LIHEAP DCL Compliance Review Monitoring Schedule FY 2019

Dear Colleagues:

In federal Fiscal Year (FY) 2019, staff from the Division of Energy Assistance, Office of Community Services, Administration for Children and Families, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will conduct monitoring visits of a sample of Low Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) grantees.

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. See 42 U.S.C. § 8627(b).

We use a criteria-based process to select grantees each fall for our reviews. This approach allows us to target training and technical assistance to specific issues we have noted during our reviews and in reviewing LIHEAP Plans and reports. We rely on several data sources in order to select LIHEAP grantees, such as annual LIHEAP Plans, award amounts, Carryover and Reallotment Reports, and annual independent audit reports. Using these data sources, we prioritize grantees based on criteria which include the number and severity of audit findings, the level of grantees’ measures to prevent improper payments, results from our previous compliance reviews, and the training and monitoring performed by grantees. We also prioritize grantees that we have not visited recently.

In FY 2019, OCS will monitor the following seven states and three tribal grantees:

FY 2019 Monitoring Visits

OCS also selected the following two grantees to start up its FY 2020 monitoring effort:

FY 2020 Initial Monitoring Visits

We will work with each grantee to select specific dates to minimize disruption to grantees’ operations. OCS staff will contact the grantees listed above to explain the compliance review process, and requested documentation to be provided in advance of the visit.

The FY 2019 compliance reviews will focus on FY 2017 programs and note any major changes the grantees have made since then. Please note that the federal Fiscal Year begins on October 1 and ends on September 30.

Thank you in advance for extending your cooperation during onsite visits.

INQUIRIES: Akm Rahman
                    Program Operations Branch Chief
                    Division of Energy Assistance, Office of Community Services
                    Telephone: (202) 401-5306
                    Email: akm.rahman@acf.hhs.gov