Review of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Resolution of Audit Recommendations

We found that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) resolved 815 of the 1,167 audit recommendations that were outstanding during fiscal years 2007 through 2009. However, CDC did not resolve 274 of the 815 recommendations within the required 6-month period. In addition, as of September 30, 2009, CDC had not resolved 352 audit recommendations, of which 213 were past due for resolution. The dollar amounts associated with the 213 recommendations totaled $249.7 million. Office of Management and Budget Circular A-50 requires that CDC resolve audit recommendations within 6 months after receipt of the audit report. Because CDC did not resolve all audit recommendations in a timely manner, it did not have reasonable assurance that it was exercising proper stewardship over Federal dollars.

We recommended that CDC (1) resolve all audit recommendations within the required 6-month audit resolution period and (2) resolve the 213 outstanding audit recommendations that were past due as of September 30, 2009. In response, CDC identified actions that it planned to take to meet the required resolution period in a responsible manner, consistent with laws, rules, and regulations.