Audit 311478

FY End
2023-08-31
Total Expended
$15.73M
Findings
14
Programs
13
Year: 2023 Accepted: 2024-07-02

Organization Exclusion Status:

Checking exclusion status...

Findings

ID Ref Severity Repeat Requirement
405935 2023-002 Material Weakness Yes N
405936 2023-002 Material Weakness Yes N
405937 2023-002 Material Weakness Yes N
405938 2023-002 Material Weakness Yes N
405939 2023-002 Material Weakness Yes N
405940 2023-002 Material Weakness Yes N
405941 2023-002 Material Weakness Yes N
982377 2023-002 Material Weakness Yes N
982378 2023-002 Material Weakness Yes N
982379 2023-002 Material Weakness Yes N
982380 2023-002 Material Weakness Yes N
982381 2023-002 Material Weakness Yes N
982382 2023-002 Material Weakness Yes N
982383 2023-002 Material Weakness Yes N

Contacts

Name Title Type
LJNSJ1C1KU15 Mathew Knott Auditee
5095585437 Alisha Shaw Auditor
No contacts on file

Notes to SEFA

Title: Note 3 - Program Cost/Matching Contributions Accounting Policies: Note 1 - BASIS OF ACCOUNTING This Schedule is prepared on the same basis of accounting as the Central Valley School District's financial statements. The Central Valley School District uses the modified accrual basis of accounting. Expenditures represent only the federally funded portions of the program. District records should be consulted to determine amounts expended or matched from non-federal sources. De Minimis Rate Used: N Rate Explanation: Note 2 - FEDERAL DEMINUS INDIRECT RATE The Central Valley School District has not elected to use the 10-percent de minimis indirect cost rate allowed under the Uniform Guidance. The Central Valley School District used the federal restricted rate of 3.23% and federal unrestricted rate of 12.47%. The amounts shown as current year expenses represent only the federal award portion of the program costs. Entire program costs, including the Central Valley School District's local matching share, may be more than shown. Such expenditures are recognized following, the cost principles contained in the Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, wherein certain types of expenditures are not allowable or are limited as to reimbursement.
Title: Note 4 - Noncash Awards Accounting Policies: Note 1 - BASIS OF ACCOUNTING This Schedule is prepared on the same basis of accounting as the Central Valley School District's financial statements. The Central Valley School District uses the modified accrual basis of accounting. Expenditures represent only the federally funded portions of the program. District records should be consulted to determine amounts expended or matched from non-federal sources. De Minimis Rate Used: N Rate Explanation: Note 2 - FEDERAL DEMINUS INDIRECT RATE The Central Valley School District has not elected to use the 10-percent de minimis indirect cost rate allowed under the Uniform Guidance. The Central Valley School District used the federal restricted rate of 3.23% and federal unrestricted rate of 12.47%. The amount of commodities reported on the schedule is the value of commodities distributed by the Central Valley School District during the current year and priced as prescribed by OSPI Child Nutrition Services & USDA.
Title: Note 5 - Schoolwide Programs Accounting Policies: Note 1 - BASIS OF ACCOUNTING This Schedule is prepared on the same basis of accounting as the Central Valley School District's financial statements. The Central Valley School District uses the modified accrual basis of accounting. Expenditures represent only the federally funded portions of the program. District records should be consulted to determine amounts expended or matched from non-federal sources. De Minimis Rate Used: N Rate Explanation: Note 2 - FEDERAL DEMINUS INDIRECT RATE The Central Valley School District has not elected to use the 10-percent de minimis indirect cost rate allowed under the Uniform Guidance. The Central Valley School District used the federal restricted rate of 3.23% and federal unrestricted rate of 12.47%. The Central Valley School District operates a "schoolwide program" in eight elementary buildings. Using federal funding, schoolwide programs are designed to upgrade an entire educational program within a school for all students, rather than limit services to certain targeted students. The following federal program amounts were expended by the Central Valley School District in its schoolwide program: Title I (84.010) $3,026,413.41.
Title: Note 6 - Transferrability Accounting Policies: Note 1 - BASIS OF ACCOUNTING This Schedule is prepared on the same basis of accounting as the Central Valley School District's financial statements. The Central Valley School District uses the modified accrual basis of accounting. Expenditures represent only the federally funded portions of the program. District records should be consulted to determine amounts expended or matched from non-federal sources. De Minimis Rate Used: N Rate Explanation: Note 2 - FEDERAL DEMINUS INDIRECT RATE The Central Valley School District has not elected to use the 10-percent de minimis indirect cost rate allowed under the Uniform Guidance. The Central Valley School District used the federal restricted rate of 3.23% and federal unrestricted rate of 12.47%. As allowed by federal regulations, the Central Valley School District elected to transfer program funds. The district expended $163,425.73 from its Title IV, Part A Student Support and Academic Enrichment (84.424) on allowable activities of the Title II, Part A Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (84.367). This amount is reflected in the expenditures of Title II, Part A Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (84.367).

Finding Details

SCHEDULE OF FEDERAL AWARD FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS Central Valley School District No. 356 September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2023 2023-002 The District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Assistance Listing Number and Title: 84.425, COVID-19 Education Stabilization Fund Federal Grantor Name: U.S. Department of Education Federal Award/Contract Number: N/A Pass-through Entity Name: Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Pass-through Award/Contract Number: COVID-19, 84.425D COVID-19, 84.425W-0459044 COVID-19, 84.425W-0459641 COVID-19, 84.425D-0120411 COVID-19, 84.425U-0137146 Known Questioned Cost Amount: $0 Prior Year Audit Finding: Yes, Finding 2022-001 Background The objectives of the Education Stabilization Fund (ESF) program are to prevent, prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the fiscal year 2023, the District spent a total of $3,197,735 of its ESF awards. This included $1,112,743 in the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER II) subprogram (84.425D), $1,961,080 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER/ESSER III) subprogram (84.425U) and $123,912 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief – Homeless Children and Youth (ARP HCY I & II) subprogram (84.425W). The District spent $601,155 in program funds for improvements to its heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems at four school buildings. Federal regulations require recipients to establish and maintain internal controls that ensure compliance with program requirements. These controls include understanding program requirements and monitoring the effectiveness of established controls. Under federal wage rate requirements, also known as the Davis-Bacon Act, contractors and subcontractors that work on projects financed with more than $2,000 of federal funds must pay laborers and mechanics wage rates that the U.S. Department of Labor considers being similar to what local workers have been paid for similar projects. For construction contracts subject to these wage rate requirements, the District must include a provision that the contractors and subcontractors comply with those requirements and the Department of Labor’s regulations. This includes a requirement for the contractors and their subcontractors to submit to the District weekly, for each week in which any contract work is performed, certified payroll reports. These reports must include a copy of the payroll and a signed statement of compliance. The District may use a contracted project manager to collect certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors, but ultimately, it is the District‘s responsibility to comply with these requirements and maintain documentation demonstrating compliance. Description of Condition During the 2023 school year, the District spent $601,155 for payments to one contractor and their subcontractors to update the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system controls in four schools to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Our audit found the District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Specifically, the District did not collect, or ensure the project manager collected, weekly certified payroll reports from the contractor and their subcontractors to confirm they paid laborers proper prevailing wages. We consider this deficiency in internal controls to be a material weakness, which led to material noncompliance.   Cause of Condition District staff were not aware of federal wage rate requirements. The District relied on the project manager to verify the contractors and subcontractors submitted weekly certified payroll reports to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) website. Although District staff said they checked that weekly certified payroll reports were uploaded to the L&I system before the District paid the contractors, this process was not documented and they did not know that this process, while sufficient for state requirements, does not meet federal requirements. Further, District staff and the project manager did not know the District needed to obtain all certified payroll reports each week. Effect of Condition Without adequate internal controls to ensure it collects all weekly certified payroll reports, the District cannot demonstrate it complied with federal wage rate requirements. The District could also be liable for paying any additional wages if the contractors and subcontractors did not pay prevailing wage rates to laborers working on the contracts. The District did not collect all weekly certified payrolls for one contractor and three subcontractors. Recommendation We recommend the District establish internal controls to ensure compliance with federal wage rate requirements. This should include implementing effective monitoring processes to collect and review all weekly certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors. District’s Response The District agrees with the State Auditor’s Office that we did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal prevailing wage rate requirements as noted. The District used the same process as noted in this Finding in the 2020-2021 audit which did not have any exceptions noted by the State Auditor’s Office. In July 2023, the District ensured federal prevailing wage rate clauses were in any new contract entered into using federal funds and that weekly certified payroll reports were collected from contractors and subcontractors. Also, contracts before July 2023 were retroactively updated to include federal prevailing wage rate clauses. Auditor’s Remarks We thank the District for its cooperation throughout the audit and the steps it is taking to address these concerns. We will review the status of the District’s corrective action during our next audit. Applicable Laws and Regulations Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance), section 516, Audit findings, establishes reporting requirements for audit findings. Title 2 CFR Part 200, Uniform Guidance, section 303, Internal controls, describes the requirements for auditees to maintain internal controls over federal programs and comply with federal program requirements. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants defines significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in its Codification of Statements on Auditing Standards, section 935, Compliance Audits, paragraph 11. Title 29 CFR, Section 3.3 – Weekly statement with respect to payment of wages, and Section 3.4 – Submission of weekly statements and the preservation and inspection of weekly payroll records, establishes requirements for contractor or subcontractor submission of weekly certified payroll reports.
SCHEDULE OF FEDERAL AWARD FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS Central Valley School District No. 356 September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2023 2023-002 The District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Assistance Listing Number and Title: 84.425, COVID-19 Education Stabilization Fund Federal Grantor Name: U.S. Department of Education Federal Award/Contract Number: N/A Pass-through Entity Name: Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Pass-through Award/Contract Number: COVID-19, 84.425D COVID-19, 84.425W-0459044 COVID-19, 84.425W-0459641 COVID-19, 84.425D-0120411 COVID-19, 84.425U-0137146 Known Questioned Cost Amount: $0 Prior Year Audit Finding: Yes, Finding 2022-001 Background The objectives of the Education Stabilization Fund (ESF) program are to prevent, prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the fiscal year 2023, the District spent a total of $3,197,735 of its ESF awards. This included $1,112,743 in the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER II) subprogram (84.425D), $1,961,080 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER/ESSER III) subprogram (84.425U) and $123,912 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief – Homeless Children and Youth (ARP HCY I & II) subprogram (84.425W). The District spent $601,155 in program funds for improvements to its heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems at four school buildings. Federal regulations require recipients to establish and maintain internal controls that ensure compliance with program requirements. These controls include understanding program requirements and monitoring the effectiveness of established controls. Under federal wage rate requirements, also known as the Davis-Bacon Act, contractors and subcontractors that work on projects financed with more than $2,000 of federal funds must pay laborers and mechanics wage rates that the U.S. Department of Labor considers being similar to what local workers have been paid for similar projects. For construction contracts subject to these wage rate requirements, the District must include a provision that the contractors and subcontractors comply with those requirements and the Department of Labor’s regulations. This includes a requirement for the contractors and their subcontractors to submit to the District weekly, for each week in which any contract work is performed, certified payroll reports. These reports must include a copy of the payroll and a signed statement of compliance. The District may use a contracted project manager to collect certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors, but ultimately, it is the District‘s responsibility to comply with these requirements and maintain documentation demonstrating compliance. Description of Condition During the 2023 school year, the District spent $601,155 for payments to one contractor and their subcontractors to update the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system controls in four schools to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Our audit found the District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Specifically, the District did not collect, or ensure the project manager collected, weekly certified payroll reports from the contractor and their subcontractors to confirm they paid laborers proper prevailing wages. We consider this deficiency in internal controls to be a material weakness, which led to material noncompliance.   Cause of Condition District staff were not aware of federal wage rate requirements. The District relied on the project manager to verify the contractors and subcontractors submitted weekly certified payroll reports to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) website. Although District staff said they checked that weekly certified payroll reports were uploaded to the L&I system before the District paid the contractors, this process was not documented and they did not know that this process, while sufficient for state requirements, does not meet federal requirements. Further, District staff and the project manager did not know the District needed to obtain all certified payroll reports each week. Effect of Condition Without adequate internal controls to ensure it collects all weekly certified payroll reports, the District cannot demonstrate it complied with federal wage rate requirements. The District could also be liable for paying any additional wages if the contractors and subcontractors did not pay prevailing wage rates to laborers working on the contracts. The District did not collect all weekly certified payrolls for one contractor and three subcontractors. Recommendation We recommend the District establish internal controls to ensure compliance with federal wage rate requirements. This should include implementing effective monitoring processes to collect and review all weekly certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors. District’s Response The District agrees with the State Auditor’s Office that we did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal prevailing wage rate requirements as noted. The District used the same process as noted in this Finding in the 2020-2021 audit which did not have any exceptions noted by the State Auditor’s Office. In July 2023, the District ensured federal prevailing wage rate clauses were in any new contract entered into using federal funds and that weekly certified payroll reports were collected from contractors and subcontractors. Also, contracts before July 2023 were retroactively updated to include federal prevailing wage rate clauses. Auditor’s Remarks We thank the District for its cooperation throughout the audit and the steps it is taking to address these concerns. We will review the status of the District’s corrective action during our next audit. Applicable Laws and Regulations Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance), section 516, Audit findings, establishes reporting requirements for audit findings. Title 2 CFR Part 200, Uniform Guidance, section 303, Internal controls, describes the requirements for auditees to maintain internal controls over federal programs and comply with federal program requirements. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants defines significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in its Codification of Statements on Auditing Standards, section 935, Compliance Audits, paragraph 11. Title 29 CFR, Section 3.3 – Weekly statement with respect to payment of wages, and Section 3.4 – Submission of weekly statements and the preservation and inspection of weekly payroll records, establishes requirements for contractor or subcontractor submission of weekly certified payroll reports.
SCHEDULE OF FEDERAL AWARD FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS Central Valley School District No. 356 September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2023 2023-002 The District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Assistance Listing Number and Title: 84.425, COVID-19 Education Stabilization Fund Federal Grantor Name: U.S. Department of Education Federal Award/Contract Number: N/A Pass-through Entity Name: Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Pass-through Award/Contract Number: COVID-19, 84.425D COVID-19, 84.425W-0459044 COVID-19, 84.425W-0459641 COVID-19, 84.425D-0120411 COVID-19, 84.425U-0137146 Known Questioned Cost Amount: $0 Prior Year Audit Finding: Yes, Finding 2022-001 Background The objectives of the Education Stabilization Fund (ESF) program are to prevent, prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the fiscal year 2023, the District spent a total of $3,197,735 of its ESF awards. This included $1,112,743 in the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER II) subprogram (84.425D), $1,961,080 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER/ESSER III) subprogram (84.425U) and $123,912 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief – Homeless Children and Youth (ARP HCY I & II) subprogram (84.425W). The District spent $601,155 in program funds for improvements to its heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems at four school buildings. Federal regulations require recipients to establish and maintain internal controls that ensure compliance with program requirements. These controls include understanding program requirements and monitoring the effectiveness of established controls. Under federal wage rate requirements, also known as the Davis-Bacon Act, contractors and subcontractors that work on projects financed with more than $2,000 of federal funds must pay laborers and mechanics wage rates that the U.S. Department of Labor considers being similar to what local workers have been paid for similar projects. For construction contracts subject to these wage rate requirements, the District must include a provision that the contractors and subcontractors comply with those requirements and the Department of Labor’s regulations. This includes a requirement for the contractors and their subcontractors to submit to the District weekly, for each week in which any contract work is performed, certified payroll reports. These reports must include a copy of the payroll and a signed statement of compliance. The District may use a contracted project manager to collect certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors, but ultimately, it is the District‘s responsibility to comply with these requirements and maintain documentation demonstrating compliance. Description of Condition During the 2023 school year, the District spent $601,155 for payments to one contractor and their subcontractors to update the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system controls in four schools to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Our audit found the District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Specifically, the District did not collect, or ensure the project manager collected, weekly certified payroll reports from the contractor and their subcontractors to confirm they paid laborers proper prevailing wages. We consider this deficiency in internal controls to be a material weakness, which led to material noncompliance.   Cause of Condition District staff were not aware of federal wage rate requirements. The District relied on the project manager to verify the contractors and subcontractors submitted weekly certified payroll reports to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) website. Although District staff said they checked that weekly certified payroll reports were uploaded to the L&I system before the District paid the contractors, this process was not documented and they did not know that this process, while sufficient for state requirements, does not meet federal requirements. Further, District staff and the project manager did not know the District needed to obtain all certified payroll reports each week. Effect of Condition Without adequate internal controls to ensure it collects all weekly certified payroll reports, the District cannot demonstrate it complied with federal wage rate requirements. The District could also be liable for paying any additional wages if the contractors and subcontractors did not pay prevailing wage rates to laborers working on the contracts. The District did not collect all weekly certified payrolls for one contractor and three subcontractors. Recommendation We recommend the District establish internal controls to ensure compliance with federal wage rate requirements. This should include implementing effective monitoring processes to collect and review all weekly certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors. District’s Response The District agrees with the State Auditor’s Office that we did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal prevailing wage rate requirements as noted. The District used the same process as noted in this Finding in the 2020-2021 audit which did not have any exceptions noted by the State Auditor’s Office. In July 2023, the District ensured federal prevailing wage rate clauses were in any new contract entered into using federal funds and that weekly certified payroll reports were collected from contractors and subcontractors. Also, contracts before July 2023 were retroactively updated to include federal prevailing wage rate clauses. Auditor’s Remarks We thank the District for its cooperation throughout the audit and the steps it is taking to address these concerns. We will review the status of the District’s corrective action during our next audit. Applicable Laws and Regulations Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance), section 516, Audit findings, establishes reporting requirements for audit findings. Title 2 CFR Part 200, Uniform Guidance, section 303, Internal controls, describes the requirements for auditees to maintain internal controls over federal programs and comply with federal program requirements. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants defines significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in its Codification of Statements on Auditing Standards, section 935, Compliance Audits, paragraph 11. Title 29 CFR, Section 3.3 – Weekly statement with respect to payment of wages, and Section 3.4 – Submission of weekly statements and the preservation and inspection of weekly payroll records, establishes requirements for contractor or subcontractor submission of weekly certified payroll reports.
SCHEDULE OF FEDERAL AWARD FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS Central Valley School District No. 356 September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2023 2023-002 The District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Assistance Listing Number and Title: 84.425, COVID-19 Education Stabilization Fund Federal Grantor Name: U.S. Department of Education Federal Award/Contract Number: N/A Pass-through Entity Name: Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Pass-through Award/Contract Number: COVID-19, 84.425D COVID-19, 84.425W-0459044 COVID-19, 84.425W-0459641 COVID-19, 84.425D-0120411 COVID-19, 84.425U-0137146 Known Questioned Cost Amount: $0 Prior Year Audit Finding: Yes, Finding 2022-001 Background The objectives of the Education Stabilization Fund (ESF) program are to prevent, prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the fiscal year 2023, the District spent a total of $3,197,735 of its ESF awards. This included $1,112,743 in the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER II) subprogram (84.425D), $1,961,080 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER/ESSER III) subprogram (84.425U) and $123,912 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief – Homeless Children and Youth (ARP HCY I & II) subprogram (84.425W). The District spent $601,155 in program funds for improvements to its heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems at four school buildings. Federal regulations require recipients to establish and maintain internal controls that ensure compliance with program requirements. These controls include understanding program requirements and monitoring the effectiveness of established controls. Under federal wage rate requirements, also known as the Davis-Bacon Act, contractors and subcontractors that work on projects financed with more than $2,000 of federal funds must pay laborers and mechanics wage rates that the U.S. Department of Labor considers being similar to what local workers have been paid for similar projects. For construction contracts subject to these wage rate requirements, the District must include a provision that the contractors and subcontractors comply with those requirements and the Department of Labor’s regulations. This includes a requirement for the contractors and their subcontractors to submit to the District weekly, for each week in which any contract work is performed, certified payroll reports. These reports must include a copy of the payroll and a signed statement of compliance. The District may use a contracted project manager to collect certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors, but ultimately, it is the District‘s responsibility to comply with these requirements and maintain documentation demonstrating compliance. Description of Condition During the 2023 school year, the District spent $601,155 for payments to one contractor and their subcontractors to update the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system controls in four schools to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Our audit found the District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Specifically, the District did not collect, or ensure the project manager collected, weekly certified payroll reports from the contractor and their subcontractors to confirm they paid laborers proper prevailing wages. We consider this deficiency in internal controls to be a material weakness, which led to material noncompliance.   Cause of Condition District staff were not aware of federal wage rate requirements. The District relied on the project manager to verify the contractors and subcontractors submitted weekly certified payroll reports to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) website. Although District staff said they checked that weekly certified payroll reports were uploaded to the L&I system before the District paid the contractors, this process was not documented and they did not know that this process, while sufficient for state requirements, does not meet federal requirements. Further, District staff and the project manager did not know the District needed to obtain all certified payroll reports each week. Effect of Condition Without adequate internal controls to ensure it collects all weekly certified payroll reports, the District cannot demonstrate it complied with federal wage rate requirements. The District could also be liable for paying any additional wages if the contractors and subcontractors did not pay prevailing wage rates to laborers working on the contracts. The District did not collect all weekly certified payrolls for one contractor and three subcontractors. Recommendation We recommend the District establish internal controls to ensure compliance with federal wage rate requirements. This should include implementing effective monitoring processes to collect and review all weekly certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors. District’s Response The District agrees with the State Auditor’s Office that we did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal prevailing wage rate requirements as noted. The District used the same process as noted in this Finding in the 2020-2021 audit which did not have any exceptions noted by the State Auditor’s Office. In July 2023, the District ensured federal prevailing wage rate clauses were in any new contract entered into using federal funds and that weekly certified payroll reports were collected from contractors and subcontractors. Also, contracts before July 2023 were retroactively updated to include federal prevailing wage rate clauses. Auditor’s Remarks We thank the District for its cooperation throughout the audit and the steps it is taking to address these concerns. We will review the status of the District’s corrective action during our next audit. Applicable Laws and Regulations Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance), section 516, Audit findings, establishes reporting requirements for audit findings. Title 2 CFR Part 200, Uniform Guidance, section 303, Internal controls, describes the requirements for auditees to maintain internal controls over federal programs and comply with federal program requirements. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants defines significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in its Codification of Statements on Auditing Standards, section 935, Compliance Audits, paragraph 11. Title 29 CFR, Section 3.3 – Weekly statement with respect to payment of wages, and Section 3.4 – Submission of weekly statements and the preservation and inspection of weekly payroll records, establishes requirements for contractor or subcontractor submission of weekly certified payroll reports.
SCHEDULE OF FEDERAL AWARD FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS Central Valley School District No. 356 September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2023 2023-002 The District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Assistance Listing Number and Title: 84.425, COVID-19 Education Stabilization Fund Federal Grantor Name: U.S. Department of Education Federal Award/Contract Number: N/A Pass-through Entity Name: Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Pass-through Award/Contract Number: COVID-19, 84.425D COVID-19, 84.425W-0459044 COVID-19, 84.425W-0459641 COVID-19, 84.425D-0120411 COVID-19, 84.425U-0137146 Known Questioned Cost Amount: $0 Prior Year Audit Finding: Yes, Finding 2022-001 Background The objectives of the Education Stabilization Fund (ESF) program are to prevent, prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the fiscal year 2023, the District spent a total of $3,197,735 of its ESF awards. This included $1,112,743 in the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER II) subprogram (84.425D), $1,961,080 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER/ESSER III) subprogram (84.425U) and $123,912 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief – Homeless Children and Youth (ARP HCY I & II) subprogram (84.425W). The District spent $601,155 in program funds for improvements to its heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems at four school buildings. Federal regulations require recipients to establish and maintain internal controls that ensure compliance with program requirements. These controls include understanding program requirements and monitoring the effectiveness of established controls. Under federal wage rate requirements, also known as the Davis-Bacon Act, contractors and subcontractors that work on projects financed with more than $2,000 of federal funds must pay laborers and mechanics wage rates that the U.S. Department of Labor considers being similar to what local workers have been paid for similar projects. For construction contracts subject to these wage rate requirements, the District must include a provision that the contractors and subcontractors comply with those requirements and the Department of Labor’s regulations. This includes a requirement for the contractors and their subcontractors to submit to the District weekly, for each week in which any contract work is performed, certified payroll reports. These reports must include a copy of the payroll and a signed statement of compliance. The District may use a contracted project manager to collect certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors, but ultimately, it is the District‘s responsibility to comply with these requirements and maintain documentation demonstrating compliance. Description of Condition During the 2023 school year, the District spent $601,155 for payments to one contractor and their subcontractors to update the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system controls in four schools to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Our audit found the District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Specifically, the District did not collect, or ensure the project manager collected, weekly certified payroll reports from the contractor and their subcontractors to confirm they paid laborers proper prevailing wages. We consider this deficiency in internal controls to be a material weakness, which led to material noncompliance.   Cause of Condition District staff were not aware of federal wage rate requirements. The District relied on the project manager to verify the contractors and subcontractors submitted weekly certified payroll reports to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) website. Although District staff said they checked that weekly certified payroll reports were uploaded to the L&I system before the District paid the contractors, this process was not documented and they did not know that this process, while sufficient for state requirements, does not meet federal requirements. Further, District staff and the project manager did not know the District needed to obtain all certified payroll reports each week. Effect of Condition Without adequate internal controls to ensure it collects all weekly certified payroll reports, the District cannot demonstrate it complied with federal wage rate requirements. The District could also be liable for paying any additional wages if the contractors and subcontractors did not pay prevailing wage rates to laborers working on the contracts. The District did not collect all weekly certified payrolls for one contractor and three subcontractors. Recommendation We recommend the District establish internal controls to ensure compliance with federal wage rate requirements. This should include implementing effective monitoring processes to collect and review all weekly certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors. District’s Response The District agrees with the State Auditor’s Office that we did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal prevailing wage rate requirements as noted. The District used the same process as noted in this Finding in the 2020-2021 audit which did not have any exceptions noted by the State Auditor’s Office. In July 2023, the District ensured federal prevailing wage rate clauses were in any new contract entered into using federal funds and that weekly certified payroll reports were collected from contractors and subcontractors. Also, contracts before July 2023 were retroactively updated to include federal prevailing wage rate clauses. Auditor’s Remarks We thank the District for its cooperation throughout the audit and the steps it is taking to address these concerns. We will review the status of the District’s corrective action during our next audit. Applicable Laws and Regulations Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance), section 516, Audit findings, establishes reporting requirements for audit findings. Title 2 CFR Part 200, Uniform Guidance, section 303, Internal controls, describes the requirements for auditees to maintain internal controls over federal programs and comply with federal program requirements. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants defines significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in its Codification of Statements on Auditing Standards, section 935, Compliance Audits, paragraph 11. Title 29 CFR, Section 3.3 – Weekly statement with respect to payment of wages, and Section 3.4 – Submission of weekly statements and the preservation and inspection of weekly payroll records, establishes requirements for contractor or subcontractor submission of weekly certified payroll reports.
SCHEDULE OF FEDERAL AWARD FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS Central Valley School District No. 356 September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2023 2023-002 The District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Assistance Listing Number and Title: 84.425, COVID-19 Education Stabilization Fund Federal Grantor Name: U.S. Department of Education Federal Award/Contract Number: N/A Pass-through Entity Name: Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Pass-through Award/Contract Number: COVID-19, 84.425D COVID-19, 84.425W-0459044 COVID-19, 84.425W-0459641 COVID-19, 84.425D-0120411 COVID-19, 84.425U-0137146 Known Questioned Cost Amount: $0 Prior Year Audit Finding: Yes, Finding 2022-001 Background The objectives of the Education Stabilization Fund (ESF) program are to prevent, prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the fiscal year 2023, the District spent a total of $3,197,735 of its ESF awards. This included $1,112,743 in the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER II) subprogram (84.425D), $1,961,080 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER/ESSER III) subprogram (84.425U) and $123,912 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief – Homeless Children and Youth (ARP HCY I & II) subprogram (84.425W). The District spent $601,155 in program funds for improvements to its heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems at four school buildings. Federal regulations require recipients to establish and maintain internal controls that ensure compliance with program requirements. These controls include understanding program requirements and monitoring the effectiveness of established controls. Under federal wage rate requirements, also known as the Davis-Bacon Act, contractors and subcontractors that work on projects financed with more than $2,000 of federal funds must pay laborers and mechanics wage rates that the U.S. Department of Labor considers being similar to what local workers have been paid for similar projects. For construction contracts subject to these wage rate requirements, the District must include a provision that the contractors and subcontractors comply with those requirements and the Department of Labor’s regulations. This includes a requirement for the contractors and their subcontractors to submit to the District weekly, for each week in which any contract work is performed, certified payroll reports. These reports must include a copy of the payroll and a signed statement of compliance. The District may use a contracted project manager to collect certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors, but ultimately, it is the District‘s responsibility to comply with these requirements and maintain documentation demonstrating compliance. Description of Condition During the 2023 school year, the District spent $601,155 for payments to one contractor and their subcontractors to update the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system controls in four schools to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Our audit found the District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Specifically, the District did not collect, or ensure the project manager collected, weekly certified payroll reports from the contractor and their subcontractors to confirm they paid laborers proper prevailing wages. We consider this deficiency in internal controls to be a material weakness, which led to material noncompliance.   Cause of Condition District staff were not aware of federal wage rate requirements. The District relied on the project manager to verify the contractors and subcontractors submitted weekly certified payroll reports to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) website. Although District staff said they checked that weekly certified payroll reports were uploaded to the L&I system before the District paid the contractors, this process was not documented and they did not know that this process, while sufficient for state requirements, does not meet federal requirements. Further, District staff and the project manager did not know the District needed to obtain all certified payroll reports each week. Effect of Condition Without adequate internal controls to ensure it collects all weekly certified payroll reports, the District cannot demonstrate it complied with federal wage rate requirements. The District could also be liable for paying any additional wages if the contractors and subcontractors did not pay prevailing wage rates to laborers working on the contracts. The District did not collect all weekly certified payrolls for one contractor and three subcontractors. Recommendation We recommend the District establish internal controls to ensure compliance with federal wage rate requirements. This should include implementing effective monitoring processes to collect and review all weekly certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors. District’s Response The District agrees with the State Auditor’s Office that we did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal prevailing wage rate requirements as noted. The District used the same process as noted in this Finding in the 2020-2021 audit which did not have any exceptions noted by the State Auditor’s Office. In July 2023, the District ensured federal prevailing wage rate clauses were in any new contract entered into using federal funds and that weekly certified payroll reports were collected from contractors and subcontractors. Also, contracts before July 2023 were retroactively updated to include federal prevailing wage rate clauses. Auditor’s Remarks We thank the District for its cooperation throughout the audit and the steps it is taking to address these concerns. We will review the status of the District’s corrective action during our next audit. Applicable Laws and Regulations Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance), section 516, Audit findings, establishes reporting requirements for audit findings. Title 2 CFR Part 200, Uniform Guidance, section 303, Internal controls, describes the requirements for auditees to maintain internal controls over federal programs and comply with federal program requirements. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants defines significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in its Codification of Statements on Auditing Standards, section 935, Compliance Audits, paragraph 11. Title 29 CFR, Section 3.3 – Weekly statement with respect to payment of wages, and Section 3.4 – Submission of weekly statements and the preservation and inspection of weekly payroll records, establishes requirements for contractor or subcontractor submission of weekly certified payroll reports.
SCHEDULE OF FEDERAL AWARD FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS Central Valley School District No. 356 September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2023 2023-002 The District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Assistance Listing Number and Title: 84.425, COVID-19 Education Stabilization Fund Federal Grantor Name: U.S. Department of Education Federal Award/Contract Number: N/A Pass-through Entity Name: Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Pass-through Award/Contract Number: COVID-19, 84.425D COVID-19, 84.425W-0459044 COVID-19, 84.425W-0459641 COVID-19, 84.425D-0120411 COVID-19, 84.425U-0137146 Known Questioned Cost Amount: $0 Prior Year Audit Finding: Yes, Finding 2022-001 Background The objectives of the Education Stabilization Fund (ESF) program are to prevent, prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the fiscal year 2023, the District spent a total of $3,197,735 of its ESF awards. This included $1,112,743 in the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER II) subprogram (84.425D), $1,961,080 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER/ESSER III) subprogram (84.425U) and $123,912 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief – Homeless Children and Youth (ARP HCY I & II) subprogram (84.425W). The District spent $601,155 in program funds for improvements to its heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems at four school buildings. Federal regulations require recipients to establish and maintain internal controls that ensure compliance with program requirements. These controls include understanding program requirements and monitoring the effectiveness of established controls. Under federal wage rate requirements, also known as the Davis-Bacon Act, contractors and subcontractors that work on projects financed with more than $2,000 of federal funds must pay laborers and mechanics wage rates that the U.S. Department of Labor considers being similar to what local workers have been paid for similar projects. For construction contracts subject to these wage rate requirements, the District must include a provision that the contractors and subcontractors comply with those requirements and the Department of Labor’s regulations. This includes a requirement for the contractors and their subcontractors to submit to the District weekly, for each week in which any contract work is performed, certified payroll reports. These reports must include a copy of the payroll and a signed statement of compliance. The District may use a contracted project manager to collect certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors, but ultimately, it is the District‘s responsibility to comply with these requirements and maintain documentation demonstrating compliance. Description of Condition During the 2023 school year, the District spent $601,155 for payments to one contractor and their subcontractors to update the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system controls in four schools to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Our audit found the District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Specifically, the District did not collect, or ensure the project manager collected, weekly certified payroll reports from the contractor and their subcontractors to confirm they paid laborers proper prevailing wages. We consider this deficiency in internal controls to be a material weakness, which led to material noncompliance.   Cause of Condition District staff were not aware of federal wage rate requirements. The District relied on the project manager to verify the contractors and subcontractors submitted weekly certified payroll reports to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) website. Although District staff said they checked that weekly certified payroll reports were uploaded to the L&I system before the District paid the contractors, this process was not documented and they did not know that this process, while sufficient for state requirements, does not meet federal requirements. Further, District staff and the project manager did not know the District needed to obtain all certified payroll reports each week. Effect of Condition Without adequate internal controls to ensure it collects all weekly certified payroll reports, the District cannot demonstrate it complied with federal wage rate requirements. The District could also be liable for paying any additional wages if the contractors and subcontractors did not pay prevailing wage rates to laborers working on the contracts. The District did not collect all weekly certified payrolls for one contractor and three subcontractors. Recommendation We recommend the District establish internal controls to ensure compliance with federal wage rate requirements. This should include implementing effective monitoring processes to collect and review all weekly certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors. District’s Response The District agrees with the State Auditor’s Office that we did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal prevailing wage rate requirements as noted. The District used the same process as noted in this Finding in the 2020-2021 audit which did not have any exceptions noted by the State Auditor’s Office. In July 2023, the District ensured federal prevailing wage rate clauses were in any new contract entered into using federal funds and that weekly certified payroll reports were collected from contractors and subcontractors. Also, contracts before July 2023 were retroactively updated to include federal prevailing wage rate clauses. Auditor’s Remarks We thank the District for its cooperation throughout the audit and the steps it is taking to address these concerns. We will review the status of the District’s corrective action during our next audit. Applicable Laws and Regulations Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance), section 516, Audit findings, establishes reporting requirements for audit findings. Title 2 CFR Part 200, Uniform Guidance, section 303, Internal controls, describes the requirements for auditees to maintain internal controls over federal programs and comply with federal program requirements. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants defines significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in its Codification of Statements on Auditing Standards, section 935, Compliance Audits, paragraph 11. Title 29 CFR, Section 3.3 – Weekly statement with respect to payment of wages, and Section 3.4 – Submission of weekly statements and the preservation and inspection of weekly payroll records, establishes requirements for contractor or subcontractor submission of weekly certified payroll reports.
SCHEDULE OF FEDERAL AWARD FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS Central Valley School District No. 356 September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2023 2023-002 The District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Assistance Listing Number and Title: 84.425, COVID-19 Education Stabilization Fund Federal Grantor Name: U.S. Department of Education Federal Award/Contract Number: N/A Pass-through Entity Name: Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Pass-through Award/Contract Number: COVID-19, 84.425D COVID-19, 84.425W-0459044 COVID-19, 84.425W-0459641 COVID-19, 84.425D-0120411 COVID-19, 84.425U-0137146 Known Questioned Cost Amount: $0 Prior Year Audit Finding: Yes, Finding 2022-001 Background The objectives of the Education Stabilization Fund (ESF) program are to prevent, prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the fiscal year 2023, the District spent a total of $3,197,735 of its ESF awards. This included $1,112,743 in the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER II) subprogram (84.425D), $1,961,080 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER/ESSER III) subprogram (84.425U) and $123,912 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief – Homeless Children and Youth (ARP HCY I & II) subprogram (84.425W). The District spent $601,155 in program funds for improvements to its heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems at four school buildings. Federal regulations require recipients to establish and maintain internal controls that ensure compliance with program requirements. These controls include understanding program requirements and monitoring the effectiveness of established controls. Under federal wage rate requirements, also known as the Davis-Bacon Act, contractors and subcontractors that work on projects financed with more than $2,000 of federal funds must pay laborers and mechanics wage rates that the U.S. Department of Labor considers being similar to what local workers have been paid for similar projects. For construction contracts subject to these wage rate requirements, the District must include a provision that the contractors and subcontractors comply with those requirements and the Department of Labor’s regulations. This includes a requirement for the contractors and their subcontractors to submit to the District weekly, for each week in which any contract work is performed, certified payroll reports. These reports must include a copy of the payroll and a signed statement of compliance. The District may use a contracted project manager to collect certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors, but ultimately, it is the District‘s responsibility to comply with these requirements and maintain documentation demonstrating compliance. Description of Condition During the 2023 school year, the District spent $601,155 for payments to one contractor and their subcontractors to update the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system controls in four schools to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Our audit found the District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Specifically, the District did not collect, or ensure the project manager collected, weekly certified payroll reports from the contractor and their subcontractors to confirm they paid laborers proper prevailing wages. We consider this deficiency in internal controls to be a material weakness, which led to material noncompliance.   Cause of Condition District staff were not aware of federal wage rate requirements. The District relied on the project manager to verify the contractors and subcontractors submitted weekly certified payroll reports to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) website. Although District staff said they checked that weekly certified payroll reports were uploaded to the L&I system before the District paid the contractors, this process was not documented and they did not know that this process, while sufficient for state requirements, does not meet federal requirements. Further, District staff and the project manager did not know the District needed to obtain all certified payroll reports each week. Effect of Condition Without adequate internal controls to ensure it collects all weekly certified payroll reports, the District cannot demonstrate it complied with federal wage rate requirements. The District could also be liable for paying any additional wages if the contractors and subcontractors did not pay prevailing wage rates to laborers working on the contracts. The District did not collect all weekly certified payrolls for one contractor and three subcontractors. Recommendation We recommend the District establish internal controls to ensure compliance with federal wage rate requirements. This should include implementing effective monitoring processes to collect and review all weekly certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors. District’s Response The District agrees with the State Auditor’s Office that we did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal prevailing wage rate requirements as noted. The District used the same process as noted in this Finding in the 2020-2021 audit which did not have any exceptions noted by the State Auditor’s Office. In July 2023, the District ensured federal prevailing wage rate clauses were in any new contract entered into using federal funds and that weekly certified payroll reports were collected from contractors and subcontractors. Also, contracts before July 2023 were retroactively updated to include federal prevailing wage rate clauses. Auditor’s Remarks We thank the District for its cooperation throughout the audit and the steps it is taking to address these concerns. We will review the status of the District’s corrective action during our next audit. Applicable Laws and Regulations Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance), section 516, Audit findings, establishes reporting requirements for audit findings. Title 2 CFR Part 200, Uniform Guidance, section 303, Internal controls, describes the requirements for auditees to maintain internal controls over federal programs and comply with federal program requirements. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants defines significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in its Codification of Statements on Auditing Standards, section 935, Compliance Audits, paragraph 11. Title 29 CFR, Section 3.3 – Weekly statement with respect to payment of wages, and Section 3.4 – Submission of weekly statements and the preservation and inspection of weekly payroll records, establishes requirements for contractor or subcontractor submission of weekly certified payroll reports.
SCHEDULE OF FEDERAL AWARD FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS Central Valley School District No. 356 September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2023 2023-002 The District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Assistance Listing Number and Title: 84.425, COVID-19 Education Stabilization Fund Federal Grantor Name: U.S. Department of Education Federal Award/Contract Number: N/A Pass-through Entity Name: Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Pass-through Award/Contract Number: COVID-19, 84.425D COVID-19, 84.425W-0459044 COVID-19, 84.425W-0459641 COVID-19, 84.425D-0120411 COVID-19, 84.425U-0137146 Known Questioned Cost Amount: $0 Prior Year Audit Finding: Yes, Finding 2022-001 Background The objectives of the Education Stabilization Fund (ESF) program are to prevent, prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the fiscal year 2023, the District spent a total of $3,197,735 of its ESF awards. This included $1,112,743 in the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER II) subprogram (84.425D), $1,961,080 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER/ESSER III) subprogram (84.425U) and $123,912 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief – Homeless Children and Youth (ARP HCY I & II) subprogram (84.425W). The District spent $601,155 in program funds for improvements to its heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems at four school buildings. Federal regulations require recipients to establish and maintain internal controls that ensure compliance with program requirements. These controls include understanding program requirements and monitoring the effectiveness of established controls. Under federal wage rate requirements, also known as the Davis-Bacon Act, contractors and subcontractors that work on projects financed with more than $2,000 of federal funds must pay laborers and mechanics wage rates that the U.S. Department of Labor considers being similar to what local workers have been paid for similar projects. For construction contracts subject to these wage rate requirements, the District must include a provision that the contractors and subcontractors comply with those requirements and the Department of Labor’s regulations. This includes a requirement for the contractors and their subcontractors to submit to the District weekly, for each week in which any contract work is performed, certified payroll reports. These reports must include a copy of the payroll and a signed statement of compliance. The District may use a contracted project manager to collect certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors, but ultimately, it is the District‘s responsibility to comply with these requirements and maintain documentation demonstrating compliance. Description of Condition During the 2023 school year, the District spent $601,155 for payments to one contractor and their subcontractors to update the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system controls in four schools to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Our audit found the District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Specifically, the District did not collect, or ensure the project manager collected, weekly certified payroll reports from the contractor and their subcontractors to confirm they paid laborers proper prevailing wages. We consider this deficiency in internal controls to be a material weakness, which led to material noncompliance.   Cause of Condition District staff were not aware of federal wage rate requirements. The District relied on the project manager to verify the contractors and subcontractors submitted weekly certified payroll reports to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) website. Although District staff said they checked that weekly certified payroll reports were uploaded to the L&I system before the District paid the contractors, this process was not documented and they did not know that this process, while sufficient for state requirements, does not meet federal requirements. Further, District staff and the project manager did not know the District needed to obtain all certified payroll reports each week. Effect of Condition Without adequate internal controls to ensure it collects all weekly certified payroll reports, the District cannot demonstrate it complied with federal wage rate requirements. The District could also be liable for paying any additional wages if the contractors and subcontractors did not pay prevailing wage rates to laborers working on the contracts. The District did not collect all weekly certified payrolls for one contractor and three subcontractors. Recommendation We recommend the District establish internal controls to ensure compliance with federal wage rate requirements. This should include implementing effective monitoring processes to collect and review all weekly certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors. District’s Response The District agrees with the State Auditor’s Office that we did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal prevailing wage rate requirements as noted. The District used the same process as noted in this Finding in the 2020-2021 audit which did not have any exceptions noted by the State Auditor’s Office. In July 2023, the District ensured federal prevailing wage rate clauses were in any new contract entered into using federal funds and that weekly certified payroll reports were collected from contractors and subcontractors. Also, contracts before July 2023 were retroactively updated to include federal prevailing wage rate clauses. Auditor’s Remarks We thank the District for its cooperation throughout the audit and the steps it is taking to address these concerns. We will review the status of the District’s corrective action during our next audit. Applicable Laws and Regulations Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance), section 516, Audit findings, establishes reporting requirements for audit findings. Title 2 CFR Part 200, Uniform Guidance, section 303, Internal controls, describes the requirements for auditees to maintain internal controls over federal programs and comply with federal program requirements. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants defines significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in its Codification of Statements on Auditing Standards, section 935, Compliance Audits, paragraph 11. Title 29 CFR, Section 3.3 – Weekly statement with respect to payment of wages, and Section 3.4 – Submission of weekly statements and the preservation and inspection of weekly payroll records, establishes requirements for contractor or subcontractor submission of weekly certified payroll reports.
SCHEDULE OF FEDERAL AWARD FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS Central Valley School District No. 356 September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2023 2023-002 The District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Assistance Listing Number and Title: 84.425, COVID-19 Education Stabilization Fund Federal Grantor Name: U.S. Department of Education Federal Award/Contract Number: N/A Pass-through Entity Name: Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Pass-through Award/Contract Number: COVID-19, 84.425D COVID-19, 84.425W-0459044 COVID-19, 84.425W-0459641 COVID-19, 84.425D-0120411 COVID-19, 84.425U-0137146 Known Questioned Cost Amount: $0 Prior Year Audit Finding: Yes, Finding 2022-001 Background The objectives of the Education Stabilization Fund (ESF) program are to prevent, prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the fiscal year 2023, the District spent a total of $3,197,735 of its ESF awards. This included $1,112,743 in the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER II) subprogram (84.425D), $1,961,080 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER/ESSER III) subprogram (84.425U) and $123,912 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief – Homeless Children and Youth (ARP HCY I & II) subprogram (84.425W). The District spent $601,155 in program funds for improvements to its heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems at four school buildings. Federal regulations require recipients to establish and maintain internal controls that ensure compliance with program requirements. These controls include understanding program requirements and monitoring the effectiveness of established controls. Under federal wage rate requirements, also known as the Davis-Bacon Act, contractors and subcontractors that work on projects financed with more than $2,000 of federal funds must pay laborers and mechanics wage rates that the U.S. Department of Labor considers being similar to what local workers have been paid for similar projects. For construction contracts subject to these wage rate requirements, the District must include a provision that the contractors and subcontractors comply with those requirements and the Department of Labor’s regulations. This includes a requirement for the contractors and their subcontractors to submit to the District weekly, for each week in which any contract work is performed, certified payroll reports. These reports must include a copy of the payroll and a signed statement of compliance. The District may use a contracted project manager to collect certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors, but ultimately, it is the District‘s responsibility to comply with these requirements and maintain documentation demonstrating compliance. Description of Condition During the 2023 school year, the District spent $601,155 for payments to one contractor and their subcontractors to update the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system controls in four schools to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Our audit found the District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Specifically, the District did not collect, or ensure the project manager collected, weekly certified payroll reports from the contractor and their subcontractors to confirm they paid laborers proper prevailing wages. We consider this deficiency in internal controls to be a material weakness, which led to material noncompliance.   Cause of Condition District staff were not aware of federal wage rate requirements. The District relied on the project manager to verify the contractors and subcontractors submitted weekly certified payroll reports to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) website. Although District staff said they checked that weekly certified payroll reports were uploaded to the L&I system before the District paid the contractors, this process was not documented and they did not know that this process, while sufficient for state requirements, does not meet federal requirements. Further, District staff and the project manager did not know the District needed to obtain all certified payroll reports each week. Effect of Condition Without adequate internal controls to ensure it collects all weekly certified payroll reports, the District cannot demonstrate it complied with federal wage rate requirements. The District could also be liable for paying any additional wages if the contractors and subcontractors did not pay prevailing wage rates to laborers working on the contracts. The District did not collect all weekly certified payrolls for one contractor and three subcontractors. Recommendation We recommend the District establish internal controls to ensure compliance with federal wage rate requirements. This should include implementing effective monitoring processes to collect and review all weekly certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors. District’s Response The District agrees with the State Auditor’s Office that we did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal prevailing wage rate requirements as noted. The District used the same process as noted in this Finding in the 2020-2021 audit which did not have any exceptions noted by the State Auditor’s Office. In July 2023, the District ensured federal prevailing wage rate clauses were in any new contract entered into using federal funds and that weekly certified payroll reports were collected from contractors and subcontractors. Also, contracts before July 2023 were retroactively updated to include federal prevailing wage rate clauses. Auditor’s Remarks We thank the District for its cooperation throughout the audit and the steps it is taking to address these concerns. We will review the status of the District’s corrective action during our next audit. Applicable Laws and Regulations Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance), section 516, Audit findings, establishes reporting requirements for audit findings. Title 2 CFR Part 200, Uniform Guidance, section 303, Internal controls, describes the requirements for auditees to maintain internal controls over federal programs and comply with federal program requirements. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants defines significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in its Codification of Statements on Auditing Standards, section 935, Compliance Audits, paragraph 11. Title 29 CFR, Section 3.3 – Weekly statement with respect to payment of wages, and Section 3.4 – Submission of weekly statements and the preservation and inspection of weekly payroll records, establishes requirements for contractor or subcontractor submission of weekly certified payroll reports.
SCHEDULE OF FEDERAL AWARD FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS Central Valley School District No. 356 September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2023 2023-002 The District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Assistance Listing Number and Title: 84.425, COVID-19 Education Stabilization Fund Federal Grantor Name: U.S. Department of Education Federal Award/Contract Number: N/A Pass-through Entity Name: Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Pass-through Award/Contract Number: COVID-19, 84.425D COVID-19, 84.425W-0459044 COVID-19, 84.425W-0459641 COVID-19, 84.425D-0120411 COVID-19, 84.425U-0137146 Known Questioned Cost Amount: $0 Prior Year Audit Finding: Yes, Finding 2022-001 Background The objectives of the Education Stabilization Fund (ESF) program are to prevent, prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the fiscal year 2023, the District spent a total of $3,197,735 of its ESF awards. This included $1,112,743 in the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER II) subprogram (84.425D), $1,961,080 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER/ESSER III) subprogram (84.425U) and $123,912 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief – Homeless Children and Youth (ARP HCY I & II) subprogram (84.425W). The District spent $601,155 in program funds for improvements to its heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems at four school buildings. Federal regulations require recipients to establish and maintain internal controls that ensure compliance with program requirements. These controls include understanding program requirements and monitoring the effectiveness of established controls. Under federal wage rate requirements, also known as the Davis-Bacon Act, contractors and subcontractors that work on projects financed with more than $2,000 of federal funds must pay laborers and mechanics wage rates that the U.S. Department of Labor considers being similar to what local workers have been paid for similar projects. For construction contracts subject to these wage rate requirements, the District must include a provision that the contractors and subcontractors comply with those requirements and the Department of Labor’s regulations. This includes a requirement for the contractors and their subcontractors to submit to the District weekly, for each week in which any contract work is performed, certified payroll reports. These reports must include a copy of the payroll and a signed statement of compliance. The District may use a contracted project manager to collect certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors, but ultimately, it is the District‘s responsibility to comply with these requirements and maintain documentation demonstrating compliance. Description of Condition During the 2023 school year, the District spent $601,155 for payments to one contractor and their subcontractors to update the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system controls in four schools to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Our audit found the District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Specifically, the District did not collect, or ensure the project manager collected, weekly certified payroll reports from the contractor and their subcontractors to confirm they paid laborers proper prevailing wages. We consider this deficiency in internal controls to be a material weakness, which led to material noncompliance.   Cause of Condition District staff were not aware of federal wage rate requirements. The District relied on the project manager to verify the contractors and subcontractors submitted weekly certified payroll reports to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) website. Although District staff said they checked that weekly certified payroll reports were uploaded to the L&I system before the District paid the contractors, this process was not documented and they did not know that this process, while sufficient for state requirements, does not meet federal requirements. Further, District staff and the project manager did not know the District needed to obtain all certified payroll reports each week. Effect of Condition Without adequate internal controls to ensure it collects all weekly certified payroll reports, the District cannot demonstrate it complied with federal wage rate requirements. The District could also be liable for paying any additional wages if the contractors and subcontractors did not pay prevailing wage rates to laborers working on the contracts. The District did not collect all weekly certified payrolls for one contractor and three subcontractors. Recommendation We recommend the District establish internal controls to ensure compliance with federal wage rate requirements. This should include implementing effective monitoring processes to collect and review all weekly certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors. District’s Response The District agrees with the State Auditor’s Office that we did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal prevailing wage rate requirements as noted. The District used the same process as noted in this Finding in the 2020-2021 audit which did not have any exceptions noted by the State Auditor’s Office. In July 2023, the District ensured federal prevailing wage rate clauses were in any new contract entered into using federal funds and that weekly certified payroll reports were collected from contractors and subcontractors. Also, contracts before July 2023 were retroactively updated to include federal prevailing wage rate clauses. Auditor’s Remarks We thank the District for its cooperation throughout the audit and the steps it is taking to address these concerns. We will review the status of the District’s corrective action during our next audit. Applicable Laws and Regulations Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance), section 516, Audit findings, establishes reporting requirements for audit findings. Title 2 CFR Part 200, Uniform Guidance, section 303, Internal controls, describes the requirements for auditees to maintain internal controls over federal programs and comply with federal program requirements. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants defines significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in its Codification of Statements on Auditing Standards, section 935, Compliance Audits, paragraph 11. Title 29 CFR, Section 3.3 – Weekly statement with respect to payment of wages, and Section 3.4 – Submission of weekly statements and the preservation and inspection of weekly payroll records, establishes requirements for contractor or subcontractor submission of weekly certified payroll reports.
SCHEDULE OF FEDERAL AWARD FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS Central Valley School District No. 356 September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2023 2023-002 The District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Assistance Listing Number and Title: 84.425, COVID-19 Education Stabilization Fund Federal Grantor Name: U.S. Department of Education Federal Award/Contract Number: N/A Pass-through Entity Name: Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Pass-through Award/Contract Number: COVID-19, 84.425D COVID-19, 84.425W-0459044 COVID-19, 84.425W-0459641 COVID-19, 84.425D-0120411 COVID-19, 84.425U-0137146 Known Questioned Cost Amount: $0 Prior Year Audit Finding: Yes, Finding 2022-001 Background The objectives of the Education Stabilization Fund (ESF) program are to prevent, prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the fiscal year 2023, the District spent a total of $3,197,735 of its ESF awards. This included $1,112,743 in the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER II) subprogram (84.425D), $1,961,080 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER/ESSER III) subprogram (84.425U) and $123,912 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief – Homeless Children and Youth (ARP HCY I & II) subprogram (84.425W). The District spent $601,155 in program funds for improvements to its heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems at four school buildings. Federal regulations require recipients to establish and maintain internal controls that ensure compliance with program requirements. These controls include understanding program requirements and monitoring the effectiveness of established controls. Under federal wage rate requirements, also known as the Davis-Bacon Act, contractors and subcontractors that work on projects financed with more than $2,000 of federal funds must pay laborers and mechanics wage rates that the U.S. Department of Labor considers being similar to what local workers have been paid for similar projects. For construction contracts subject to these wage rate requirements, the District must include a provision that the contractors and subcontractors comply with those requirements and the Department of Labor’s regulations. This includes a requirement for the contractors and their subcontractors to submit to the District weekly, for each week in which any contract work is performed, certified payroll reports. These reports must include a copy of the payroll and a signed statement of compliance. The District may use a contracted project manager to collect certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors, but ultimately, it is the District‘s responsibility to comply with these requirements and maintain documentation demonstrating compliance. Description of Condition During the 2023 school year, the District spent $601,155 for payments to one contractor and their subcontractors to update the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system controls in four schools to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Our audit found the District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Specifically, the District did not collect, or ensure the project manager collected, weekly certified payroll reports from the contractor and their subcontractors to confirm they paid laborers proper prevailing wages. We consider this deficiency in internal controls to be a material weakness, which led to material noncompliance.   Cause of Condition District staff were not aware of federal wage rate requirements. The District relied on the project manager to verify the contractors and subcontractors submitted weekly certified payroll reports to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) website. Although District staff said they checked that weekly certified payroll reports were uploaded to the L&I system before the District paid the contractors, this process was not documented and they did not know that this process, while sufficient for state requirements, does not meet federal requirements. Further, District staff and the project manager did not know the District needed to obtain all certified payroll reports each week. Effect of Condition Without adequate internal controls to ensure it collects all weekly certified payroll reports, the District cannot demonstrate it complied with federal wage rate requirements. The District could also be liable for paying any additional wages if the contractors and subcontractors did not pay prevailing wage rates to laborers working on the contracts. The District did not collect all weekly certified payrolls for one contractor and three subcontractors. Recommendation We recommend the District establish internal controls to ensure compliance with federal wage rate requirements. This should include implementing effective monitoring processes to collect and review all weekly certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors. District’s Response The District agrees with the State Auditor’s Office that we did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal prevailing wage rate requirements as noted. The District used the same process as noted in this Finding in the 2020-2021 audit which did not have any exceptions noted by the State Auditor’s Office. In July 2023, the District ensured federal prevailing wage rate clauses were in any new contract entered into using federal funds and that weekly certified payroll reports were collected from contractors and subcontractors. Also, contracts before July 2023 were retroactively updated to include federal prevailing wage rate clauses. Auditor’s Remarks We thank the District for its cooperation throughout the audit and the steps it is taking to address these concerns. We will review the status of the District’s corrective action during our next audit. Applicable Laws and Regulations Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance), section 516, Audit findings, establishes reporting requirements for audit findings. Title 2 CFR Part 200, Uniform Guidance, section 303, Internal controls, describes the requirements for auditees to maintain internal controls over federal programs and comply with federal program requirements. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants defines significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in its Codification of Statements on Auditing Standards, section 935, Compliance Audits, paragraph 11. Title 29 CFR, Section 3.3 – Weekly statement with respect to payment of wages, and Section 3.4 – Submission of weekly statements and the preservation and inspection of weekly payroll records, establishes requirements for contractor or subcontractor submission of weekly certified payroll reports.
SCHEDULE OF FEDERAL AWARD FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS Central Valley School District No. 356 September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2023 2023-002 The District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Assistance Listing Number and Title: 84.425, COVID-19 Education Stabilization Fund Federal Grantor Name: U.S. Department of Education Federal Award/Contract Number: N/A Pass-through Entity Name: Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Pass-through Award/Contract Number: COVID-19, 84.425D COVID-19, 84.425W-0459044 COVID-19, 84.425W-0459641 COVID-19, 84.425D-0120411 COVID-19, 84.425U-0137146 Known Questioned Cost Amount: $0 Prior Year Audit Finding: Yes, Finding 2022-001 Background The objectives of the Education Stabilization Fund (ESF) program are to prevent, prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the fiscal year 2023, the District spent a total of $3,197,735 of its ESF awards. This included $1,112,743 in the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER II) subprogram (84.425D), $1,961,080 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER/ESSER III) subprogram (84.425U) and $123,912 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief – Homeless Children and Youth (ARP HCY I & II) subprogram (84.425W). The District spent $601,155 in program funds for improvements to its heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems at four school buildings. Federal regulations require recipients to establish and maintain internal controls that ensure compliance with program requirements. These controls include understanding program requirements and monitoring the effectiveness of established controls. Under federal wage rate requirements, also known as the Davis-Bacon Act, contractors and subcontractors that work on projects financed with more than $2,000 of federal funds must pay laborers and mechanics wage rates that the U.S. Department of Labor considers being similar to what local workers have been paid for similar projects. For construction contracts subject to these wage rate requirements, the District must include a provision that the contractors and subcontractors comply with those requirements and the Department of Labor’s regulations. This includes a requirement for the contractors and their subcontractors to submit to the District weekly, for each week in which any contract work is performed, certified payroll reports. These reports must include a copy of the payroll and a signed statement of compliance. The District may use a contracted project manager to collect certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors, but ultimately, it is the District‘s responsibility to comply with these requirements and maintain documentation demonstrating compliance. Description of Condition During the 2023 school year, the District spent $601,155 for payments to one contractor and their subcontractors to update the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system controls in four schools to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Our audit found the District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Specifically, the District did not collect, or ensure the project manager collected, weekly certified payroll reports from the contractor and their subcontractors to confirm they paid laborers proper prevailing wages. We consider this deficiency in internal controls to be a material weakness, which led to material noncompliance.   Cause of Condition District staff were not aware of federal wage rate requirements. The District relied on the project manager to verify the contractors and subcontractors submitted weekly certified payroll reports to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) website. Although District staff said they checked that weekly certified payroll reports were uploaded to the L&I system before the District paid the contractors, this process was not documented and they did not know that this process, while sufficient for state requirements, does not meet federal requirements. Further, District staff and the project manager did not know the District needed to obtain all certified payroll reports each week. Effect of Condition Without adequate internal controls to ensure it collects all weekly certified payroll reports, the District cannot demonstrate it complied with federal wage rate requirements. The District could also be liable for paying any additional wages if the contractors and subcontractors did not pay prevailing wage rates to laborers working on the contracts. The District did not collect all weekly certified payrolls for one contractor and three subcontractors. Recommendation We recommend the District establish internal controls to ensure compliance with federal wage rate requirements. This should include implementing effective monitoring processes to collect and review all weekly certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors. District’s Response The District agrees with the State Auditor’s Office that we did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal prevailing wage rate requirements as noted. The District used the same process as noted in this Finding in the 2020-2021 audit which did not have any exceptions noted by the State Auditor’s Office. In July 2023, the District ensured federal prevailing wage rate clauses were in any new contract entered into using federal funds and that weekly certified payroll reports were collected from contractors and subcontractors. Also, contracts before July 2023 were retroactively updated to include federal prevailing wage rate clauses. Auditor’s Remarks We thank the District for its cooperation throughout the audit and the steps it is taking to address these concerns. We will review the status of the District’s corrective action during our next audit. Applicable Laws and Regulations Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance), section 516, Audit findings, establishes reporting requirements for audit findings. Title 2 CFR Part 200, Uniform Guidance, section 303, Internal controls, describes the requirements for auditees to maintain internal controls over federal programs and comply with federal program requirements. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants defines significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in its Codification of Statements on Auditing Standards, section 935, Compliance Audits, paragraph 11. Title 29 CFR, Section 3.3 – Weekly statement with respect to payment of wages, and Section 3.4 – Submission of weekly statements and the preservation and inspection of weekly payroll records, establishes requirements for contractor or subcontractor submission of weekly certified payroll reports.
SCHEDULE OF FEDERAL AWARD FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS Central Valley School District No. 356 September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2023 2023-002 The District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Assistance Listing Number and Title: 84.425, COVID-19 Education Stabilization Fund Federal Grantor Name: U.S. Department of Education Federal Award/Contract Number: N/A Pass-through Entity Name: Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Pass-through Award/Contract Number: COVID-19, 84.425D COVID-19, 84.425W-0459044 COVID-19, 84.425W-0459641 COVID-19, 84.425D-0120411 COVID-19, 84.425U-0137146 Known Questioned Cost Amount: $0 Prior Year Audit Finding: Yes, Finding 2022-001 Background The objectives of the Education Stabilization Fund (ESF) program are to prevent, prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the fiscal year 2023, the District spent a total of $3,197,735 of its ESF awards. This included $1,112,743 in the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER II) subprogram (84.425D), $1,961,080 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER/ESSER III) subprogram (84.425U) and $123,912 in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief – Homeless Children and Youth (ARP HCY I & II) subprogram (84.425W). The District spent $601,155 in program funds for improvements to its heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems at four school buildings. Federal regulations require recipients to establish and maintain internal controls that ensure compliance with program requirements. These controls include understanding program requirements and monitoring the effectiveness of established controls. Under federal wage rate requirements, also known as the Davis-Bacon Act, contractors and subcontractors that work on projects financed with more than $2,000 of federal funds must pay laborers and mechanics wage rates that the U.S. Department of Labor considers being similar to what local workers have been paid for similar projects. For construction contracts subject to these wage rate requirements, the District must include a provision that the contractors and subcontractors comply with those requirements and the Department of Labor’s regulations. This includes a requirement for the contractors and their subcontractors to submit to the District weekly, for each week in which any contract work is performed, certified payroll reports. These reports must include a copy of the payroll and a signed statement of compliance. The District may use a contracted project manager to collect certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors, but ultimately, it is the District‘s responsibility to comply with these requirements and maintain documentation demonstrating compliance. Description of Condition During the 2023 school year, the District spent $601,155 for payments to one contractor and their subcontractors to update the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system controls in four schools to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Our audit found the District did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal wage rate requirements. Specifically, the District did not collect, or ensure the project manager collected, weekly certified payroll reports from the contractor and their subcontractors to confirm they paid laborers proper prevailing wages. We consider this deficiency in internal controls to be a material weakness, which led to material noncompliance.   Cause of Condition District staff were not aware of federal wage rate requirements. The District relied on the project manager to verify the contractors and subcontractors submitted weekly certified payroll reports to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) website. Although District staff said they checked that weekly certified payroll reports were uploaded to the L&I system before the District paid the contractors, this process was not documented and they did not know that this process, while sufficient for state requirements, does not meet federal requirements. Further, District staff and the project manager did not know the District needed to obtain all certified payroll reports each week. Effect of Condition Without adequate internal controls to ensure it collects all weekly certified payroll reports, the District cannot demonstrate it complied with federal wage rate requirements. The District could also be liable for paying any additional wages if the contractors and subcontractors did not pay prevailing wage rates to laborers working on the contracts. The District did not collect all weekly certified payrolls for one contractor and three subcontractors. Recommendation We recommend the District establish internal controls to ensure compliance with federal wage rate requirements. This should include implementing effective monitoring processes to collect and review all weekly certified payroll reports from contractors and subcontractors. District’s Response The District agrees with the State Auditor’s Office that we did not have adequate internal controls for ensuring compliance with federal prevailing wage rate requirements as noted. The District used the same process as noted in this Finding in the 2020-2021 audit which did not have any exceptions noted by the State Auditor’s Office. In July 2023, the District ensured federal prevailing wage rate clauses were in any new contract entered into using federal funds and that weekly certified payroll reports were collected from contractors and subcontractors. Also, contracts before July 2023 were retroactively updated to include federal prevailing wage rate clauses. Auditor’s Remarks We thank the District for its cooperation throughout the audit and the steps it is taking to address these concerns. We will review the status of the District’s corrective action during our next audit. Applicable Laws and Regulations Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance), section 516, Audit findings, establishes reporting requirements for audit findings. Title 2 CFR Part 200, Uniform Guidance, section 303, Internal controls, describes the requirements for auditees to maintain internal controls over federal programs and comply with federal program requirements. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants defines significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in its Codification of Statements on Auditing Standards, section 935, Compliance Audits, paragraph 11. Title 29 CFR, Section 3.3 – Weekly statement with respect to payment of wages, and Section 3.4 – Submission of weekly statements and the preservation and inspection of weekly payroll records, establishes requirements for contractor or subcontractor submission of weekly certified payroll reports.