United States General Accointing Office k eport to the -Assistant Secretary of.' the --- i --- Fr/ FinancialiManagementid a -i n ~ "~ri ~~t~j' __ __ _ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ - a~aF~IqNrAilDC IALAUDI AirCorce's Base- I ~e FhI-raneirai Sstern sDo Not PrV ade Reliable (IXQAvEY-9 1-123 GAO() United States General Accounting Office Washington, D.C. 20648 Accounting and Financial Management Division B-234326 January 31, 1991 The Honorable Michael B. Donley Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Financial Management and Comptroller Dear Mr. Donley: This report presents the results of our review of the Air Force's base-level financial management operations for fiscal years 1988 and 1989. It addresses weaknesses in internal controls and financial reporting within the bases and the related commands. Base-level managers are responsible for millions in appropriations and accountable assets. The internal controls and accounting procedures, however, do not provide adequate and reliable financial information for effective management and reporting of these resources. This report contains recommendations to you. We would appreciate receiving a written statement on the actions taken on our recommendations within 60 days. We are sending copies of this report to the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Air Force, and other interested parties. Please contact Gerald Thomas, Assistant Director, at (202) 275-9300 if you or your staff have any questions concerning the report. Sincerely yours, David M. Connor JUS L 0. J- Director, Defense Financial Audits 01strlbution/ Avallability Codes Dist Speolal a N ir AQ 44 Executive Summary Purpose Over the last several years, GAO has conducted a number of financial audits of major agencies to address concerns about the federal govern- ment's deteriorating fiscal condition and ineffective control over finan- cial operations. A full-scale audit of an agency's financial statements provides an understanding of the problems associated with financial management and the required corrective actions. GAO evaluated the Air Force's financial management operations and sys- tems for fiscal years 1988 and 1989 and issued a comprehensive report on the results of the fiscal year 1988 audit, Air Force Does Not Effec- tively Account For Billions Of Dollars Of Resources (GAo/AFMD.9-23, Feb- ruary 23, 1990). As part of the 1988 and 1989 audits, GAO evaluated selected base-level systems of internal accounting controls at 17 air bases and assessed the accuracy of account balances for those base-level operations. This report details the results of that evaluation for the 2- year period. Ba-g- round Air Force assets, such as land, buildings, supplies, and equipment, are generally located at individual bases. Base commanders are responsible for the effective, efficient, and economical use of funds and resources made available to their organizations. Bases use standardized accounting systems to record, process, and report financial transactions. Results in Brief Accounting errors and inaccurate financial reports pervaded the base- level accounting systems at the 17 bases where GAO conducted its tests. For fiscal years 1988 and 1989 combined, GAO identified over $2.7 billion of adjustments necessary to correct errors in year-end, base-level trial balances. The bases had reported the inaccurate information to the major commands. The commands, in turn, had provided inaccurate data to the Air Force Accounting and Finance Center, which had prepared summary Air Force financial reports for submission to external parties, including the Department of Defense, the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of the Treasury. and the Congress. Real property account balances were misstated because transactions were recorded in an inaccurate and untimely manner. Unauthorized and excessive issues of inventory and equipment diminished accountability for those items, and the failure to match personnel and payroll records created the opportunity for unauthorized payroll transactions. Page 2 GAO/AFMD91-26 Base-level Financia Systems Excutive Summary GAO's Analysis Financial System The base-level General Accounting and Finance System routinely gener- Generates Inaccurate ated inaccurate financial information. The inaccuracies totaled over Financial Information $2.7 billion at the 17 bases where GAO conducted its tests in fiscal years 1988 and 1989. Neither the base accounting and finance offices nor the major commands performed analytical reviews of account balances which could have identified and corrected these problems or identified significant year-to-year variances which would have indicated potential problems for investigation. The following are examples of problems found at the commands and bases. The inventory balances in the Air Force's new ammunition system were not reported in its accounting system, causing ammunition inventories to be understated by $115.7 million at two bases in fiscal year 1989. The bases had not performed analyses to detect and correct these inventory errors. Consequently, inaccurate data were transmitted to the Air Force Accounting and Finance Center, which prepared inaccurate and unreli- able summary financial reports for its managers and other external users. In fiscal year 1989, GAO analysis of base reports to one major command revealed undetected and uncorrected errors which officials attributed to improper accounting practices and inadequately trained personnel. One base reported a negative balance of $52 million in its inventory on hand account. GAO analysis of the underlying account documentation revealed that actual inventory on hand equaled $376 million, requiring a $428 million adjustment to correct the account balance. After GAO advised officials of inconsistencies in the original data sub- mitted, bases under another major command submitted $578 million in corrections to their original trial balance data for fiscal year 1989. For example, one base reported a negative balance of $46.6 million in its expense accounts but changed the balance to a positive $312.5 million after GAO's inquiry. Real Property Balances Air Force bases did not report accurate real property account balances Were Misstated because they recorded construction in progress incorrectly and did not process real property transactions in a timely manner. One base had not removed the cost 9f completed construction from the construction in Page 3 GAO/AFMD-91-26 BaseLevel Financial Systems progress account for 15 years. As a result, real property assets were overstated by $283 million. Nine of 16 bases, GAO tested did not report real property balances accurately. Inventory Receipts and Required discrepancy reports were not always prepared and resolved Equipment Issues Not when quantities of supplies received did not match amounts ordered. Controlled From a review of 157 test cases at 14 bases, GAO found 45 instances in which bases did not produce required discrepancy reports. If these reports are not prepared, bases may have to pay for items which are not received. For example, one base paid for a shipment which was short 55 items valued at $3,431. Because a report of discrepancy was not processed in a timely manner, the base was denied credit for the 55 items. GAO also found that base personnel issued equipment to unauthorized persons in 103 of 523 cases sampled. Furthermore, GAO found 35 instances where equipment was issued in excess of authorized amounts. Issuing equipment to unauthorized personnel and in excessive quantities diminishes control over the items. Payroll Files Not Four bases did not compare master payroll files with master personnel Compared to Personnel records, as required by Air Force regulations, to ensure that amounts Files paid were appropriate and accurate. At one base, a match performed by the payroll department revealed 106 cases in which employees' names on payroll records were not on personnel records. During busy periods, employment records had been sent directly to the payroll office thereby bypassing the personnel office and circumventing a key internal control. While no irregularities were discovered, the lack of effective controls created an environment for potential fraud or improper payments. At another base, a pay record match performed by the civilian per- sonnel and payroll offices at GAO's request revealed that one person was being overpaid. The base took action to recover a $5,700 salary over- payment. Continued failure to match personnel and payroll records could allow payroll errors to go undetected. INot every test was performed at each of the 17 bases visited because of time constraints and because some tests were not applicable to every base. Page 4 GAO/AFMD-91.26 Base-Level Financial Systems Eecatveumax Recommnendations GAO recommends that the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Financial Management and Comptroller, ensure that (1) accounting and finance personnel are trained to detect, analyze, and correct erroneous account balances and account analyses are performed routinely, (2) the value of inventory in the combat ammunition system is reported in the general ledger, (3) construction in progress is recorded consistently and accu- rately, (4) reports of discrepancy are produced and resolved, (5) equip- ment is issued only to authorized personnel and in authorized quantities, and (6) bases compare and reconcile master payroll files with master personnel records at least monthly. Recommendations regarding problems found only at specific air bases have been made in manage- ment letters to base commanders. Agency Comments Air Force officials concurred with the principal findings in this report. The officials stated that an automatic interface between the Combat Ammunition System and the general ledger system was developed sub- sequent to GAO'S review which should correct the problem GAO noted with ammunition inventory balances. Page 5 GAO/AFMDIO12S Base-Level Financial System Contents Executive Summary 2 Chapter 1 8 Introduction Base-Level Operations 8 Objectives, Scope, and Methodology 9 Chapter 2 12 Financial Management Base and Command Personnel Do Not Analyze Accounts 12 Systems Do Not for Inaccurate Data Significant Accounting Errors Attributed to Lack of 15 Provide Reliable Trained Personnel Information Inaccurate Reporting of Ammunition Inventory Balances 16 Conclusions 16 Recommendations 16 Chapter 3 18 Internal Control Real Property Transactions Improperly Recorded 18 Inventory and Equipment Internal Controls Are Weak 19 Weaknesses Preclude Controls Inadequate to Detect Payroll Irregularities 22 Effective Financial Conclusions 23 Management and Recommendations 23 Accountability of Assets Table Table 3.1: Discrepancies Between Sample of Reported Air 22 Force Inventory at 17 Bases and GAO Physical Counts Abbreviations AFB Air Force base DOD Department of Defense GAFS General Accounting and Finance System GAO General Accounting Office OMB Office of Management and Budget USAFE U.S. Air Forces Europe Pags 6 GAO/AFMI.SI-26 Bae-Level Financial Systems page?7 GAO/APMIDOI26 Daswslav Fimanda Syutei CIhnapterr1oduction As part of our examinations of the U.S. Air Force's consolidated finan- cial statements for fiscal year 1988 and Treasury Reports for fiscal year 1989, we evaluated significant internal accounting controls and performed audit tests over a 2-year period to assess the accuracy of account balances for base-level operations at 17 bases. This report presents our evaluation of internal controls over base-level operations. Results of our evaluation of overall Air Force financial operations for fiscal year 1988 were reported in Financial Audit: Air Force Does Not Effectively Account for Billions of Dollars of Resources (GAo/AFMD-9-23, February 23, 1990). Base-Level Operations Base-level operations are conducted at over 130 air bases throughout the world. These operations are controlled by various major commands, including the Air Force Tactical, Strategic, and Air Training Commands; the Pacific Air Forces; and the U.S. Air Forces in Europe (uSAFE). The bases under these commands use the General Accounting and Finance System (GAFS) to process financial transactions. GAFS applies to all per- sons and organizations performing base-level accounting and finance functions. Air Force base commanders are responsible for the effective, efficient, and economical use of the resources made available to their organiza- tions. Although there are varying degrees of centralization and authority, base commanders are directly responsible for managing the resources provided to them. The base comptroller is responsible for financial management activities, including budgeting and accounting. The accounting functions are usu- ally handled through an accounting and finance office responsible for making payments, collecting revenues, and recording transactions into the accounting and financial records for all organizations on base. The day-to-day costs of running most bases are paid from a number of appropriations, including operation and maintenance, military per- sonnel, family housing, and other procurement. These funds are bud- geted and appropriated yearly. They are accounted for in the base gen- eral funds general ledger which the accounting and finance office maintains. Page 8 GAO/AFMD-91-26 Base-Level Financial Systems Intuwdaction Additionally, several revolving stock fund' divisions operate at base level. At the time of our audit, the six stock fund divisions were (1) Commissary, (2) General Support, (3) Systems Support, (4) Fuels, (5) Medical/Dental, and (6) Air Force Academy Cadet Store. Base-level organizations buy goods from the stock fund divisions, which in turn acquire replacement items. The stock fund consists of unexpended cash balances in Treasury and the actual inventories of goods that are either on hand or in transit. General ledgers are maintained for each division of the Air Force stock fund. Each base-level accounting and finance office submits monthly financial reports to the stock fund manager showing results of opera- tions for each division. Also, trial balance reports are transmitted monthly from each base to the Air Force Accounting and Finance Center in Denver, Colorado. The financial reports are used to determine inven- tory levels and cash balances available to buy more goods. Objectives, Scope, and The objectives of our review were to evaluate selected base-level sys- tems of internal accounting controls and determine the accuracy of Methodology account balances for base-level operations. Systems of base-level internal accounting controls include not only administrative control over funds, but also accountability for assets, recognition of liabilities, and accounting for operations. Specifically, we tested events, transactions, and account balances to (1) substantiate their accuracy, completeness, and propriety, (2) determine the extent to which account balances were misstated, and (3) determine the extent to which resources were accounted for and properly controlled. To evaluate the internal accounting controls of base-level activities, we applied GAO'S internal control evaluation methodology. First, we reviewed and described Air Force internal controls over base-level accounting activities. We tested key internal control techniques to deter- mine if the controls were operating as intended. Additionally, we per- formed substantive audit tests to simultaneously determine the validity and propriety of accounting transactions and account balances. We also reviewed the Air Force reports on its reviews of internal accounting and administrative controls in fiscal years 1988 and 1989, which were per- formed as part of the overall Department of Defense (DOD) reviews IStock funds are working capital funds used to finance the acquisition of equipment and expendable materials. Page 9 GAO/AFMD-91-26 Base-Level Financial Systems