Audit 395258

Finding Reference: 2025-002 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Homeland Security Pass-Through Entity: California Governor's Office of Emergency Services Federal Program Title: Disaster Grants - Public Assistance (Presidentially Declared Disasters) Assistance Listing Number: 97.036 Federal Grant Number: FEMA 4482DR-CA-01387 FEMA 4482DR-CA-01680 FEMA 4482DR-CA-02974 FEMA 4482DR-CA-03269 FEMA-4482-DR-CA-PW-00265(2) FEMA-4482-DR-CA-PW06047(3932) FEMA DR-4683 FEMA DR-4699 Category of Finding: Activities Allowed or Unallowed Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Classification of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance Instance of Noncompliance Criteria The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance), 2 CFR §200.403 and §200.430, require that costs charged to federal awards be allowable, reasonable, allocable, and adequately supported. Payroll costs charged to federal programs must be based on accurate payroll records and may not be duplicated or claimed more than once for reimbursement. In addition, management is responsible for establishing and maintaining effective internal control over compliance to ensure federal awards are administered in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and grant provisions. Condition During our audit, we selected a statistically valid sample of 40 payroll transactions and identified 5 duplicate payroll transactions that were included in amounts submitted for reimbursement under the program. Specifically, certain payroll costs were charged more than once to the federal program, resulting in unallowable costs being claimed for reimbursement. These duplicate charges were not identified or corrected by management prior to submission of reimbursement requests. The City subsequently performed a detailed review of the payroll charges included in the reimbursement submissions, identified duplicate payroll charges of $113,551, and reduced the reported expenditure in the Schedule of Expenditure of Federal Awards for the year ended June 30, 2025. Cause The condition was caused by ineffective internal controls over submission of reimbursement requests, including inadequate review procedures to ensure payroll costs were not duplicated prior to submission, lack of reconciliation between payroll records and reimbursement requests, and insufficient supervisory review over payroll charges included in the reimbursement requests. Identification of Repeat Finding This is not a repeat finding in the immediate prior audit period. Effect As a result of these control deficiencies, unallowable payroll costs were claimed for federal reimbursement. This noncompliance could result in the City being required to repay the federal awarding agency and increase the risk of additional unallowable costs being claimed in future periods if not corrected. Questioned Costs Known questioned costs totaling $113,551 were identified related to duplicate payroll charges included in the reimbursement submission for grant number FEMA-4482-DR-CA-PW06047(3932). Recommendations We recommend that the City strengthen internal controls over payroll cost allocation and reimbursement processes to ensure payroll costs are not duplicated; implement reconciliations between payroll records and reimbursement requests prior to submission; and provide additional training to personnel responsible for grant accounting on federal cost allowability requirements. View of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Action See separately prepared Corrective Action Plan.