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Open Recommendations

Ukraine: U.S. Agencies Should Improve Tracking of Authorized U.S.-Origin Defense Article Transfers Requested by Foreign Donors
GAO-24-106745
Aug 20, 2024
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6 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of State The Secretary of State should require the Bureau of Political Military Affairs to request that divesting countries notify appropriate officials within U.S. Embassies' Offices of Defense Cooperation of donation deliveries to Ukraine when those donations were a condition of FMF assistance to the divesting country. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of State The Secretary of State should ensure that RSAT take steps to consistently share TPT authorizations with Security Cooperation Offices for divesting and recipient countries. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of State The Secretary of State should instruct RSAT to further strengthen its document management system for authorizations of TPTs, and implement processes outlined in its standard operating procedures to improve its ability to share information with other U.S. agencies. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of State The Secretary of State should take steps to ensure that RSAT's TPT authorizations include a request for divesting countries to notify DSCA and Security Cooperation Offices of related defense article deliveries. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of State The Secretary of State should require RSAT to request that divesting governments that have received TPT authorizations from January 2022 to July 2024 notify DSCA and Security Cooperation Offices of related defense article deliveries to Ukraine. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should establish a formal process to verify deliveries of defense articles provided through authorized TPTs and ensure SCIP is updated as appropriate. (Recommendation 6)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Wildlife Trafficking: Agencies Should Improve Efforts to Protect Human Rights in Overseas Activities
GAO-24-106553
Aug 06, 2024
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9 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
U.S. Agency for International Development The Administrator of USAID should take steps to ensure that implementing partners for awards with ranger activities meet the established timeframes to provide social safeguards plans. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
United States Fish and Wildlife Service The Director of FWS should communicate guidance in NOFOs for applicants for direct-funded awards with ranger activities on what information to provide to FWS on project social risks and any planned social safeguard mechanisms to address those risks. These safeguards may include community consultation and engagement, consideration of Indigenous Peoples and FPIC principles, human rights training for rangers, and grievance and redress mechanisms. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of State The Secretary of State should ensure INL develops internal guidance for officials who review social safeguards plans in applicant proposals regarding the social risks and social safeguard mechanisms they should consider. These safeguards may include community consultation and engagement, consideration of Indigenous Peoples and FPIC, human rights training for rangers, and grievance and redress mechanisms. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
U.S. Agency for International Development The Administrator of USAID should ensure that implementing partners for awards with ranger activities that require social safeguards plans include information in periodic monitoring reports for USAID on the status of implementation of project social safeguard mechanisms and any steps taken to assess their effectiveness. This should include information on any issues encountered, resolutions, and lessons learned. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
United States Fish and Wildlife Service The Director of FWS should periodically update the "abuse of power" risk assessments FWS conducts for direct-funded awards with ranger activities to analyze and respond to any changes in project human rights abuse risks and social safeguards. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
United States Fish and Wildlife Service The Director of FWS, to inform its risk assessments, should ensure that implementing partners for direct-funded awards with ranger activities include updated information in periodic performance reports on human rights abuse risks and applicable project social safeguard mechanisms. This should include information on any issues encountered, resolutions, and lessons learned. (Recommendation 6)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Ukraine: State and USAID Should Improve Processes for Ensuring Partners Can Perform Required Work
GAO-24-106751
Jul 31, 2024
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5 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of State The Secretary of State should ensure that the Bureau of Administration, Office of the Procurement Executive establish a requirement in the Federal Assistance Directive for State award officials to conduct a verification search in the System for Award Management and screen international organizations for past performance and exclusions when selecting them for Circular-175 letters of agreement. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of State The Secretary of State should ensure that the Bureau of Administration, Office of the Procurement Executive require award officials to include in the award file detailed documentation of the sources and assessments of past performance information that inform officials' decisions prior to approving implementing partners for awards. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of State The Secretary of State should ensure that the Bureau of Administration, Office of the Procurement Executive establish a requirement in the Federal Assistance Directive for State award officials to periodically monitor the implementation of non-governmental organization implementing partners' procedures for screening sub-partners for past performance when selecting them for sub-awards. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of State The Secretary of State should ensure that the Bureau of Administration, Office of the Procurement Executive establish a requirement in the Federal Assistance Directive for State award officials to periodically monitor the implementation of international organization implementing partners' procedures for screening sub-partners for past performance when selecting them for sub-awards. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
U.S. Agency for International Development The Administrator of USAID should ensure that the Office of the General Counsel and the Bureau for Planning, Learning, and Resource Management establish a requirement in USAID's operational policy for USAID award officials to periodically monitor the implementation of public international organization implementing partners' procedures for screening sub-partners for past performance when selecting them for sub-awards. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Ukraine Assistance: Actions Needed to Properly Value Defense Articles Provided Under Presidential Drawdown Authority
GAO-24-106934
Jul 22, 2024
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8 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Congress Congress should consider clarifying the definition of "value" as it relates to defense articles provided under PDA, as described in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, to help ensure appropriate application of statutory aggregate value caps. (Matter for Congressional Consideration 1)
Open
As of July 2024, no legislation has been enacted to address this Matter.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) (1) identifies PDA-specific method(s) to value defense articles and (2) updates existing guidance to include a PDA-specific section on valuation. (Recommendation 1)
Open
In its comments on our draft report, DOD agreed with this recommendations and cited actions it will take to address it. We will follow-up with DOD on actions to address this recommendation.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Secretary of the Army develops and documents policies and procedures for the Army to (1) calculate values for defense articles provided under PDA that comply with DOD guidance and (2) maintain supporting documentation for the valuation methods used and the values calculated. (Recommendation 2)
Open
In its comments on our draft report, DOD agreed with this recommendations and cited actions it will take to address it. We will follow-up with DOD on actions to address this recommendation.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Secretary of the Navy develops and documents policies and procedures for the Navy to (1) calculate values for defense articles provided under PDA that comply with DOD guidance and (2) maintain supporting documentation for the valuation methods used and the values calculated. (Recommendation 3)
Open
In its comments on our draft report, DOD agreed with this recommendations and cited actions it will take to address it. We will follow-up with DOD on actions to address this recommendation.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Secretary of the Air Force develops and documents policies and procedures for the Air Force to (1) calculate values for defense articles provided under PDA that comply with DOD guidance and (2) maintain supporting documentation for the valuation methods used and the values calculated. (Recommendation 4)
Open
In its comments on our draft report, DOD agreed with this recommendations and cited actions it will take to address it. We will follow-up with DOD on actions to address this recommendation.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Secretary of the Navy together with the Commandant of the Marine Corps develop and document policies and procedures for the Marine Corps to (1) calculate values for defense articles provided under PDA that comply with DOD guidance and (2) maintain supporting documentation for the valuation methods used and the values calculated. (Recommendation 5)
Open
In its comments on our draft report, DOD agreed with this recommendations and cited actions it will take to address it. We will follow-up with DOD on actions to address this recommendation.
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