TMCnet News
Guidehouse to Offer U.S. Conference of Mayors a Roadmap to Proactively Mitigate the Risk of Fraud, Waste and Abuse in the Use of COVID-19 Aid ProgramsNEW YORK, April 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Guidehouse announced today that Ellen Zimiles, head of the firm's Financial Services segment, will participate in a presentation to the U.S. Conference of Mayors to discuss how cities can prevent, detect and remediate fraud, waste and abuse in connection with the use of COVID-19 relief funds. The presentation on April 7 is part of an effort organized by Bloomberg Philanthropies via its COVID-19 Local Response Initiative and the U.S. Conference of Mayors to solicit the advice of experts who have experience overseeing government stimulus and funding programs during crises to help cities access and track Federal programs and funding mechanisms to support COVID-19 response and recovery. The presentation by Zimiles will address the need for cities to create a control framework to minimize fraud while maximizing the Federal reimbursement process and ensuring that every dollar goes to the public use for which it was intended. Among the elements to be discussed are internal controls, vendor due diligence, field inspections, ongoing monitoring, and compliance process improvement. "We value Guidehouse's contribution to our COVID-19 Municipal Resource Guide," said Rose Gill, principal at Bloomberg Associates. "Their long-established best practices in fraud mitigation are critical in establishng safeguards to protect our cities in these unprecedented times." "America's cities are on the front lines in the global war against the COVID-19 pandemic," noted Zimiles. "The federal government has taken action to provide critical funding to help fight that war – which will enable localities to procure vital medical supplies and resources and provide critical assistance to citizens, local businesses, and community organizations." Zimiles added, "In our experience, the desperate need for supplies and resources often opens the door for bad actors to perpetrate fraud against the significant pool of available resources, capitalizing on control weaknesses. This is a critically important time for local governments to make sure they have a robust and comprehensive control framework in place." "Our advice is informed by our team's deep experience with relief initiatives for various natural and manmade disasters, including 9/11, the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) following the 2008-2009 financial crisis, and Superstorm Sandy," offered Scott McIntyre, CEO of Guidehouse. "I am proud to have Ellen represent our firm in this important initiative." About Ellen Zimiles About Guidehouse Numerous Guidehouse subject matter experts shared in the development of the COVID-19 Municipal Resource Guide, including Marc Benson, Daniel Gill, and Jay Perlman. The guide would not be possible without their significant contributions. For more information, contact: Ryan Dicovitsky
View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/guidehouse-to-offer-us-conference-of-mayors-a-roadmap-to-proactively-mitigate-the-risk-of-fraud-waste-and-abuse-in-the-use-of-covid-19-aid-programs-301036609.html SOURCE Guidehouse LLP |