Audit of VA’s Data Quality Review Process under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

We conducted this audit to determine if VA had established a process to perform limited data quality reviews intended to identify material omissions or significant reporting errors and to notify the recipients of the need to make appropriate and timely changes. VA’s Office of Finance developed a data quality review plan that meets Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requirements and a “Recipient Reporting Data Checklist” to be used by reviewers to ensure the completeness and accuracy of recipient data. However, VA’s plan could be enhanced. Suggested areas for improvement include: Identifying the number of contractor and grant recipient reports to be reviewed. Identifying the levels at which the reviews are to be performed and the positions of the individuals who are to perform the reviews. Identifying a prescribed format to report review results and the specific office to which the results are to be reported. VA’s Office of Finance has established a process to perform limited data quality reviews intended to identify material omissions or significant reporting errors and to notify the recipients of the need to make appropriate and timely changes. Therefore, we made no recommendations. No recommendations were made; therefore, it was not necessary to obtain written comments. However, Office of Finance personnel responsible for VA’s data quality review plan agree that these modifications would further ensure the transparency and accountability over Recovery Act funds and will incorporate these changes after performing a complete evaluation of the plan.