Organization
Division of Systems Policy, Program Integrity and Audit Resolution
Christine Jones, Director
Phone: (202) 690-7542
Terry Ramsey, Senior Technical Advisor
Phone: (202) 205-2099
Functions (as published in the July 10, 2006 Federal Register Notices, Vol. 71, No. 131, Pages 38885-38886)
The Division is responsible for overseeing the financial systems policy, payment integrity and audit resolution functions.
(1) The financial system policy function oversees Department-wide financial systems policy development and implementation for HHS financial and mixed financial systems for adherence to government-wide and Departmental financial systems policy and standards; oversees the Department’s compliance with the Federal Financial Management
Improvement Act of 1996 and Section 4 of the Federal Managers’ Financial Integrity Act; and helps ensure the financial accountability for these systems in conjunction with the HHS Office of Chief Information Officer. This includes the following functions:
(a) Develops Department-wide policies and standards for financial and mixed financial systems;
(b) Provides advice and serves as the focal point with OMB, Treasury and other Federal control agencies on financial systems compliance matters;
(c) Provides for the establishment of Department-wide financial definitions and data structures;
(d) Provides for the administration of a data integrity and quality control program to ensure compliance with applicable Federal directives, Departmental financial systems policy and automated financial data exchange requirements;
(e) Manages the Capital Planning Investment Control (CPIC) process and the OMB Exhibit 300 business case development and review process for IT systems including financial management systems throughout HHS in support of the Department’s Information Technology Investment Review Board (ITIRB);
(f) Oversees and monitors existing Department-wide and component accounting and financial management systems; and
(g) Advises the DASF on financial systems related matters in collaboration with the Office of Financial Policy and Reporting.
(2) The payment integrity function oversees the Department’s improper payment reduction initiatives which include recovery auditing, program risk assessments, estimating and reducing improper payments for high risk programs and reporting to OMB, Congress, and others on these estimates and the Department related actions.
This includes:
(a) Providing analyses of high risk programs and improper payment identification strategies and formulating recommendations on best approaches to meeting the requirements of the Improper Payments Information Act of 2002 (IPIA) and other related legislation, regulation and policy;
(b) Identifying improvements to the HHS Risk Assessment Model and providing assistance to the OPDIVs in completing required IPIA program risk assessments, and addressing issues as they arise about the appropriateness of risk assessment conclusions; and
(c) Preparing reports, presentations and briefings for the Department’s top management, OPDIVs, OMB and other organizations, on the improper payment initiative. This includes preparing the Appendix “Information on HHS Improper Payment and Recovery Auditing Initiative,” which is included in the Department’s annual Performance and Accountability Report (PAR).
(3) The audit resolution function provides leadership in resolving crosscutting audit findings. It performs the following functions:
(a) Reviews and resolves audit findings pertaining to monetary and/or systemic findings of grantee and contractor organizations affecting the programs of more than one Operating or Staff Division or Federal agencies. Conducts or arranges for additional reviews as needed;
(b) Coordinates, where necessary, with other affected Federal agencies to establish a uniform Federal position on the actions needed to be taken and negotiates resolution on behalf of all Federal Departments and agencies;
(c) Makes recommendations to the Secretary, the ASRT and other officials on safeguards or other actions against a grantee or contractor, where the organization is unwilling or unable to correct serious deficiencies in a timely manner as deemed necessary;
(d) Provides technical assistance to grantees, contractors, and other Operating and Staff Divisions related to the resolution of findings contained in audits of HHS awardees and financial management of grants and contracts;
(e) Establishes and monitors policy regarding audit issuance, follow-up and resolution for the Department in support of the function of the HHS audit followup official as required by OMB Circular A-50;
(f) Oversees the submission of required grantee audit reports;
(g) Coordinates status of final action on OS audits with the ASRT Office of Budget; and
(h) Prepares the Management Report on Final Action for the Department’s annual Performance and Accountability Report.
HHS Audit Reports Over 1 Year Old With Outstanding Balances To Be Collected As of September 30, 2009 (XLS - 68KB)
Functions (as published in the March 11, 2003 Federal Register Notices, Vol. 68, No. 47, Pages 11560 - 11562)
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