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The Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR) is the successor to the Coalition Provisional Authority Office of Inspector General (CPA-IG). Under the law that created CPA-IG, the office was to terminate six months after the Coalition Provisional Authority’s dissolution, which occurred June 28, 2004. To maintain the oversight CPA-IG had established of Iraq Reconstruction programs and operations, which would otherwise expire, Congress amended the law that had created the office of the CPA-IG, re-designating it as the Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction.
The amendment to Public Law 108-106 was part of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for 2005 (P.L. 108-375). It was signed into law by the President on October 29, 2004.
Under this new mandate, Stuart W. Bowen, Jr., who served as the CPA Inspector General since January 20, 2004, continues as the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, without the need for reappointment. He reports to both the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State for supervision. He had previously reported to the Administrator of the Coalition Provisional Authority.
As the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, he is charged with the independent and objective conduct and supervision of audits and investigations relating to the programs and operations funded with amounts appropriated or otherwise made available to the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund (IRRF).
While the term of the CPA-IG was linked to the existence of the Coalition Provisional Authority, the oversight of the SIGIR is linked to the progress of the Iraq relief and reconstruction effort. SIGIR will terminate ten months after the date on which the 80% of the IRRF has been obligated.
The SIGIR is working closely with other agencies, Inspectors General, and non-governmental entities to ensure the reconstruction funds for Iraq are handled effectively. The prevention and detection of waste, fraud, and abuse are included in the duties and mission of SIGIR.
The SIGIR submits Quarterly Congressional Reports outlining the key findings and progress, as well as deficiencies and the corrective actions taken to improve reconstruction programs.
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