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Website
https://www.oig.doc.gov/Pages/default.aspx
Abbreviation
DOC
Agencies
Department of Commerce
Federal Agency
Yes
Location

United States

What to Report to the OIG Hotline
Commerce OIG maintains a Hotline for receiving allegations of fraud, waste, abuse, or gross mismanagement in the Department of Commerce’s programs and operations, including any organization or entity receiving Departmental funds. The following is a list of examples of types of allegations that should be reported:
  • Contract and grant fraud
  • Environmental, health, and safety violations
  • Computer crimes (including internet pornography)
  • Product substitution and suspect/counterfeit parts
  • Bribery, kickbacks, and gratuities
  • False statements and false claims
  • Conflicts of interest and ethics violations
  • Travel fraud
  • Theft or abuse of government property
  • Gross mismanagement of funds
  • Other violations of federal laws and regulations
In addition, if you suspect that you have been retaliated against for whistleblowing, you may contact the Commerce OIG Hotline or the Office of Special Counsel.
What Not to Report to the OIG Hotline
Certain matters are better resolved through other channels, instead of the Commerce OIG Hotline. The following matters are NOT generally investigated by Commerce OIG:
  • 911 emergencies regarding a Departmental facility or operation. Report to the local or state law enforcement authorities and the Department of Commerce’s Office of Security.
  • Complaints of EEO discrimination and retaliation. Report to the Department of Commerce’s Office of Civil Rights.
  • Personal theft. Report to Department of Commerce’s Office of Security.
  • Personnel matters involving requests for individual relief. Report to the servicing Office of Human Resources Management.
  • Employment related grievances or complaints against management officials unless part of a whistleblower claim. Report to the servicing Office of Human Resources Management.
  • Assistance with the U.S. patent application process (e.g., initial filing, patent examination, and post-examination) and case prosecution concerns (e.g., claim objections, after-final practice, claim rejections and restrictions). Contact the Patents Ombudsman Office (https://www.uspto.gov/patent/ombudsman-program).
Hotline Page
https://www.oig.doc.gov/Pages/Online-Hotline-Complaint-Form.aspx
Whistleblower Protection Page
https://www.oig.doc.gov/Pages/Hotline.aspx

NIST Working Capital Fund Budgetary Controls Are in Place, but Issues with Carryover Balances, Policies, and Time Charges Should Be Addressed

2016
OIG-16-023-A
Audit
Department of Commerce OIG
Department of Commerce

This report contains the results of our audit of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) working capital fund (WCF). We conducted the audit in response to language included in the Senate Appropriations Committee Report related to the Department’s FY 2015 appropriations, which...

NIST Must Strengthen Justifications for Remaining ULOs and Review Procedures

2016
OIG-16-024-A
Audit
Department of Commerce OIG
Department of Commerce

This report contains the results of our audit of the effectiveness of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST’s) unliquidated obligation (ULO) review policies and procedures developed in response to an OIG audit report issued in June 2013 (OIG-13-026-A). In that report, we...

The Census Working Capital Fund Lacks Transparency

2016
OIG-16-025-A
Audit
Department of Commerce OIG
Department of Commerce

For our final report on the evaluation of the budgetary controls over the Census Bureau’s Working Capital Fund, we assessed the controls for building overhead rates and distributing charges to projects, reviewed the appropriateness of the level of fund balances, and evaluated compliance with...

FY 2015 Compliance with Improper Payment Requirements

2016
OIG-16-027-I
Inspection / Evaluation
Department of Commerce OIG
Department of Commerce

This our final report on fiscal year (FY) 2015 improper payment reporting. We conducted this review to comply with the requirements of the Improper Payments Information Act of 2002 (IPIA)--as amended by the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act of 2010 (!PERA) and the Improper Payments...

The U.S. Census Bureau Geography Division Lacks Complete Information for Project Costs and Has Not Fully Monitored GSS-I Goals

2016
OIG-16-029-A
Audit
Department of Commerce OIG
Department of Commerce

This report addresses the status of the Census Bureau’s (the Bureau’s) 2020 decennial program preparation and planning efforts. The Bureau maintains all known living quarters in the Master Address File (MAF). Each address in the MAF is linked to a geographic location in the Topologically Integrated...

NOAA Fisheries’ Alaska Regional Office Use of Contract Raises Issues Regarding Personal Services

2016
OIG-16-030-I
Inspection / Evaluation
Department of Commerce OIG
Department of Commerce

This report provides the results of our review of a complaint received in January 2015 from a confidential complainant regarding the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS, or NOAA Fisheries) Alaska Regional Office’s use of grants and...

2020 Census: The Bureau Has Not Reported Test Results and Executed an Inadequately Designed 2015 Test

2016
OIG-16-032-A
Audit
Department of Commerce OIG
Department of Commerce

This is our final report on the audit of the 2015 Census Test conducted in portions of Maricopa County, Arizona. Our audit had two objectives: to assess (1) whether the Bureau’s reengineered and automated operational control system for managing fieldwork functioned as expected, and (2) the Bureau’s...

Awarding of U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Noncompetitive Contracts Did Not Consistently Follow Guidelines and Best Practices

2016
OIG-16-033-A
Audit
Department of Commerce OIG
Department of Commerce

Attached is our final report on USPTO’s contracts that were awarded using other than full and open competitive (“noncompetitive”) procedures. Our objective was to determine whether these noncompetitive contract awards were properly justified.

FirstNet Can Strengthen Its Controls by Documenting Procedures to Close and Track Interagency Agreements

2016
OIG-16-035-A
Audit
Department of Commerce OIG
Department of Commerce

This report provides the results of our most recent audit to evaluate the First Responder Network Authority’s (FirstNet’s) process for managing interagency agreements (IAAs), including entering into, monitoring, and closing IAAs.

Full Transition to the Nation’s Single Export Licensing System Is Uncertain

2016
OIG-16-037-A
Audit
Department of Commerce OIG
Department of Commerce

We conducted this audit to examine BIS’ progress in transitioning to USXPORTS. We began this audit with two objectives: to determine whether BIS was (1) effectively and efficiently managing its transition toward using USXPORTS to perform export licensing processing and (2) using effective and...

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