The Government Accountability Office has recommended that the Energy Department adopt data analytics tools and develop invoice review procedures and policies in order to manage improper payments and fraud risks associated with contracts.
GAO said in a report released Monday that DOE should also require contractors to keep detailed cost information that can be correlated with the amounts billed to the department.
GAO made the recommendations after it found that DOE lacks invoice review policies and processes at five of six locations that have oversight on invoice assessments and discovered time restrictions that appear to affect the effectiveness of such reviews.
DOE does not implement leading practices as part of its fraud risk management approach such as the development of an anti-fraud organization to oversee efforts to manage fraud risks and implementation of fraud risk reviews, according to the report.
Officials at DOE told the congressional watchdog that they intend to comply with the provisions of the Fraud Reduction and Data Analytics Act of 2015, which requires agencies to implement procedures and use data analytics platforms to assess and mitigate fraud risks.
DOE officers added that they “should not be expected to implement private industry leading practices prior to the issuance of [an Office of Management and Budget] guidance.”
