Three Year LIHEAP Compliance Review Monitoring Schedule: FY 2008 through FY 2010
THIS CONTAINS INFORMATION ISSUED BY THE U.S. ADMINISTRATION FOR
CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN LIHEAP INFORMATION MEMORANDUM TRANSMITTAL
NO. LIHEAP-IM-2008-11, DATED 4/14/08
TO: LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (LIHEAP)
GRANTEES AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES
SUBJECT: Three Year LIHEAP Compliance Review Monitoring
Schedule: FY 2008 through FY 2010
RELATED
REFERENCES: The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 (Public
Law (P.L.) 110-161; the Low-Income Home Energy
Assistance Act, Title XXVI of the Omnibus Budget
Reconciliation Act of 1981 (Public Law (P.L.)
97-35), as amended.
PURPOSE: To inform LIHEAP grantees about plans to conduct
on-site compliance reviews, the criteria used for
selecting grantees, the schedule of States and
Tribes selected for FY 2008, and tentative
selections for FY 2009 and FY 2010 reviews.
BACKGROUND: Section 2608(b)(1) of the LIHEAP statute provides
that:
The Secretary shall conduct in several
States in each fiscal year investigations
of the use of funds received by the States
under this title in order to evaluate
compliance with the provisions of this
title.
PURPOSE: In the past year, the LIHEAP program has begun
development of a refined monitoring system to better
assess State adherence to statutory mandates.
Several improvements are being made as part of this
renewed effort, which includes:
• Establishing specific criteria for selecting
grantees for LIHEAP compliance reviews each
year, considering potential compliance issues
found in annual plan application review,
independent audits, and complaints and media
reports of state or agency mismanagement;
• Setting up an enhanced "LIHEAP Compliance
Review System", which will capture all of the
policies and procedures with respect to the
compliance review process;
• Establishing timetables for State reviews for a
three year period and informing LIHEAP grantees
well in advance of a planned on-site review;
and
• Integrating more on-site reviews each year of
Tribes and Tribal organizations that receive
direct LIHEAP funding
• More timely compliance review reporting by OCS
to States and Tribes following the on-site
reviews. We will make an effort to get back to
grantees with our findings within 60 days from
the time of the on-site visit.
As your Federal partners, our goal in monitoring
your programs is not only to ensure that your
programs are operating in accordance with the LIHEAP
statute; but also to provide an opportunity to
assist you in areas possibly in need of improvement.
The following criteria have been developed that will
be used for selecting LIHEAP grantees for future
on-site compliance reviews, including:
(1) PLAN REVIEW PROCESS - During the review of
applications or amendments to applications,
it is determined that the grantee is not
implementing LIHEAP in compliance with the
LIHEAP statute.
(2) INDEPENDENT AUDIT FINDINGS - Recurring
unresolved serious issues or issues dealing
with extreme violations, such as, fraud, waste
and abuse of funds, other misuse of funds, or
financial insolvency.
(3) SERIOUS COMPLIANCE ISSUES - Issues that arise
through other means, such as: multiple
complaints from constituents, the news media,
representatives from Congress or
whistleblowers. Also, change in State
administering agency that includes wide-
sweeping modifications to the program.
(4) HIGH RISK GRANTEES - Issues identified by the
Federal government or through tracking of
problematic entities.
(5) NO ON-SITE VISIT IN 10 YEARS OR MORE -
Grantees with significant problems will take
precedence; however, regardless of the timing
of the most recent on-site visit, grantees
whose most recent compliance review was
completed as a desk review, will be given
priority over those completed as on-site
visits.
The schedule below provides estimated dates for
on-site monitoring reviews for Federal Fiscal Years
2008, 2009, and 2010. We may decide later to adjust
States and Tribes tentatively selected for FY 2009
and FY 2010, or add additional grantees if travel
funds permit. We will inform grantees of any
changes that might later be made to this schedule.
Generally, we will conduct LIHEAP on-site reviews
from mid-April to mid-August each year. Questions
about the LIHEAP compliance review process and the
upcoming schedule may be directed to Karmen
Blackwell (202) 401-4864;
Karmen.Blackwell@acf.hhs.gov) or Zack Poimboeuf
(202) 401-5544; Zack.Poimboeuf@acf.hhs.gov) in the
Division of Energy Assistance.
Federal Fiscal Year 2008
State Approximate Date
South Carolina April 21-25, 2008
Washington May 5-9, 2008
Wyoming July 7-11, 2008
Oregon August 11-15 , 2008
District of Columbia Being Scheduled
Federal Fiscal Year 2009
State Approximate Date
California April 2009
Ohio May 2009
Turtle Mountain Tribe (ND) June 2009
Cheyenne River Sioux (SD) July 2009
Federal Fiscal Year 2010
State Approximate Date
North Carolina May 2010
Utah June 2010
Texas July 2010
Illinois August 2010
______________/s____________
Josephine B. Robinson
Director
Office of Community Services
