Audit 370809

Finding 2023-001: Material Weakness - Untimely Audit Submission in Accordance with OMB Uniform Guidance Federal Grantor: All Federal Programs Compliance Requirement: Reporting Condition: The Chamber did not electronically submit their December 31, 2023 Single Audit reporting package (Single Audit Report, Data Collection Form, Status of Prior Year Findings, and a Corrective Action Plan) within the required time period. Criteria: The Chamber was required to submit its December 31, 2023 audited financial statements and single audit reporting package to the federal audit clearinghouse no later than September 30, 2024, 9 months after the fiscal year-end (2 Code of Federal Regulations 200.512(a)). Effect: Federal awarding agencies may deny the Chamber future federal awards or subject the Chamber to additional monitoring requirements. Cause: The Chamber was not able to complete its single audit by the reporting deadline due to staff shortages. Recommendation: We recommended that management strengthen the related internal controls over monitoring of its year-end reconciliation of its financial statements to ensure that the general ledger accounts reflect proper and complete activity consistent with their basis of accounting. We believe that reviews, evaluations of transactions, and reconciliations of accounts should be performed on a regular basis during the year. This would expedite the year-end closing process and ensure compliance with the audit report submission requirements of OMB Uniform Guidance. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: The Chamber agrees with the finding and is in the process of implementing processes to ensure timely close-out of the books.

Finding 2023-002: Material Weakness - Lack of Documentation on Sole Source Contracts and Verification of Vendors Federal grantor: Department of Commerce Condition: The Chamber contract with a vendor on a sole-source basis and did not document justification for the use of a sole source vendor. In addition, the Chamber did not verify that the vendor was not on the list of vendors suspended or debarred from federal contracting before contracting with the vendor. Criteria: Entities are required to follow the procurement standards in 2 CFR sections 200.318 through 200.327, including ensuring that the procurement method used for the contracts are appropriate based on the dollar amount and conditions specified in 2 CFR section 200.320 and noncompetitive procurements. Entities also must comply with 2 CFR Part 1326 that prohibits entities that have been debarred, suspended or voluntarily excluded from participating in Federal procurement. Cause: The Chamber’s Procurement Policy allows for a sole source vendor but requires staff to document sole source procurements prior to initial purchase. It appears staff did not follow its policy. The Policy also contains a requirement to verify or receive vendor certification that they are not debarred, suspended, ineligible or voluntarily excluded from Federal procurements, but this procedure was not followed. Effect: The Department of Commerce may impose additional conditions on the receipt of a subsequent tranche of future award funds, if any, or take other available remedies as set forth in 2 C.F.C. section 200.339. Recommendation: We recommend the Chamber review policies with staff to ensure procurement requirements are followed, and that staff are familiar with federal procurement requirements. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: The Chamber agrees with this finding and is in the process of implementing changes to their procurement process.

Finding 2023-003: Material Weakness – SEFA reporting Federal grantor: All Federal Programs Condition: The SEFA was not complete and contained reporting errors. MBDA Supplemental grants were omitted, and the awards amounts, CDFI numbers for other grants in SEFA were inaccurate. Criteria: Per 2 CFR § 200.510(b), the SEFA must include a complete and accurate accounting of all federal awards expended during the fiscal year, including correct CDFI numbers, program names, and total expenditures. Cause: The issues appear to result from a lack of comprehensive review and reconciliation procedures during SEFA preparation. Effect: Incomplete and inaccurate SEFA reporting leads to noncompliance with Uniform Guidance and increases the risk of omitted federal programs, incorrect major program determination, and errors in reporting to federal oversight agencies. Recommendation: The Chamber needs to strengthen internal control over SEFA preparation by implementing a formal review process, verifying all CDFI numbers, and ensuring all federal awards are accurately included. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: The Chamber agrees with the finding and is in the process of implementing a better review process that will be effective in 2025.

Finding 2023-004: Significant Deficiency – Payroll Allocations Federal grantor: Department of Commerce Condition: The allocation of payroll costs to programs are done manually using spreadsheets instead of done based on entity-wide timesheets. Criteria: Under 2 CFR 200.400, direct costs allocation principle state that if a cost benefits two or more projects or activities in proportions that can be determined without undue effort or cost, the cost must be allocated to the projects based on the proportional benefit. If a cost benefits two or more projects or activities in proportions that cannot be determined because of the interrelationship of the work involved, then the costs may be allocated or transferred to benefitted projects on any reasonable documented basis. Further, a cost may not be assigned to a Federal award as a direct cost if any other cost incurred for the same purpose in like circumstances has been allocated to the Federal awards as an indirect cost. Costs are required to be adequately documented. Cause: The Chamber is not able to readily determine the amount of payroll costs billable to the grants. Effect: The approach of manually allocating payroll costs to grant projects leaves room for error, and makes it difficult to determine that costs are not being reimbursed by more than one source. Recommendation: The Chamber needs to prepare time studies or require employees to prepare timesheets on an automated system to support the payroll costs allocated to programs. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: The Chamber agrees with the finding and is in the process of implementing a better time and expense tracking system that will be effective in 2024.

Finding 2023-005: Significant Deficiency – Documentation Retention Federal grantor: Department of Commerce Condition: The Chamber was unable to provide supporting documentation for one expense sample. Criteria: According to 2 CFR § 200.334, recipients of federal awards must retain financial records, supporting documents, statistical records, and all other non-Federal entity records pertinent to a federal award for a period of three years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report. Cause: The lack of documentation appears to result from inadequate procedures or oversight in retaining and securely storing required financial records related to the federal program. Effect: Failure to retain supporting documentation compromises the Chamber's ability to demonstrate allowability of costs, may result in questioned costs, and exposes the Chamber to risk in audits or federal monitoring reviews. Recommendation: We recommend the Chamber enhance its record retention policies and internal controls to ensure that all documentation supporting federal program expenditures is retained in compliance with 2 CFR § 200.334. Staff responsible for federal grants should receive training on documentation and retention requirements. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: The Chamber agrees with the findings and will improve its record retention practices to ensure all supporting documentation is properly maintained in compliance with federal requirements.