Amtrak Office of Inspector General About

Background

Amtrak's Office of Inspector General (OIG) or Department of Internal Affairs was formed under the provisions of the Inspector General Act Amendment of 1988. The Act required that Amtrak, as a "designated federal entity," establish an Office of Inspector General to supervise and conduct audits and investigations of fraud, waste, and abuse affecting the company. Internal procedures were promulgated (Amtrak Procedures Manual, section EXEC-1) to reflect the scope and authority of the Inspector General (IG) as provided for in the Inspector General Act as amended.

Amtrak's IG reports only to the Chairman of Amtrak's Board of Directors. The OIG provides periodic reports to the Board of Directors, notifying them of significant audit, inspection, and investigative activities. The OIG has full access to all company records, property, and other material related to the performance of all duties. Management is ultimately responsible for ensuring that audit findings and investigative reports are properly acted upon, and all management personnel are required to respond to recommendations within 30 days from receipt of the audit or investigative report unless extensions are granted.

Amtrak's Office of Inspector General is currently led by Theodore (Ted) Alves. Audits is headed by Gary E. Glowacki; Inspections and Evaluations is headed by Mr. Calvin E. Evans; Investigations and Legal Counsel is headed by Mr. Colin C. Carriere; and Management and Policy is headed by Mr. E. Bret Coulson.

Mission

The Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended, creates independent audit and investigative units, called Offices of Inspector General (OIGs), at 61 Federal agencies. The mission of the OIGs, as spelled out in the Act, is to:

Conduct and supervise independent and objective audits and investigations relating to agency programs and operations.
Promote economy, effectiveness and efficiency within the agency.
Prevent and detect fraud, waste and abuse in agency programs and operations.
Review and make recommendations regarding existing and proposed legislation and regulations relating to agency programs and operations.

To ensure objectivity, the IG Act empowers IGs with:
Independence to determine what reviews to perform.
Access to all information necessary for the reviews.
Authority to publish findings and recommendations based on the reviews.

Guiding Principles

Amtrak's Office of Inspector General will:

Work with our agency head and the Congress to improve program management.
Maximize the positive impact and ensure the independence and objectivity of our audits, investigations and other reviews.
Use our investigations and other reviews to increase integrity and recommend improved systems to prevent fraud, waste and abuse.
Be innovative, question existing procedures, and suggest improvements to programs.
Build relationships with program managers based on a shared commitment to improving program operations and effectiveness.
Strive to continually improve the quality and usefulness of our products.
Work together to address Government-wide issues.