An Internal Audit Report on the OCI Self Help Center Program

An Internal Audit Report on the Office of Colonia Initiatives’ Self-Help Center Program Executive Summary The Department contracts with counties to administer the Self-Help Center Program. Draws submitted by counties and reimbursed by the Department are not adequately supported or in compliance with federal cost principles. The Office of Colonia Initiatives (OCI) recently updated its policies The Self-Help Center Programs and no longer requires counties to submit and the Border Field Offices supporting documentation of expenditures with their draw requests. At least one issue The Department’s Office of Colonia was identified in each of the 12 draws tested Initiatives (OCI) is responsible for administering the Self-Help Center that should have prevented the Department Program. In 1995, the 74th Legislature from reimbursing the expenditures. required the Department to establish self- help centers in Cameron/Willacy, El Paso, Hidalgo, Starr, and Webb counties. Self-The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban help centers in Maverick and Val Verde Development (HUD) has confirmed that the counties were added later. The Self-Help Davis-Bacon Act applies to self-help center Center Program is designed to assist individuals and families of low income contracts. The Davis-Bacon Act requires the and very low income to finance, payment of not less than the prevailing wage refinance, construct, improve, or maintain to workers performing construction work a ...