DoD needs to improve its processes for tracking conference spending under a 2013 budget law imposing new reporting requirements on agencies in light of conference scandals involving GSA and the VA, the defense IG has said.
DoD’s report for fiscal 2013 identified 80 conferences with a total cost of $20.1 million, $14.9 million of that for travel costs. But the IG said that travel costs for five of the eight conferences reviewed were based on estimates that could not be verified to actual costs because the Pentagon did not require components to maintain a list of travelers for each conference.
In addition, the Pentagon did not consistently validate the data components reported, resulting in some spending being reported for events that did not meet the department’s definition of conferences. Meanwhile, at least three conferences hosted by DoD costing some $1.7 million were not reported.
As a result, the report is “not accurate or complete” and Congress “cannot rely” on it as an accurate description of the department’s conference spending, the IG said.
DoD management said it is working to carry out the recommended improvements.
