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Audit of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Travel Charge Card Program

Report Information

Date Issued
Report Number
OIG-NRC-25-A-01
Report Type
Audit
Description
The OIG identified areas where the NRC should refine its travel charge card procedures and enhance its prevention and detection measures. The OIG found travel charge card accounts that remained open after employee separations, as well as accounts with credit limits exceeding policy-defined limits or operational needs. The OIG also found that the NRC does not provide charge card refresher training. Further, certain premium class travel authorizations did not have the required supporting documentation or were not properly authorized or justified, resulting in $47,791 of questioned costs. Finally, the OIG identified travel card transactions unrelated to official travel, which have been referred to our Investigations Division for further review. The report contains nine recommendations intended to help the NRC prevent and detect travel charge card misuse and payment delinquencies.
Joint Report
Yes
Participating OIG
Nuclear Regulatory Commission OIG
Agency Wide
Yes (agency-wide)
Questioned Costs
$47791
Funds for Better Use
$0
View report on Oversight.gov

Recommendations

Develop and enhance procedures for travel charge card terminations to ensure the timely closure of travel charge card accounts for separated employees.

ADAMS Accession No: ML25006A127<br />
Agency Response Dated December 3, 2024: Agree. Staff will develop a written procedure for travel charge card terminations to reflect the following enhanced process for timely closure of travel charge cards for separated employees: Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) plans to work with Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) to obtain the most current list of active employees. OCFO will implement a control procedure that compares the current roster of travel charge cardholders against the active employee roster on a quarterly basis, at a minimum, enabling timely deactivation. Estimated Completion Date: March 31, 2025<br />
OIG Analysis: OCFO’s plan to develop and implement a quarterly control procedure for the timely closure of travel charge cards for separated employees will address the recommendation. The recommendation will remain open until management provides the written procedure and evidence of its implementation.

Review and, as necessary, adjust the individually billed accounts to ensure compliance with the established credit limits in the NRC Plan.

Agency Response Dated December 3, 2024: Agree. 1. OCFO has implemented a spreadsheet for tracking when<br />
we increase a credit limit, why, and when we need to place it back to the original limit. 2. Staff will review and adjust the individually billed accounts to ensure compliance with the established credit limits in the NRC Plan. Staff will initially focus on accounts that may exceed or come close to credit limits. 3. Staff will contact travel charge card holders with nonstandard credit limits and ask whether they require the restricted $3K limit, or a standard limit of $10K which<br />
will require a credit check (soft pull). Estimated Completion Date: December 31, 2024<br />
OIG Analysis: OCFO’s proposed actions will address the recommendation. The recommendation will remain open until management provides evidence of tracking the credit limit increases and of the completed review of the individually billed accounts to ensure compliance with the established credit limits in the NRC Plan.

Establish a process for conducting periodic reviews of travel charge card accounts to strengthen oversight and monitoring of individually billed accounts and help ensure adherence to the credit limits defined in the NRC Plan.

Agency Response Dated December 3, 2024: Agree. The OCFO will establish a process for conducting periodic reviews of travel charge card accounts to strengthen oversight and monitoring of individually billed accounts and help ensure adherence to the credit limits defined in the NRC Plan, and update written procedures with the process. Estimated Completion Date: March 31, 2025<br />
OIG Analysis: OCFO’s plan to periodically review the credit limits of individually billed accounts and formalize the process will address the recommendation. The recommendation will remain open until management provides evidence of the review and the written procedure.

Conduct a comprehensive assessment of operational needs and spending patterns to determine the appropriate credit limits for the centrally billed travel accounts.

Agency Response Dated December 3, 2024: Agree. We agree that historical operational needs and spending patterns provide valuable insights into the appropriate credit limits for the centrally billed accounts (CBA). We determined the following credit limits are necessary and will work with U.S. Bank to adjust the credit limits to the following:<br />
HQ CBA: $700K Regions CBA: $400K Completed. Staff to provide analysis.<br />
OIG Analysis: OCFO subsequently provided the OIG with a revised analysis indicating that the Region’s CBA would be reduced to $200,000. The OIG reviewed the revised analysis of the credit limits for centrally billed accounts and determined it addressed the recommendation.

Develop and implement procedures for periodic reviews of the credit limits for centrally billed travel accounts and adjust these limits, as necessary, for the anticipated operational need.

Agency Response Dated December 3, 2024: Agree. Staff will develop and implement a written procedure for periodic reviews of the credit limits for centrally billed travel accounts and adjust these limits, as necessary, for the anticipated operational need. Estimated Completion Date: March 31, 2025<br />
OIG Analysis: OCFO’s plan to develop and implement procedures to periodically review the credit limits of the centrally billed travel accounts, including adjustments of these limits as needed, will address the recommendation. The<br />
recommendation will remain open until management provides the written procedure.