We contracted with the independent public accounting firm of CliftonLarsonAllen LLP (CLA) to audit the financial statements of HUD as of and for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2021 and 2020,1 and to provide reports on HUD’s 1) internal control over financial reporting; and 2) compliance with laws, regulations, contracts, and grant agreements and other matters, including whether financial management systems complied substantially with the requirements of the Federal Financial Management Improvement Act of 1996 (FFMIA).

We reviewed the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) ability to effectively complete information technology (IT) acquisitions.  HUD’s IT systems and its modernization plans depend heavily on contractors, yet HUD has historically faced significant challenges with implementing effective acquisition processes. Therefore, HUD’s acquisition capacity represents a key potential risk within HUD’s IT environment.

In February 2021, the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) identified funding risks with the development contract under which HUD contracted for Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Catalyst’s development.  In response, HUD officials took steps to slow FHA Catalyst spending on the contract while awaiting approval for additional contract funds.  Despite efforts to slow project spending, it was not enough to prevent funding shortfalls before the contract’s base year end.  Poor contract oversight enabled OCIO to exhaust funds before the end of the base yea

In accordance with the statutory requirements of the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014 (DATA Act) and standards established by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury, we audited the U.S.

We conducted this engagement in coordination with the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) to gain an understanding of the U.S.