The OIG conducts and supervises objective, independent audits and reviews of FTC programs and operations to
- prevent and detect fraud, waste, and abuse;
- promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness; and
- keep Congress and the FTC informed of problems.
The OIG’s audits are conducted according to the Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS), also known as the Yellow Book.
Upon completing the fieldwork for an audit or review, we issue a report that includes why we conducted the audit or review, what we found, and specific recommendations for corrective action. We monitor these recommendations until they are fully implemented.
You can find our reports on our website or on Oversight.gov.
How Do We Decide What to Audit/Review?
There are several products that federal law requires that the OIG issue every year, including an audit of the FTC’s financial statement, an audit of the FTC’s Information Security Program and Practices (FISMA), two semiannual reports, and a report on the top management challenges facing the agency.
Beyond the statutorily required products, the OIG selects our audits and reviews using a risk-based approach. The OIG also takes into account concerns raised by FTC stakeholders—FTC management, Congress, the media, and the public—when deciding what audit or review to conduct.
What Other Types of Products Do We Issue?
In addition to Audit and Review Reports, we periodically issue the following products:
- Management Advisories, which address issues that require FTC management’s timely attention and may include findings and recommendations.
- Special Reports, which share the FTC OIG’s perspective and analysis on complex issues .
- Survey Reports, which analyze the results of surveys that we issued to key segments of FTC management and staff to assess potential risks.