FINDING 2024-001 Subject: COVID-19 - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds - Activities Allowed or Unallowed and Allowable Costs/Cost Principles 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): 2024 Compliance Requirements: Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Audit Findings: Material Weakness, Modified Opinion Repeat Finding This is a repeat finding from the immediately prior audit report for Allowable Costs/Cost Principles. The prior audit finding number was 2023-003. Condition and Context As a condition of receiving COVID-19 - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) award funds, all eligible entities were required to execute a financial assistance agreement that set forth the applicable terms and conditions. In accordance with this agreement, the County was responsible for the proper administration of the federal award, the application of sound financial management practices, and ensuring that all expenditures complied with the program's objectives and the requirements of the award. The SLFRF offers recipients significant flexibility to address local needs across seven eligible use categories. One eligible use category is providing government services. Under this category, entities may use award funds for government services up to the greater of $10 million or the amount of revenue loss due to the pandemic. The County chose this category and elected the standard allowance of up to $10 million, allowing it to use its entire allocation of $4,014,711, for the provision of government services. On May 11, 2021, the Board of County Commissioners passed Ordinance 2021-07 that created a new fund and adopted the American Rescue Plan (ARP). The Ordinance included the procedures for spending the ARP funding, which included the following: The Board of County Commissioners will establish the plan, conditions, and rules upon which the funds are to be requested and used. Funds shall be appropriated by the County's fiscal body before use. All expenditure of funds shall be approved by the Board of County Commissioners with any and all claims to be paid from the County's ARP fund. During the audit period, the County Council approved appropriations for 17 expenditures from the ARP fund. All 17 expenditures were tested to verify that costs were allowable and adhered to the cost principles. Of these, 9 expenditures, totaling $300,000, were approved for payment by the Board of County Commissioners and classified by the County Council as appropriated and obligated for donations. The donations were distributed as follows: INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 14 SULLIVAN COUNTY SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) Local camp and retreat center for insurance costs. Youth sportsplex for facility upgrades. Two non-profits for food purchases for needy individuals. Local volunteer fire department for a generator and equipment. Local fire territory for firefighting gear. Local humane society for connection into the wastewater system. Local ambulance service to assist with the purchase of an ambulance. Local park for road resurfacing. Documentation provided to support each expenditure consisted of a proposal for donations submitted by the requesting entity. The payment of donations does not constitute a government service of the County and is not an allowable cost. Therefore, the $300,000 disbursed as donations was considered questioned costs. The lack of internal controls and noncompliance were isolated to the donations identified above. 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 200.403 states in part: "Except where otherwise authorized by statute, costs must meet the following general criteria in order to be allowable under Federal awards: (a) Be necessary and reasonable for the performance of the Federal award and be allocable thereto under these principles. (b) Conform to any limitations or exclusions set forth in these principles or in the Federal award as to types or amount of cost items. . . . (g) Be adequately documented. . . ." 2 CFR 200.434(a) states: "Costs of contributions and donations, including cash, property, and services, from the non-Federal entity to other entities, are unallowable." INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 15 SULLIVAN COUNTY SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) 31 CFR 35.6 states in part: "(a) . . . a recipient may use funds for one or more of the purposes described in paragraphs (b) through (h) of this section. . . . (d) Providing government services. . . ." 31 CFR 35.9 states in part: "A recipient must comply with all other applicable Federal statutes, regulations, and executive orders . . ." Cause The lack of effective internal controls allowed for the County to charge questionable expenditures to the SLFRF program. County officials believed that the expenditures were allowable as they were made to organizations that provided services and benefits to residents of the County and did not understand that expenditures designated as donations are strictly prohibited under federal regulations. Effect Without a proper system of internal controls in place that operated effectively, the County expended $300,000 from the federal award that was not an allowable use of funds. The U.S. Department of the Treasury could request these funds be returned. Questioned Costs We identified $300,000 in known questioned costs as noted above in the Condition and Context. Recommendation We recommended the County's management establish a proper system of internal controls and develop policies and procedures to ensure that costs are allowable for SLFRF award funds. Views of Responsible Officials For the views of responsible officials, refer to the Corrective Action Plan that is part of this report.