Finding 2022-014 – Lack of County-Wide Controls Over Major Federal Program – Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds
PASS THROUGH GRANTOR: Direct Grant
FEDERAL AGENCY: U.S. Department of Treasury
ASSISTANCE LISTING: 21.027
FEDERAL PROGRAM NAME: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF)
FEDERAL AWARD NUMBER: SLFRP3720
FEDERAL AWARD YEAR: 2022
CONTROL CATEGORY: Activities Allowed or Unallowed; Allowable Costs/Cost Principles; Period of Performance; Procurement and Suspension and Debarment; Reporting
QUESTIONED COSTS: $-0-
Condition: County-wide controls regarding Control Environment, Risk Assessment, Information and Communication, and Monitoring have not been designed.
Cause of Condition: Policies and procedures have not been designed and implemented to ensure the County complies with grant requirements.
Effect of Condition: This condition could result in noncompliance with grant requirements.
Recommendation: OSAI recommends that the County design and implement a system of internal controls to ensure compliance with grant requirements.
Management Response:
Chairman Board of County Commissioners: Muskogee County has hired an internal grant administrator to assist in keeping the county compliant with all local, state, and federal requirements. Efforts will be made going forward to ensure that all grant funds are properly expended.
Criteria: The GAO Standards – Section 1 – Fundamental Concepts of Internal Control – OV1.01 states in part:
Definition of Internal Control
Internal control is a process effected by an entity’s oversight body, management, and other personnel that provides reasonable assurance that the objectives of an entity will be achieved.
Additionally, GAO Standards – Section 2 – Establishing an Effective Internal Control System – OV2.04 states in part:
Components, Principles, and Attributes
Control Environment - The foundation for an internal control system. It provides the discipline and structure to help an entity achieve its objectives.
Risk Assessment - Assesses the risks facing the entity as it seeks to achieve its objectives. This assessment provides the basis for developing appropriate risk responses.
Information and Communication - The quality information management and personnel communicate and use to support the internal control system.
Monitoring - Activities management establishes and operates to assess the quality of performance over time and promptly resolve the findings of audits and other reviews.
Finding 2022-015 – Lack of Internal Controls Over Major Federal Program – Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds
PASS THROUGH GRANTOR: Direct Grant
FEDERAL AGENCY: U.S. Department of Treasury
ASSISTANCE LISTING: 21.027
FEDERAL PROGRAM NAME: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF)
FEDERAL AWARD NUMBER: SLFRP3720
FEDERAL AWARD YEAR: 2022
CONTROL CATEGORY: Activities Allowed or Unallowed; Allowable Costs/Cost Principles; Period of
Performance; Procurement and Suspension and Debarment; Reporting
QUESTIONED COSTS: $-0-
Condition: During the process of documenting the County’s internal controls regarding federal disbursements, we noted that Muskogee County has not established procedures to ensure compliance with the following compliance requirements: Activities Allowed or Unallowed; Allowable Costs/Cost Principles; and Period of Performance, Procurement and Suspension and Debarment, and Reporting.
Cause of Condition: Policies and procedures have not been designed and implemented to ensure federal expenditures are made in accordance with federal grant requirements.
Effect of Condition: This condition could result in noncompliance to grant requirements and could lead to a loss of federal funds to the County.
Recommendation: OSAI recommends that the County gain an understanding of requirements for these programs and implement a system of internal control procedures to ensure compliance with grant requirements.
Management Response:
Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners: Muskogee County has hired an internal grant administrator to assist in keeping the county compliant with all local, state, and federal requirements. Efforts will be made going forward to ensure that all grant funds are properly expended.
Criteria: 2 CFR § 200.303 Internal Controls (a) reads as follows:
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).
Further, accountability and stewardship should be overall goals in management’s accounting of federal funds. Internal controls should be designed to monitor compliance with laws and regulations pertaining to grant contracts.
Finding 2022-011 - Noncompliance Over Procurement and Suspension and Debarment – Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds
PASS THROUGH GRANTOR: Direct Grant
FEDERAL AGENCY: U.S. Department of Treasury
ASSISTANCE LISTING: 21.027
FEDERAL PROGRAM NAME: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF)
FEDERAL AWARD NUMBER: SLFRP3720
FEDERAL AWARD YEAR: 2022
CONTROL CATEGORY: Procurement and Suspension and Debarment
QUESTIONED COSTS: $203,000
Condition: During our review of the disbursement data from Muskogee County regarding procurement and suspension and debarment as per the Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200.317 through 200.327, we identified the following:
• One (1) ambulance was purchased in the amount of $203,000 for the Muskogee County EMS. There were no bids or quotes provide by the County or found in the BOCC meeting minutes supporting expenditure documentation.
• There were six (6) vendors, in which the County did not check the www.SAM.gov website to review if the vendor had been suspended or debarred for those disbursements that warranted a bid, on the 6-month bid list, or received quotes.
Cause of Condition: Policies and procedures have not been designed and implemented to ensure compliance of expenditures for all federal awards.
Effect of Condition: This condition resulted in noncompliance to grant requirements and could lead to a loss of federal funds to the County.
Recommendation: OSAI recommends county officials and department heads gain an understanding of federal programs awarded to Muskogee County. Internal control procedures should be designed and implemented to ensure accurate procurement and suspension and debarment and to ensure compliance with federal requirements.
Management Response:
Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners: Muskogee County has hired an internal grant administrator to assist in keeping the county compliant with all local, state, and federal requirements. Efforts will be made going forward to ensure that all grant funds are properly expended. This includes that all expenditures are properly documented and that all vendors are federally eligible to perform services.
Criteria: 2 CFR § 200.317 through 200.327 General Procurement Standards reads as follows:
When procuring property and services under a Federal award, a State must follow the same policies and procedures it uses for procurements from its non-Federal funds. The State will comply with §§ 200.321, 200.322, and 200.323 and ensure that every purchase order or other contract includes any clauses required by § 200.327. All other non-Federal entities, including subrecipients of a State, must follow the procurement standards in §§ 200.318 through 200.327.
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.
(b) Non-Federal entities must maintain oversight to ensure that contractors perform in accordance with the terms, conditions, and specifications of their contracts or purchase orders.
2 CFR 180.700 – 180.760 Suspension and 2 CFR 180.800 – 180.885 Debarment
Non-federal entities are prohibited from contracting with or making subawards under covered transactions to parties that are suspended or debarred. “Covered transactions” include contracts for goods and services awarded under a non-procurement transaction (e.g., grant or cooperative agreement) that are expected to equal or exceed $25,000 or meet certain other criteria as specified in 2 CFR section 180.220. All non-procurement transactions entered into by a pass-through entity (i.e., subawards to subrecipients), irrespective of award amount, are considered covered transactions, unless they are exempt as provided in 2 CFR section 180.215.
Finding 2022-013 - Noncompliance Over Reporting – Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds
PASS THROUGH GRANTOR: Direct Grant
FEDERAL AGENCY: United States Department of the Treasury
ASSISTANCE LISTING: 21.027
FEDERAL PROGRAM NAME: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF)
FEDERAL AWARD NUMBER: SLFRP3720
FEDERAL AWARD YEAR: 2022
CONTROL CATEGORY: Reporting
QUESTIONED COSTS: $0
Condition: During the process of documenting the County’s internal controls regarding federal reporting process, we noted that the County has not established procedures to ensure compliance with reporting requirement. Furthermore, while performing a test over the reporting requirement, we noted the following:
• Interim report was not submitted.
• Variances between expenditures reported on the quarterly reports and the County’s expenditure data:
o Quarterly reports during the period of March through December 2021 expenditure amounts were more than County’s the expenditure data by $124,984.
o Quarterly report Q1 2022 expenditure amount was more than the County’s expenditure data by $1,140,410.
o Quarterly report Q2 2022 expenditure amount was less than the County’s expenditure data by $39,146.
Cause of Condition: Policies and procedures have not been designed and implemented to ensure compliance of reporting compliance requirements.
Effect of Condition: This condition resulted in noncompliance with grant requirements.
Recommendation: OSAI recommends the County comply with federal laws and regulations and grant agreements by submitting required reports to the U.S. Department of the Treasury timely. In addition, OSAI recommends the County design and implement a system of internal controls to ensure the accuracy and completeness of information submitted.
Management Response:
Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners: Muskogee County has hired an internal grant administrator to assist in keeping the county compliant with all local, state, and federal requirements. Efforts will be made going forward to ensure that all grant funds are properly expended and properly reported.
Criteria: GAO Standards – Section 2 – Establishing an Effective Internal Control System – OV2.23 states in part:
Objectives of an Entity – Compliance Objectives Management conducts activities in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. As part of specifying compliance objectives, the entity determines which laws and regulations apply to the entity. Management is expected to set objectives that incorporate these requirements.
2 CFR § 200.303(a) Internal Controls reads as follows:
The non-Federal entity must:
Establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-Federal entity is managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in “Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government” issued by the Comptroller General of the United States or the “Internal Control Integrated Framework”, issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).
Compliance and Reporting Guide – State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds – Version 5.2 also states in part:
States, U.S. territories, metropolitan cities, counties, and Tribal governments were required to submit a one-time interim report with expenditures7 by Expenditure Category covering the period from March 3rd to July 31, 2021, by August 31, 2021 or sixty (60) days after first receiving funding if the recipient’s date of award was between July 15, 2021 and October 15, 2021.
Finding 2022-014 – Lack of County-Wide Controls Over Major Federal Program – Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds
PASS THROUGH GRANTOR: Direct Grant
FEDERAL AGENCY: U.S. Department of Treasury
ASSISTANCE LISTING: 21.027
FEDERAL PROGRAM NAME: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF)
FEDERAL AWARD NUMBER: SLFRP3720
FEDERAL AWARD YEAR: 2022
CONTROL CATEGORY: Activities Allowed or Unallowed; Allowable Costs/Cost Principles; Period of Performance; Procurement and Suspension and Debarment; Reporting
QUESTIONED COSTS: $-0-
Condition: County-wide controls regarding Control Environment, Risk Assessment, Information and Communication, and Monitoring have not been designed.
Cause of Condition: Policies and procedures have not been designed and implemented to ensure the County complies with grant requirements.
Effect of Condition: This condition could result in noncompliance with grant requirements.
Recommendation: OSAI recommends that the County design and implement a system of internal controls to ensure compliance with grant requirements.
Management Response:
Chairman Board of County Commissioners: Muskogee County has hired an internal grant administrator to assist in keeping the county compliant with all local, state, and federal requirements. Efforts will be made going forward to ensure that all grant funds are properly expended.
Criteria: The GAO Standards – Section 1 – Fundamental Concepts of Internal Control – OV1.01 states in part:
Definition of Internal Control
Internal control is a process effected by an entity’s oversight body, management, and other personnel that provides reasonable assurance that the objectives of an entity will be achieved.
Additionally, GAO Standards – Section 2 – Establishing an Effective Internal Control System – OV2.04 states in part:
Components, Principles, and Attributes
Control Environment - The foundation for an internal control system. It provides the discipline and structure to help an entity achieve its objectives.
Risk Assessment - Assesses the risks facing the entity as it seeks to achieve its objectives. This assessment provides the basis for developing appropriate risk responses.
Information and Communication - The quality information management and personnel communicate and use to support the internal control system.
Monitoring - Activities management establishes and operates to assess the quality of performance over time and promptly resolve the findings of audits and other reviews.
Finding 2022-015 – Lack of Internal Controls Over Major Federal Program – Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds
PASS THROUGH GRANTOR: Direct Grant
FEDERAL AGENCY: U.S. Department of Treasury
ASSISTANCE LISTING: 21.027
FEDERAL PROGRAM NAME: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF)
FEDERAL AWARD NUMBER: SLFRP3720
FEDERAL AWARD YEAR: 2022
CONTROL CATEGORY: Activities Allowed or Unallowed; Allowable Costs/Cost Principles; Period of
Performance; Procurement and Suspension and Debarment; Reporting
QUESTIONED COSTS: $-0-
Condition: During the process of documenting the County’s internal controls regarding federal disbursements, we noted that Muskogee County has not established procedures to ensure compliance with the following compliance requirements: Activities Allowed or Unallowed; Allowable Costs/Cost Principles; and Period of Performance, Procurement and Suspension and Debarment, and Reporting.
Cause of Condition: Policies and procedures have not been designed and implemented to ensure federal expenditures are made in accordance with federal grant requirements.
Effect of Condition: This condition could result in noncompliance to grant requirements and could lead to a loss of federal funds to the County.
Recommendation: OSAI recommends that the County gain an understanding of requirements for these programs and implement a system of internal control procedures to ensure compliance with grant requirements.
Management Response:
Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners: Muskogee County has hired an internal grant administrator to assist in keeping the county compliant with all local, state, and federal requirements. Efforts will be made going forward to ensure that all grant funds are properly expended.
Criteria: 2 CFR § 200.303 Internal Controls (a) reads as follows:
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).
Further, accountability and stewardship should be overall goals in management’s accounting of federal funds. Internal controls should be designed to monitor compliance with laws and regulations pertaining to grant contracts.
Finding 2022-011 - Noncompliance Over Procurement and Suspension and Debarment – Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds
PASS THROUGH GRANTOR: Direct Grant
FEDERAL AGENCY: U.S. Department of Treasury
ASSISTANCE LISTING: 21.027
FEDERAL PROGRAM NAME: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF)
FEDERAL AWARD NUMBER: SLFRP3720
FEDERAL AWARD YEAR: 2022
CONTROL CATEGORY: Procurement and Suspension and Debarment
QUESTIONED COSTS: $203,000
Condition: During our review of the disbursement data from Muskogee County regarding procurement and suspension and debarment as per the Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200.317 through 200.327, we identified the following:
• One (1) ambulance was purchased in the amount of $203,000 for the Muskogee County EMS. There were no bids or quotes provide by the County or found in the BOCC meeting minutes supporting expenditure documentation.
• There were six (6) vendors, in which the County did not check the www.SAM.gov website to review if the vendor had been suspended or debarred for those disbursements that warranted a bid, on the 6-month bid list, or received quotes.
Cause of Condition: Policies and procedures have not been designed and implemented to ensure compliance of expenditures for all federal awards.
Effect of Condition: This condition resulted in noncompliance to grant requirements and could lead to a loss of federal funds to the County.
Recommendation: OSAI recommends county officials and department heads gain an understanding of federal programs awarded to Muskogee County. Internal control procedures should be designed and implemented to ensure accurate procurement and suspension and debarment and to ensure compliance with federal requirements.
Management Response:
Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners: Muskogee County has hired an internal grant administrator to assist in keeping the county compliant with all local, state, and federal requirements. Efforts will be made going forward to ensure that all grant funds are properly expended. This includes that all expenditures are properly documented and that all vendors are federally eligible to perform services.
Criteria: 2 CFR § 200.317 through 200.327 General Procurement Standards reads as follows:
When procuring property and services under a Federal award, a State must follow the same policies and procedures it uses for procurements from its non-Federal funds. The State will comply with §§ 200.321, 200.322, and 200.323 and ensure that every purchase order or other contract includes any clauses required by § 200.327. All other non-Federal entities, including subrecipients of a State, must follow the procurement standards in §§ 200.318 through 200.327.
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.
(b) Non-Federal entities must maintain oversight to ensure that contractors perform in accordance with the terms, conditions, and specifications of their contracts or purchase orders.
2 CFR 180.700 – 180.760 Suspension and 2 CFR 180.800 – 180.885 Debarment
Non-federal entities are prohibited from contracting with or making subawards under covered transactions to parties that are suspended or debarred. “Covered transactions” include contracts for goods and services awarded under a non-procurement transaction (e.g., grant or cooperative agreement) that are expected to equal or exceed $25,000 or meet certain other criteria as specified in 2 CFR section 180.220. All non-procurement transactions entered into by a pass-through entity (i.e., subawards to subrecipients), irrespective of award amount, are considered covered transactions, unless they are exempt as provided in 2 CFR section 180.215.
Finding 2022-013 - Noncompliance Over Reporting – Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds
PASS THROUGH GRANTOR: Direct Grant
FEDERAL AGENCY: United States Department of the Treasury
ASSISTANCE LISTING: 21.027
FEDERAL PROGRAM NAME: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF)
FEDERAL AWARD NUMBER: SLFRP3720
FEDERAL AWARD YEAR: 2022
CONTROL CATEGORY: Reporting
QUESTIONED COSTS: $0
Condition: During the process of documenting the County’s internal controls regarding federal reporting process, we noted that the County has not established procedures to ensure compliance with reporting requirement. Furthermore, while performing a test over the reporting requirement, we noted the following:
• Interim report was not submitted.
• Variances between expenditures reported on the quarterly reports and the County’s expenditure data:
o Quarterly reports during the period of March through December 2021 expenditure amounts were more than County’s the expenditure data by $124,984.
o Quarterly report Q1 2022 expenditure amount was more than the County’s expenditure data by $1,140,410.
o Quarterly report Q2 2022 expenditure amount was less than the County’s expenditure data by $39,146.
Cause of Condition: Policies and procedures have not been designed and implemented to ensure compliance of reporting compliance requirements.
Effect of Condition: This condition resulted in noncompliance with grant requirements.
Recommendation: OSAI recommends the County comply with federal laws and regulations and grant agreements by submitting required reports to the U.S. Department of the Treasury timely. In addition, OSAI recommends the County design and implement a system of internal controls to ensure the accuracy and completeness of information submitted.
Management Response:
Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners: Muskogee County has hired an internal grant administrator to assist in keeping the county compliant with all local, state, and federal requirements. Efforts will be made going forward to ensure that all grant funds are properly expended and properly reported.
Criteria: GAO Standards – Section 2 – Establishing an Effective Internal Control System – OV2.23 states in part:
Objectives of an Entity – Compliance Objectives Management conducts activities in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. As part of specifying compliance objectives, the entity determines which laws and regulations apply to the entity. Management is expected to set objectives that incorporate these requirements.
2 CFR § 200.303(a) Internal Controls reads as follows:
The non-Federal entity must:
Establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-Federal entity is managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in “Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government” issued by the Comptroller General of the United States or the “Internal Control Integrated Framework”, issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).
Compliance and Reporting Guide – State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds – Version 5.2 also states in part:
States, U.S. territories, metropolitan cities, counties, and Tribal governments were required to submit a one-time interim report with expenditures7 by Expenditure Category covering the period from March 3rd to July 31, 2021, by August 31, 2021 or sixty (60) days after first receiving funding if the recipient’s date of award was between July 15, 2021 and October 15, 2021.