About the Office of the Inspector General
Our Mission
In Miami-Dade, the OIG's oversight includes, but is not limited to over 25 county departments, including Aviation, the Seaport, Transit, Housing, Community and Economic Development, Water and Sewer, Solid Waste, Public Works and the Public Health Trust (JMH).
The Board of County Commissioners determined that the oversight of such a large and diverse government required the OIG to be independent and autonomous. It empowered the OIG to investigate and review allegations of waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement.
The Miami-Dade Inspector General has authority to review past, present and proposed County and Public Health Trust programs, accounts, records, contracts and transactions. The OIG investigates allegations of fraud, waste, abuse and misconduct amongst public officials and County employees, as well as contractors and vendors doing business with the County.
To carry out this function, the OIG is empowered with the ability to require the production of documents and records in the possession and control of the County, and has the power to issue subpoenas, where necessary. The OIG can also require reports from any County official, County agency or instrumentalities regarding any matter in its jurisdiction. The OIG also has the power to report on and recommend to County government on whether a particular program, contract or transaction is financially sound, reasonable, necessary or operationally deficient. The OIG may conduct random audits and provides general oversight of department programs and large-scale construction projects.
Investigations Unit
An Investigative Analyst Supervisor and two Investigative Analysts, also report to the Assistant IG. They provide critical support with their specific expertise in the usage and compliance required of specialized investigative databases that are instrumental in furthering the objectives and function of the Unit. Analysts collect data, evaluate information, organize, analyze and disseminate findings for investigations. They produce court exhibits and criminal intelligence charts, and conduct criminal history checks on any individual nominated to an Advisory Board by County Commissioners.
Contract Oversight Unit
The General Counsel supervises the OIG's Contract Oversight Specialists, who have professional expertise in governmental budgets, finance and engineering. Contract oversight includes proactive monitoring of procurement processes and assessment of contract performance that may include random inspections during the term of the contract. The Contract Oversight Unit consists of three Specialists who provide real time review of County contracts from the beginning of the selection phase and throughout the life of the contract. This monitoring allows the OIG to work with County government to prevent fraud, waste and abuse before it occurs.
Audit Unit
The OIG Audit Unit’s primary objective is to support the overall OIG mission, which is to detect, investigate and prevent fraud, waste, mismanagement, misconduct and abuse of power through independent oversight of County affairs, and seek appropriate remedies to recover public monies. This is attained by conducting independent audits, reviews, inspections or evaluations that enhance the efficiency, effectiveness and integrity of the County departments, boards, trusts, operations and other programs funded or administered by Miami-Dade County. A report is issued at the conclusion of each audit, review, inspection or evaluation that proposes targeted recommendations based on the findings or observations noted. The Audit Unit also frequently works with the Investigative Unit when their expertise is needed.
The Audit Unit consists of an audit manager, two audit supervisors, and five auditors. They conduct audits, reviews, inspections or evaluations in accordance with established industry standards. Audits are conducted in accordance with the Government Auditing Standards, or Yellow Book, as issued by the Comptroller General of the United States. Reviews, inspections and evaluations are conducted in accordance with the Principles and Standards for Offices of Inspector General, or Green Book, as issued by the Association of Inspectors General. The Audit Unit team is a diverse group of individuals with varied backgrounds, all of whom are required to attain and maintain the Certified Inspector General Auditor (CIGA) designation. Additional designations held by the Audit Unit team include that of Certified Public Accountants (CPA), Certified Fraud Examiners (CFE), a Certified Government Auditing Professional (CGAP), Certified Internal Auditors (CIA), Certified Construction Auditors (CCA), a Certified Risk Management Assurance Auditor (CRMA), a Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM), and a Certified Financial Services Auditor (CFSA).
Legal Unit
The General Counsel provides critical legal advice and counsel to the Inspector General. The Legal Unit consists of a Deputy General Counsel and three experienced Assistant Legal Counsels who provide legal advice and support to both Auditors, Investigators and Contract Oversight Specialists.
OIG Attorneys work closely with the Investigations Unit to assess the strengths and weaknesses of any investigation with potential civil, administrative, or criminal implications. They further assist by partnering with law enforcement and the State Attorney’s Office, and coordinating efforts with outside agencies’ counsel. The Legal Unit supports the Audit and Contract Oversight Units by reviewing contracts and assessing contractual rights and liabilities.
The Legal Unit reviews proposed ordinances and resolutions, providing the Inspector General with independent legal assessments of the potential impact of such legislation. They handle all public records requests and do extensive training with all new employees. They review all subpoenas to be issued by the Inspector General and are charged with the compliance of the OIG’s advance notice responsibilities in the areas of subpoena issuance and draft report distribution. All final public reports are reviewed by the Legal Unit for legal sufficiency and work product integrity. OIG attorneys will also represent the Office in any legal proceedings.
Peer Review and Accreditation
The Miami-Dade County Office of Inspector General welcomed both a Peer Review Team and an Accreditation Team into our office in 2019. Why do we go through these comprehensive, critical inspections? Because in our role as inspectors general we believe our stakeholders have a right to know if we comply with our own standards.
Accreditation
Accreditation is the certification by an independent reviewing authority that an Office of Inspector General has met specific requirements and prescribed standards. An accreditation program has long been recognized as a means of maintaining the highest standards of professionalism.
In the State of Florida, the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation (CFA) is the designated accrediting body for law enforcement agencies and for Offices of Inspector General. Accreditation involves a thorough examination of an office’s policies and procedures, work product, investigations, supervision, personnel and training practices. Accreditation is primarily geared toward the investigative function. Once achieved, accreditation is good for three years.
Florida is the only state with an accreditation process for Offices of Inspector General. There is no national organization for accrediting Offices of Inspector General.
The Miami-Dade County Office of the Inspector General (OIG) was initially accredited in July 2010 and was reaccredited in June 2013 and June 2016. In April 2019, a two-person team selected by the CFA conducted an on-site assessment and spent a day and a half reviewing the OIG’s policies and procedures, office operations, reports, training records, personnel practices, interviewing OIG staff and touring the OIG Airport office. After a comprehensive on-site assessment, the OIG was found to be in compliance with all mandatory CFA standards. In the words of the accreditation team leader, the assessment was flawless, with no discussion of non-compliance or file maintenance issues. In June 2019, the Miami-Dade County OIG was reaccredited for the third time by the CFA.
Peer Review
The Miami-Dade County Office of the Inspector General (OIG) underwent a Peer Review in October 2019. This was the second Peer Review for the OIG. The initial Peer Review of the OIG was conducted in September 2016. A Peer Review is a voluntary process where the agency requesting a Peer Review opens itself up to a thorough examination of its policies and procedures, processes, documentation, workflow and impact on the community. The goal of the Peer Review is not just to assess how well an OIG is functioning, but to assess how well organizational processes and activities work toward maximizing operational efficiency and adherence to established quality standards. The Peer Review examined all aspects of the OIG, including the Investigations Unit, the Audit Unit and the Contract Oversight Unit.
The Association of Inspectors General (AIG) conducted the Peer Review. The AIG is a national, non-profit, membership organization for agencies and professionals in the inspector general community. The mission of the AIG is to promote excellence in the inspector general community by establishing and encouraging adherence to quality standards for each of the specific professional disciplines, and for Offices as a whole.
The Peer Review Team consisted of four experienced professionals in their respective fields. Over a four-day period, the Peer Review Team conducted in-depth reviews of completed investigations, audits and contract oversight reports. They reviewed personnel files, scrutinized staff qualifications and examined training records. In addition, the Peer Review Team interviewed every member of the OIG staff member as well as several stakeholders, both internal and external to the County.
It was the unanimous opinion of the Peer Review Team that the Miami-Dade OIG’s Investigation, Audit, and Contract Oversight Units were following all applicable standards. The Peer Review Team found that the Miami-Dade County OIG met all relevant AIG Quality Standards for Offices of Inspector General and commended our Office for our professionalism. Peer Review, like Accreditation is conducted in a three-year cycle.