Assistance Listing Number(s): 10.912
Name of Federal Program or Cluster: Environmental Quality Incentives Program
Name of Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture
Award Periods: September 3, 2019 through July 31, 2024 and September 30, 2020 through September 30, 2025 Assistance Listing Number(s): 10.924
Name of Federal Program or Cluster: Conservation Stewardship Program
Name of Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture
Award Periods: September 3, 2019 through July 31, 2024 and September 30, 2020 through September 30, 2025 Criteria or Specific Requirement: Subparts D and E of 2 CFR Part 200 require a nonfederal entity to establish written policies, procedures, and standards of conduct, including procedures to implement the cash management requirements of 2 CFR section 200.305, procedures that comply with the procurement standards of 2 CFR sections 200.318 through 200.326, and procedures for determining the allowability of costs in accordance with Subpart E of 2 CFR Part 200. Specifically, 2 CFR sections 200.430, 200.431, and 200.475 require written policies.
Condition: There are no written policies and procedures for allowable costs/cost principles, cash management, procurement and suspension and debarment requirements.
Cause: The Organization does not have a process for reviewing their accounting policies and procedures manual on a regular basis to ensure written procedures conform to Uniform Guidance requirements.
Effect or Potential Effect: A lack of written policies, procedures, and standards of conduct may result in noncompliance with the requirements of federal programs and/or disallowed costs.
Repeat Finding: No
Recommendation: We recommend the Organization’s written policies and procedures be reviewed and updated for compliance with Uniform Guidance. The organization should become familiar with the requirements of Subparts D and E of 2 CFR Part 200 and establish appropriate written policies, procedures, and standards of conduct.
Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding and they will evaluate our findings to determine an appropriate corrective action.
Assistance Listing Number(s): 10.912
Name of Federal Program or Cluster: Environmental Quality Incentives Program
Name of Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture
Award Periods: September 3, 2019 through July 31, 2024 and September 30, 2020 through September 30, 2025 Assistance Listing Number(s): 10.924
Name of Federal Program or Cluster: Conservation Stewardship Program
Name of Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture
Award Periods: September 3, 2019 through July 31, 2024 and September 30, 2020 through September 30, 2025 Criteria or Specific Requirement: 2 CFR Section 200.403 states the factors that determine allowability of costs charged to federal awards and requires costs to be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
Condition: We identified costs incurred in 2022 that were incorrectly recorded as 2023 costs and charged to federal awards.
Cause: Management has not designed and implemented sufficient internal controls to ensure costs are recorded in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles to be allowable for federal awards.
Effect or Potential Effect: An unallowable cost could be charged to the federal program.
Context and Questioned Costs: During our testing of grants for appropriate accounting period cutoff, we identified 2022 costs that were charged to grants in 2023. Thus, we selected all grant transactions charged to the major program that were recorded in January 2023, and grant transactions over $2,500 for the period February 1, 2023 through June 30, 2023 to test for recognition in the proper period. The amount tested totaled $243,311, which included $12,726 of costs recorded in the wrong period. Other than not being recorded in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, these costs were otherwise allowable and recorded in the proper period of performance.
Repeat Finding: No
Recommendation: We recommend management design and implement sufficient internal controls to ensure costs are recorded in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles to be allowable for federal awards.
Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding and they will evaluate our findings to determine an appropriate corrective action.
Assistance Listing Number(s): 10.912
Name of Federal Program or Cluster: Environmental Quality Incentives Program
Name of Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture
Award Periods: September 3, 2019 through July 31, 2024 and September 30, 2020 through September 30, 2025
Assistance Listing Number(s): 10.924
Name of Federal Program or Cluster: Conservation Stewardship Program
Name of Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture
Award Periods: September 3, 2019 through July 31, 2024 and September 30, 2020 through September 30, 2025 Criteria or Specific Requirement: Non-federal entities must establish policies and procedures to comply with reporting requirements for grants within the federal program.
Condition: During testing of required cost reimbursement reports, we noted differences in the amounts of costs reported to grantors compared to actual costs incurred during those periods. Cause: This was the result of improper grant accounting noted in Finding 2023-002.
Effect or Potential Effect: Noncompliance with grant reporting requirements may occur.
Context: 1 out of 4 cost reimbursement requests tested included improper cost amounts.
Repeat Finding: No
Recommendation: We recommend additional internal controls for reimbursement requests be implemented, including a review of detailed expense transactions be included with reimbursement requests to ensure expenses reported to grantors agree to expenses incurred in the correct period.
Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding and they will evaluate our findings to determine an appropriate corrective action.
Assistance Listing Number(s): 10.912
Name of Federal Program or Cluster: Environmental Quality Incentives Program
Name of Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture
Award Periods: September 3, 2019 through July 31, 2024 and September 30, 2020 through September 30, 2025 Assistance Listing Number(s): 10.924
Name of Federal Program or Cluster: Conservation Stewardship Program
Name of Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture
Award Periods: September 3, 2019 through July 31, 2024 and September 30, 2020 through September 30, 2025 Criteria or Specific Requirement: Subparts D and E of 2 CFR Part 200 require a nonfederal entity to establish written policies, procedures, and standards of conduct, including procedures to implement the cash management requirements of 2 CFR section 200.305, procedures that comply with the procurement standards of 2 CFR sections 200.318 through 200.326, and procedures for determining the allowability of costs in accordance with Subpart E of 2 CFR Part 200. Specifically, 2 CFR sections 200.430, 200.431, and 200.475 require written policies.
Condition: There are no written policies and procedures for allowable costs/cost principles, cash management, procurement and suspension and debarment requirements.
Cause: The Organization does not have a process for reviewing their accounting policies and procedures manual on a regular basis to ensure written procedures conform to Uniform Guidance requirements.
Effect or Potential Effect: A lack of written policies, procedures, and standards of conduct may result in noncompliance with the requirements of federal programs and/or disallowed costs.
Repeat Finding: No
Recommendation: We recommend the Organization’s written policies and procedures be reviewed and updated for compliance with Uniform Guidance. The organization should become familiar with the requirements of Subparts D and E of 2 CFR Part 200 and establish appropriate written policies, procedures, and standards of conduct.
Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding and they will evaluate our findings to determine an appropriate corrective action.
Assistance Listing Number(s): 10.912
Name of Federal Program or Cluster: Environmental Quality Incentives Program
Name of Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture
Award Periods: September 3, 2019 through July 31, 2024 and September 30, 2020 through September 30, 2025 Assistance Listing Number(s): 10.924
Name of Federal Program or Cluster: Conservation Stewardship Program
Name of Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture
Award Periods: September 3, 2019 through July 31, 2024 and September 30, 2020 through September 30, 2025 Criteria or Specific Requirement: 2 CFR Section 200.403 states the factors that determine allowability of costs charged to federal awards and requires costs to be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
Condition: We identified costs incurred in 2022 that were incorrectly recorded as 2023 costs and charged to federal awards.
Cause: Management has not designed and implemented sufficient internal controls to ensure costs are recorded in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles to be allowable for federal awards.
Effect or Potential Effect: An unallowable cost could be charged to the federal program.
Context and Questioned Costs: During our testing of grants for appropriate accounting period cutoff, we identified 2022 costs that were charged to grants in 2023. Thus, we selected all grant transactions charged to the major program that were recorded in January 2023, and grant transactions over $2,500 for the period February 1, 2023 through June 30, 2023 to test for recognition in the proper period. The amount tested totaled $243,311, which included $12,726 of costs recorded in the wrong period. Other than not being recorded in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, these costs were otherwise allowable and recorded in the proper period of performance.
Repeat Finding: No
Recommendation: We recommend management design and implement sufficient internal controls to ensure costs are recorded in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles to be allowable for federal awards.
Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding and they will evaluate our findings to determine an appropriate corrective action.
Assistance Listing Number(s): 10.912
Name of Federal Program or Cluster: Environmental Quality Incentives Program
Name of Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture
Award Periods: September 3, 2019 through July 31, 2024 and September 30, 2020 through September 30, 2025
Assistance Listing Number(s): 10.924
Name of Federal Program or Cluster: Conservation Stewardship Program
Name of Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture
Award Periods: September 3, 2019 through July 31, 2024 and September 30, 2020 through September 30, 2025 Criteria or Specific Requirement: Non-federal entities must establish policies and procedures to comply with reporting requirements for grants within the federal program.
Condition: During testing of required cost reimbursement reports, we noted differences in the amounts of costs reported to grantors compared to actual costs incurred during those periods. Cause: This was the result of improper grant accounting noted in Finding 2023-002.
Effect or Potential Effect: Noncompliance with grant reporting requirements may occur.
Context: 1 out of 4 cost reimbursement requests tested included improper cost amounts.
Repeat Finding: No
Recommendation: We recommend additional internal controls for reimbursement requests be implemented, including a review of detailed expense transactions be included with reimbursement requests to ensure expenses reported to grantors agree to expenses incurred in the correct period.
Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding and they will evaluate our findings to determine an appropriate corrective action.
Assistance Listing Number(s): 10.912
Name of Federal Program or Cluster: Environmental Quality Incentives Program
Name of Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture
Award Periods: September 3, 2019 through July 31, 2024 and September 30, 2020 through September 30, 2025 Assistance Listing Number(s): 10.924
Name of Federal Program or Cluster: Conservation Stewardship Program
Name of Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture
Award Periods: September 3, 2019 through July 31, 2024 and September 30, 2020 through September 30, 2025 Criteria or Specific Requirement: Subparts D and E of 2 CFR Part 200 require a nonfederal entity to establish written policies, procedures, and standards of conduct, including procedures to implement the cash management requirements of 2 CFR section 200.305, procedures that comply with the procurement standards of 2 CFR sections 200.318 through 200.326, and procedures for determining the allowability of costs in accordance with Subpart E of 2 CFR Part 200. Specifically, 2 CFR sections 200.430, 200.431, and 200.475 require written policies.
Condition: There are no written policies and procedures for allowable costs/cost principles, cash management, procurement and suspension and debarment requirements.
Cause: The Organization does not have a process for reviewing their accounting policies and procedures manual on a regular basis to ensure written procedures conform to Uniform Guidance requirements.
Effect or Potential Effect: A lack of written policies, procedures, and standards of conduct may result in noncompliance with the requirements of federal programs and/or disallowed costs.
Repeat Finding: No
Recommendation: We recommend the Organization’s written policies and procedures be reviewed and updated for compliance with Uniform Guidance. The organization should become familiar with the requirements of Subparts D and E of 2 CFR Part 200 and establish appropriate written policies, procedures, and standards of conduct.
Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding and they will evaluate our findings to determine an appropriate corrective action.
Assistance Listing Number(s): 10.912
Name of Federal Program or Cluster: Environmental Quality Incentives Program
Name of Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture
Award Periods: September 3, 2019 through July 31, 2024 and September 30, 2020 through September 30, 2025 Assistance Listing Number(s): 10.924
Name of Federal Program or Cluster: Conservation Stewardship Program
Name of Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture
Award Periods: September 3, 2019 through July 31, 2024 and September 30, 2020 through September 30, 2025 Criteria or Specific Requirement: 2 CFR Section 200.403 states the factors that determine allowability of costs charged to federal awards and requires costs to be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
Condition: We identified costs incurred in 2022 that were incorrectly recorded as 2023 costs and charged to federal awards.
Cause: Management has not designed and implemented sufficient internal controls to ensure costs are recorded in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles to be allowable for federal awards.
Effect or Potential Effect: An unallowable cost could be charged to the federal program.
Context and Questioned Costs: During our testing of grants for appropriate accounting period cutoff, we identified 2022 costs that were charged to grants in 2023. Thus, we selected all grant transactions charged to the major program that were recorded in January 2023, and grant transactions over $2,500 for the period February 1, 2023 through June 30, 2023 to test for recognition in the proper period. The amount tested totaled $243,311, which included $12,726 of costs recorded in the wrong period. Other than not being recorded in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, these costs were otherwise allowable and recorded in the proper period of performance.
Repeat Finding: No
Recommendation: We recommend management design and implement sufficient internal controls to ensure costs are recorded in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles to be allowable for federal awards.
Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding and they will evaluate our findings to determine an appropriate corrective action.
Assistance Listing Number(s): 10.912
Name of Federal Program or Cluster: Environmental Quality Incentives Program
Name of Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture
Award Periods: September 3, 2019 through July 31, 2024 and September 30, 2020 through September 30, 2025
Assistance Listing Number(s): 10.924
Name of Federal Program or Cluster: Conservation Stewardship Program
Name of Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture
Award Periods: September 3, 2019 through July 31, 2024 and September 30, 2020 through September 30, 2025 Criteria or Specific Requirement: Non-federal entities must establish policies and procedures to comply with reporting requirements for grants within the federal program.
Condition: During testing of required cost reimbursement reports, we noted differences in the amounts of costs reported to grantors compared to actual costs incurred during those periods. Cause: This was the result of improper grant accounting noted in Finding 2023-002.
Effect or Potential Effect: Noncompliance with grant reporting requirements may occur.
Context: 1 out of 4 cost reimbursement requests tested included improper cost amounts.
Repeat Finding: No
Recommendation: We recommend additional internal controls for reimbursement requests be implemented, including a review of detailed expense transactions be included with reimbursement requests to ensure expenses reported to grantors agree to expenses incurred in the correct period.
Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding and they will evaluate our findings to determine an appropriate corrective action.
Assistance Listing Number(s): 10.912
Name of Federal Program or Cluster: Environmental Quality Incentives Program
Name of Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture
Award Periods: September 3, 2019 through July 31, 2024 and September 30, 2020 through September 30, 2025 Assistance Listing Number(s): 10.924
Name of Federal Program or Cluster: Conservation Stewardship Program
Name of Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture
Award Periods: September 3, 2019 through July 31, 2024 and September 30, 2020 through September 30, 2025 Criteria or Specific Requirement: Subparts D and E of 2 CFR Part 200 require a nonfederal entity to establish written policies, procedures, and standards of conduct, including procedures to implement the cash management requirements of 2 CFR section 200.305, procedures that comply with the procurement standards of 2 CFR sections 200.318 through 200.326, and procedures for determining the allowability of costs in accordance with Subpart E of 2 CFR Part 200. Specifically, 2 CFR sections 200.430, 200.431, and 200.475 require written policies.
Condition: There are no written policies and procedures for allowable costs/cost principles, cash management, procurement and suspension and debarment requirements.
Cause: The Organization does not have a process for reviewing their accounting policies and procedures manual on a regular basis to ensure written procedures conform to Uniform Guidance requirements.
Effect or Potential Effect: A lack of written policies, procedures, and standards of conduct may result in noncompliance with the requirements of federal programs and/or disallowed costs.
Repeat Finding: No
Recommendation: We recommend the Organization’s written policies and procedures be reviewed and updated for compliance with Uniform Guidance. The organization should become familiar with the requirements of Subparts D and E of 2 CFR Part 200 and establish appropriate written policies, procedures, and standards of conduct.
Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding and they will evaluate our findings to determine an appropriate corrective action.
Assistance Listing Number(s): 10.912
Name of Federal Program or Cluster: Environmental Quality Incentives Program
Name of Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture
Award Periods: September 3, 2019 through July 31, 2024 and September 30, 2020 through September 30, 2025 Assistance Listing Number(s): 10.924
Name of Federal Program or Cluster: Conservation Stewardship Program
Name of Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture
Award Periods: September 3, 2019 through July 31, 2024 and September 30, 2020 through September 30, 2025 Criteria or Specific Requirement: 2 CFR Section 200.403 states the factors that determine allowability of costs charged to federal awards and requires costs to be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
Condition: We identified costs incurred in 2022 that were incorrectly recorded as 2023 costs and charged to federal awards.
Cause: Management has not designed and implemented sufficient internal controls to ensure costs are recorded in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles to be allowable for federal awards.
Effect or Potential Effect: An unallowable cost could be charged to the federal program.
Context and Questioned Costs: During our testing of grants for appropriate accounting period cutoff, we identified 2022 costs that were charged to grants in 2023. Thus, we selected all grant transactions charged to the major program that were recorded in January 2023, and grant transactions over $2,500 for the period February 1, 2023 through June 30, 2023 to test for recognition in the proper period. The amount tested totaled $243,311, which included $12,726 of costs recorded in the wrong period. Other than not being recorded in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, these costs were otherwise allowable and recorded in the proper period of performance.
Repeat Finding: No
Recommendation: We recommend management design and implement sufficient internal controls to ensure costs are recorded in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles to be allowable for federal awards.
Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding and they will evaluate our findings to determine an appropriate corrective action.
Assistance Listing Number(s): 10.912
Name of Federal Program or Cluster: Environmental Quality Incentives Program
Name of Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture
Award Periods: September 3, 2019 through July 31, 2024 and September 30, 2020 through September 30, 2025
Assistance Listing Number(s): 10.924
Name of Federal Program or Cluster: Conservation Stewardship Program
Name of Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture
Award Periods: September 3, 2019 through July 31, 2024 and September 30, 2020 through September 30, 2025 Criteria or Specific Requirement: Non-federal entities must establish policies and procedures to comply with reporting requirements for grants within the federal program.
Condition: During testing of required cost reimbursement reports, we noted differences in the amounts of costs reported to grantors compared to actual costs incurred during those periods. Cause: This was the result of improper grant accounting noted in Finding 2023-002.
Effect or Potential Effect: Noncompliance with grant reporting requirements may occur.
Context: 1 out of 4 cost reimbursement requests tested included improper cost amounts.
Repeat Finding: No
Recommendation: We recommend additional internal controls for reimbursement requests be implemented, including a review of detailed expense transactions be included with reimbursement requests to ensure expenses reported to grantors agree to expenses incurred in the correct period.
Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding and they will evaluate our findings to determine an appropriate corrective action.