Audit 317845

FY End
2023-12-31
Total Expended
$5.34M
Findings
4
Programs
11
Organization: Town of Brownsburg (IN)
Year: 2023 Accepted: 2024-08-26

Organization Exclusion Status:

Checking exclusion status...

Findings

ID Ref Severity Repeat Requirement
485072 2023-002 Material Weakness - I
485073 2023-003 Significant Deficiency - L
1061514 2023-002 Material Weakness - I
1061515 2023-003 Significant Deficiency - L

Contacts

Name Title Type
MLH8F3PZN915 Ann Hathaway Auditee
3178521120 Beth Kelley, Cpa, Cfe Auditor
No contacts on file

Notes to SEFA

Accounting Policies: Note 1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies A. Basis of Presentation The accompanying Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA) includes the federal grant activity of the Town under programs of the federal government for the year ended December 31, 2023. The information in the SEFA is presented in accordance with the requirements of Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance). Because the SEFA presents only a select portion of the operations of the Town, it is not intended to and does not present the financial position of the Town. B. Other Significant Accounting Policies Expenditures reported on the SEFA are reported on the cash basis of accounting. Such expenditures are recognized following, as applicable, either the cost principles in OMB Circular A-87, Cost Principles for State, Local, and Indian Tribal Governments, or the cost principles contained in the Uniform Guidance, wherein certain types of expenditures are not allowed or are limited as to reimbursement. When federal grants are received on a reimbursement basis, the federal awards are considered expended when the reimbursement is received. De Minimis Rate Used: N Rate Explanation: Note 2. Indirect Cost Rate The Town has elected not to use the 10 percent de minimis indirect cost rate allowed under the Uniform Guidance.

Finding Details

FINDING 2023-002 Subject: COVID-19 - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds - Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Federal Agency: Department of the Treasury Federal Program: COVID-19 - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Assistance Listings Number: 21.027 Federal Award Number and Year (or Other Identifying Number): FY2023 Compliance Requirement: Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Audit Findings: Material Weakness, Modified Opinion Condition and Context Procurement Federal regulations require formal procurement methods when the value of the procurement for property or services exceeds the simplified acquisition threshold (SAT), which is set at $250,000 unless a lower more restrictive threshold is set by a nonfederal entity. As Indiana Code has a more restrictive threshold of $150,000, this threshold and formal procurement methods must be used when procuring goods and services in excess of $150,000. Formal procurement methods require following documented procedures and obtaining sealed bids or proposals. The Town had a documented procurement policy; however, the Town did not follow its policy for one of the two vendors that exceeded the simplified acquisition threshold. The vendor, paid $2,419,821, was chosen without obtaining sealed bids or proposals, nor was a formal contract entered into with the vendor. Furthermore, there was no documentation detailing the history of the procurement or the Town's justification for limiting competition. The lack of effective internal controls and noncompliance were isolated to the one vendor noted above. INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 15 TOWN OF BROWNSBURG SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) Suspension and Debarment Prior to entering into subawards and covered transactions with the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) award funds, recipients are required to verify that such contractors and subrecipients are not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded. "Covered transactions" include, but are not limited to, contracts for goods and services awarded under a nonprocurement transaction (i.e., grant agreement) that are expected to equal or exceed $25,000. The verification is done by checking the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS), collecting a certification from that vendor, or adding a clause or condition to the covered transaction with that vendor. The Town's policies related to the SLFRF suspension and debarment requirements included a clause or condition added to covered transactions expected to equal or exceed $25,000 with that vendor. Three vendors were identified as having transactions that equaled or exceeded $25,000. All three vendors were selected for testing. The three vendors, with total expenditures of $4,333,484, were reviewed. For all three vendors, the Town did not have documented evidence that the clause was included in the contract with the vendor nor that any other methods were employed to verify the vendor was not suspended, debarred, or other excluded prior to entering into the transactions. The lack of internal controls and noncompliance were systematic issues throughout the audit period. Criteria 2 CFR 200.303 states in part: "The non-Federal entity must: (a) Establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-Federal entity is managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in 'Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government' issued by the Comptroller General of the United States or the 'Internal Control Integrated Framework', issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). . . ." 2 CFR 200.318 states in part: "(a) The non-Federal entity must have and use documented procurement procedures, consistent with State, local, and tribal laws and regulations and the standards of this section, for the acquisition of property or services required under a Federal award or subaward. The non-Federal entity's documented procurement procedures must conform to the procurement standards identified in §§ 200.317 through 200.327. . . . (i) The non-Federal entity must maintain records sufficient to detail the history of procurement. These records will include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following: Rationale for the method of procurement, selection of contract type, contractor selection or rejection, and the basis for the contract price. . . ." INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 16 TOWN OF BROWNSBURG SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) 2 CFR 200.324(a) states: "The Non-Federal entity must perform a cost or price analysis in connection with every procurement action in excess of the Simplified Acquisition Threshold including contract modifications. The method and degree of analysis is dependent on the facts surrounding the particular procurement situation, but as a starting point, the non-Federal entity must make independent estimates before receiving bids or proposals." 2 CFR 200.320 states in part: ". . . (b) Formal procurement methods. When the value of the procurement for property or services under a Federal financial assistance awards exceeds the SAT, or a lower threshold established by a non-Federal entity, formal procurement methods are required. Formal procurement methods require following documented procedures. Formal procurement methods also require public advertising unless a non-competitive procurement can be used in accordance with § 200.319 or paragraph (c) of this section. The following formal methods of procurement are used for procurement of property or services above the simplified acquisition threshold or a value below the simplified acquisition threshold the non-Federal entity determines to be appropriate: (1) Sealed bids. A procurement method in which bids are publicly solicited and a firm fixed-price contract (lump sum or unit price) is awarded to the responsible bidder whose bid, conforming with all the material terms and conditions of the invitation for bids, is the lowest in price. The sealed bids method is the preferred method for procuring construction, if the conditions. (i) In order for sealed bidding to be feasible, the following conditions should be present: (A) A complete, adequate, and realistic specification or purchase description is available; (B) Two or more responsible bidders are willing and able to compete effectively for the business; and (C) The procurement lends itself to a firm fixed price contract and the selection of the successful bidder can be made principally on the basis of price. (ii) If sealed bids are used, the following requirements apply: (A) Bids must be solicited from an adequate number of qualified sources, providing them sufficient response time prior to the date set for opening the bids, for local, and tribal governments, the invitation for bids must be publicly advertised; (B) The invitation for bids, which will include any specifications and pertinent attachments, must define the items or services in order for the bidder to properly respond; (C) All bids will be opened at the time and place prescribed in the invitation for bids, and for local and tribal governments, the bids must be opened publicly; INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 17 TOWN OF BROWNSBURG SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) (D) A firm fixed price contract award will be made in writing to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. Where specified in bidding documents, factors such as discounts, transportation cost, and life cycle costs must be considered in determining which bid is lowest. Payment discounts will only be used to determine the low bid when prior experience indicates that such discounts are usually taken advantage of; and (E) Any or all bids may be rejected if there is a sound documented reason. (2) Proposals. A procurement method in which either a fixed price or cost-reimbursement type contract is awarded. Proposals are generally used when conditions are not appropriate for the use of sealed bids. They are awarded in accordance with the following requirements: (i) Requests for proposals must be publicized and identify all evaluation factors and their relative importance. Proposals must be solicited from an adequate number of qualified offerors. Any response to publicized requests for proposals must be considered to the maximum extent practical; (ii) The non-Federal entity must have a written method for conducting technical evaluations of the proposals received and making selections; (iii) Contracts must be awarded to the responsible offeror whose proposal is most advantageous to the non-Federal entity, with price and other factors considered; and (iv) The non-Federal entity may use competitive proposal procedures for qualifications based procurement of architectural/engineering (A/E) professional services whereby offeror's qualifications are evaluated and the most qualified offeror is selected, subject to negotiation of fair and reasonable compensation. The method, where price is not used as a selection factor, can only be used in procurement of A/E professional services. It cannot be used to purchase other types of services though A/E firms that are a potential source to perform the proposed effort. (c) Noncompetitive procurement. There are specific circumstances in which noncompetitive procurement can be used. Noncompetitive procurement can only be awarded if one or more of the following circumstances apply: (1) The acquisition of property or services, the aggregate dollar amount of which does not exceed the micro-purchase threshold (see paragraph (a)(1) of this section); (2) The item is available only from a single source; (3) The public exigency or emergency for the requirement will not permit a delay resulting from publicizing a competitive solicitation; (4) The Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity expressly authorizes a noncompetitive procurement in response to a written request from the non-Federal entity; or (5) After solicitation of a number of sources, competition is determined inadequate." INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 18 TOWN OF BROWNSBURG SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) 31 CFR 19.300 states: "When you enter into a covered transaction with another person at the next lower tier, you must verify that the person with whom you do business is not excluded or disqualified. You do this by: (a) Checking the EPLS, or (b) Collecting a certification from that person if allowed by this rule, or (c) Adding a clause or condition to the covered transaction with that person." Cause The Town did not adhere to its procurement policy as written. Instead, a vendor was selected based on factors other than solicited bids. In addition, the Town was unable to provide documentation to demonstrate they included a clause in contracts or otherwise verified contractors were not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded prior to entering into the transaction as a direct result of the Town's policy not addressing those vendors not requiring a contract and not following the policy for those vendors who had a contract. Effect Without the proper implementation of an effectively designed system of internal controls, the Town cannot ensure goods and services were properly procured. As a result, one vendor paid did not have adequate documentation to support that the appropriate bid process was followed or that nonprocurement procedures were permissible. Furthermore, without the proper implementation of an effectively designed system of internal controls, the Town cannot ensure the vendors paid with federal funds are eligible to participate in federal programs. Any program funds the Town used to pay vendors that have been suspended or debarred would be unallowable. Noncompliance with the provisions of federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the federal award could result in the loss of future funding to the Town. Questioned Costs There were no questioned costs identified. Recommendation We recommend that management of the Town establish a proper system of internal controls and develop policies and procedures to ensure contractors and subrecipients, as appropriate, are not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded prior to entering contracts or subawards, and document reasons for vendors that are chosen without adhering to formal procurement methods. Views of Responsible Officials For the views of responsible officials, refer to the Corrective Action Plan that is part of this report.
FINDING 2023-003 Subject: COVID-19 - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds - Reporting Federal Agency: Department of the Treasury Federal Program: COVID-19 - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Assistance Listings Number: 21.027 Federal Award Number and Year (or Other Identifying Number): FY2023 Compliance Requirement: Reporting Audit Finding: Significant Deficiency Condition and Context Recipients are required to submit quarterly or annually Project and Expenditure (P&E) reports to the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury). The reporting periods, as well as the respective due dates, are based upon type of recipient and its population, as well as the recipient's allocation amount. Information to be reported includes projects funded, expenditures, and contracts for the appropriate reporting period. The Town was classified as a metropolitan town with a population below 250,000 residents that received an allocation of less than $10 million in COVID-19 - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF). As such, the initial P&E report, covering the period from March 3, 2021 to March 31, 2022, was required to be submitted to the Treasury by April 30, 2022. The subsequent annual reports are to cover one calendar year and must be submitted to the Treasury by April 30 each year. The Town submitted one P&E report during the audit period as required; however, there were no internal controls in place that would likely be effective in preventing, or detecting and correcting, noncompliance related to the P&E report. The Clerk-Treasurer prepared and submitted the report without an oversight or review process. The lack of internal controls and noncompliance were systematic issues throughout the audit period. Criteria 2 CFR 200.303 states in part: "The non-Federal entity must: (a) Establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-Federal entity is managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in 'Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government' issued by the Comptroller General of the United States or the 'Internal Control Integrated Framework', issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). . . ." INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 20 TOWN OF BROWNSBURG SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Compliance and Reporting Guidance, page 10, states in part: ". . . 10. Reporting. All recipients of federal funds must complete financial, performance, and compliance reporting as required and outlined in Part 2 of this guidance. Expenditures may be reported on a cash or accrual basis, as long as the methodology is disclosed and consistently applied. Reporting must be consistent with the definition of expenditures pursuant to 2 CFR 200.1. Your organization should appropriately maintain accounting records for compiling and reporting accurate, compliant financial data, in accordance with appropriate accounting standards and principles. . . ." 31 CFR 35.4(c) states in part: "Reporting and requests for other information. During the period of performance, recipients shall provide to the Secretary periodic reports providing detailed accounting of the uses of funds, . . ." Cause The Town did not implement an effectively designed system of internal controls over reporting. There was no indication of internal controls in place over Reporting. Effect Without the proper implementation of an effectively designed system of internal controls over Reporting, the Town cannot ensure that the reports submitted are materially accurate and correct. If there was a proper implementation of an effectively designed system of internal controls over Reporting, the Town would be able to detect any errors prior to submission. Questioned Costs There were no questioned costs identified. Recommendation We recommended that management of the Town design and implement a proper system of internal controls, including policies and procedures to ensure that the Town provides the Treasury with complete and accurate information for the P&E report. Views of Responsible Officials For the views of responsible officials, refer to the Corrective Action Plan that is part of this report.
FINDING 2023-002 Subject: COVID-19 - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds - Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Federal Agency: Department of the Treasury Federal Program: COVID-19 - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Assistance Listings Number: 21.027 Federal Award Number and Year (or Other Identifying Number): FY2023 Compliance Requirement: Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Audit Findings: Material Weakness, Modified Opinion Condition and Context Procurement Federal regulations require formal procurement methods when the value of the procurement for property or services exceeds the simplified acquisition threshold (SAT), which is set at $250,000 unless a lower more restrictive threshold is set by a nonfederal entity. As Indiana Code has a more restrictive threshold of $150,000, this threshold and formal procurement methods must be used when procuring goods and services in excess of $150,000. Formal procurement methods require following documented procedures and obtaining sealed bids or proposals. The Town had a documented procurement policy; however, the Town did not follow its policy for one of the two vendors that exceeded the simplified acquisition threshold. The vendor, paid $2,419,821, was chosen without obtaining sealed bids or proposals, nor was a formal contract entered into with the vendor. Furthermore, there was no documentation detailing the history of the procurement or the Town's justification for limiting competition. The lack of effective internal controls and noncompliance were isolated to the one vendor noted above. INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 15 TOWN OF BROWNSBURG SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) Suspension and Debarment Prior to entering into subawards and covered transactions with the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) award funds, recipients are required to verify that such contractors and subrecipients are not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded. "Covered transactions" include, but are not limited to, contracts for goods and services awarded under a nonprocurement transaction (i.e., grant agreement) that are expected to equal or exceed $25,000. The verification is done by checking the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS), collecting a certification from that vendor, or adding a clause or condition to the covered transaction with that vendor. The Town's policies related to the SLFRF suspension and debarment requirements included a clause or condition added to covered transactions expected to equal or exceed $25,000 with that vendor. Three vendors were identified as having transactions that equaled or exceeded $25,000. All three vendors were selected for testing. The three vendors, with total expenditures of $4,333,484, were reviewed. For all three vendors, the Town did not have documented evidence that the clause was included in the contract with the vendor nor that any other methods were employed to verify the vendor was not suspended, debarred, or other excluded prior to entering into the transactions. The lack of internal controls and noncompliance were systematic issues throughout the audit period. Criteria 2 CFR 200.303 states in part: "The non-Federal entity must: (a) Establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-Federal entity is managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in 'Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government' issued by the Comptroller General of the United States or the 'Internal Control Integrated Framework', issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). . . ." 2 CFR 200.318 states in part: "(a) The non-Federal entity must have and use documented procurement procedures, consistent with State, local, and tribal laws and regulations and the standards of this section, for the acquisition of property or services required under a Federal award or subaward. The non-Federal entity's documented procurement procedures must conform to the procurement standards identified in §§ 200.317 through 200.327. . . . (i) The non-Federal entity must maintain records sufficient to detail the history of procurement. These records will include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following: Rationale for the method of procurement, selection of contract type, contractor selection or rejection, and the basis for the contract price. . . ." INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 16 TOWN OF BROWNSBURG SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) 2 CFR 200.324(a) states: "The Non-Federal entity must perform a cost or price analysis in connection with every procurement action in excess of the Simplified Acquisition Threshold including contract modifications. The method and degree of analysis is dependent on the facts surrounding the particular procurement situation, but as a starting point, the non-Federal entity must make independent estimates before receiving bids or proposals." 2 CFR 200.320 states in part: ". . . (b) Formal procurement methods. When the value of the procurement for property or services under a Federal financial assistance awards exceeds the SAT, or a lower threshold established by a non-Federal entity, formal procurement methods are required. Formal procurement methods require following documented procedures. Formal procurement methods also require public advertising unless a non-competitive procurement can be used in accordance with § 200.319 or paragraph (c) of this section. The following formal methods of procurement are used for procurement of property or services above the simplified acquisition threshold or a value below the simplified acquisition threshold the non-Federal entity determines to be appropriate: (1) Sealed bids. A procurement method in which bids are publicly solicited and a firm fixed-price contract (lump sum or unit price) is awarded to the responsible bidder whose bid, conforming with all the material terms and conditions of the invitation for bids, is the lowest in price. The sealed bids method is the preferred method for procuring construction, if the conditions. (i) In order for sealed bidding to be feasible, the following conditions should be present: (A) A complete, adequate, and realistic specification or purchase description is available; (B) Two or more responsible bidders are willing and able to compete effectively for the business; and (C) The procurement lends itself to a firm fixed price contract and the selection of the successful bidder can be made principally on the basis of price. (ii) If sealed bids are used, the following requirements apply: (A) Bids must be solicited from an adequate number of qualified sources, providing them sufficient response time prior to the date set for opening the bids, for local, and tribal governments, the invitation for bids must be publicly advertised; (B) The invitation for bids, which will include any specifications and pertinent attachments, must define the items or services in order for the bidder to properly respond; (C) All bids will be opened at the time and place prescribed in the invitation for bids, and for local and tribal governments, the bids must be opened publicly; INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 17 TOWN OF BROWNSBURG SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) (D) A firm fixed price contract award will be made in writing to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. Where specified in bidding documents, factors such as discounts, transportation cost, and life cycle costs must be considered in determining which bid is lowest. Payment discounts will only be used to determine the low bid when prior experience indicates that such discounts are usually taken advantage of; and (E) Any or all bids may be rejected if there is a sound documented reason. (2) Proposals. A procurement method in which either a fixed price or cost-reimbursement type contract is awarded. Proposals are generally used when conditions are not appropriate for the use of sealed bids. They are awarded in accordance with the following requirements: (i) Requests for proposals must be publicized and identify all evaluation factors and their relative importance. Proposals must be solicited from an adequate number of qualified offerors. Any response to publicized requests for proposals must be considered to the maximum extent practical; (ii) The non-Federal entity must have a written method for conducting technical evaluations of the proposals received and making selections; (iii) Contracts must be awarded to the responsible offeror whose proposal is most advantageous to the non-Federal entity, with price and other factors considered; and (iv) The non-Federal entity may use competitive proposal procedures for qualifications based procurement of architectural/engineering (A/E) professional services whereby offeror's qualifications are evaluated and the most qualified offeror is selected, subject to negotiation of fair and reasonable compensation. The method, where price is not used as a selection factor, can only be used in procurement of A/E professional services. It cannot be used to purchase other types of services though A/E firms that are a potential source to perform the proposed effort. (c) Noncompetitive procurement. There are specific circumstances in which noncompetitive procurement can be used. Noncompetitive procurement can only be awarded if one or more of the following circumstances apply: (1) The acquisition of property or services, the aggregate dollar amount of which does not exceed the micro-purchase threshold (see paragraph (a)(1) of this section); (2) The item is available only from a single source; (3) The public exigency or emergency for the requirement will not permit a delay resulting from publicizing a competitive solicitation; (4) The Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity expressly authorizes a noncompetitive procurement in response to a written request from the non-Federal entity; or (5) After solicitation of a number of sources, competition is determined inadequate." INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 18 TOWN OF BROWNSBURG SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) 31 CFR 19.300 states: "When you enter into a covered transaction with another person at the next lower tier, you must verify that the person with whom you do business is not excluded or disqualified. You do this by: (a) Checking the EPLS, or (b) Collecting a certification from that person if allowed by this rule, or (c) Adding a clause or condition to the covered transaction with that person." Cause The Town did not adhere to its procurement policy as written. Instead, a vendor was selected based on factors other than solicited bids. In addition, the Town was unable to provide documentation to demonstrate they included a clause in contracts or otherwise verified contractors were not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded prior to entering into the transaction as a direct result of the Town's policy not addressing those vendors not requiring a contract and not following the policy for those vendors who had a contract. Effect Without the proper implementation of an effectively designed system of internal controls, the Town cannot ensure goods and services were properly procured. As a result, one vendor paid did not have adequate documentation to support that the appropriate bid process was followed or that nonprocurement procedures were permissible. Furthermore, without the proper implementation of an effectively designed system of internal controls, the Town cannot ensure the vendors paid with federal funds are eligible to participate in federal programs. Any program funds the Town used to pay vendors that have been suspended or debarred would be unallowable. Noncompliance with the provisions of federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the federal award could result in the loss of future funding to the Town. Questioned Costs There were no questioned costs identified. Recommendation We recommend that management of the Town establish a proper system of internal controls and develop policies and procedures to ensure contractors and subrecipients, as appropriate, are not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded prior to entering contracts or subawards, and document reasons for vendors that are chosen without adhering to formal procurement methods. Views of Responsible Officials For the views of responsible officials, refer to the Corrective Action Plan that is part of this report.
FINDING 2023-003 Subject: COVID-19 - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds - Reporting Federal Agency: Department of the Treasury Federal Program: COVID-19 - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Assistance Listings Number: 21.027 Federal Award Number and Year (or Other Identifying Number): FY2023 Compliance Requirement: Reporting Audit Finding: Significant Deficiency Condition and Context Recipients are required to submit quarterly or annually Project and Expenditure (P&E) reports to the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury). The reporting periods, as well as the respective due dates, are based upon type of recipient and its population, as well as the recipient's allocation amount. Information to be reported includes projects funded, expenditures, and contracts for the appropriate reporting period. The Town was classified as a metropolitan town with a population below 250,000 residents that received an allocation of less than $10 million in COVID-19 - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF). As such, the initial P&E report, covering the period from March 3, 2021 to March 31, 2022, was required to be submitted to the Treasury by April 30, 2022. The subsequent annual reports are to cover one calendar year and must be submitted to the Treasury by April 30 each year. The Town submitted one P&E report during the audit period as required; however, there were no internal controls in place that would likely be effective in preventing, or detecting and correcting, noncompliance related to the P&E report. The Clerk-Treasurer prepared and submitted the report without an oversight or review process. The lack of internal controls and noncompliance were systematic issues throughout the audit period. Criteria 2 CFR 200.303 states in part: "The non-Federal entity must: (a) Establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-Federal entity is managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in 'Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government' issued by the Comptroller General of the United States or the 'Internal Control Integrated Framework', issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). . . ." INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 20 TOWN OF BROWNSBURG SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Compliance and Reporting Guidance, page 10, states in part: ". . . 10. Reporting. All recipients of federal funds must complete financial, performance, and compliance reporting as required and outlined in Part 2 of this guidance. Expenditures may be reported on a cash or accrual basis, as long as the methodology is disclosed and consistently applied. Reporting must be consistent with the definition of expenditures pursuant to 2 CFR 200.1. Your organization should appropriately maintain accounting records for compiling and reporting accurate, compliant financial data, in accordance with appropriate accounting standards and principles. . . ." 31 CFR 35.4(c) states in part: "Reporting and requests for other information. During the period of performance, recipients shall provide to the Secretary periodic reports providing detailed accounting of the uses of funds, . . ." Cause The Town did not implement an effectively designed system of internal controls over reporting. There was no indication of internal controls in place over Reporting. Effect Without the proper implementation of an effectively designed system of internal controls over Reporting, the Town cannot ensure that the reports submitted are materially accurate and correct. If there was a proper implementation of an effectively designed system of internal controls over Reporting, the Town would be able to detect any errors prior to submission. Questioned Costs There were no questioned costs identified. Recommendation We recommended that management of the Town design and implement a proper system of internal controls, including policies and procedures to ensure that the Town provides the Treasury with complete and accurate information for the P&E report. Views of Responsible Officials For the views of responsible officials, refer to the Corrective Action Plan that is part of this report.