<
33
\
^t0SrX
&
V PRO^4-0
o
2
Lll
o
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Inspector General
At a Glance
2006-M-00012
August 7, 2006
Catalyst for Improving the Environment
Why We Did This Review
We conducted a Quality
Assessment Review of the
Office of Investigation's
Philadelphia office for the
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's (EPA's) Office of
Inspector General (OIG).
We conducted our review the
week of March 8, 2006, and
concentrated on case planning,
case documentation, and case
execution.
Background
Quality Assessment Review of Office of Inspector
General Philadelphia Investigations Office (Redacted)
What We Found
The Quality Assessment Review found that the EPA OIG Office of
Investigation's Philadelphia office does a very good job of case management.
Case files were in good order and kept in a locked room. Most of the documents
were properly filed in the case files and the case files were properly labeled.
However, the review disclosed several areas where there could be possible
improvement. There was not a consistent practice regarding the timing and
documentation of initial and subsequent consultations with prosecutors. In some
instances, case predication documentation could have been clearer regarding the
source of the complaint. The timeframe for deciding on the merits of opening an
investigation, which is currently 3 days, could also be increased. Further, case
reviews could sometimes have been conducted in a more timely manner.
The EPA OIG conducts
Quality Assessment Reviews
of its work products. For this
review, we examined 17 open
cases, and looked at 369
Memoranda of Interview.
For further information,
contact our Office of
Congressional and Public
Liaison at (202) 566-2391.
To view the full report,
click on the following link:
www.epa.aov/oia/reports/2006/
20060807-2006-M-00012.pdf
What We Recommend
To improve case management in the EPA OIG Office of Investigations, we
recommend that the Office of Investigations:
•	Establish a requirement that all cases have an Assistant United States
Attorney (AUSA) consultation within 90 days of case initiation unless
there is a specific investigative reason not to do so. In addition, if the
facts of the case change significantly, the AUSA should be recontacted.
Consultations with AUSAs should be documented in the case file.
•	Ensure all case predication documentation is included in the file and
ensure the source of the initial complaint is clear.
•	Consider increasing the timeframe that agents and Special Agents in
Charge have to decide on the merits of opening an investigation.
•	Use the case plan document to document case reviews. For all cases over
1 year old where the AUSA is not already involved, ensure there is
documentation that the AUSA is interested in the case.
The OIG Office of Investigations agreed to take the recommended corrective
actions.

-------