Implementation of the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act by the Federal Bureau of Investigation

Audit Report 08-20
March 2008
Office of the Inspector General


Appendix I
Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

Objectives

The objectives of the audit were to determine the type of equipment, facilities, and services brought into compliance with CALEA and whether payments during the most recent 2-year review period for CALEA-required modifications were reasonable and cost effective. In light of the TCCF rescissions that occurred in 2007, our audit also reviewed how the FBI has continued to work with telecommunication providers to help ensure that emerging communication technologies are CALEA compliant.

Scope and Methodology

We conducted this performance audit in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain sufficient and appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. We believe that the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for our conclusions based on our audit objectives.

This audit covered FBI CALEA-related compliance actions and TCCF payments from January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2007. W e conducted fieldwork and interviewed officials at FBI Headquarters and at other FBI facilities described in the report, and selected telecommunication providers. In certain cases, we relied on computer-generated data that documented TCCF expenditure history and FBI negotiations with telecommunication carriers. To assess the reasonableness and cost effectiveness of payments made from the TCCF, we required actual cost data or competing price estimates, which the FBI did not provide. As a result, we did not offer an opinion on the reasonableness or cost effectiveness of these costs.

We reviewed CALEA annual reports, records, program plans, assessments, and associated files maintained by the FBI to obtain an overall understanding of the FBI’s CALEA implementation initiative. We also reviewed supporting documentation related to all contracts, obligations, and payments for CALEA implementation activities, including documentation pertaining to carrier payment negotiations, since the last report. Since our prior audit recommended that funds remaining in the TCCF be put to a better use, we also obtained and analyzed documents pertaining to the TCCF rescissions that occurred in 2007.



« Previous Table of Contents Next »