Management Advisory Report: Conference Cost Reporting

We recommend that the Office of the Chief Financial Officer ensure the agency’s annual report to the Office of Inspector General on conferences comply with all reporting requirements, specifically the detailed requirements regarding contract competition, contract award details, and full description of contract cost and pricing analysis.

We recommend that the Office of the Chief Financial Officer issue guidance and reminders to agency conference coordinators to help ensure that they fully understand and comply with the requirement to notify the Office of Inspector General and the Office of the Chief Financial Officer of all conferences that cost over $20,000.

We recommend that the Office of Acquisitions and Contracts Management, working with the director of the Office of Health Services, review the unauthorized purchase made at the medical education conference and ascertain whether it can be ratified, and if so, take appropriate steps to ratify the contract.

We recommend that the Office of the Chief Financial Officer issue guidance advising agency conference coordinators of the importance of following agency contract policy and of contacting the Office of Acquisitions and Contracts Management before attempting to procure any services for conferences.