The 

 

 

 

   

       

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

EPA’s International Program 

Office Needs Improved 

Strategic Planning Guidance 

Report No. 13-P-0386 September 9, 2013 

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about the EPA OIG. 
 

Report Contributors: Ganesa Curley 

 Jerri Dorsey

 Natasha Henry 

 Lauretta Joseph 

 Olga Stein 

Abbreviations 

EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

FY Fiscal Year 

IGMS Integrated Grants Management System 

NEPA National Environmental Protection Act 

OIG Office of Inspector General 

OITA Office of International and Tribal Affairs 

Cover photo: Examples of environmental problems addressed using EPA grant funding to 

(from left) combat air pollution and reduce e-waste. (EPA photos) 

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To report fraud, waste, or abuse, contact us through one of the following methods: 

email: OIG_Hotline@epa.gov write: EPA Inspector General Hotline 

phone: 

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online: http://www.epa.gov/oig/hotline.htm Washington, DC 20460 
 

 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 13-P-0386 

September 9, 2013 Office of Inspector General 

At a Glance
 

Why We Did This Review 

The objective of this evaluation 

was to determine how the 

U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA) ensures that 

environmental and human 

health goals are achieved 

through partnerships with 

international entities. We 

focused on (1) the statutory 

authority by which the EPA 

awards international grants, 

(2) anticipated environmental 

outcomes of foreign grants, and 

(3) tools in place to manage 

outcomes and measures for 

grants. We focused on 

activities of the EPA’s Office of 

International and Tribal Affairs 

(OITA), which awards grants to 

support international activities. 

This report addresses the 

following EPA Themes: 

 Addressing climate change 

and improving air quality. 

 Taking action on toxics and 

chemical safety. 

 Working toward a 

sustainable future. 

For further information, contact 

our Office of Congressional and 

Public Affairs at (202) 566-2391. 

The full report is at: 

www.epa.gov/oig/reports/2013/ 

20130909-13-P-0386.pdf 

EPA’s International Program Office 

Needs Improved Strategic Planning Guidance 

What We Found 

The EPA has the statutory authority to conduct international activities and has 

several tools in place to help ensure that its partnerships with international 

entities achieve environmental and human health goals. However, the EPA’s 

OITA needs additional strategic planning guidance to better manage anticipated 

environmental outcomes of foreign grants. 

The EPA has the legal authority to award international and foreign grants under: 

(1) specific international grant authorities, and (2) research and demonstration 

authorities that are supplemented by the National Environmental Policy Act. 

Further, the EPA uses a combination of grants management tools, such as the 

Integrated Grants Management System and project officers, to help manage 

outcomes and measures. 

Although OITA collects environmental outcome/output information, OITA has not 

incorporated the information into a comprehensive strategic planning document. 

Also, the allocation of resources for planned activities is not described within 

OITA’s current strategic planning documents. OITA’s strategic planning guidance 

needs to be updated to provide greater accountability and justification for the 

international activities and grants that OITA manages. This would help assure 

that OITA’s grants align with the EPA’s goals of advancing public health and 

environmental improvement and that EPA resources are properly allocated.

 Recommendations and Planned Corrective Actions 

We recommend that the assistant administrator for OITA develop strategic 

planning guidance to document how OITA links its achieved outcomes for 

international and foreign grant activities to its strategic plan goals, the process 

used by OITA to allocate resources for its international and foreign grant 

activities, and how OITA’s international and foreign grant activities align with the 

EPA’s overall goals. 

The agency concurred with our findings and recommendation. The agency 

provided corrective actions and an estimated completion date that meet the intent 

of the recommendation. The recommendation is resolved and open with 

corrective actions ongoing. No further response to this report is required. 
 

 

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460 

THE INSPECTOR GENERAL 

September 9, 2013 

MEMORANDUM 

SUBJECT:	 EPA’s International Program Office Needs Improved Strategic Planning Guidance 

 Report No. 13-P-0386 

FROM:	 Arthur A. Elkins Jr. 

TO:	 Michelle DePass, Assistant Administrator 

 Office of International and Tribal Affairs 

This is our report on the subject evaluation 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. 

Action Required 

Because you agreed to the report’s recommendation and provided corrective actions and an estimated 

completion date that meet the intent of the recommendation, you are not required to provide a written 

response to this final report. The recommendation is resolved and open with corrective actions 

ongoing. Should you choose to provide a response to this final report, we will post your response on 

the OIG’s public website, along with our memorandum commenting on your response. You should 

provide your response as an Adobe PDF file that complies with the accessibility requirements of 

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. 

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

If you or your staff have any questions regarding this report, please contact Assistant Inspector General 

for Program Evaluation Carolyn Copper at (202) 566-0829 or copper.carolyn@epa.gov; or Acting 

Director for Toxics, Chemical Management, and Pollution Prevention Evaluations Jerri Dorsey at 

(919) 541-3601 or dorsey.jerri@epa.gov. 
 

 

 

EPA’s International Program Office 13-P-0386 

Needs Improved Strategic Planning Guidance 

Table of Contents 

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

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

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

Results of Review ....................................................................................................... 3 

Statutory Authority................................................................................................... 3 

Grant Management Tools ....................................................................................... 4 

Environmental Outcomes and Strategic Planning................................................... 4 

Recommendation........................................................................................................ 5 

Agency Comments and OIG Evaluation ................................................................... 6 

Status of Recommendations and Potential Monetary Benefits.............................. 7
 

Appendices 

A Files Reviewed ................................................................................................... 8 

B Agency Comments ............................................................................................. 10 

C Distribution ......................................................................................................... 12 
 

 

 

 

 

Purpose 

Our objective was to determine how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

(EPA) ensures that environmental and human health goals are achieved through 

partnerships with international entities. Specifically, we focused on: 

 The statutory authority by which the EPA awards international grants. 

 The anticipated environmental outcomes of foreign grants. 

 Tools in place to manage outcomes and measures for grants. 

Background 

The EPA’s work to improve the environment extends to nearly 180 nations 

worldwide. This work is conducted through collaborative efforts with partners 

from around the world to facilitate commerce, promote sustainable development, 

protect vulnerable populations and engage diplomatically around the world. 

Some of these activities are funded with federal financial assistance, such as 

cooperative agreements and grants. 

The EPA awards cooperative agreements and grants to both countries and 

organizations to support international activities that protect human health and the 

environment while advancing the United States’ national interests through 

international collaboration. Program offices such as the Office of Air and 

Radiation, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, and Office of 

International and Tribal Affairs (OITA) conduct and manage international work. 

This report focuses on OITA. 

Congress has recently shown interest in the EPA’s international activities. In 2011, 

Congress asked the EPA about the costs and benefits of its international grants. 

In 2012, Congress proposed legislation that would restrict the agency from awarding 

grants for international activities to improve air pollution.1 The EPA testified that 

these international activities achieve mutual benefits including environmental 

regulations similar to EPA and improved pollution control technologies. 

Office of International and Tribal Affairs 

OITA manages various types of activities, such as partnerships, bilateral 

agreements, and international and foreign grants. According to OITA, 

partnerships are generally multilateral, voluntary activities that are centrally 

organized around shared goals. Bi/multilateral agreements involve the United 

States and other governments agreeing to pursue specific goals and activities that 

1

 The bill would revoke authority specifically under the Clean Air Act. See H.R. 4255, “Accountability in Grants 

Act of 2012.” As of June 5, 2013, the act has not been voted on. 

http://energycommerce.house.gov/hearing/legislative-hearing-hr-4255-accountability-in-grants-act-of-2012. 

13-P-0386 1 
 

 

are both important to the U.S. government and consistent with agency’s 

international priorities. 

Six international priorities serve as the strategic focus of OITA’s international 

program activities: 

1. Building Strong Environmental Institutions and Legal Structures. 

2. Combating Climate Change by Limiting Pollutants. 

3. Improving Air Quality. 

4. Expanding Access to Clean Water. 

5. Reducing Exposure to Toxic Chemicals. 

6. Cleaning Up Electronic Waste (E-Waste). 

International grants or cooperative agreements are awarded to a domestic entity to 

perform work abroad. Foreign grants differ in that they are awarded to a foreign 

government, international organization, or non-governmental international 

organization or institution. For fiscal year (FY) 2012, OITA received more than 

$3.5 million in appropriated funds for international grants. 

Scope and Methodology 

We conducted this performance evaluation in accordance with generally accepted 

government auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform 

the evaluation to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable 

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

the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for our results based upon our 

objectives. We conducted this evaluation from November 2012 to July 2013. 

To determine how the EPA ensures that environmental and human health goals 

are achieved through partnerships with international entities, we focused our 

review on international and foreign grants managed by OITA. Specifically, we 

reviewed six grantee files provided by OITA. To determine what tangible 

environmental outcomes OITA expects to receive from international and foreign 

grants, we reviewed grant planning and performance documents. We also 

reviewed associated OITA performance measures used to capture outcomes. 

To determine the tools in place to manage outcomes and measure results, we 

interviewed EPA staff from OITA (including six project officers), the Office of 

Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, the Office of Air and Radiation, and the 

Office of Grants and Debarment. We also interviewed staff from the 

U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development. 

We reviewed relevant EPA policies and procedures, strategic planning documents, 

and data from the Integrated Grants Management System (IGMS). We also 

reviewed relevant U.S. Government Accountability Office and Office of Inspector
 

General (OIG) reports. To determine the statutory basis for the EPA awarding 

international grants, we reviewed relevant statutes and met with agency staff. 

13-P-0386 2 
 

 

  

 

Results of Review 

The EPA has the statutory authority to conduct international activities and has 

several tools in place to help ensure environmental and human health goals are 

achieved. Although EPA’s Foreign Grants Policy and National Program Guidance 

direct the development of certain strategic planning elements, the EPA’s OITA 

needs additional strategic planning guidance to better manage anticipated 

environmental outcomes of foreign grants. 

Statutory Authority 

The EPA has the legal authority to award international and foreign grants under: 

 Specific international grant authorities. 

 Research and demonstration authorities that are supplemented by the 

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

2

The majority of the agency’s international grants are awarded under the EPA’s 

research and demonstration grant authorities as supplemented by Section 

102(2)(F) of NEPA. The research and demonstration grant authorities are 

contained in such federal environmental statutes as the following: 

 Clean Water Act (Section 104(b)(3)).
 

 Clean Air Act (Section 103(b)(3)).
 

 Solid Waste Disposal Act (Section 8001(a)).
 

 Toxic Substances Control Act (Section 10).
 

 Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (Section 20).
 

 Safe Drinking Water Act (Section 1442).
 

 Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (Section 203(a)(2)).
 

Although each of these statutes is unique, they generally authorize the EPA to 

award grants to a variety of eligible entities for activities such as research, 

demonstrations, experiments, investigations, training and education in the areas of 

air pollution, water pollution, solid waste, pesticides and toxic substances. 

According to the agency, these research and demonstration authorities can also 

provide independent grant authority for international grants only if the activities are 

anticipated to result in benefits that are transferable to any domestic environmental 

program. If there is no transferrable benefit and no other explicit international grant 

authority exists, the EPA’s research and demonstration grant authorities may be 

supplemented by Section 102(2)(F) of NEPA, which authorizes and directs the 

agency to lend support to international activities designed to maximize 

2

 There are a number of specific international grant authorities, for example Section 617(b) of the Clean Air Act, 

42 U.S.C. §7671p(b), relating to the Montreal Protocol on Stratospheric Ozone Protection; and the Federal 

Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, 7 U.S.C. §136o, relating to the development of improved pesticide 

research and regulations. 

13-P-0386 3 
 

 

 

 

international cooperation in anticipating and preventing a decline in the quality of 

the world’s environment. The research and demonstration authorities described 

above and in Section 102(2)(F) of NEPA authorize grants for activities performed 

abroad or whose primary purpose is international in scope. 

Grant Management Tools 

OITA uses a variety of tools to manage international and foreign grants. These 

international and foreign grants are managed under many of the same regulatory 

requirements and systems as other agency grants. A combination of IGMS, EPA 

policies and procedures on environmental results3

 and grants management, project 

officer oversight, and OITA’s Performance Measures Tracking System create a 

system of internal controls to help manage grant outcomes and measure results. 

As of May 2013, OITA’s Performance Measures Tracking System was still in a 

pilot phase and being tested. This new database system will use a series of 

measures to track OITA activities; this includes international grant activities and 

their associated outputs and outcomes. According to OITA, this system will be 

used as one of many tools to inform resource decisions and prioritize what work 

will be conducted. 

Environmental Outcomes and Strategic Planning 

As noted, OITA international and foreign grants are designed to address OITA’s 

six international priorities. According to the EPA’s Foreign Grants Policy, OITA 

must determine how its proposed activities align with the EPA’s goals in 

advancing public health and environmental improvement and the extent to which 

the proposed activity complements rather than duplicates other EPA or 

U.S. government international environmental programs or initiatives. Although 

OITA has environmental outcome/output information as detailed by the 

Government Performance and Results Act, OITA has not incorporated the 

information into a subsequent comprehensive strategic planning document. 

OITA receives a range of environmental outcomes and outputs4

 for its 

international and foreign grants. Examples of anticipated environmental 

outcomes/outputs are “Increased level of harmonization and reduced redundancies 

among all key stakeholder activities” and “Improve drinking water quality 

provided by partner utilities in East Africa.” Examples of grantee-reported 

3

 EPA Policies 5700.7 and 5700.8 address, respectively, environmental results achieved and assessing capabilities of 

non-profit applicants for managing assistance awards. 

4

 Outcome means the result, effect or consequence that will occur from carrying out an environmental program or 

activity that is related to an environmental or programmatic goal or objective. Outcomes may be environmental, 

behavioral, health-related or programmatic in nature; must be quantitative; and may not necessarily be achievable 

within an assistance agreement funding period. Output means an environmental activity, effort and/or associated 

work product related to an environmental goal or objective, that will be produced or provided over a period of time 

or by a specified date. Outputs may be quantitative or qualitative but must be measurable during an assistance 

agreement funding period. 

13-P-0386 4 
 

 

outcomes/outputs include “Training workshops organized (number of personnel 

trained)” and “Number of countries phasing out lead in gasoline and going to 

50 ppm fuel.” Additional examples of expected outcomes and reported outputs are 

provided in appendix A. Outputs and outcomes from grants will be collected and 

aggregated into OITA’s new Performance Measures Tracking System. Prior to the 

new system, OITA did not have a systematic way to count outputs for activities 

being carried out. OITA expects that the new system will assist in identifying 

what work will be conducted and informing resource decisions. 

Outcomes from international and foreign grants are generally project driven and 

are not defined as part of the planning process. Additionally, OITA cannot 

determine whether resources are being allocated to achieve results. OITA uses 

various documents to guide its work that contain information about project goals 

and anticipated accomplishments. These include the FY 2012 Operating Plan 

Narrative Proposal and Draft FY 2014 National Program Manager Guidance. 

The OITA FY 2012 Operating Plan Narrative Proposal identified project goals 

and anticipated accomplishments for planned projects. However, it does not 

provide information on how or why OITA allocated resources to these projects. 

Prior to FY 2013, OITA did not have National Program Manager Guidance or a 

strategic plan that showed the organization’s process for prioritizing and 

allocating resources to meet strategic goals. The Draft FY 2014 National Program 

Manager Guidance includes a narrative of OITA’s plans for addressing each of 

the six international priorities. However, the draft National Program Manager 

Guidance did not include how OITA uses its work to meet its strategic goals, nor 

does the draft guidance contain any performance measures or outcome 

information. 

Although environmental outcome/output information is collected by OITA, this 

information has not been incorporated into a comprehensive strategic planning 

document. Strategic planning guidance needs to be updated to show how OITA’s 

grants align with the EPA’s goals for advancing public health and protection of 

the environment. This would provide greater accountability and justification for 

the international and foreign activities/grants that are managed by OITA. 

Recommendation 

We recommend that the assistant administrator for the Office of International and 

Tribal Affairs: 

1. Develop strategic planning guidance to document: 

 How OITA links its achieved outcomes for international and foreign 

grant activities to the goals of its strategic plan. 

 The process used by OITA to allocate resources for its international 

and foreign grant activities. 

13-P-0386 5 
 

 

	 How OITA’s international and foreign grant activities align with the 

EPA’s goals in advancing public health and environmental 

improvement. 

Agency Comments and OIG Evaluation 

The agency concurred with our findings and recommendation. The agency 

provided corrective actions and an estimated completion date that meet the intent 

of the recommendation. The recommendation is resolved and open with corrective 

actions ongoing. No further response to this report is required. 

The agency’s detailed response is provided in appendix B. The agency also 

provided technical comments on the draft report, which we have incorporated into 

our report as appropriate. 

13-P-0386 6 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Status of Recommendations and 

Potential Monetary Benefits 

POTENTIAL MONETARY 

RECOMMENDATIONS BENEFITS (in $000s) 

Rec. 

No. 

Page 

No. Subject Status1 Action Official 

Planned 

Completion 

Date 

Claimed 

Amount 

Agreed-To 

Amount 

1 5 Develop strategic planning guidance to document: 

 How OITA links its achieved outcomes for 

international and foreign grant activities to 

the goals of its strategic plan. 

 The process used by OITA to allocate 

resources for its international and foreign 

grant activities. 

 How OITA’s international and foreign grant 

activities align with the EPA’s goals in 

advancing public health and environmental 

improvement. 

O Assistant Administrator, 

Office of International and 

Tribal Affairs 

6/30/14 

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.
 

13-P-0386 7 

1 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Appendix A 

Files Reviewed 

The length of time for grant implementation varied, but four of the grants were awarded for a 

5-year period. Reported outputs/outcomes are generally listed in the project file and provided by 

the grantee. Anticipated outputs/outcomes are generally listed in the EPA Funding Action 

Memo, Scope of Work, or other documentation provided in the grant file. 

Table 1: Examples of outputs/outcomes reported by the EPA and grantees 

Grantee and 

funded amount 

Cooperative 

agreement/ 

grant type 

EPA 

goal5 OITA priority6 Outputs/outcomes reported by grantee 

Outputs/outcomes 

anticipated by the EPA 

Organization for Foreign 1 2 1. Report on monitoring and 1. Assessments 

Economic evaluation of progress in performed or facilitated 

Development the development and use 

of measures of effective 

adaptation. 

2. Report on private sector 

engagement in adaptation. 

3. Tools to inform 

international policy, 

planning and decisionmaking in climate 

sensitivity sectors. 

by EPA. 

United Nations Foreign 3,4 6 1. Increased harmonization 1. Increased level of 

University of approaches to 

preventing exports of 

e-waste from developed 

to developing countries. 

2. Use of tracking data to 

develop appropriate 

national and international 

policies toward e-waste. 

3. Replication and 

refinement of 

demonstrations of 

sustainable recycling that 

lead to improved 

management of e-waste 

globally. 

harmonization and 

reduced redundancies 

among all key 

stakeholder activities. 

2. Stakeholder-applied, 

science-based pilot 

projects. 

3. Solid recommendations 

for national and 

international policy 

making based on the 

results of pilot projects. 

5

 EPA FY 2011-2015 Strategic Plan Goals: 

1: Taking Action on Climate Change and Improving Air Quality. 

2: Protecting America’s Waters. 

3: Cleaning Up Communities and Advancing Sustainable Development. 

4: Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and Preventing Pollution. 

5: Enforcing Environmental Laws. 6

 OITA International Priorities: 

1: Building Strong Environmental Institutions and Legal Structures. 

2: Combating Climate Change by Limiting Pollutants. 

3: Improving Air Quality. 

4: Expanding Access to Clean Water. 

5: Reducing Exposure to Toxic Chemicals. 

6: Cleaning Up Electronic Waste (E-Waste). 

13-P-0386 8 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Grantee and 

funded amount 

Cooperative 

agreement/ 

grant type 

EPA 

goal5 OITA priority6 Outputs/outcomes reported by grantee 

Outputs/outcomes 

anticipated by the EPA 

United Nations Foreign 4 5 1. Number of countries 1. Pilot projects on low 

Environmental phasing out lead in sulfur fuel road map 

Programme gasoline and going to 

50 ppm fuel. 

development - draft low 

sulfur fuel target 

developed for two 

countries for 

consideration of 

high-level officials. 

2. Re-Launch of 

Partnerships for Clean 

Fuels and Vehicles 

(PCFV) at Rio +20-

Successful re-launch of 

the PCFV. 

Breathe Easy 

Jakarta 

Stakeholders 

Group 

Foreign 4 1,3,5 1. To achieve greater 

protection of human health 

through improved urban 

air quality in Jakarta. 

Support environmental 

outcomes of Breathe Easy 

Jakarta, such as reduction 

of key air pollutants. 

1. Improved management 

and reduction 

strategies of key air 

pollutants in Jakarta. 

2. Improved protection of 

human health in 

Jakarta, through 

increased awareness 

and involvement by the 

public. 

3. Improved capacity of air 

quality management 

officials to create 

targeted strategies for 

air quality improvement 

through consistent 

stakeholder input. 

Desert Research 

Institute 

Int’l. 1,4 1,3,5 1. Strengthen the capacity to 

prepare a science-based 

clean air action plan to 

achieve better public 

health and air quality. 

1. To support the 

environmental 

outcomes of the other 

components of Breathe 

Easy Jakarta, such as 

reduction of key air 

pollutants. 

International Foreign 2,4 4 1. Training workshops 1. Improve drinking water 

Water organized (number of quality provided by 

Association personnel trained). 

2. Report on long-term, 

full-scale training 

programme for African 

region. 

3. Five-year (2011-2016) 

strategic plan for Water 

Safety Plan training in 

Africa with committed 

funding for budget. 

partner utilities in 

East Africa. 

2. Accrue operational 

efficiencies and 

framework to better 

target more sustainable 

capital investments. 

3. Framework for 

increasing resiliency 

and preparedness of a 

water utility to the 

impacts of climate 

change. 

Source: OIG analysis. 

13-P-0386 9 
 

 

 

Appendix B 

Agency Comments 

August 06, 2013 

MEMORANDUM 

SUBJECT: Response to Office of Inspector General Draft Report No. OPE-FY13-0004, “The 

EPA’s International Program Office Needs Improved Strategic Planning 

Guidance,” July 1, 2013 

FROM: Michelle DePass /s/ 

 Assistant Administrator 

8/6/2013

TO: Arthur A. Elkins, Jr. 

 Inspector General 

Thank you for the opportunity to respond to the issues and recommendations in the 

draft report. The following is a summary of The Office of International and Tribal Affairs’ 

(OITA) overall position, along with its position on the draft report’s recommendation. 

OVERALL POSITION 

OITA accepts the recommendation in the draft report, however we have included a 

Technical Comments Attachment to supplement and clarify this response. 

Over the last several years OITA has undertaken a number of efforts to strengthen its 

internal control structure, resulting in the development and implementation of a variety of 

important management and planning tools. As such, the Office sees the value of updating our 

planning guidance, emphasizing our strategic planning approach and further detailing how our 

grants support the Agency’s goals and international priorities. 

OITA will examine our existing guidance (e.g., NPM and Operating Plan guidance) and 

identify the most appropriate options for integrating the report’s recommendations. 

13-P-0386 10 
 

 

 

RESPONSE TO REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS 

Agreements 

No. Recommendation High-Level Intended 

Corrective Action(s) 

Estimated 

Completion by 

Quarter and FY 

1 Develop strategic planning 

guidance to document: 

• How OITA links its achieved 

outcomes for international 

and foreign grant activities to 

the goals of its strategic plan. 

• The process used by OITA to 

allocate resources for its 

international and foreign 

grant activities. 

• How OITA’s international 

and foreign grant activities 

align with the EPA’s goals 

in advancing public health 

and environmental 

improvement 

OITA will update and 

supplement planning guidance 

to document: 

• How OITA links its achieved 

outcomes for international 

and foreign grant activities to 

the goals of its strategic plan. 

• The process used by OITA to 

allocate resources for its 

international and foreign 

grant activities. 

• How OITA’s international 

and foreign grant activities 

align with the EPA’s goals 

in advancing public health 

and environmental 

improvement 

3rd Quarter 2014 

CONTACT INFORMATION 

If you have any questions regarding this response, please contact Teresa Ruppe, Audit 

Follow-Up Coordinator, Office of International and Tribal Affairs at 202-564-6619. 

Attachment 

cc: 

Jane Nishida, Acting DAA 

Katrina Cherry, Director OMIS 

Neilima Senjalia, Acting Director ORBA 

Walker Smith, Director OGAP 

13-P-0386 11 
 

 

Appendix C 

Distribution 

Office of the Administrator 

Assistant Administrator for International and Tribal Affairs 

Agency Follow-Up Official (the CFO) 

Audit Follow-Up Coordinator 

General Counsel 

Associate Administrator for Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations 

Associate Administrator for External Affairs and Environmental Information 

Deputy Assistant Administrator for International and Tribal Affairs 

Audit Follow-Up Coordinator, Office of International and Tribal Affairs 

13-P-0386 12