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We reviewed 40 contracts awarded by Procurement during fiscal year 2006 and found: (1) insufficient competition existed in the award of seven of the contracts because only one bid had been received and evaluated; (2) Technical Contract Managers contacted vendors and received pricing quotes prior to Procurement's involvement in five of the contract awards; and (3) with some exceptions, Procurement's contract managers and purchasing agents had appropriate documentation in the contract files.

The recent restructuring of the Information Services (IS) operations area mirrors leading practices. In addition, IS' methodologies and tools for conducting information technology projects are above those of its peers.

While IT Security has made strides in establishing the technology infrastructure, we found (1) IT Security lacks a business-level mechanism to provide cross-agency oversight, a strategic TVA-wide approach, and grounding in risk management; (2) coordination and communication with business units were not well defined and could be more effective with increased training, communication, and business unit involvement in security planning; (3) procedures were outdated and did not address issues for all business segments; and (4) performance management was substantially undefined.

TVA entered into a contract with a vendor to provide a fully integrated prescription drug program that would include both retail and mail order prescription drug services. The contractor was required to (1) maintain a Participating Pharmacy Network to provide retail pharmacy services, (2) provide base administrative services including processing and adjudicating TVA's prescription drug claims in accordance with TVA's plan design, (3) issue checks to participating pharmacies and/or claimants on TVA's behalf, and (4) implement and administer health management programs.

Our audit of $5.9 million of costs billed to TVA by a contractor that conducted various projects and programs from April 1999 through September 2007 found the costs were fairly stated and agreed with the terms of the contract. However, about 20 percent of the payments TVA had made to the contractor were related to a specific project under which TVA acts as an administrator, collecting funds from various federal agencies and disbursing the funds to the contractor.

We previously issued an audit report (2007-019F) that noted (among other things) significant duct leaks at two fossil plants. Management agreed with our recommendation to work to promote a culture of transparent reporting throughout TVA organizations. We have now closed a joint investigation with the EPA Criminal Investigations Division that found installation of a Selective Catalytic Reduction system led to deterioration in the flue gas ductwork at the Widows Creek Fossil Plant. The deterioration caused extensive leaks that became progressively worse.

We identified 21 TVA contractors who held purchasing cards from March 28, 2004, to March 28, 2007, incurring 35,605 transactions totaling about $16.7 million. This included six contractors whose purchases each totaled more than $1 million for the period. A review of documentation supporting selected transactions found instances of noncompliance with TVA's policy and procedures.

We reviewed the TVA dam safety inspection process to determine whether it (1) met federal guidelines for dam safety, (2) was being followed by Dam Safety inspection personnel, and (3) was adequately supported by an information database.

As part of our annual audit plan, we audited $5.2 million in costs billed to TVA by a contractor for subcontract services provided on the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Unit 1 (BFN U1) recovery project. Under its subcontract, the subcontractor provided engineers for the BFN U1 project to assist in the resolution of technical issues developed during the field implementation of modifications. Our audit objective was to determine if the costs the contractor billed to TVA were in compliance with the provisions of the contract and the subcontract.

We determined the provisional billing adjustments a contractor calculated for calendar years 2005 and 2006 were understated by $267,040 due to various errors in the contractor's reconciliations of previously billed and incurred costs. Also, we found the contractor owed TVA an additional $636 due to various billing and payment errors. The contractor and TVA management agreed with our findings. Summary Only