United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao_comptroller_general legislative 2016-06-24 U.S. Government Publishing Office 2007-07-17 monographic deposited born digital 14 p. GA 1.13:B-308944 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-B-308944 P0b002ee18fd4b80f f:308944 DGPO 2016-06-24 2016-06-24 GAOREPORTS-B-308944 machine generated eng fdlp COMPTROLLERDECISION GAOREPORTS-B-308944 B-308944 Comptroller General Decision GovWorks, a Department of the Interior franchise fund, entered into four contracts on behalf of the Department of Defense (DOD). With one exception, the Military Interdepartmental Purchase Requests (MIPRs) used to finance these contracts did not identify the specific items or services that DOD wanted GovWorks to acquire on its behalf. Lacking the necessary specificity as to the items or services ordered, these MIPRs did not properly obligate DOD's appropriation. Accordingly, in fiscal year 2005, when GovWorks used these funds for three of the four contracts, GovWorks improperly used prior year funds.<p/> One MIPR, for laser printers, described the goods DOD sought with enough specificity to create a valid interagency agreement and to properly obligate DOD's appropriation. Although the laser printers ordered are a readily available commercial item, GovWorks did not use the funds to execute a contract on DOD's behalf until 17 months after the date of the MIPR, and 11 months after the funds expired. Because GovWorks did not use the funds within a reasonable time of their receipt, the contract did not fulfill a bona fide need arising during the funds' period of availability.<p/> DOD and GovWorks share responsibility for ensuring the proper use of DOD funds transferred to and "parked" at GovWorks. DOD must adjust its appropriations accounts to record obligations for these four contracts against fiscal year 2005 appropriations. If DOD has insufficient unobligated balances in these appropriations, DOD must report violations of the Antideficiency Act.<p/> To prevent future occurrences of the problems associated with the four contracts, GovWorks should examine its accounts to identify interagency agreements that lack the requisite specificity under the recording statute. For those agreements that do not meet the requirements, GovWorks should return the funds advanced by the ordering agency. GovWorks also should develop internal controls to ensure that it does not accept nonspecific, indefinite orders nor use expired funds to enter into contracts on behalf of the ordering agency. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-B-308944/html/GAOREPORTS-B-308944.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-B-308944/pdf/GAOREPORTS-B-308944.pdf GAO/B-308944 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-B-308944 Comptroller General Decision GAO/B-308944; B-308944, Expired Funds and Interagency Agreements between GovWorks and the Department of Defense, July 17, 2007; Volume 108 Page 3410 108 Stat. 3410 Volume 110 Page 3009 110 Stat. 3009 Volume 121 Page 8 121 Stat. 8 Public Law 103-356 Public Law 104-208 Public Law 110-5