

1344 (a)(2)(B), so that the approval includes 

current organizational information and 

personnel assigned to the protective service 

detail. Also, require OCEFT to update its 

internal policy accordingly.

O Assistant Administrator for 

Administration and 

Resources Management

1/1/15

5 9 Require fleet managers with law enforcement 

vehicles to confer with OARM on vehicle 

monitoring and make any needed changes, to 

ensure it has an acceptable level of 

documentation needed for the agency to meet 

its requirement to monitor vehicles, as stated in

FMR, Subpart D, Section 102-34.205.

O Assistant Administrator for 

Administration and 

Resources Management

1/1/15

6 14 Develop and issue an AST manual or a list of 

procedures for AST users to follow, in order to 

help ensure that users input correct data into 

the system. At a minimum, require training for 

all fleet managers and new users.

O Assistant Administrator for 

Administration and 

Resources Management

11/1/14

7 14 Perform data checks of the AST system in order 

to reveal mistakes in extracting data from 

vehicle records for summary reports, and to 

make corrections to the data as necessary.

O Assistant Administrator for 

Administration and 

Resources Management

11/1/14

1 O = Recommendation is open with agreed-to corrective actions pending.

C = Recommendation is closed with all agreed-to actions completed.

U = Recommendation is unresolved with resolution efforts in progress.
15-P-0001 16

Appendix A 

OARM Response to Draft Report

and OIG Comment

Thank you for the opportunity to review your draft report. The Office of Administration and 

Resources Management agrees with the audit findings, and for all recommendations we have 

provided corrective actions and completion dates in Attachment 1.

If you have any questions regarding our response, please contact Yvette Jackson, Deputy 

Director, Facilities Management and Services Division, at (202) 564-2030.

Attachment

cc: Nanci Gelb

John Showman

Lynnann Hitchens

Brandon McDowell

Vaughn Noga

Tami Franklin

Steve Blankenship

Stacey Dey-Foy

Yvette Jackson

Marcia Hirt-Reigeluth

Gloria Taylor-Upshaw 
15-P-0001 17

Office of Administration and Resources Management 

Response to Draft Report Recommendations

and

Corrective Action Plan 

OIG Recommendation 1: Finalize and issue the Fleet Management Manual to ensure that fleet 

managers operate their programs within the EPA’s policies and procedures. 

OARM concurs with this recommendation. OARM has completed a final, OGC-approved draft Fleet 

Management Manual and is preparing the document for submittal via the Agency Directives Clearance Review 

Process. 

Estimated completion date: December 1, 2014.

OIG Recommendation 2: Develop a scheduled maintenance program for each vehicle that is 

owned or leased commercially by the agency. The program should include vehicle emission 

testing as required by federal and state policies. 

OARM concurs with this recommendation. OARM will continue to reiterate fleet managers’ responsibilities for 

ensuring that all vehicles have a scheduled maintenance program and have proper emissions inspections 

completed. OARM will continue to educate and reinforce this requirement via annual trainings, quarterly 

newsletters, and quarterly conference calls. OARM will conduct periodic random documentation reviews/audits 

to ensure that fleet managers and vehicle operators are properly fulfilling their fleet duties. Additionally, OARM 

will investigate the possibility of automating maintenance/emissions reminders and certifications so that they 

can be tracked within the Agency’s fleet database, the Automotive Statistical Tool (AST). 

Estimated completion date: On-going activity. August 14, 2015.

OIG Recommendation 3: Require fleet managers to use a tracking system for vehicle usage and 

require vehicle operators to acknowledge their responsibilities as required by program 

requirements and to support the FMR, Subpart J, Section 102-34.345 for operational data. 

OARM concurs with this recommendation. EPA already mandates that all vehicle trips be logged using EPA 

Form 4920-3, Daily Vehicle Utilization Report (DVUR) and entered into EPA’s AST database. EPA also requires 

that all vehicle operators sign EPA Form 4920-20, Motor Vehicle Operator Responsibilities (MVOR) which 

outlines accountability when using a government vehicle. The DVUR and MVOR documentation requirements 

are outlined in the Fleet Management Manual. 

OARM will continue to educate fleet managers on documentation requirements in order to implement these 

forms into their fleet operations. As such, OARM will conduct periodic random documentation reviews/audits to 

ensure that fleet managers and vehicle operators are properly fulfilling their fleet duties. These reviews/audits 

will continue until such time that OARM can reasonably determine that implementation of the forms has been 

completed.

Estimated completion date: On-going activity. August 14, 2015.
15-P-0001 18

OIG Recommendation 4: Require OCEFT to obtain an update to the Administrator’s approval in 

writing for home-to-work usage and maintain as required by 31 U.S.C. 1344 (a)(2)(B), so that the 

approval includes current organizational information and GS 1810personnel assigned to the 

protective service detail. Also, require the OCEFT to update its internal policy accordingly.

OARM concurs with this recommendation. OARM will continue to coordinate with OCEFT officials in order to 

develop a home-to-work authorization for law enforcement (LE) vehicles. OARM will provide support and 

guidance to OCEFT, as needed.

Estimated completion date: January 1, 2015.

OIG Recommendation 5: Require fleet managers with law enforcement vehicles to confer with 

the OARM on vehicle monitoring and make any needed changes, to ensure it has an acceptable 

level of documentation needed for the agency to meet its reporting requirement to monitor 

vehicles as required by the FMR, Subpart D, Section 102-34.205; and to ensure the accurate 

recording of inventory, costs and operational data needed to manage and control vehicle usage 

as required by Subpart J, Section 102–34.345. 

OARM concurs with this recommendation. Most vehicle operators are required to complete EPA Form 4920-

3, Daily Vehicle Utilization Report (DVUR). While not required, OARM will work with OCEFT to develop vehicle 

logs that provide needed information without compromising officer safety or the integrity of investigations. We 

will periodically perform random reviews of documentation and operational data in AST to ensure accuracy and 

compliance with these requirements.

Estimated completion date: January 1, 2015.

OIG Recommendation 6: Develop and issue an AST manual or a list of procedures for AST users 

to follow, in order to help ensure users input correct data into the system. At a minimum, require 

training for all fleet managers and new users. 

OARM concurs with this recommendation. OARM has already developed the AST User Manual and distributed 

the manual on July 30, 2014. OARM will also develop a training regimen for AST users and conduct training 

sessions to ensure that data is accurately entered into AST.

Estimated completion date: November 1, 2014, for training sessions. 

OIG Recommendation 7: Perform data checks of the AST system in order to reveal mistakes in 

extracting data from vehicle records for summary reports, and to make corrections to the data as 

necessary. 

OARM concurs with this recommendation. OARM plans to conduct a review of the system to identify 

inconsistencies and data gaps and implement necessary solutions within AST. Subject to the results of this

review, actionable items will be addressed accordingly.

Estimated completion date: November 1, 2014, for AST review; resulting updates will be ongoing with a 

timeline dependent on project scope.
15-P-0001 19

Appendix B

Distribution

Office of the Administrator 

Assistant Administrator for Administration and Resources Management 

Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance

Agency Follow-Up Official (the CFO) 

Agency Follow-Up Coordinator

General Counsel

Associate Administrator for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs

Associate Administrator for Public Affairs

Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Administration and Resources Management 

Director, Office of Acquisition Management, Office of Administration and 

Resources Management 

Director, Office of Administration, Office of Administration and Resources Management 

Director, Office of Policy and Resource Management, Office of Administration and 

Resources Management 

Director, Facilities Management and Services Division, Office of Administration, Office of 

Administration and Resources Management

Director, Office of Criminal Enforcement, Forensics and Training, Office of Enforcement and 

Compliance Assurance

Deputy Director, Office of Acquisition Management, Office of Administration and 

Resources Management 

Deputy Director, Office of Policy and Resource Management, Office of Administration and 

Resources Management 

Deputy Director, Facilities Management and Services Division, Office of Administration, Office 

of Administration and Resources Management

Audit Follow-Up Coordinator, Office of Administration and Resources Management 

Audit Follow-Up Coordinator, Office of Acquisition Management, Office of Administration and

Resources Management

Audit Follow-Up Coordinator, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance