Audit 400977

Finding 2024-002 Information on the federal program: Federal Agency: Federal Transportation Administration Pass-Through Entity: N/A Federal Program: Federal Transit Cluster Assistance Listing Number: 20.507 Compliance Requirement: Activities Allowed or Unallowed and Allowable Costs – Cost Principles Audit Findings: Material Weakness Criteria: 2 CFR 200.403 establishes principles and standards for determining costs for federal awards carried out through grants, cost reimbursement contracts, and other agreements with state and local governments. To be allowable, under federal awards, cost must meet certain criteria: 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. c) Be consistent with policies and procedures that apply uniformly to both federally financed and other activities of the non-Federal entity. d) Be accorded consistent treatment. 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 award as an indirect cost. e) Be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), except, for state and local governments and Indian tribes only, as otherwise provided for in this part. f) Not be included as a cost or used to meet cost sharing or matching requirements of any other federally financed program in either the current or a prior period. g) Be adequately documented. h) Cost must be incurred during the approved budget period. Additionally, 2 CFR 200.303 indicates that non-Federal Entities receiving Federal awards must establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the nonfederal entity is managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations and terms and conditions of the Federal award. The Corporation should have controls in place to document that salaries and overtime paid with federal funds were allowable. Timecards supporting hours worked should be approved and pay rates reviewed. Condition and Context: A summary of allowable charges for the grant was prepared for submission. Within the sample of 42, we noted that 9 timecards for bus operators did not have documented review. Documented review was implemented in September 2024. All instances of the error were prior to September 2024. We also noted 1 timecard showed 2 hours more than reflected on the pay register, resulting in a net underpayment. Effect: Payroll expenditures could be inaccurately charged as an allowable activity or allowable costs to the federal grant. Cause: Management noted that time is tracked in a spreadsheet and is reviewed but formal documentation of review was not maintained. Questioned Costs: None. Identification as a Repeat Finding, if Applicable: This is a repeat finding. See finding 2023-001 in the prior report. Recommendation: We recommend the Corporation maintain documented approval of all timecards. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Management agrees with the finding and has prepared a corrective action plan.