How About A $16 Muffin With That $8 Cup Of Coffee?

The Department of Justice frequently hosts and participates in conferences with a variety of officials, including from federal entities, state and local law enforcement agencies, Native American and Alaskan Native tribes, and non-profit organizations. A DOJ Office of the Inspector General (OIG) audit has reviewed a sample of 10 DOJ conferences that occurred between October 2007 and September 2009 to determine whether DOJ components properly accounted for and minimized costs of conference planning, meals, and refreshments. The 10 sampled conferences cost $4.4 million, and the OIG audit focused on two major conference cost categories that it believes were “most potentially susceptible to wasteful spending” – event planning services and food and beverages.

For event planning services, the DOJ spent $600,000 (14 percent of costs) to hire training and technical assistance providers as external event planners for five of the 10 conferences reviewed. The OIG found that this was done “without demonstrating that these firms offered the most cost effective logistical event planning services.” Further, the OIG found, “these event planners did not accurately track and report conference expenditures.” 

In addition, the DOJ spent about $490,000 (11 percent of costs) on food and beverages at the 10 conferences. All the conferences occurred at major hotels that applied service fees – usually around 20 percent – to the cost of "already expensive menu items." The OIG found that at times the DOJ “did not minimize conference costs as required by federal and DOJ guidelines.” For example, the OIG found, one conference served $16 muffins while another served Beef Wellington hors d’oeuvres that cost $7.32 per serving. Coffee and tea at the events cost between $0.62 and $1.03 an ounce. At the $1.03 per-ounce price, an 8 ounce cup of coffee would have cost $8.24.

In its report, the OIG makes 10 recommendations to assist the DOJ in properly accounting for and minimizing conference costs.