Finding 2024- 006 – Indirect Cost Rate Pool, Noncompliance and Significant Deficiency Federal award agency: Federal Transit Administration Program name and ALN: Federal Transit Cluster ALN 20.507 Federal Transit Formula Grants, ALN 20.525 State of Good Repair Grants Federal award identification number: IL-90-X717, IL-90-X726, IL-90-X743, IL-2016-021-01, IL-2017-028-02, IL-2018-024-01, IL-2019-022-02, IL-2021-002-02, IL-2020-050-02, IL-2021-002-01, IL-2020-018-01, IL-2021-050-02, IL-2021-024-01, IL-2022-032-02, IL-2022-005-01, IL-2023-036-02, IL-2023-036-04, IL-2024-025-02, IL-54-0002, IL-54-0003, IL-54-0006, IL-2016-020-01, IL-2017-028-01, IL-2018-024-02, IL-2019-022-01, IL-2020-050-01, IL-2021-050-01, IL-2022-032-01, IL-2022-032-03, IL-2023-036-01, IL-2023-036-03, IL-2024-025-01 Federal award year: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 Criteria: Under 2 CFR 200.441 (Fines, penalties, damages and other settlements), fines and penalties resulting from violations of, or failure to comply with, federal, state, local, or tribal laws and regulations are unallowable costs, unless incurred as a result of compliance with specific provisions of a federal award or with prior written approval of the federal awarding agency. Appendix V to 2 CFR Part 200 provides the required framework for states and local governments to identify, document, and allocate centralized service costs to benefitted Federal programs through a governmentwide cost allocation plan, as referenced by 200.414 for indirect cost recovery. Additionally, 2 CFR 200.403 and 2 CFR 200.414 require that indirect cost rates be based on allowable, allocable, and reasonable costs and that unallowable costs be excluded from indirect cost pools used to allocate costs to federal awards. Condition: During our testing of the underlying activity supporting the auditee’s federally approved indirect cost rate, we identified that the indirect cost rate pool submitted to and approved by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) included a tax penalty related to the late payment of a state/local tax obligation. The tax penalty was not identified and excluded from the indirect cost pool prior to submission for rate approval. The tax penalty was not directly charged to any federal award; however, because it was included in the approved indirect cost rate pool, a portion of the unallowable cost was allocated to federal awards through application of the indirect cost rate during the audit period. Cause: The auditee did not have sufficient review controls over the preparation of the indirect cost rate proposal to ensure that unallowable costs, including tax penalties, were identified and excluded from the indirect cost pool prior to submission and approval by the FTA. Effect or potential effect: As a result, the FTA approved indirect cost rate was calculated using a pool that included unallowable costs, causing a portion of the tax penalty to be indirectly charged to federal awards. Questioned costs: N/A Context: The unallowable tax penalty identified in the indirect cost pool represents $487,000, an amount in relation to the total overhead costs included in the cost allocation plan of approximately $87.9 million. The approved indirect cost allocation plan was used to charge approximately $17 million to the major program during the audit period. Recommendation: We recommend that the auditee: • Revise its indirect cost rate development procedures to ensure unallowable costs are excluded from the indirect cost pool prior to submission; • Strengthen review controls over indirect cost proposals to ensure compliance with 2 CFR Part 200; and • Coordinate with the FTA to determine whether a rate adjustment, rate correction, or reimbursement to federal programs is required for amounts allocated using the affected indirect cost rate. Views of responsible officials: Management acknowledges the finding and agrees that remediation is necessary. Management will implement the recommendations that it has defined within the corrective action plan required by Title 2 CFR 200.511 (c) executed on April 16, 2026.
Finding 2024- 007 – Timecard Approval Controls – Payroll Charge to Federal Grant, Significant Deficiency Federal award agency: US Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration Program name and ALN: Federal Transit Cluster ALN 20.507 Federal Transit Formula Grants, ALN 20.525 State of Good Repair Grants Federal award identification number: IL-2017-028-00, IL-2018-024-00, IL-2019-022-01, IL-2021-050-00, IL-2022-005-01, IL-2022-032-00, IL-2023-036-01, IL-2024-025-00 Federal award year: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024 Criteria: The Uniform Guidance requires non‑Federal entities to establish and maintain effective internal control over Federal awards that provides reasonable assurance that the entity is managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award (2 CFR §200.303). In addition, payroll costs charged to Federal awards must be adequately supported and properly authorized to ensure that only allowable and accurate costs are charged (2 CFR §200.430(i)). Condition: During testing of payroll transactions charged to the Federal program, RSM identified instances in which employee timecards were not supported by evidence of timely supervisory review and approval. Specifically, for certain timecards tested, approval either could not be substantiated, occurred after fiscal year end, or lacked documentation evidencing the date of approval. Cause: Management did not consistently maintain documentation evidencing timely supervisory review and approval of employee timecards charged to Federal grants. Additionally, monitoring controls over the timeliness of timecard approvals were not sufficient to ensure compliance with established payroll control procedures. Effect or potential effect: Without timely supervisory approval of timecards, there is an increased risk that unallowable, inaccurate, or improperly allocated payroll costs could be charged to Federal awards. Questioned costs: None noted. Context: 16 control exceptions out of 60 selections. The sample was not intended to be, and was not, a statistically valid sample. Recommendation: RSM recommends that management strengthen internal controls over payroll charged to Federal grants by ensuring that all employee timecards are reviewed and approved by supervisors in a timely manner and that documentation evidencing the approval date is retained. Management should also implement periodic monitoring to verify compliance with timecard approval requirements. Views of responsible officials: Management acknowledges the finding and agrees that remediation is necessary. Management will implement the recommendations that it has defined within the corrective action plan required by Title 2 CFR 200.511(c) executed on April 16, 2026.
2024-008 –Noncompliance and Significant Deficiency, Data Collection Form Federal award agency: Federal Transit Administration Program name and ALN: Federal Transit Cluster ALN 20.507 Federal Transit Formula Grants, ALN 20.525 State of Good Repair Grants Federal award identification number: IL-90-X717, IL-90-X726, IL-90-X743, IL-2016-021-01, IL-2017-028-02, IL-2018-024-01, IL-2019-022-02, IL-2021-002-02, IL-2020-050-02, IL-2021-002-01, IL-2020-018-01, IL-2021-050-02, IL-2021-024-01, IL-2022-032-02, IL-2022-005-01, IL-2023-036-02, IL-2023-036-04, IL-2024-025-02, IL-54-0002, IL-54-0003, IL-54-0006, IL-2016-020-01, IL-2017-028-01, IL-2018-024-02, IL-2019-022-01, IL-2020-050-01, IL-2021-050-01, IL-2022-032-01, IL-2022-032-03, IL-2023-036-01, IL-2023-036-03, IL-2024-025-01 Federal award year: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 Criteria: 2 CFR 200.512(a)(1) requires that Metra’s annual audit be completed and the annual audit, reporting package and data collection form be submitted to the federal audit clearinghouse with the earlier of 30 days after receipt of the auditor’s reports or 9 months after the end of Metra’s fiscal year (September 30, 2025). Condition: Metra did not submit the 2024 federal reporting package with the Federal Audit Clearinghouse within the required timeline stated in the criteria above. Cause: Ongoing capital asset reviews delayed the issuance of the basic financial statements. Effect or potential effect: Failure to submit the annual audit, reporting package and data collection form to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse in a timely manner will result in Metra not being eligible to be considered a low-risk auditee. This will effect the scope of the Uniform Guidance audit for the next two fiscal years. Questioned costs: None noted. Context: Systemic in nature. Recommendation: We recommend that Metra establish and implement procedures to ensure the timely completion and issuance of its annual audit, including proactive monitoring of reporting deadlines and coordination across departments involved in audit‑related activities. Management should develop contingency plans to address delays in complex audit areas, such as capital asset reviews, to ensure future reporting packages and data collection forms are submitted to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse within the timeframes required by 2 CFR 200.512(a)(1). Views of responsible officials: Management acknowledges the finding and agrees that remediation is necessary. Management will implement the recommendations that it has defined within the corrective action plan required by Title 2 CFR 200.511(c) executed on April 16, 2026.