The Commerce Department IG has found excess inventory in the hands of grantees in the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, which is intended to improve access to broadband for consumers, community organizations and public safety agencies.
An earlier audit had identified more than $3 million in excess equipment for one BTOP recipient, and the most recent audit found similar problems totaling another $3.5 million with five of nine grantees it examined whose projects had been completed.
Rather than being disposed of and having the federal share of the proceeds returned to the federal government, the equipment was retained by the grantees, it said. That included “equipment outside the needs of completing the grant projects” such as two pickup trucks used for work both under that program and not.
It further questioned the use of another $600,000 and said that some expired projects “were not closed out in a timely manner.”
Management agreed with most findings and promised corrective action regarding them, although it disagreed with certain others.
