In a review of the handling and expenditure of Bureau of Land Management wildland fire funds, the Department of Interior’s Inspector General’s (IG) office found dozens of instances of the funds being used inappropriately in managing purchase cards (used like credit cards) and payroll. Many of the examples are not serious in the eyes of an outsider, such as charging firefighters’ overtime to the wrong fire, but if reimbursement is going to be sought for the suppression costs of a particular fire, errors such as those could be problematic.
The IG examined records of BLM offices in Utah, Idaho, Montana, and Utah. Some of the irregularities they found were far more serious than charging payroll to the wrong fire. Their report listed examples, such as finding $799,000 in gift card purchases, with approximately $70,000 of those charges coming from a Government purchase card in the Idaho State Office. Government cards had been used to purchase gift cards from vendors such as REI, American Express, FredMeyer, and Visa. When the investigator requested supporting documentation for the expenses, the BLM staff could not locate the purchase card statements, which were said to be missing. In December 2012, a BLM employee pled guilty to using her Government purchase card to buy electronic equipment and gift cards for personal use.
The IG found purchase card charges inappropriately applied to the fire suppression line of accounting instead of fire preparedness. This distorts both the basic operating budget for fire units and the costs associated with specific fire incidents. For example, in the Southern Nevada District, charges had been applied to fire suppression accounts for such items as pest control services, an atlas, and a chainsaw purchased before the fire started. In addition, in the Carson City District, charges for janitorial services amounting to $3,200 had been charged to fire suppression against multiple fires in another State.
In response to the report, the BLM indicated that it “has undertaken an unprecedented, high-priority effort to improve the business management of its fire program.”
Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Dick.
Ha ha ha! Are you kidding? I am currently working in a BLM state office, I won’t say which state of course, and I can say with a first-hand view that several weeks ago these identical practices occurred in our offices. We were informed in an unscheduled meeting that there were to be funds made available to us for a limited amount of time, extremely limited. Use it or lose it is precisely what we were told from the top. To heighten the situation even more, we were short staffed due to personnel attempting to use up “use or lose” annual leave. The task of spending a very large sum of money came down to just a few of us.
I would be a liar if I didn’t say we were approved to purchase REI gift cards for approved items related to fire suppression. This allows us the ability to utilize the cards after the funds are gone and when we have more time in which to discuss specific needs with those in the fire shops.
I would also be a liar if I said this was the first time I have both been involved with and participated in this act. In each and every case the purchase of the cards were approved and the items purchased were neither frivolus nor unnecessary.
Before submitting this I made some calls with other people I know in both the BLM and FS (in 5 different states) and they ALL said that they purchase gift cards (for identical reasons) each year.
It almost makes me wonder if we weren’t privy to the entire story – meaning both sides.
Anyway, that’s one of the unique ways in which things are purchased in our agencies!
RL
The fire shop at several different units pre-purchased
The OIG needs to check-out the Carson City District even closer. Carson City Blm has operated like this for decades. Why is the BLM allowed to take two more years to gain compliance to Law and why are the people still in their positions? II can think of no reason that any Federal employee would buy REI gift cards with their Federal issued credit cards. All the Federal employees that have been found to abuse the billing and credit card systems should be fired and perhaps, prosecuted. If they did this in the private sector, they would be prosecuted. Contract laws were violated .
Yeah, and in 1980, my boss with BLM in Alaska built his own tanker from scratch!
Really?
My alma mater ? Thinking that money is theirs ?
Once again, taxpayer funded operations run by folks thinking they got the corner on where and how money is moved around?
Folks wonder why there is no trust in Guv…..
Almost can see why…..