White House presses for improved agency-IG cooperation

The White House has called for increased collaboration between federal agencies and inspectors general after conducting a review which revealed some agency leaders had not fully communicated their endorsement of IG policies and whistleblower protections to staff.

In a memorandum released on Friday, the administration urged the heads of executive agencies and departments to establish a relationship with their respective IGs "that strikes an appropriate balance between maintaining IG independence and producing audit and investigation results that both create value for agency leadership and fulfill congressional expectations."

"As leaders of your respective agencies, you and your staff have an obligation to cooperate with your respective IG offices as they fulfill their statutory responsibilities under the IG Act," the memorandum stated. "In recent years, there have been concerns that executive branch agencies have not consistently provided their IGs with the full cooperation and access to which they are entitled under the law."

The recommendations for enhanced cooperation included routine meetings between agency leaders and IGs featuring "candid discussions" in non-audit settings, as well as designating a senior official to serve as an agency IG liaison for increased, more collaborative interactions.

The memorandum also instructed agency leaders to foster work environments "in which employees feel comfortable voicing their concerns and reporting wrongdoing without fear of retaliation."

OMB Acting Director Shalanda Young and Deputy Director for Management Jason Miller wrote the memorandum with guidance from the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency. The memorandum detailed the critical role OMB plays in facilitating cooperation between agencies and IGs, noting how the agency "serves as a liaison to the IG community on behalf of agencies to reinforce actions and communications necessary to ensure a well-functioning relationship between agency leadership and IG offices."

The memorandum noted several lessons had been learned throughout the implementation of the American Rescue Plan, including increased engagement between agencies, IGs and the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, which was established to "conduct and support oversight" of the funding included in the sweeping pandemic relief package.

OMB also included framing language for agency leaders to communicate to their staff around improving cooperation with IGs. The language explained how IGs can be entitled to classified information, and stated that "it is against the law and agency policy" to retaliate against staffers who report incidents or information to the IG.