Audit 401899

Late Single Audit Submission Applicable to all assistance listing numbers (ALN’s) and federal agencies (and passthrough entities) included on the schedules of expenditures of federal awards for fiscal years 2022-2025. Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance – Other Matter Criteria or specific requirement: Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200.512(a) requires that each organization’s audit must be completed and the data collection form and reporting package should be submitted within the earlier of 30 days after receipt of the auditor’s report or nine months after the end of the audit period. Condition: The single audit packages for the City’s fiscal years 2022-2025, were not submitted timely to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse. Questioned costs: None noted. Context: The federal single audit for the current fiscal year was issued significantly earlier than in the prior fiscal year, however it was still submitted after the deadline. Cause: The City and Board of Education are not audit-ready in a timely manner. Effect: This can result in errors reported in the SEFA, SESFA, or basic financial statements or the disallowance of expenditures / future awards by the grantor due to lack of proper reporting. In addition, late filings result in noncompliance with the requirements of the Uniform Guidance and makes the City ineligible for consideration as a low risk auditee under Uniform Guidance, expanding the scope and cost of the single audit. Repeat Finding: Yes (2024-005) Recommendation: We recommend the City and Board of Education develop a more robust audit readiness schedule. Ultimately a comprehensive accounting policies and procedures manual should also be developed. Lastly, the City should consider allocating additional resources/personnel to the City Finance Office to assist with the audit. Views of responsible officials: Management agrees with this finding.

Suspension and Debarment Federal Agency: United States Department of Education Federal Program Name: Special Education Cluster (IDEA) Assistance Listing Number: 84.027 / 84.173 Federal Award Identification Number and Year: HO27A230021 - 2023 (84.027) HO27A240021 - 2024 (84.027) H173A230024 - 2023 (84.173) H173A240024 - 2024 (84.173) Pass-Through Agency: Connecticut State Department of Education Pass-Through Number(s): 12060-SDE64370-20977-2024 12060-SDE64370-20983-2024 12060-SDE64370-20977-2025 12060-SDE64370-20983-2025 Award Period: 7/1/2023-6/30/2025 (2024 Grant) 7/1/2024-6/30/2026 (2025 Grant) Type of Finding: Material Weakness – Other Matter Criteria or specific requirement: 2 CFR Part 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, (Uniform Guidance) requires compliance with provisions of procurement, suspension, and debarment. Non-federal entities are prohibited from contracting with or making subawards under covered transactions to parties that are suspended or debarred. When a non-federal entity enters into a covered transaction with an entity at a lower tier, the nonfederal entity must verify that the entity, as defined in 2 CFR section 180.995 and agency adopting regulations, is not suspended or debarred or otherwise excluded from participating in the transaction. Condition: During our audit, we noted that the Board of Education Finance Office / City Purchasing Department did not have documentation to support that it verified vendors selected for testing against the SAM to ensure that they were not suspended or debarred from federally funded purchases. Questioned costs: None noted. Context: There was no documentation available to show that the proper verification occurred prior to entering into the purchase order or formal agreement for 6 out of 6 selections tested. However, none of the vendors selected for testing were suspended or debarred. Cause: Out of a statistically valid sample of 6 vendors, Board of Education Finance Office / City Purchasing Department could not provide documentation to prove verification that vendors were not suspended or debarred occurred prior to executing the purchase order or formal agreement for all 6 vendors selected. Effect: If procedures to verify that vendors are not suspended or debarred do not occur, the City is at risk for noncompliance as it relates to federal program requirements. Repeat Finding: No Recommendation: We recommend that the Board of Education Finance Office and City Purchasing Department review their suspension and debarment verification processes and related controls to ensure that the verification is occurring, and documentation is properly maintained. Views of responsible officials: Management agrees with this finding.