Report 2011-504 Recommendation 4 Responses

Report 2011-504: High-Speed Rail Authority Follow-Up: Although the Authority Addressed Some of Our Prior Concerns, Its Funding Situation Has Become Increasingly Risky and the Authority's Weak Oversight Persists (Release Date: January 2012)

Recommendation #4 To: High-Speed Rail Authority, California

To ensure that it does not run out of funds for administrative and preconstruction tasks prematurely, the Authority should track expenditures for these activities and develop a long-term spending plan for them. It also should develop procedures and systems to ensure that it complies with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 requirements.

6-Month Agency Response

The Authority implemented monthly control procedures and a supporting spreadsheet that utilizes cost data from CalStars to report cumulative information for administrative and preconstruction costs. The spreadsheet provides a breakdown of administrative and preconstruction expenditures by fiscal year and the percentage these expenditures represent of the total allowable expenditures authorized in Proposition 1A. The Authority stated that the spreadsheet will be combined with Program Manager information to project administrative and preconstruction expenditures. The Authority also asserts the spreadsheet may be used for future cost projections. (See 2013-406, pp. 242-243)

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Fully Implemented

All Recommendations in 2011-504

Agency responses received after June 2013 are posted verbatim.