The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration has said the IRS has been responsive to its recommendations regarding conference spending, an issue that drew national attention–and reform orders from Congress and OMB–following findings of excessive spending on conferences at that agency and others.
The latest audit examined steps taken following a 2013 IG report and concluded that the IRS “has designed controls to ensure that policies and procedures are being followed for event planning, approvals, and cost tracking.”
For example, it said, the IRS updated its policy for granting continuing professional education credits for conference and training events; instituted a service-wide video editorial board to review and approve any IRS internally produced or commissioned videos in advance of production; and has continually updated its guidance to reflect policies from its parent Treasury Department–including a requirement that the IRS commissioner or Treasury officials must approve in advance any events meeting certain cost criteria, and all events over $20,000 must be reported to Treasury.
During 2013 and 2014, the IRS approved and reported as required almost 99 percent of the training and conference events the auditors reviewed.
However, the audit found areas still in need of improvement, including assuring that events receive the correct level of approval. The IRS agreed and pointed to initiatives including detailed annual reporting of events in excess of $100,000 and maintaining event approval and reporting information in one central location.
IRS spending on conferences, training and meetings dropped from $177 million in 2010 to about $22 million in 2013 and 2014, it added.