Inspector General

NIWC Atlantic Inspector General Hotline

The NIWC Atlantic Office of Inspector General (OIG) Hotline is available to report allegations of fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement within the NIWC Atlantic enterprise. We provide an anonymous or confidential avenue to report allegations of wrongdoing pertaining to programs, personnel, and operations that fall under the purview of NIWC Atlantic pursuant to the Inspector General Act of 1978, DoD, and Naval Inspector General regulations and policies.

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Before you submit a complaint

• To prevent duplicative work, the NIWC Atlantic OIG Hotline does not accept complaints for matters where regulations prescribe a different avenue for redress. Determine the most appropriate method of redress via “How to Resolve a Complaint (A-Z)."
• ​In general, the local chain of command is the most appropriate to address the matter prior to elevating to the next level.
• If you cannot determine how to address your complaint, NIWC Atlantic OIG can provide assistance.
• If you already filed a complaint via another avenue of redress, NIWC Atlantic OIG will not duplicate an ongoing remedy. If needed, contact NIWC Atlantic OIG after that process is complete.

What to Report to Other Entities

Issue	Cognizant Agency
Criminal Violations	NCIS or Local law enforcement
Civilian Whistleblower Reprisal	DoD IG or Office of Special Counsel (OSC)
DoD Contractor Reprisal	DoD IG

If you are reporting a violation against a Navy command that is NOT NIWC Atlantic, the most expeditious route is to contact the Naval Inspector General point of contact.

Confidentiality and Privacy

Consistent with the Inspector General Act 1978, as amended, it is Navy Hotline policy that Hotline Personnel will not disclose the identity of an individual providing a complaint or information to the Navy Hotline unless the individual consents to such disclosure, or the Navy Hotline has determined that such disclosure is otherwise unavoidable in order to address the complaint or information, or in response to a subpoena or judicial (court) order.
You are not required to identify yourself when submitting a Hotline complaint. In addition to filing anonymously (you do not provide any identifying information), you may file confidentially, or you may consent to disclosure of your identity.

If you file your complaint anonymously, we will not be able to contact you to request additional information or to give you the open or closed status of your complaint. The Navy Hotline will not provide any updates or responses to you regarding the status of the complaint. You will not be advised of the outcome of any investigation conducted.

If you request confidentiality, we will make every effort to protect your identity from disclosure; however, we cannot guarantee confidentiality since disclosure may be required during the investigation or in the course of corrective action.

Complainants alleging allegations of reprisal do not have the option of filing anonymously or confidentially.

Information to Include in a Complaint

• Who: Service member's or employee's full name, rank/grade, and duty station
• What: Specific wrongdoing and why you believe the activity was misconduct or improper, to include the rule, regulation or law you think they violated
• Where: Location where the wrongdoing occurred
• When: Specific dates and times
• How much: Estimated dollar loss, if known
• Why and how: Describe why and how you believe the individual perpetrated the offense

Don't Forget to Include

• What you have done to try to resolve the issue, if applicable
• The desired outcome you want from the NIWC Atlantic OIG

What to Expect After Filing a Complaint

• If you identify yourself, we will acknowledge receipt.
• After your complaint is analyzed, you will be advised whether an investigation will be conducted or if other action has been taken.
• If an investigation is conducted, you will be advised of the outcome; that is, whether the allegation was substantiated or not substantiated. Otherwise, unless you are contacted by one of our investigators, there will be no communication from our office, outside of correspondence which may advise you that your matter has been referred to the cognizant Department of Navy Command or Management Official for appropriate action, where and if applicable.
• Federal regulations prohibit the disclosure of information contained in investigative and law enforcements records even to the individual submitting the allegation(s).

Once a case is closed, information may be requested under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)