The audit report “Telephone Management” (IG-02-010, March 26, 2002)
has been posted to the NASA Office of Inspector General Web site at:
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/oig/hq/ig-02-010.pdf
Federal employees are not authorized to make telephone calls that are
not for official business, emergency, or authorized personal reasons.
NASA requires individuals who make unauthorized calls to reimburse the
Agency. Federal employees are permitted limited use of Government
office equipment including telephones for personal needs if such use
does not interfere with official business and involves minimal
additional expense to the Government.
We found that NASA had not established effective Agencywide controls
for managing telephone use. The Agency had no guidance to collect
administrative costs associated with unauthorized calls or to
sufficiently block inappropriate toll-free telephone numbers (e.g., for
sexually explicit or sexually oriented material, radio and television
talk shows, and psychics). Also, NASA did not consistently follow its
policy for reviewing and certifying telephone charges.
We recommended that NASA evaluate alternative procedures for reviewing
and collecting costs for unauthorized telephone use and implement the
most cost-effective procedures. We also recommended the Agency modify
existing guidance to provide for recovery of administrative costs
associated with unauthorized calls, require review of cellular
telephone charges, and establish a policy for blocking use of
inappropriate toll-free numbers. We recommended that NASA direct the
Jet Propulsion Laboratory to modify its telephone policy to comply with
the Agency’s certification and collection requirements.
NASA concurred with the recommendations to establish, evaluate, and
implement controls for managing telephone use. NASA will initiate
negotiations on the Agency’s contract with the California Institute of
Technology to include reference to NASA policy regarding supervisory
review and certification of telephone charges at the Jet Propulsion
Laboratory.
To comment on this report, please send e-mail to:
igrelease@hq.nasa.gov
