[National Park Service Final Costs for FY 2004 and First Quarter of FY 2005]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]

Report No. X-EV-NPS-0003-2005

Title: National Park Service Final Costs for FY 2004 and First
       Quarter of FY 2005



Date: February 1, 2005

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Subject: National Park Service Final Costs for FY 2004 and First Quarter of FY 2005 (No. X-EV-NPS-0003-2005)

         United States Department of the Interior

				OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
				Washington, D.C.  20240


						

Committee on Appropriations,
Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies,
Ms. Deborah Weatherly, Clerk
U.S. House of Representatives
B-308 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-6023

Dear Ms. Weatherly:

	In response to your request, we compared the travel costs provided to us by the National Park Service (NPS) for its domestic and foreign travel in fiscal year (FY) 2004 with the amount it reported to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) for FY 2002 and to our office for FY 2003.  We also obtained detailed information on the foreign travel of NPS employees during FY 2004 and the first quarter of FY 2005.

	In summary, figures provided by NPS for FYs 2003 and 2004 indicated that its travel costs declined by 13.8 and 26ï¿½percent respectively in comparison to the figures it provided to GAO in FY 2002.  In FYï¿½2004, NPS employees traveled to foreign locations 80 times at a cost to NPS of $110,007.  NPS employees at the Washington Area Service Office (WASO) accounted for 19 percent of these travel costs.  For the first quarter of FY 2005, NPS employees traveled to foreign locations 20 times at a cost to NPS of $7,662, and WASO staff accounted for 36 percent of these travel costs.  

	We enclosed a detailed analysis of the information we compiled in response to your request.  We are providing you with the information in support of our analysis in its entirety.  Some of the information contained in this report may be protected from public disclosure pursuant to the Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts.  Therefore, we respectfully request that you treat this information accordingly.  If you have any questions about this information, please call me at (202) 208- 5745.

							Sincerely,



							Earl E. Devaney
							Inspector General

Enclosure

BACKGROUND

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report on the National Park Service (NPS) travel costs, titled ï¿½Actions Needed to Improve Travel Costs Managementï¿½ in February 2003.   In its report, GAO assessed the availability of travel cost information at NPS, especially the costs of foreign travel and conference attendance, because the Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. House of Representatives had difficulty in obtaining this information.  According to GAO, NPS reported that it annually incurred total travel costs of approximately $39 million to $50 million during fiscal year (FY) 1999 through FY 2002.  However, GAO found that NPS did not know its actual costs for foreign travel or the travel costs related to attending conferences because it did not routinely record this information.  Further, GAO reported that NPSï¿½ travel accounting system was not consistent with Federal Travel Regulations. GAO made three recommendations to improve the accounting for travel costs.

At the request of the Subcommittee, we issued a report titled ï¿½Review of the National Park Service Implementation of the General Accounting Office Recommendations to Improve Travel Cost Management,ï¿½ dated March 18, 2004.1  We found that NPS had not implemented any of the GAO recommendations.  Additionally, figures provided by NPS for FY 2003 indicated that its travel costs declined by 13.8ï¿½percent in comparison to the figures it provided to GAO in FY 2002.  In FYï¿½2003, NPS employees traveled to foreign locations 194 times at a cost of $324,000, and Washington Area Service Office (WASO) NPS employees accounted for 41 percent of these travel costs.  For the first quarter of FY 2004, NPS employees traveled to foreign locations 21 times at a cost of $28,000, and WASO staff accounted for 60 percent of these travel costs.  The information we presented on foreign travel was based primarily on information provided by NPSï¿½ Accounting Operations Center (AOC), which included a summary listing of foreign travel and foreign travel vouchers for WASO.  In November 2004, the Subcommittee requested an update on NPS travel information. 


SCOPE

We compared the travel costs reported by NPS for both domestic and foreign travel in FY 2004 with the amount reported by NPS to GAO in FY 2002 and to our office for FY 2003.  In addition, we present information on foreign travel (in which NPS or another entity paid the travel costs) by NPS employees during FY 2004 and for the first quarter of FY 2005 (Appendices 1 and 2).
   
We performed this review in accordance with the Presidentï¿½s Council on Integrity and Efficiency Quality Standards for Inspections.  We did not review all aspects of NPSï¿½ internal controls regarding travel expenses.  NPS officials could not provide assurance that all travel dollars were captured in the data provided to us.  

The NPS AOC gave us a listing of individual travel and foreign travel vouchers for FYs 2004 and the first quarter 2005 (through December 29, 2004).  In addition, AOC provided information from the NPS accounting system on domestic and foreign travel costs.  We compared the listing to the information in the individual travel vouchers and accounting system.  We determined that the NPS listing was not accurate, and, therefore, we recomputed travel costs.  Specifically, the NPS listing did not include any costs that were direct-billed to the Government, such as airfare and rental car costs.  In addition, the listing did not agree with the travel vouchers that NPS provided or the accounting system.  As such, we prepared a separate listing of foreign travel using information from the listing, the travel vouchers, and the Department of the Interiorï¿½s credit card vendor database (for certain direct-billed costs).  We also compared foreign travel information provided by AOC to foreign travel information provided by NPSï¿½ Office of International Affairs (OIA).  The OIA maintains a database on NPS foreign travel requests and approvals, but does not have information on actual foreign travel costs incurred.  

We excluded cross-border travel to Canada or Mexico that did not involve travel costs because the NPS information on this travel was not reliable.  NPS defines cross-border as travel across the border that does not exceed 8 hours in duration, does not require an overnight stay, is conducted by personnel stationed adjacent to the borders, and remains within 60 miles of the U.S. border.  Our preliminary review of the cross-border travel information disclosed that it excluded any information prior to the second quarter of FY 2004 and travel to Mexico.  For example, an OIA official stated that NPS employees made cross-border trips to Mexico but apparently did not notify OIA.


RESULTS

Comparison of Travel Costs for FYs 2002, 2003, and 2004

We compared the travel costs reported by NPS to GAO for FY 2002 to the travel costs reported by NPS to our office for FYs 2003 and 2004.   The comparison showed that NPS travel costs in FY 2004 were $5.7 million lower than FY 2003 and $12.6 million lower than FY 2002.   Figure 1 and Figure 2 provide detailed information by region for domestic and foreign travel, respectively.
NPS Domestic Travel by Region
FY 2002 through FY 2004
Region

2002 (GAO)1/

2003 (NPS)2/

2004 (NPS)2/

Percent Reduction 2002 - 04
Alaska 

$3,253,230

$2,897,537

$2,271,105

30.2%
Intermountain 

9,348,682

8,041,873

6,068,028

35.1%
Northeast 3/

5,873,181

4,740,673

3,429,344

41.6%
Mid-West 

4,256,335

3,600,731

3,235,310

24.0%
National Capital 

1,556,564

502,097

278,699

82.1%
Pacific West 

8,765,782

6,875,536

6,296,309

28.2%
Southeast 

5,395,575

3,713,745

3,497,870

35.2%
   Subtotal regions

$38,449,349

$30,372,192

$25,076,665


Washington, D.C.

10,512,566

11,708,990

11,255,305

N/A
 Total

$48,961,915

$42,081,182

$36,331,970

25.8%
1/ Estimated travel costs provided to GAO by NPS ï¿½ Report No. GAO-03-354.

2/ Reported actual travel costs provided to OIG by NPS.

3/ Formerly Mid-Atlantic Region.

NPS Foreign Travel by Region
FY 2002 through FY 2004
Region

2002 (GAO)1/

2003 (NPS)2/

2004 (NPS)2/

Percent Reduction 2002 - 04
Alaska 

$17,635

$46,204

$7,823

55.6%
Intermountain 

5,833

28,188

12,910

N/A
Northeast 3/

23,495

17,989

0

100.0%
Mid-West 

14,305

5,283

149

99.0%
National Capital 

5,577

18,638

0

100.0%
Pacific West 

27,760

33,908

19,900

28.3%
Southeast 

4,053

22,952

263

93.5%
   Subtotal regions

$98,658

$173,162

$41,045


Washington, D.C.

110,910

134,227

20,928

81.1%
 Total

$209,568

$307,389

$61,973

70.4%
1/ Estimated travel costs provided to GAO by NPS ï¿½ Report No. GAO-03-354.


2/ Reported actual travel costs provided to OIG by NPS and adjusted to exclude National Park unitsï¿½ foreign travel expenses ($48,034 for FY 2004).


3/ Formerly Mid-Atlantic Region.


  Figure 1               
  Figure 2




NPS Statistics on Foreign Travel

During FY 2004, 71 employees made 80 trips to foreign locations costing NPS $110,007. This included 50 employees who made 57 trips for which the total travel costs were paid by NPS, and 21 employees who made 23 trips for which the travel costs were paid in whole or part by another entity.  

During the first quarter of FY 2005, 20 employees made 20 trips to foreign locations costing NPS $7,662.  This included 4 employees who made 4 trips for which the total travel costs were paid by NPS, and 16 employees who made 16 trips for which the travel costs were paid in whole or part by another entity.  A summary of NPSï¿½ foreign travel2 by regional office and WASO that involved travel costs to NPS or whose costs were paid in whole or part by another entity and the number of travelers and trips is shown in Figure 3 below.  	

Region

Employees

Trips

Cost to NPS


FY

FY

FY

FY

FY

FY


2004

2005

2004

2005

2004

2005
Alaska

11

0

11

0

$17,020

$0
Intermountain

19

4

21

4

$38,372

$3,043
Northeast

5

3

7

2

$487

$0
Midwest

5

1

5

1

$871

$1,891
National Capital 
  Region

0

0

0

0

$0

$0
Pacific West

10

4

10

5

$23,805

$0
Southeast

6

0

6

0

$8,524

$0
WASO

15

8

20


8

$20,928


$2,728
Totals

71

20

80

20

$110,007

$7,662
         Figure 3

We compared foreign travel reported in our March 2004 report for the 15-month period ended December 31, 2003, with the foreign travel we identified for the 15-month period ended December 31, 2004.  The comparison showed that for the current period, NPS foreign travel costs were lower by $234,975, the number of employees that traveled was lower by 101, and the number of trips was lower by 115.  In addition, the percentage of trips for which travel costs were paid in whole or part by another entity increased from 18 percent to 39 percent.  We believe that one of the main reasons for the reduction in foreign travel was the NPS Directorï¿½s suspension of foreign travel, with limited exceptions, from March 25, 2004, through the remainder of FY 2004.

The reason most cited for foreign travel in FY 2004 and for the first quarter of FY 2005 was providing technical assistance (27 trips); followed by participation in delegations (24 trips) and attendance at meetings abroad (14 trips).  Over the past 15 months, these three reasons accounted for 65 percent (65 trips) of foreign travel costs incurred by NPS.  Figures 4 and 5 show the total number of foreign trips taken, the cost of those trips to NPS, and the purpose for the trip for each fiscal year.3 
 

      Figure 4
  
      Figure 5
Canada was the foreign country most visited by NPS travelers with 42 visits in FY 2004, costing NPS $56,825, and 4 visits in FY 2005, costing NPS $1,891.  WASO employees accounted for 9 of the 42 trips to Canada and $8,821 of the $56,825 cost to NPS in FY 2004.  In total, NPS employees visited 22 countries during the current 15-month period, with Canada and Mexico comprising 57 percent of the total trips.  Appendix 2 contains a complete listing, sorted by traveler, of the foreign travel taken over the past 15 months.  

We reviewed the foreign travel expenses and found that WASO, while only comprising 13 percent of NPS staff, took 25 percent (20 trips) and spent 19 percent ($20,928) of the NPS travel costs to foreign locations during FY 2004 (Figures 6 and 7).  

                                                                          			                  				                  
This trend of spending has continued during the first quarter of FY 2005.  Our analysis shows that WASO has taken 8 of the 20 foreign trips (40 percent) and spent $2,728 (36 percent) of the foreign travel dollars spent through the end of the first quarter in FY 2005 (Figures 8 and 9).   




   					





Appendix 1






NPS Foreign Travel by Office
FY 2004 and First Quarter of FY 2005
Office
Last
 Name
First 
Name
Country
Traveler Total
Region Total
WASO                                                                                                                                                 $23,656

WASO


Australia
$0
1/

WASO


Canada
$2,142



WASO


Great Britain
$0
1/


WASO


Bahamas
$0
1/


WASO


Bahamas
$0
1/


WASO


Italy
$0
1/

WASO


Canada
$1,358



WASO


Gabon
$0
1/

WASO


Canada
$978



WASO


Canada
$203
1/


WASO


Gabon
$0
1/


WASO


Canada
$0
1/

WASO


Canada
$1,211


WASO


France
$2,781


WASO


Canada
$1,005


WASO


France
$1,699


WASO


Mexico
$1,794


WASO


Canada
$1,143


WASO


China
$3,985


WASO


Canada
$531


WASO


France
$2,728



WASO


Gabon
$0
1/


WASO


Canada
$250
1/


WASO


Argentina
$0
1/


WASO


Cambodia
$0
1/

WASO


Scotland
$506



WASO


Scotland
$0
1/






Appendix 1






NPS Foreign Travel by Office
FY 2004 and First Quarter of FY 2005
Office
Last 
Name
First
 Name
Country
Traveler Total
Region Total
WASO


Australia
$1,342


NORTHEAST                                                                                                                                         $487
Acadia NP


Canada
$417


Acadia NP


Canada
$70



Glacier NP


Guatemala
$0
1/


Northeast Region


Guatemala
$0
1/


Northeast Region


Gabon
$0
1/


Northeast Region 


Guatemala
$0
1/


Statue of Liberty NM and Ellis Island


Canada
$0
1/


Whiskeytown Shasta-Trinity NRA


Guatemala
$0
1/


Whiskeytown Shasta-Trinity NRA


Guatemala
$0
1/

MID WEST                                                                                                                                          $2,762

Apostle Island NL


Scotland
$0
1/

Isle Royale NP


Canada
$349


Isle Royale NP


Canada
$373



Lincoln Home NHS


Japan
$0
1/

Midwest Region


Canada
$149


Midwest Region


Canada
$1,891


SOUTHEAST                                                                                                                                      $8,525
Buck Island Reef


Costa Rica
$2,192



Cape Hatteras NP


Mexico
$0
1/

Mammoth Cave NP


Canada
$1,750



San Juan NHS


Canada
$719
1/


Southeast Region


Mexico
$263
1/

Virgin Islands NP


Costa Rica
$3,601







Appendix 1






NPS Foreign Travel by Office
FY 2004 and First Quarter of FY 2005
Office
Last 
Name
First 
Name
Country
Traveler Total
Region Total

Hawaii Volcanoes NP


Canada
$2,714



Lava Beds NM


Peru
$0
1/


Pacific West Region


Denmark
$0
1/


Pacific West Region


Cambodia
$0
1/

Pacific West Region


Mexico
$1,745


Pacific West Region


Canada
$953



Pacific West Region


Micronesia
$3,917
1/


Pacific West Region


Thailand
$0
1/

Pacific West Region


Japan
$2,593


Pacific West Region


Canada
$276


Pacific West Region 


Palau
$10,416



Saint Paul's Church NHS


Jordan
$0
1/


Santa Monica Mountains NRA


Argentina
$0
1/


War in the Pacific NHP


Micronesia
$1,191
1/


Zion NP


Guatemala
$0
1/

INTERMOUNTAIN                                                                                                                          $41,416
Aztec Ruins NM


Canada
$2,656


Carlsbad Caverns NP


Canada
$3,864


Coronado NM


Mexico
$2,154


Coronado NM


Mexico
$1,341







Appendix 1








NPS Foreign Travel by Office

FY 2004 and First Quarter of FY 2005

Office
Last 
Name
First
 Name
Country
Traveler Total
Region Total

Glacier Bay NP


Canada
$0
1/

Glacier Bay NP


Canada
$65


Glacier NP


Canada
$484


Glacier NP


Canada
$485


Glacier NP


Canada
$1,082


Glacier NP


Canada
$487


Grand Canyon NP


Canada
$2,496


Intermountain Region


Mexico
$1,324


Intermountain Region


Mexico
$2,815



Intermountain Region


Italy
$0
1/

Intermountain Region


Mexico
$1,719


Intermountain Region


Australia
$3,008


Intermountain Region


Mexico
$1,480


Intermountain Region


Australia
$2,903


Intermountain Region


Mexico
$1,457


Intermountain Region


Canada
$1,182



Intermountain Region


Tanzania
$0
1/


Lake Mead NRA


Philippines
$0
1/

Yellowstone NP


Canada
$3,359







Appendix 1






NPS Foreign Travel by Office
FY 2004 and First Quarter of FY 2005
Office
Last 
Name
First Name
Country
Traveler Total
Region Total
Yellowstone NP


Canada
$4,738


Yellowstone NP


Canada
$2,316


ALASKA                                                                                                                                            $17,020
Alaska Region


Canada
$753


Alaska Region


Canada
$515


Alaska Region


Canada
$2,397


Alaska Region


Canada
$832


Alaska Region


Canada
$1,087


Alaska Region


Canada
$2,304


Denali NP and PRES


Canada
$1,634


Denali NP and PRES


Canada
$1,855


Katmai NP and PRES


Canada
$3,318


Wrangell-St. Elias NP


Canada
$137


Wrangell-St. Elias NP


Canada
$2,188


 Totals



$117,669
$117,669
1/ Travel costs reimbursed in whole or part by another entity.  The amount shown is the NPS portion of the travel cost.

Park Name Legend:
	NP ï¿½ National Park 			NM ï¿½ National Monument
	NRA ï¿½ National Recreation Area 	NHP ï¿½ National Historic Park
	NL ï¿½ National Lakeshore 			NP and PRES ï¿½ National Park and Preserve
	NHS ï¿½ National Historic Site

Names of employees have been redacted pursuant to exemption (b)(6) of the Freedom of Information Act.                           
                                       




Appendix 2





NPS Travelers to Foreign Countries
FY 2004 and First Quarter of FY 2005
Last Name
First Name
Office
Country
Total


Coronado NM
Mexico
$1,341



Coronado NM
Mexico
$2,154



Yellowstone NP
Canada
$4,738



Yellowstone NP
Canada
$3,359




Northeast Region 
Guatemala
$0
1/



WASO
Australia
$0
1/


Carlsbad Caverns NP
Canada
$3,864



WASO
Canada
$2,142



Isle Royale NP
Canada
$349




WASO
Great Britain
$0
1/


Alaska Region
Canada
$753



Virgin Islands NP
Costa Rica
$3,601




Whiskeytown Shasta-Trinity NRA
Guatemala
$0
1/



Whiskeytown Shasta-Trinity NRA
Guatemala
$0
1/



WASO
Bahamas
$0
1/



WASO
Bahamas
$0
1/



Apostle Island NL
Scotland
$0
1/



WASO
Italy
$0
1/


Alaska Region
Canada
$515



Alaska Region
Canada
$2,397



WASO
Canada
$1,358



Glacier NP
Canada
$484



Pacific West Region 
Palau
$10,416



Grand Canyon NP
Canada
$2,496




WASO
Gabon
$0
1/


WASO
Canada
$978






Appendix 2





NPS Travelers to Foreign Countries
FY 2004 and First Quarter of FY 2005
Last Name
First Name
Office
Country
Total



War in the Pacific NHP
Micronesia
$1,191
1/



WASO
Canada
$203
1/



WASO
Gabon
$0
1/


Katmai NP and PRES
Canada
$3,318




Cape Hatteras NP
Mexico
$0
1/



Santa Monica Mountains NRA
Argentina
$0
1/



WASO
Canada
$0
1/



Glacier Bay NP
Canada
$0
1/


Isle Royale NP
Canada
$373



Intermountain Region
Mexico
$1,324



Denali NP and PRES
Canada
$1,634




Pacific West Region
Denmark
$0
1/


WASO
Canada
$1,211



Glacier NP
Canada
$485




Northeast Region
Guatemala
$0
1/


WASO
France
$2,781



WASO
Canada
$1,005




Lake Mead NRA
Philippines
$0
1/


Hawaii Volcanoes NP
Canada
$2,714



Alaska Region
Canada
$832




Pacific West Region
Cambodia
$0
1/


Intermountain Region
Mexico
$2,815




Lava Beds NM
Peru
$0
1/




Appendix 2





NPS Travelers to Foreign Countries
FY 2004 and First Quarter of FY 2005
Last Name
First Name
Office
Country
Total


Glacier Bay NP
Canada
$65




San Juan NHS
Canada
$719
1/



Lincoln Home NHS
Japan
$0
1/



Intermountain Region
Italy
$0
1/


Buck Island Reef NM
Costa Rica
$2,192



WASO
France
$1,699



WASO
Mexico
$1,794



WASO
Canada
$1,143



WASO
China
$3,985



WASO
France
$2,728



WASO
Canada
$531




Statue of Liberty NM and Ellis Island
Canada
$0
1/



WASO
Gabon
$0
1/


Pacific West Region
Mexico
$1,745




WASO
Canada
$250
1/


Pacific West Region
Canada
$953



Aztec Ruins NM
Canada
$2,656




WASO
Argentina
$0
1/



Zion NP
Guatemala
$0
1/


Intermountain Region
Mexico
$1,719




WASO
Cambodia
$0
1/


Mammoth Cave NP
Canada
$1,750




Southeast Region
Mexico
$263
1/


Wrangell-St. Elias NP
Canada
$137





Appendix 2





NPS Travelers to Foreign Countries
FY 2004 and First Quarter of FY 2005
Last Name
First Name
Office
Country
Total


Alaska Region
Canada
$1,087



Intermountain Region
Australia
$3,008



WASO
Scotland
$506




Pacific West Region
Micronesia
$3,917
1/


Intermountain Region
Mexico
$1,480



Alaska Region
Canada
$2,304



Intermountain Region
Australia
$2,903



Wrangell-St. Elias NP
Canada
$2,188




Northeast Region
Gabon
$0
1/


Midwest Region
Canada
$149




Pacific West Region
Thailand
$0
1/


Denali NP and PRES
Canada
$1,855



Glacier NP
Canada
$1,082



Pacific West Region
Japan
$2,593




WASO
Scotland
$0
1/


Intermountain Region
Mexico
$1,457



Intermountain Region
Canada
$1,182




Glacier NP
Guatemala
$0
1/


Yellowstone NP
Canada
$2,316



Midwest Region
Canada
$1,891



Pacific West Region
Canada
$276



Acadia NP
Canada
$417



Acadia NP
Canada
$70





Appendix 2





NPS Travelers to Foreign Countries
FY 2004 and First Quarter of FY 2005
Last Name
First Name
Office
Country
Total


Glacier NP
Canada
$487




Intermountain Region
Tanzania
$0
1/


WASO
Australia
$1,342




Saint Paul's Church NHS
Jordan
$0
1/





  Total



$117,669
1/ Travel costs reimbursed in whole or part by another entity.  The amount shown is the NPS portion of the travel cost.

Park Name Legend:
	NP ï¿½ National Park 			NM ï¿½ National Monument
	NRA ï¿½ National Recreation Area 	NHP ï¿½ National Historic Park
	NL ï¿½ National Lakeshore 			NP and PRES ï¿½ National Park and Preserve
	NHS ï¿½ National Historic Site
	
Names of employees have been redacted pursuant to exemption (b)(6) of the Freedom of Information Act.
	
	









1 Report No. E-EV-NPS-0053-2004
2 These statistics exclude cross-border trips to Canada or Mexico which did not involve travel costs.
3 No comparison should be made to the travel purposes shown in our prior report because NPS provided more detailed information during our current review.  
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??

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15