Negotiate with Puerto Rico’s Insurance Commissioner and with other CDBG-DR grantees, within 30 days of the issuance of this audit report, to establish data-sharing agreements for the 2017 CDBG-DR grant disaster, any open disaster recovery grants, and future disasters.

Complete, within 30 days of the issuance of this audit report, the review for preventing duplication of benefits associated with its 2008 CDBG-DR grant and pursue appropriate remedies for any instances of noncompliance found.

Review and update its procurement policy for the 2017 CDBG-DR grant to address weaknesses identified, including but not limited to required contract clauses, processes for soliciting and accepting noncompetitive proposals, and performing cost or price analyses before receiving bids or quotations, Read More

Ensure that the 2017 CDBG-DR procurement policy addresses the establishment of a contract register that, at a minimum, contains the procurement information specified in section 3.8 of HUD’s Buying Right Guide regarding the PRDOH’s acquisitions of goods and services, as well as of its subrecipients Read More

Establish procurement policies and procedures for the 2008 CDBG-DR grant to ensure compliance with 2 CFR 200.318-326, including but not limited to procedures to ensure full and open competition, supporting independent cost estimates, properly documenting the procurement history, and including Read More

Continue to fill its vacancies with qualified and trained staff, thus ensuring that staffing levels remain adequate to administer the 2017 and 2008 CDBG-DR grant funds.

Submit supporting documentation showing that contracts and purchase orders complied with Federal and its own procurement requirements and that these were reasonable and necessary costs or reimburse the CDBG-DR program $55,010 from non-Federal funds.

Submit supporting documentation showing that contracts and purchase orders complied with Federal and its own procurement requirements and that these were reasonable and necessary costs or cancel the $361,501 in unpaid obligations related to CDBG-DR funds.

Obtain technical assistance from HUD to revise its Emergency Repair Program to meet CDBG requirements.

Provide procurement training to its staff members who work on CDBG program activities and ensure that staff members comply with HUD requirements and use its current procurement policy.

We recommend that the Director of HUD’s New Orleans Office of Community Planning and Development require the Parish to support the cost reasonableness or repay its program from non-Federal funds $362,319 paid to its consultant contractor without an independent cost estimate.

We recommend that the Director of HUD’s New Orleans Office of Community Planning and Development require the Parish to maintain program files with all required documentation for each activity.

We recommend that the Director of HUD’s New Orleans Office of Community Planning and Development require the Parish to support the cost reasonableness or repay its program from non-Federal funds $30,702 paid to its construction contractor for cost increases without adequate cost analyses.

We recommend that the Director of HUD’s New Orleans Office of Community Planning and Development require the Parish to support the cost reasonableness or repay its program from non-Federal funds $58,873 paid to its surveyor contractor for the sole-sourced contract without an adequate cost analysis Read More

We recommend that the Director of HUD’s New Orleans Office of Community Planning and Development require the Parish to develop and implement a HUD approved written plan and checklists; and take actions that will correct and prevent the deficiencies outlined in the finding, improve program Read More

We recommend that the Director of HUD’s New Orleans Office of Community Planning and Development require the Parish to implement an internal audit function that satisfies program requirements.

We recommend that the Director of HUD’s New Orleans Office of Community Planning and Development require the Parish to revise its monitoring policy to include the role of the internal auditor once implemented, and finalize and fully implement or revise its fraud, waste, and abuse detection policy Read More

We recommend that the Director of HUD’s New Orleans Office of Community Planning and Development require the Parish to obtain technical assistance concerning the disaster recovery program requirements, including related Federal Register requirements. Specifically, the technical assistance should Read More

We recommend that the Director of HUD’s New Orleans Office of Community Planning and Development require the Parish to update its Web site to include current quarterly performance, budget, and progress reports.

Instruct the State to update and implement the CDBG-DR standard operating procedures, which clearly outline what activities, including the frequency, will be reviewed by its monitoring and internal audit function.