Audit 410271

FY End
2025-12-31
Total Expended
$3.62M
Findings
4
Programs
1
Year: 2025 Accepted: 2026-09-02

Organization Exclusion Status:

Checking exclusion status...

Findings

ID Ref Severity Repeat Requirement
1228633 2025-001 Material Weakness Yes AB
1228634 2025-001 Material Weakness Yes AB
1228635 2025-002 Material Weakness Yes I
1228636 2025-002 Material Weakness Yes I

Programs

ALN Program Spent Major Findings
21.029 CORONAVIRUS CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND $1.83M Yes 2

Contacts

Name Title Type
ZA6NBH6J62S2 Cheryl Gaither Auditee
6186659964 Ashlee Lent Auditor
No contacts on file

Notes to SEFA

The Wabash Telephone Cooperative, Inc., and Subsidiaries (Wabash or the Cooperative) is a nonprofit trade association established in 1952, registered with the IRS as a 501 (c) (12), dedicated to offering local dial-tone, access to long distance, LD toll, data services, internet, video, and other communications services. Wabash plays a pivotal role in shaping the state's telecommunications landscape. Wabash's mission is to provide telephone service to South Central Illinois. Wabash was awarded a Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund Grant (the Grant) for the purpose of responding to the public health emergency with respect to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) or its negative economic impacts (the Program) from Illinois Department of Commerce providing every American with the modern infrastructure necessary to access critical service, including a high-quality and affordable broadband internet connection.
The accompanying schedule of expenditures of federal awards (the Schedule) includes the federal grant activity of Wabash, under programs of the federal government for the year ended December 31, 2024. The information in this schedule is presented in accordance with the requirements of Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance). Because the schedule presents only a selected portion of the operations of Wabash, it is not intended to, and does not, present the consolidated balance sheets, statements of income, or cash flows of the Cooperative .
The Cooperative receives a portion of its funding from this Program, which is subject to audit. The ultimate determination of amounts received under this Program is generally based upon allowable costs reported to and subject to audit by supporting federal agencies. There is a contingency to refund any amounts received in excess of allowable costs. Management believes that disallowed costs, if any, will be immaterial to the consolidated financial statements.
The Cooperative has evaluated subsequent events through August 10, 2026, the date on which the Schedule was available for issuance.

Finding Details

FINDING 2025-001 – Allowable Cost Principles and Activities Allowed or Unallowed Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance Assistance Listing Number: 21.029 Federal Program Name: COVID-19 - Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund Award Year: 2024 Criteria: Uniform Guidance requires non-Federal entities to establish and maintain effective internal controls over Federal awards, including ensuring transactions are properly recorded, reported, and allowable. Specifically: • 2 CFR §200.302(b)(1) and (b)(2) require financial management systems to provide accurate, current, and complete disclosure of financial results and to identify expenditures by Federal award. • 2 CFR §200.302(b)(6) requires written procedures for determining the allowability of costs. • 2 CFR §200.303 requires entities to establish and maintain effective internal controls over compliance, including appropriate segregation of duties. Condition and context: The Cooperative did not have formalized written policies and procedures governing the coding, review, and reporting of expenditures charged to Federal awards, including payroll costs in effect during 2025. Additionally, adequate segregation of duties is not in place over the review and approval of expenditure coding and financial reporting. Questioned costs: None. Effect: The absence of formal policies, procedures, and proper segregation of duties increases the risk that expenditures are not accurately, completely, or timely recorded and reported by Federal award. This may result in: • Financial reports that do not reflect complete and accurate program expenditures for the reporting period; • Increased risk of noncompliance with Federal reporting requirements; • Potential misstatement or omission of allowable costs; and • Delays in reimbursement or increased risk of questioned costs. Cause: The deficiencies are due to a lack of formalized written policies and procedures over expenditure coding, allowability determinations, and reporting, as well as inadequate segregation of duties in the preparation, review, and approval of grant-related expenditures and reports. Repeat finding: Yes. Recommendation: We recommend the Cooperative develop and implement written policies and procedures to ensure timely, consistent, and correct coding of all grant-related expenditures (payroll and non-payroll). Within these policies and procedures, we recommend establishing review and approval controls, including periodic review of expenditure coding by supervisory or accounting personnel. Implementing these policies and procedures will ensure expenditures are recorded within the appropriate reporting period. We note that due to the timing of the prior audit the Cooperative did not have time to develop and implement policies and procedures for 2025 but subsequently has formalized policies and procedures. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions: While Wabash currently maintains informal procedures for coding and reviewing invoices and payroll records, we recognize the need for a formalized, written policy governing expenditures charged to federal awards. To address identified significant deficiency, Wabash implemented a comprehensive written policy as of June 30, 2026. This policy will formalized the coding, review, and reporting processes for all federal expenditures. Contact Person(s): Cheryl Gaither, Controller Justin Gephart, Chief Operating Officer
FINDING 2025‐002 – Procurement, Suspension and Debarment Material Weakness in Internal Control over Compliance and Instance of Material Noncompliance Assistance Listing Number: 21.029 Federal Program Name: COVID-19 - Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund Award Year: 2024 Criteria: Uniform Guidance requires non-federal entities to establish and adhere to documented procurement procedures and ensure compliance with suspension and debarment requirements. 2 CFR §200.318(a): Requires entities to have and use documented procurement procedures consistent with federal standards. 2 CFR §200.318(i): Requires maintenance of records sufficient to detail the history of procurement. 2 CFR §200.214: Prohibits contracting with parties that are suspended or debarred, requiring verification. Condition and context: The Cooperative has not developed or implemented formal written procurement policies and procedures that comply with Uniform Guidance requirements. Additionally, the Cooperative has not established procedures to ensure compliance with suspension and debarment requirements. As a result, for a sample of two vendors and nine procurement transactions tested, the Cooperative did not document suspension and debarment verification (e.g., SAM.gov) for vendors and contractors procured under the federal award. The absence of documented procedures also indicates that procurement activities are not being performed under a standardized framework aligned with federal requirements. Questioned costs: None. Effect: Due to the lack of formalized procurement processes and controls there is an increased risk of noncompliance with federal procurement standards. Expenditures could be paid to suspended or debarred vendors resulting in disallowed expenditures, and noncompliance with the grant agreement. Cause: Management did not have a sufficient understanding of the procurement-related control requirements necessary to comply with the grant agreement and Uniform Guidance. As a result, procurement processes were not formally established or aligned with federal requirements. Repeat finding: Yes. Recommendation: We recommend the Cooperative develops and implements written procurement policies and procedures in compliance with 2 CFR §200.318–§200.327, including competitive procurement requirements, cost/price analysis, documentation, and record retention. Establish procedures to ensure compliance with suspension and debarment requirements, including performing SAM.gov verification prior to contract award and retaining documentation of verification in procurement files. Lastly, we recommend implementing monitoring controls to ensure procurement documentation and compliance requirements are consistently met. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions: Wabash currently maintains the process of procurement standards and internal controls. While we previously managed contractor selections through established internal practices, we recognize the requirement for a comprehensive written procurement policy that explicitly outlines selection criteria and mandatory debarment verification procedures. To remediate the identified material weakness, Wabash implemented a formal Procurement Policy and Procedure June 30, 2026. Contact Person(s): Jason Griffy, Network Operations Manager Justin Gephart, Chief Operating Officer