Review of New Hampshire's Bioterrorism and Emergency Preparedness Funds for the Period July 1, 2003, through June 30, 2007

Of the $9.6 million in Federal reimbursement that New Hampshire claimed for compensation costs under the bioterrorism and emergency preparedness grants for State fiscal years 2004-2007, $9.2 million was unallowable because the costs were not supported by the required employee certifications. In addition, the State claimed $99,000 in compensation costs for an employee who had been transferred out of the bioterrorism and emergency preparedness program (the Program). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides funds to State and major local health departments to improve preparedness and response capabilities for bioterrorism and other public health emergencies.

We recommended that the State either refund $9.2 million in compensation costs claimed for employees who may have worked on multiple programs or provide documentation to CDC to support these charges, refund $99,000 in compensation costs for an employee who had been transferred out of the Program, and follow Federal requirements for charging compensation costs to the Program. The State disagreed with our findings and recommendations, saying that it had followed Federal requirements for charging compensation costs to the Program and that efforts that benefited other public health programs were allowable under the Program.