Audit 295825

Finding 2022-006 – Lack of County-Wide Internal Controls Over Major Federal Program – Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds PASS-THROUGH GRANTOR: Direct Grant FEDERAL AGENCY: U.S. Department of Treasury ASSISTANCE LISTING: 21.027 FEDERAL PROGRAM NAME: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds FEDERAL AWARD YEAR: 2021 CONTROL CATEGORY: Activities Allowed or Unallowed; Allowable Costs/Cost Principles; Period of Performance; Procurement and Suspension and Debarment; Reporting; and Subrecipient Monitoring QUESTIONED COSTS: $0 Condition: Through the process of gaining an understanding of the County’s internal control structure, it was noted that county-wide internal controls regarding Control Environment, Risk Assessment, Information and Communication, and Monitoring have not been designed. Cause of Condition: Policies and procedures have not been designed and implemented to ensure the County is in compliance with grant requirements. Effect of Condition: Without an adequate system of county-wide controls, there is greater risk of a breakdown in control activities which could result in unrecorded transactions, undetected errors, or misappropriation of funds. Further, this condition could result in noncompliance with grant requirements and a loss of federal funds. Recommendation: OSAI recommends that the County design and implement a system of internal control procedures to ensure compliance with grant requirements. This documentation should outline the importance of internal controls, the risk that the County has identified, the control activities established to address the risk, the steps taken to properly communicate pertinent information in a timely manner and the methodology to monitor the quality of performance over time. These procedures should be written policies and procedures and could be included in the County’s policies and procedures handbook. Management Response: Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners: The Board of County Commissioners will work toward assessing and identifying risks to design written county-wide controls. Criteria: The GAO Standards – Section 1 – Fundamental Concepts of Internal Control – OV1.01 states in part: Definition of Internal Control Internal control is a process effected by an entity’s oversight body, management, and other personnel that provides reasonable assurance that the objectives of an entity will be achieved. Additionally, GAO Standards – Section 2 – Establishing an Effective Internal Control System – OV2.04 states in part: Components, Principles, and Attributes Control Environment - The foundation for an internal control system. It provides the discipline and structure to help an entity achieve its objectives. Risk Assessment - Assesses the risks facing the entity as it seeks to achieve its objectives. This assessment provides the basis for developing appropriate risk responses. Information and Communication - The quality information management and personnel communicate and use to support the internal control system. Monitoring - Activities management establishes and operates to assess the quality of performance over time and promptly resolve the findings of audits and other reviews.

Finding 2022-007 – Lack of Internal Controls Over Major Federal Program – Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds PASS-THROUGH GRANTOR: Direct Grant FEDERAL AGENCY: U.S. Department of Treasury ASSSITANCE LISTING: 21.027 FEDERAL PROGRAM NAME: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds FEDERAL AWARD YEAR: 2021 CONTROL CATEGORY: Activities Allowed or Unallowed; Allowable Costs/Cost Principles; Procurement and Suspension and Debarment; Reporting; and Subrecipient Monitoring QUESTIONED COSTS: $0 Condition: During the process of documenting the County’s internal controls regarding federal disbursements, we noted that Comanche County has not established procedures to ensure compliance with the following compliance requirements: Activities Allowed or Unallowed; Allowable Costs/Cost Principles; Procurement and Suspension and Debarment; Reporting; and Subrecipient Monitoring Cause of Condition: Policies and procedures have not been designed and implemented to ensure federal expenditures are made in accordance with federal compliance requirements. Effect of Condition: This condition attributed to the noncompliance with grant requirements and could result in a loss of federal funds to the County. Recommendation: OSAI recommends the County gain an understanding of requirements for these programs and implement internal control procedures to ensure compliance with requirements. Management Response: Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners: The Board of County Commissioners will work with all County Officials to go over all grants and federal monies that Comanche County receives to ensure that proper internal controls are implemented. Criteria: 2 CFR § 200.303 Internal Controls (a) reads as follows: The non-Federal entity must: Establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-Federal entity is managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in “Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government” issued by the Comptroller General of the United States or the “Internal Control Integrated Framework”, issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). Further, accountability and stewardship should be overall goals in management's accounting of federal funds. Internal controls should be designed to monitor compliance with laws and regulations pertaining to grant contracts.

Finding 2022-014 – Noncompliance with Reporting Requirements Over Federal Grant – Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds PASS-THROUGH GRANTOR: Direct Grant FEDERAL AGENCY: U.S. Department of Treasury ASSISTANCE LISTING: 21.027 FEDERAL PROGRAM NAME: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds FEDERAL AWARD YEAR: 2021 CONTROL CATEGORY: Reporting QUESTIONED COSTS: $0 Condition: The test of 100% of Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds expenditures reflected that an incorrect classification category was used for contractors. The quarterly reports that were filed listed the contractors as subrecipients. Further, expenditures for federal programs were not adequately reported on the CSLFRF Compliance Reports. Federal expenditures were understated by $221,261. The following misstatements were noted: • The actual expenditures to vendors totaled $161,634 and the County reported $180,710, resulting in an overstatement of $19,076. • The actual expenditures to subrecipients totaled $404,257 and the County reported $403,909, resulting in an understatement of $348. • The actual expenditures paid to county employees for premium pay and employee benefits were $1,300,148 and the County reported $1,060,159, resulting in an understatement of $239,989. Reported Total Expenditures of Federal Awards $ 1,644,812 Add: Expenditures to Subrecipients 348 Add: Expenditures for Premium Pay 239,989 Less: Expenditures to Vendors (19,076) Actual Federal Expenditures of Federal Awards 1,866,073 Reporting Understated by $ 221,261 Cause of Condition: Policies and procedures have not been designed and implemented to ensure federal expenditures are made in accordance with federal compliance requirements. Effect of Condition: This condition resulted in noncompliance to grant requirements. Recommendation: OSAI recommends the County gain an understanding of the requirements for this program and implement internal controls to ensure compliance with these requirements. Management Response: Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners: The Board of County Commissioners will take measures to ensure future compliance with all requirements of federal grants. Criteria: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Guidance on Recipient Compliance and Reporting Responsibilities reads as follows: 10. Reporting. All recipients of federal funds must complete financial, performance, and compliance reporting as required and outlined in Part 2 of this guidance. Expenditures may be reported on a cash or accrual basis, as long as the methodology is disclosed and consistently applied. Reporting must be consistent with the definition of expenditures pursuant to 2 CFR 200.1. Your organization should appropriately maintain accounting records for compiling and reporting accurate, compliant financial data, in accordance with appropriate accounting standards and principles. In addition, where appropriate, your organization needs to establish controls to ensure completion and timely submission of all mandatory performance and/or compliance reporting. See Part 2 of this guidance for a full overview of recipient reporting responsibilities. Further, 2 CFR § 200.329 Monitoring and Reporting Program Performance (c)(1) reads as follows: The non-Federal entity must submit performance reports at the interval required by the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity to best inform improvements in program outcomes and productivity. Intervals must be no less frequent than annually nor more frequent than quarterly except in unusual circumstances, for example where more frequent reporting is necessary for the effective monitoring of the Federal award or could significantly affect program outcomes. Reports submitted annually by the non-Federal entity and/or pass-through entity must be due no later than 90 calendar days after the reporting period. Reports submitted quarterly or semiannually must be due no later than 30 calendar days after the reporting period. Alternatively, the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity may require annual reports before the anniversary dates of multiple year Federal awards. The final performance report submitted by the non-Federal entity and/or pass-through entity must be due no later than 120 calendar days after the period of performance end date. A subrecipient must submit to the pass-through entity, no later than 90 calendar days after the period of performance end date, all final performance reports as required by the terms and conditions of the Federal award. See also § 200.344. If a justified request is submitted by a non-Federal entity, the Federal agency may extend the due date for any performance report.

Finding 2022-015 – Noncompliance with Subrecipient Monitoring Over Federal Grant – Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds PASS-THROUGH GRANTOR: Direct Grant FEDERAL AGENCY: U.S. Department of Treasury ASSISTANE LISTING: 21.027 FEDERAL PROGRAM NAME: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds FEDERAL AWARD YEAR: 2021 CONTROL CATEGORY: Subrecipient Monitoring QUESTIONED COSTS: $404,258 Condition: During our audit it was noted the County had three (3) subrecipients of the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, in which the county does not have a subrecipient monitoring policy, and the County did not obtain subrecipient agreements comprising the following information: • Subrecipient name. • Subrecipient Authorized Representative and program contact information. • Subrecipient Employee Identification Number (EIN) and DUNS number. • Federal Award Identification Number (FAIN). • Name of Federal Awarding Agency. • Contact information for the official at the Federal Awarding Agency. • Catalog of Assistance Listing (AL) number and name. • Federal award date. • Total amount of the federal award and Indirect Cost Rate. • Federal award project description. • Start and end date of the agreement. • Amount of federal funds budgeted for the agreement and Indirect Cost Rate allowed. • A statement that all activities must be in accordance with federal statutes, regulations, and terms and conditions of the federal award. The sub recipient should receive a copy of the award documents. • A detailed description of any additional requirements you want the subrecipient to be responsible for such as performance and/or financial reports, attending meetings and/or trainings etc. • A statement about the monitoring activities, such as where/when they will take place; also include a statement indicating the subrecipient will collaborate on monitoring activities including providing requested financial documents. • A statement indicating if any of the items in the agreement change during the period of performance, the agreement will be amended. • Provide close out terms and conditions. In addition, it was noted the County did not verify the subrecipients were not suspended or debarred. Further, it was noted the county expended the funds to the subrecipients before receiving the proper documentation and the county paid subrecipients $83,546 more than documentation received. Comanche County Fairgrounds Trust Authority $ 12,881 Comanche County Facilities Authority 70,665 Total undocumented: $ 83,546 Cause of Condition: Policies and procedures have not been designed and implemented to ensure federal expenditures are made in accordance with compliance requirements. Effect of Condition: This condition resulted in noncompliance with grant requirements. Recommendation: OSAI recommends the County gain an understanding of the requirements for this program and implement internal controls to ensure compliance with these requirements. Management Response: Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners: The Board of County Commissioners will take measures to ensure future compliance with all requirements of federal grants. Criteria: 2 CFR 200, §200.332 Requirements for Pass-Through Entities states in part: All pass-through entities must: (a) Ensure that every subaward is clearly identified to the subrecipient as a subaward and includes the following information at the time of the subaward and if any of these data elements change, include the changes in subsequent subaward modification. When some of this information is not available, the pass-through entity must provide the best information available to describe the Federal award and subaward. (2) All requirements imposed by the pass-through entity on the subrecipient so that the Federal award is used in accordance with Federal statutes, regulations and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. (5) A requirement that the subrecipient permit the pass-through entity and auditors to have access to the subrecipient's records and financial statements as necessary for the pass-through entity to meet the requirements of this part. (6) Appropriate terms and conditions concerning closeout of the subaward.

Finding 2022-006 – Lack of County-Wide Internal Controls Over Major Federal Program – Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds PASS-THROUGH GRANTOR: Direct Grant FEDERAL AGENCY: U.S. Department of Treasury ASSISTANCE LISTING: 21.027 FEDERAL PROGRAM NAME: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds FEDERAL AWARD YEAR: 2021 CONTROL CATEGORY: Activities Allowed or Unallowed; Allowable Costs/Cost Principles; Period of Performance; Procurement and Suspension and Debarment; Reporting; and Subrecipient Monitoring QUESTIONED COSTS: $0 Condition: Through the process of gaining an understanding of the County’s internal control structure, it was noted that county-wide internal controls regarding Control Environment, Risk Assessment, Information and Communication, and Monitoring have not been designed. Cause of Condition: Policies and procedures have not been designed and implemented to ensure the County is in compliance with grant requirements. Effect of Condition: Without an adequate system of county-wide controls, there is greater risk of a breakdown in control activities which could result in unrecorded transactions, undetected errors, or misappropriation of funds. Further, this condition could result in noncompliance with grant requirements and a loss of federal funds. Recommendation: OSAI recommends that the County design and implement a system of internal control procedures to ensure compliance with grant requirements. This documentation should outline the importance of internal controls, the risk that the County has identified, the control activities established to address the risk, the steps taken to properly communicate pertinent information in a timely manner and the methodology to monitor the quality of performance over time. These procedures should be written policies and procedures and could be included in the County’s policies and procedures handbook. Management Response: Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners: The Board of County Commissioners will work toward assessing and identifying risks to design written county-wide controls. Criteria: The GAO Standards – Section 1 – Fundamental Concepts of Internal Control – OV1.01 states in part: Definition of Internal Control Internal control is a process effected by an entity’s oversight body, management, and other personnel that provides reasonable assurance that the objectives of an entity will be achieved. Additionally, GAO Standards – Section 2 – Establishing an Effective Internal Control System – OV2.04 states in part: Components, Principles, and Attributes Control Environment - The foundation for an internal control system. It provides the discipline and structure to help an entity achieve its objectives. Risk Assessment - Assesses the risks facing the entity as it seeks to achieve its objectives. This assessment provides the basis for developing appropriate risk responses. Information and Communication - The quality information management and personnel communicate and use to support the internal control system. Monitoring - Activities management establishes and operates to assess the quality of performance over time and promptly resolve the findings of audits and other reviews.

Finding 2022-007 – Lack of Internal Controls Over Major Federal Program – Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds PASS-THROUGH GRANTOR: Direct Grant FEDERAL AGENCY: U.S. Department of Treasury ASSSITANCE LISTING: 21.027 FEDERAL PROGRAM NAME: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds FEDERAL AWARD YEAR: 2021 CONTROL CATEGORY: Activities Allowed or Unallowed; Allowable Costs/Cost Principles; Procurement and Suspension and Debarment; Reporting; and Subrecipient Monitoring QUESTIONED COSTS: $0 Condition: During the process of documenting the County’s internal controls regarding federal disbursements, we noted that Comanche County has not established procedures to ensure compliance with the following compliance requirements: Activities Allowed or Unallowed; Allowable Costs/Cost Principles; Procurement and Suspension and Debarment; Reporting; and Subrecipient Monitoring Cause of Condition: Policies and procedures have not been designed and implemented to ensure federal expenditures are made in accordance with federal compliance requirements. Effect of Condition: This condition attributed to the noncompliance with grant requirements and could result in a loss of federal funds to the County. Recommendation: OSAI recommends the County gain an understanding of requirements for these programs and implement internal control procedures to ensure compliance with requirements. Management Response: Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners: The Board of County Commissioners will work with all County Officials to go over all grants and federal monies that Comanche County receives to ensure that proper internal controls are implemented. Criteria: 2 CFR § 200.303 Internal Controls (a) reads as follows: The non-Federal entity must: Establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-Federal entity is managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in “Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government” issued by the Comptroller General of the United States or the “Internal Control Integrated Framework”, issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). Further, accountability and stewardship should be overall goals in management's accounting of federal funds. Internal controls should be designed to monitor compliance with laws and regulations pertaining to grant contracts.

Finding 2022-014 – Noncompliance with Reporting Requirements Over Federal Grant – Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds PASS-THROUGH GRANTOR: Direct Grant FEDERAL AGENCY: U.S. Department of Treasury ASSISTANCE LISTING: 21.027 FEDERAL PROGRAM NAME: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds FEDERAL AWARD YEAR: 2021 CONTROL CATEGORY: Reporting QUESTIONED COSTS: $0 Condition: The test of 100% of Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds expenditures reflected that an incorrect classification category was used for contractors. The quarterly reports that were filed listed the contractors as subrecipients. Further, expenditures for federal programs were not adequately reported on the CSLFRF Compliance Reports. Federal expenditures were understated by $221,261. The following misstatements were noted: • The actual expenditures to vendors totaled $161,634 and the County reported $180,710, resulting in an overstatement of $19,076. • The actual expenditures to subrecipients totaled $404,257 and the County reported $403,909, resulting in an understatement of $348. • The actual expenditures paid to county employees for premium pay and employee benefits were $1,300,148 and the County reported $1,060,159, resulting in an understatement of $239,989. Reported Total Expenditures of Federal Awards $ 1,644,812 Add: Expenditures to Subrecipients 348 Add: Expenditures for Premium Pay 239,989 Less: Expenditures to Vendors (19,076) Actual Federal Expenditures of Federal Awards 1,866,073 Reporting Understated by $ 221,261 Cause of Condition: Policies and procedures have not been designed and implemented to ensure federal expenditures are made in accordance with federal compliance requirements. Effect of Condition: This condition resulted in noncompliance to grant requirements. Recommendation: OSAI recommends the County gain an understanding of the requirements for this program and implement internal controls to ensure compliance with these requirements. Management Response: Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners: The Board of County Commissioners will take measures to ensure future compliance with all requirements of federal grants. Criteria: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Guidance on Recipient Compliance and Reporting Responsibilities reads as follows: 10. Reporting. All recipients of federal funds must complete financial, performance, and compliance reporting as required and outlined in Part 2 of this guidance. Expenditures may be reported on a cash or accrual basis, as long as the methodology is disclosed and consistently applied. Reporting must be consistent with the definition of expenditures pursuant to 2 CFR 200.1. Your organization should appropriately maintain accounting records for compiling and reporting accurate, compliant financial data, in accordance with appropriate accounting standards and principles. In addition, where appropriate, your organization needs to establish controls to ensure completion and timely submission of all mandatory performance and/or compliance reporting. See Part 2 of this guidance for a full overview of recipient reporting responsibilities. Further, 2 CFR § 200.329 Monitoring and Reporting Program Performance (c)(1) reads as follows: The non-Federal entity must submit performance reports at the interval required by the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity to best inform improvements in program outcomes and productivity. Intervals must be no less frequent than annually nor more frequent than quarterly except in unusual circumstances, for example where more frequent reporting is necessary for the effective monitoring of the Federal award or could significantly affect program outcomes. Reports submitted annually by the non-Federal entity and/or pass-through entity must be due no later than 90 calendar days after the reporting period. Reports submitted quarterly or semiannually must be due no later than 30 calendar days after the reporting period. Alternatively, the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity may require annual reports before the anniversary dates of multiple year Federal awards. The final performance report submitted by the non-Federal entity and/or pass-through entity must be due no later than 120 calendar days after the period of performance end date. A subrecipient must submit to the pass-through entity, no later than 90 calendar days after the period of performance end date, all final performance reports as required by the terms and conditions of the Federal award. See also § 200.344. If a justified request is submitted by a non-Federal entity, the Federal agency may extend the due date for any performance report.

Finding 2022-015 – Noncompliance with Subrecipient Monitoring Over Federal Grant – Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds PASS-THROUGH GRANTOR: Direct Grant FEDERAL AGENCY: U.S. Department of Treasury ASSISTANE LISTING: 21.027 FEDERAL PROGRAM NAME: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds FEDERAL AWARD YEAR: 2021 CONTROL CATEGORY: Subrecipient Monitoring QUESTIONED COSTS: $404,258 Condition: During our audit it was noted the County had three (3) subrecipients of the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, in which the county does not have a subrecipient monitoring policy, and the County did not obtain subrecipient agreements comprising the following information: • Subrecipient name. • Subrecipient Authorized Representative and program contact information. • Subrecipient Employee Identification Number (EIN) and DUNS number. • Federal Award Identification Number (FAIN). • Name of Federal Awarding Agency. • Contact information for the official at the Federal Awarding Agency. • Catalog of Assistance Listing (AL) number and name. • Federal award date. • Total amount of the federal award and Indirect Cost Rate. • Federal award project description. • Start and end date of the agreement. • Amount of federal funds budgeted for the agreement and Indirect Cost Rate allowed. • A statement that all activities must be in accordance with federal statutes, regulations, and terms and conditions of the federal award. The sub recipient should receive a copy of the award documents. • A detailed description of any additional requirements you want the subrecipient to be responsible for such as performance and/or financial reports, attending meetings and/or trainings etc. • A statement about the monitoring activities, such as where/when they will take place; also include a statement indicating the subrecipient will collaborate on monitoring activities including providing requested financial documents. • A statement indicating if any of the items in the agreement change during the period of performance, the agreement will be amended. • Provide close out terms and conditions. In addition, it was noted the County did not verify the subrecipients were not suspended or debarred. Further, it was noted the county expended the funds to the subrecipients before receiving the proper documentation and the county paid subrecipients $83,546 more than documentation received. Comanche County Fairgrounds Trust Authority $ 12,881 Comanche County Facilities Authority 70,665 Total undocumented: $ 83,546 Cause of Condition: Policies and procedures have not been designed and implemented to ensure federal expenditures are made in accordance with compliance requirements. Effect of Condition: This condition resulted in noncompliance with grant requirements. Recommendation: OSAI recommends the County gain an understanding of the requirements for this program and implement internal controls to ensure compliance with these requirements. Management Response: Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners: The Board of County Commissioners will take measures to ensure future compliance with all requirements of federal grants. Criteria: 2 CFR 200, §200.332 Requirements for Pass-Through Entities states in part: All pass-through entities must: (a) Ensure that every subaward is clearly identified to the subrecipient as a subaward and includes the following information at the time of the subaward and if any of these data elements change, include the changes in subsequent subaward modification. When some of this information is not available, the pass-through entity must provide the best information available to describe the Federal award and subaward. (2) All requirements imposed by the pass-through entity on the subrecipient so that the Federal award is used in accordance with Federal statutes, regulations and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. (5) A requirement that the subrecipient permit the pass-through entity and auditors to have access to the subrecipient's records and financial statements as necessary for the pass-through entity to meet the requirements of this part. (6) Appropriate terms and conditions concerning closeout of the subaward.