FTC Complied With the Requirements for Accepting and Reporting Reimbursed Travel

We did not identify any deficiencies in FTC’s acceptance of reimbursed expenses for the 59 trips we reviewed. Specifically, Commerce could better ensure that (1) employees have approved travel requests containing all of the necessary information before trips are taken; (2) travel reports to OGE accurately disclose the circumstances of each travel incident, including the nature, dates, and itemized costs of the trips; and (3) trips are adequately documented with receipts and vouchers. FTC’s procedures for accepting and reporting reimbursed travel were basically sound. The overall effect of Commerce’s temporary denial of access was minimal in that OGE eventually received access to Commerce records, and OGE has not been denied access to such records at any other agency. Recommendations

We recommend that the Secretary of Commerce take actions to ensure that all Commerce employees’ travel requests containing all of the necessary information, such as the name of the payer and the amount and type of expenses to be paid, are reviewed and approved before a trip; the Office of General Counsel, as part of its responsibilities for submitting semiannual reports to OGE, ensure that these reports include the required information, including the dates and nature of events attended and expenses paid; and
Commerce offices require (1) travel vouchers and (2) receipts for reimbursed expenses, except for meals since they are not required by Federal Travel Regulations to be supported in this manner. Comments From the Department of Commerce

The following are GAO’s comments on Commerce’s letter dated October 12, 1994. The focus of our review was to determine how well these controls over reimbursed travel were being implemented. 4.
Why GAO Did This Study

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Department of Commerce's and the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) controls over the acceptance and reporting of nonfederally reimbursed travel by their employees, focusing on: (1) whether Commerce and FTC met their review and reporting requirements; and (2) the implications of Commerce denying the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) access to its records of reimbursed travel in 1992.

What GAO Found

GAO found that: (1) although Commerce generally met applicable requirements for accepting and reporting travel reimbursements, certain procedural improvements could be implemented in the receipt and reporting of these funds; (2) Commerce did not ensure that travel requests contained all of the required information, were prepared and reviewed before trips were approved, accurately disclosed the circumstances of each trip, or adequately documented the actual expenses reimbursed; (3) although FTC consistently met the requirements for controlling the acceptance and reporting of travel reimbursements by its employees, it could improve its reporting by better detailing the nature of events attended by FTC employees; (4) Commerce's decision to deny OGE access to its travel records was based on its view that OGE was not responsible for the applicable travel regulations; and (5) although Commerce changed its position and acknowledged that OGE did have the authority to review such records, the overall effect of Commerce's temporary denial of access was minimal.