Audit 55078

FY End
2022-06-30
Total Expended
$2.77M
Findings
6
Programs
12
Year: 2022 Accepted: 2023-04-13

Organization Exclusion Status:

Checking exclusion status...

Findings

ID Ref Severity Repeat Requirement
59387 2022-002 Material Weakness - N
59388 2022-002 Material Weakness - N
59389 2022-002 Material Weakness - N
635829 2022-002 Material Weakness - N
635830 2022-002 Material Weakness - N
635831 2022-002 Material Weakness - N

Contacts

Name Title Type
TW1LTL3G9NE9 Kerry Borger Auditee
9374373333 Scott Bowser Auditor
No contacts on file

Notes to SEFA

Title: Note A - Basis of Presentation Accounting Policies: Expenditures reported on the Schedule are reported on the cash basis of accounting. Such expenditures are recognized following the cost principles contained in Uniform Guidance wherein certain types of expenditures may or may not be allowable or may be limited as to reimbursement. De Minimis Rate Used: N Rate Explanation: The District has elected not to use the 10-percent de minimis indirect cost rate as allowed under the Uniform Guidance. The accompanying Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (the Schedule) includes the federal award activity of National Trail Local School District (the District) under programs of the federal government for the year ended June 30, 2022. The information on this Schedule is prepared in accordance with the requirements of Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations 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 the District, it is not intended to and does not present the financial position, changes in net position, or cash flows of the District.
Title: Note D - Child Nutrition Cluster Accounting Policies: Expenditures reported on the Schedule are reported on the cash basis of accounting. Such expenditures are recognized following the cost principles contained in Uniform Guidance wherein certain types of expenditures may or may not be allowable or may be limited as to reimbursement. De Minimis Rate Used: N Rate Explanation: The District has elected not to use the 10-percent de minimis indirect cost rate as allowed under the Uniform Guidance. The District commingles cash receipts from the U.S. Department of Agriculture with similar State grants. When reporting expenditures on this Schedule, the District assumes it expends federal monies first.

Finding Details

2 CFR ? 3474 gives regulatory effect to the Department of Education for Appendix II to 2 CFR ? 200 which states that, in addition to other provisions required by the Federal agency or non-Federal entity, all contracts made by the non-Federal entity under the Federal award must contain provisions covering the following, as applicable: (D) Davis-Bacon Act, as amended (40 U.S.C. 3141-3148). When required by Federal program legislation, all prime construction contracts in excess of $2,000 awarded by non-Federal entities must include a provision for compliance with the Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. 3141-3144, and 3146-3148) as supplemented by Department of Labor regulations (29 CFR Part 5, ?Labor Standards Provisions Applicable to Contracts Covering Federally Financed and Assisted Construction?). In accordance with the statute, contractors must be required to pay wages to laborers and mechanics at a rate not less than the prevailing wages specified in a wage determination made by the Secretary of Labor. In addition, contractors must be required to pay wages not less than once a week. The non-Federal entity must place a copy of the current prevailing wage determination issued by the Department of Labor in each solicitation. The decision to award a contract or subcontract must be conditioned upon the acceptance of the wage determination. The non-Federal entity must report all suspected or reported violations to the Federal awarding agency. The contracts must also include a provision for compliance with the Copeland ?Anti-Kickback? Act (40 U.S.C. 3145), as supplemented by Department of Labor regulations (29 CFR Part 3, ?Contractors and Subcontractors on Public Building or Public Work Financed in Whole or in Part by Loans or Grants from the United States?). The Act provides that each contractor or subrecipient must be prohibited from inducing, by any means, any person employed in the construction, completion, or repair of public work, to give up any part of the compensation to which he or she is otherwise entitled. The non-Federal entity must report all suspected or reported violations to the Federal awarding agency. 29 CFR ? 5.5(a)(3)(ii)(A) states, in part, that a contract in excess of $2,000 which is entered into for the actual construction, alteration and/or repair of a public building or public work, or building or work financed in whole or in part from Federal funds or in accordance with guarantees of a Federal agency or financed from funds obtained by pledge of any contract of a Federal agency to make a loan, grant or annual contribution shall require a clause that the contractor shall submit weekly for each week in which any contract work is performed a copy of all payrolls to the appropriate agency if the agency is a party to the contract, but if the agency is not such a party, the contractor will submit the payrolls to the applicant, sponsor, or owner, as the case may be, for transmission to the agency. 29 CFR ? 5.6 further states, in part, Agencies which do not directly enter into such contracts shall promulgate the necessary regulations or procedures to require the recipient of the Federal assistance to insert in its contracts the provisions of ? 5.5. No payment, advance, grant, loan, or guarantee of funds shall be approved by the Federal agency unless the agency ensures that the clauses required by ? 5.5 and the appropriate wage determination of the Secretary of Labor are contained in such contracts. Sound accounting practices require public officials to design and operate a system of internal control that is adequate to provide reasonable assurance over the reliability of federal information provided for federal reimbursement. In December 2021, the District entered into a contract with Prograde Excavation for a patio project for $149,097. Education Stabilization Funds were utilized for the project cost. As a result of a lack of proper internal controls, the required clauses concerning prevailing wage rate and the requirement that the contractor shall submit weekly for each week in which any contract work is performed a copy of all payrolls to the District were not included in the contract. As a result, while the contractor maintained weekly certified payrolls, these were not sent to the District weekly for each week during which contract work was performed during fiscal year 2022. Rather, certified payrolls were sent to the District when they were requested during the audit. Likewise, work was performed during fiscal year 2022 for a contract with Energy Optimizers for an HVAC project awarded during fiscal year 2021. Education Stabilization Funds ($778,580) were utilized for part of the project cost. The contractor maintained weekly certified payrolls; however, the certified payrolls were not sent to the District until requested during the audit. Without proper controls over wage rate requirements, there is an increased risk that the District and its contractors and subcontractors are not in compliance with applicable federal regulations. Additionally, noncompliance could result in federal funding being reduced or taken away, or other sanctions imposed by the federal grantor agency. The District should establish (or perform existing) controls to include the required clauses of 29 CFR 5.5, particularly those concerning prevailing wage rate and the requirement that the contractor shall submit weekly for each week in which any contract work is performed a copy of all payrolls to (or for transmission to, where applicable) the District, in its construction contracts (and subcontracts, where applicable) greater than $2,000 that are covered by the wage rate requirements and take steps to ensure contractors (and subcontractors, if applicable) are in compliance with all labor standards by collecting the required certified payroll documentation in a timely manner. The District should obtain the necessary information from the contractor to document compliance with the program requirements and report all suspected or reported violations to the Federal awarding agency.
2 CFR ? 3474 gives regulatory effect to the Department of Education for Appendix II to 2 CFR ? 200 which states that, in addition to other provisions required by the Federal agency or non-Federal entity, all contracts made by the non-Federal entity under the Federal award must contain provisions covering the following, as applicable: (D) Davis-Bacon Act, as amended (40 U.S.C. 3141-3148). When required by Federal program legislation, all prime construction contracts in excess of $2,000 awarded by non-Federal entities must include a provision for compliance with the Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. 3141-3144, and 3146-3148) as supplemented by Department of Labor regulations (29 CFR Part 5, ?Labor Standards Provisions Applicable to Contracts Covering Federally Financed and Assisted Construction?). In accordance with the statute, contractors must be required to pay wages to laborers and mechanics at a rate not less than the prevailing wages specified in a wage determination made by the Secretary of Labor. In addition, contractors must be required to pay wages not less than once a week. The non-Federal entity must place a copy of the current prevailing wage determination issued by the Department of Labor in each solicitation. The decision to award a contract or subcontract must be conditioned upon the acceptance of the wage determination. The non-Federal entity must report all suspected or reported violations to the Federal awarding agency. The contracts must also include a provision for compliance with the Copeland ?Anti-Kickback? Act (40 U.S.C. 3145), as supplemented by Department of Labor regulations (29 CFR Part 3, ?Contractors and Subcontractors on Public Building or Public Work Financed in Whole or in Part by Loans or Grants from the United States?). The Act provides that each contractor or subrecipient must be prohibited from inducing, by any means, any person employed in the construction, completion, or repair of public work, to give up any part of the compensation to which he or she is otherwise entitled. The non-Federal entity must report all suspected or reported violations to the Federal awarding agency. 29 CFR ? 5.5(a)(3)(ii)(A) states, in part, that a contract in excess of $2,000 which is entered into for the actual construction, alteration and/or repair of a public building or public work, or building or work financed in whole or in part from Federal funds or in accordance with guarantees of a Federal agency or financed from funds obtained by pledge of any contract of a Federal agency to make a loan, grant or annual contribution shall require a clause that the contractor shall submit weekly for each week in which any contract work is performed a copy of all payrolls to the appropriate agency if the agency is a party to the contract, but if the agency is not such a party, the contractor will submit the payrolls to the applicant, sponsor, or owner, as the case may be, for transmission to the agency. 29 CFR ? 5.6 further states, in part, Agencies which do not directly enter into such contracts shall promulgate the necessary regulations or procedures to require the recipient of the Federal assistance to insert in its contracts the provisions of ? 5.5. No payment, advance, grant, loan, or guarantee of funds shall be approved by the Federal agency unless the agency ensures that the clauses required by ? 5.5 and the appropriate wage determination of the Secretary of Labor are contained in such contracts. Sound accounting practices require public officials to design and operate a system of internal control that is adequate to provide reasonable assurance over the reliability of federal information provided for federal reimbursement. In December 2021, the District entered into a contract with Prograde Excavation for a patio project for $149,097. Education Stabilization Funds were utilized for the project cost. As a result of a lack of proper internal controls, the required clauses concerning prevailing wage rate and the requirement that the contractor shall submit weekly for each week in which any contract work is performed a copy of all payrolls to the District were not included in the contract. As a result, while the contractor maintained weekly certified payrolls, these were not sent to the District weekly for each week during which contract work was performed during fiscal year 2022. Rather, certified payrolls were sent to the District when they were requested during the audit. Likewise, work was performed during fiscal year 2022 for a contract with Energy Optimizers for an HVAC project awarded during fiscal year 2021. Education Stabilization Funds ($778,580) were utilized for part of the project cost. The contractor maintained weekly certified payrolls; however, the certified payrolls were not sent to the District until requested during the audit. Without proper controls over wage rate requirements, there is an increased risk that the District and its contractors and subcontractors are not in compliance with applicable federal regulations. Additionally, noncompliance could result in federal funding being reduced or taken away, or other sanctions imposed by the federal grantor agency. The District should establish (or perform existing) controls to include the required clauses of 29 CFR 5.5, particularly those concerning prevailing wage rate and the requirement that the contractor shall submit weekly for each week in which any contract work is performed a copy of all payrolls to (or for transmission to, where applicable) the District, in its construction contracts (and subcontracts, where applicable) greater than $2,000 that are covered by the wage rate requirements and take steps to ensure contractors (and subcontractors, if applicable) are in compliance with all labor standards by collecting the required certified payroll documentation in a timely manner. The District should obtain the necessary information from the contractor to document compliance with the program requirements and report all suspected or reported violations to the Federal awarding agency.
2 CFR ? 3474 gives regulatory effect to the Department of Education for Appendix II to 2 CFR ? 200 which states that, in addition to other provisions required by the Federal agency or non-Federal entity, all contracts made by the non-Federal entity under the Federal award must contain provisions covering the following, as applicable: (D) Davis-Bacon Act, as amended (40 U.S.C. 3141-3148). When required by Federal program legislation, all prime construction contracts in excess of $2,000 awarded by non-Federal entities must include a provision for compliance with the Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. 3141-3144, and 3146-3148) as supplemented by Department of Labor regulations (29 CFR Part 5, ?Labor Standards Provisions Applicable to Contracts Covering Federally Financed and Assisted Construction?). In accordance with the statute, contractors must be required to pay wages to laborers and mechanics at a rate not less than the prevailing wages specified in a wage determination made by the Secretary of Labor. In addition, contractors must be required to pay wages not less than once a week. The non-Federal entity must place a copy of the current prevailing wage determination issued by the Department of Labor in each solicitation. The decision to award a contract or subcontract must be conditioned upon the acceptance of the wage determination. The non-Federal entity must report all suspected or reported violations to the Federal awarding agency. The contracts must also include a provision for compliance with the Copeland ?Anti-Kickback? Act (40 U.S.C. 3145), as supplemented by Department of Labor regulations (29 CFR Part 3, ?Contractors and Subcontractors on Public Building or Public Work Financed in Whole or in Part by Loans or Grants from the United States?). The Act provides that each contractor or subrecipient must be prohibited from inducing, by any means, any person employed in the construction, completion, or repair of public work, to give up any part of the compensation to which he or she is otherwise entitled. The non-Federal entity must report all suspected or reported violations to the Federal awarding agency. 29 CFR ? 5.5(a)(3)(ii)(A) states, in part, that a contract in excess of $2,000 which is entered into for the actual construction, alteration and/or repair of a public building or public work, or building or work financed in whole or in part from Federal funds or in accordance with guarantees of a Federal agency or financed from funds obtained by pledge of any contract of a Federal agency to make a loan, grant or annual contribution shall require a clause that the contractor shall submit weekly for each week in which any contract work is performed a copy of all payrolls to the appropriate agency if the agency is a party to the contract, but if the agency is not such a party, the contractor will submit the payrolls to the applicant, sponsor, or owner, as the case may be, for transmission to the agency. 29 CFR ? 5.6 further states, in part, Agencies which do not directly enter into such contracts shall promulgate the necessary regulations or procedures to require the recipient of the Federal assistance to insert in its contracts the provisions of ? 5.5. No payment, advance, grant, loan, or guarantee of funds shall be approved by the Federal agency unless the agency ensures that the clauses required by ? 5.5 and the appropriate wage determination of the Secretary of Labor are contained in such contracts. Sound accounting practices require public officials to design and operate a system of internal control that is adequate to provide reasonable assurance over the reliability of federal information provided for federal reimbursement. In December 2021, the District entered into a contract with Prograde Excavation for a patio project for $149,097. Education Stabilization Funds were utilized for the project cost. As a result of a lack of proper internal controls, the required clauses concerning prevailing wage rate and the requirement that the contractor shall submit weekly for each week in which any contract work is performed a copy of all payrolls to the District were not included in the contract. As a result, while the contractor maintained weekly certified payrolls, these were not sent to the District weekly for each week during which contract work was performed during fiscal year 2022. Rather, certified payrolls were sent to the District when they were requested during the audit. Likewise, work was performed during fiscal year 2022 for a contract with Energy Optimizers for an HVAC project awarded during fiscal year 2021. Education Stabilization Funds ($778,580) were utilized for part of the project cost. The contractor maintained weekly certified payrolls; however, the certified payrolls were not sent to the District until requested during the audit. Without proper controls over wage rate requirements, there is an increased risk that the District and its contractors and subcontractors are not in compliance with applicable federal regulations. Additionally, noncompliance could result in federal funding being reduced or taken away, or other sanctions imposed by the federal grantor agency. The District should establish (or perform existing) controls to include the required clauses of 29 CFR 5.5, particularly those concerning prevailing wage rate and the requirement that the contractor shall submit weekly for each week in which any contract work is performed a copy of all payrolls to (or for transmission to, where applicable) the District, in its construction contracts (and subcontracts, where applicable) greater than $2,000 that are covered by the wage rate requirements and take steps to ensure contractors (and subcontractors, if applicable) are in compliance with all labor standards by collecting the required certified payroll documentation in a timely manner. The District should obtain the necessary information from the contractor to document compliance with the program requirements and report all suspected or reported violations to the Federal awarding agency.
2 CFR ? 3474 gives regulatory effect to the Department of Education for Appendix II to 2 CFR ? 200 which states that, in addition to other provisions required by the Federal agency or non-Federal entity, all contracts made by the non-Federal entity under the Federal award must contain provisions covering the following, as applicable: (D) Davis-Bacon Act, as amended (40 U.S.C. 3141-3148). When required by Federal program legislation, all prime construction contracts in excess of $2,000 awarded by non-Federal entities must include a provision for compliance with the Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. 3141-3144, and 3146-3148) as supplemented by Department of Labor regulations (29 CFR Part 5, ?Labor Standards Provisions Applicable to Contracts Covering Federally Financed and Assisted Construction?). In accordance with the statute, contractors must be required to pay wages to laborers and mechanics at a rate not less than the prevailing wages specified in a wage determination made by the Secretary of Labor. In addition, contractors must be required to pay wages not less than once a week. The non-Federal entity must place a copy of the current prevailing wage determination issued by the Department of Labor in each solicitation. The decision to award a contract or subcontract must be conditioned upon the acceptance of the wage determination. The non-Federal entity must report all suspected or reported violations to the Federal awarding agency. The contracts must also include a provision for compliance with the Copeland ?Anti-Kickback? Act (40 U.S.C. 3145), as supplemented by Department of Labor regulations (29 CFR Part 3, ?Contractors and Subcontractors on Public Building or Public Work Financed in Whole or in Part by Loans or Grants from the United States?). The Act provides that each contractor or subrecipient must be prohibited from inducing, by any means, any person employed in the construction, completion, or repair of public work, to give up any part of the compensation to which he or she is otherwise entitled. The non-Federal entity must report all suspected or reported violations to the Federal awarding agency. 29 CFR ? 5.5(a)(3)(ii)(A) states, in part, that a contract in excess of $2,000 which is entered into for the actual construction, alteration and/or repair of a public building or public work, or building or work financed in whole or in part from Federal funds or in accordance with guarantees of a Federal agency or financed from funds obtained by pledge of any contract of a Federal agency to make a loan, grant or annual contribution shall require a clause that the contractor shall submit weekly for each week in which any contract work is performed a copy of all payrolls to the appropriate agency if the agency is a party to the contract, but if the agency is not such a party, the contractor will submit the payrolls to the applicant, sponsor, or owner, as the case may be, for transmission to the agency. 29 CFR ? 5.6 further states, in part, Agencies which do not directly enter into such contracts shall promulgate the necessary regulations or procedures to require the recipient of the Federal assistance to insert in its contracts the provisions of ? 5.5. No payment, advance, grant, loan, or guarantee of funds shall be approved by the Federal agency unless the agency ensures that the clauses required by ? 5.5 and the appropriate wage determination of the Secretary of Labor are contained in such contracts. Sound accounting practices require public officials to design and operate a system of internal control that is adequate to provide reasonable assurance over the reliability of federal information provided for federal reimbursement. In December 2021, the District entered into a contract with Prograde Excavation for a patio project for $149,097. Education Stabilization Funds were utilized for the project cost. As a result of a lack of proper internal controls, the required clauses concerning prevailing wage rate and the requirement that the contractor shall submit weekly for each week in which any contract work is performed a copy of all payrolls to the District were not included in the contract. As a result, while the contractor maintained weekly certified payrolls, these were not sent to the District weekly for each week during which contract work was performed during fiscal year 2022. Rather, certified payrolls were sent to the District when they were requested during the audit. Likewise, work was performed during fiscal year 2022 for a contract with Energy Optimizers for an HVAC project awarded during fiscal year 2021. Education Stabilization Funds ($778,580) were utilized for part of the project cost. The contractor maintained weekly certified payrolls; however, the certified payrolls were not sent to the District until requested during the audit. Without proper controls over wage rate requirements, there is an increased risk that the District and its contractors and subcontractors are not in compliance with applicable federal regulations. Additionally, noncompliance could result in federal funding being reduced or taken away, or other sanctions imposed by the federal grantor agency. The District should establish (or perform existing) controls to include the required clauses of 29 CFR 5.5, particularly those concerning prevailing wage rate and the requirement that the contractor shall submit weekly for each week in which any contract work is performed a copy of all payrolls to (or for transmission to, where applicable) the District, in its construction contracts (and subcontracts, where applicable) greater than $2,000 that are covered by the wage rate requirements and take steps to ensure contractors (and subcontractors, if applicable) are in compliance with all labor standards by collecting the required certified payroll documentation in a timely manner. The District should obtain the necessary information from the contractor to document compliance with the program requirements and report all suspected or reported violations to the Federal awarding agency.
2 CFR ? 3474 gives regulatory effect to the Department of Education for Appendix II to 2 CFR ? 200 which states that, in addition to other provisions required by the Federal agency or non-Federal entity, all contracts made by the non-Federal entity under the Federal award must contain provisions covering the following, as applicable: (D) Davis-Bacon Act, as amended (40 U.S.C. 3141-3148). When required by Federal program legislation, all prime construction contracts in excess of $2,000 awarded by non-Federal entities must include a provision for compliance with the Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. 3141-3144, and 3146-3148) as supplemented by Department of Labor regulations (29 CFR Part 5, ?Labor Standards Provisions Applicable to Contracts Covering Federally Financed and Assisted Construction?). In accordance with the statute, contractors must be required to pay wages to laborers and mechanics at a rate not less than the prevailing wages specified in a wage determination made by the Secretary of Labor. In addition, contractors must be required to pay wages not less than once a week. The non-Federal entity must place a copy of the current prevailing wage determination issued by the Department of Labor in each solicitation. The decision to award a contract or subcontract must be conditioned upon the acceptance of the wage determination. The non-Federal entity must report all suspected or reported violations to the Federal awarding agency. The contracts must also include a provision for compliance with the Copeland ?Anti-Kickback? Act (40 U.S.C. 3145), as supplemented by Department of Labor regulations (29 CFR Part 3, ?Contractors and Subcontractors on Public Building or Public Work Financed in Whole or in Part by Loans or Grants from the United States?). The Act provides that each contractor or subrecipient must be prohibited from inducing, by any means, any person employed in the construction, completion, or repair of public work, to give up any part of the compensation to which he or she is otherwise entitled. The non-Federal entity must report all suspected or reported violations to the Federal awarding agency. 29 CFR ? 5.5(a)(3)(ii)(A) states, in part, that a contract in excess of $2,000 which is entered into for the actual construction, alteration and/or repair of a public building or public work, or building or work financed in whole or in part from Federal funds or in accordance with guarantees of a Federal agency or financed from funds obtained by pledge of any contract of a Federal agency to make a loan, grant or annual contribution shall require a clause that the contractor shall submit weekly for each week in which any contract work is performed a copy of all payrolls to the appropriate agency if the agency is a party to the contract, but if the agency is not such a party, the contractor will submit the payrolls to the applicant, sponsor, or owner, as the case may be, for transmission to the agency. 29 CFR ? 5.6 further states, in part, Agencies which do not directly enter into such contracts shall promulgate the necessary regulations or procedures to require the recipient of the Federal assistance to insert in its contracts the provisions of ? 5.5. No payment, advance, grant, loan, or guarantee of funds shall be approved by the Federal agency unless the agency ensures that the clauses required by ? 5.5 and the appropriate wage determination of the Secretary of Labor are contained in such contracts. Sound accounting practices require public officials to design and operate a system of internal control that is adequate to provide reasonable assurance over the reliability of federal information provided for federal reimbursement. In December 2021, the District entered into a contract with Prograde Excavation for a patio project for $149,097. Education Stabilization Funds were utilized for the project cost. As a result of a lack of proper internal controls, the required clauses concerning prevailing wage rate and the requirement that the contractor shall submit weekly for each week in which any contract work is performed a copy of all payrolls to the District were not included in the contract. As a result, while the contractor maintained weekly certified payrolls, these were not sent to the District weekly for each week during which contract work was performed during fiscal year 2022. Rather, certified payrolls were sent to the District when they were requested during the audit. Likewise, work was performed during fiscal year 2022 for a contract with Energy Optimizers for an HVAC project awarded during fiscal year 2021. Education Stabilization Funds ($778,580) were utilized for part of the project cost. The contractor maintained weekly certified payrolls; however, the certified payrolls were not sent to the District until requested during the audit. Without proper controls over wage rate requirements, there is an increased risk that the District and its contractors and subcontractors are not in compliance with applicable federal regulations. Additionally, noncompliance could result in federal funding being reduced or taken away, or other sanctions imposed by the federal grantor agency. The District should establish (or perform existing) controls to include the required clauses of 29 CFR 5.5, particularly those concerning prevailing wage rate and the requirement that the contractor shall submit weekly for each week in which any contract work is performed a copy of all payrolls to (or for transmission to, where applicable) the District, in its construction contracts (and subcontracts, where applicable) greater than $2,000 that are covered by the wage rate requirements and take steps to ensure contractors (and subcontractors, if applicable) are in compliance with all labor standards by collecting the required certified payroll documentation in a timely manner. The District should obtain the necessary information from the contractor to document compliance with the program requirements and report all suspected or reported violations to the Federal awarding agency.
2 CFR ? 3474 gives regulatory effect to the Department of Education for Appendix II to 2 CFR ? 200 which states that, in addition to other provisions required by the Federal agency or non-Federal entity, all contracts made by the non-Federal entity under the Federal award must contain provisions covering the following, as applicable: (D) Davis-Bacon Act, as amended (40 U.S.C. 3141-3148). When required by Federal program legislation, all prime construction contracts in excess of $2,000 awarded by non-Federal entities must include a provision for compliance with the Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. 3141-3144, and 3146-3148) as supplemented by Department of Labor regulations (29 CFR Part 5, ?Labor Standards Provisions Applicable to Contracts Covering Federally Financed and Assisted Construction?). In accordance with the statute, contractors must be required to pay wages to laborers and mechanics at a rate not less than the prevailing wages specified in a wage determination made by the Secretary of Labor. In addition, contractors must be required to pay wages not less than once a week. The non-Federal entity must place a copy of the current prevailing wage determination issued by the Department of Labor in each solicitation. The decision to award a contract or subcontract must be conditioned upon the acceptance of the wage determination. The non-Federal entity must report all suspected or reported violations to the Federal awarding agency. The contracts must also include a provision for compliance with the Copeland ?Anti-Kickback? Act (40 U.S.C. 3145), as supplemented by Department of Labor regulations (29 CFR Part 3, ?Contractors and Subcontractors on Public Building or Public Work Financed in Whole or in Part by Loans or Grants from the United States?). The Act provides that each contractor or subrecipient must be prohibited from inducing, by any means, any person employed in the construction, completion, or repair of public work, to give up any part of the compensation to which he or she is otherwise entitled. The non-Federal entity must report all suspected or reported violations to the Federal awarding agency. 29 CFR ? 5.5(a)(3)(ii)(A) states, in part, that a contract in excess of $2,000 which is entered into for the actual construction, alteration and/or repair of a public building or public work, or building or work financed in whole or in part from Federal funds or in accordance with guarantees of a Federal agency or financed from funds obtained by pledge of any contract of a Federal agency to make a loan, grant or annual contribution shall require a clause that the contractor shall submit weekly for each week in which any contract work is performed a copy of all payrolls to the appropriate agency if the agency is a party to the contract, but if the agency is not such a party, the contractor will submit the payrolls to the applicant, sponsor, or owner, as the case may be, for transmission to the agency. 29 CFR ? 5.6 further states, in part, Agencies which do not directly enter into such contracts shall promulgate the necessary regulations or procedures to require the recipient of the Federal assistance to insert in its contracts the provisions of ? 5.5. No payment, advance, grant, loan, or guarantee of funds shall be approved by the Federal agency unless the agency ensures that the clauses required by ? 5.5 and the appropriate wage determination of the Secretary of Labor are contained in such contracts. Sound accounting practices require public officials to design and operate a system of internal control that is adequate to provide reasonable assurance over the reliability of federal information provided for federal reimbursement. In December 2021, the District entered into a contract with Prograde Excavation for a patio project for $149,097. Education Stabilization Funds were utilized for the project cost. As a result of a lack of proper internal controls, the required clauses concerning prevailing wage rate and the requirement that the contractor shall submit weekly for each week in which any contract work is performed a copy of all payrolls to the District were not included in the contract. As a result, while the contractor maintained weekly certified payrolls, these were not sent to the District weekly for each week during which contract work was performed during fiscal year 2022. Rather, certified payrolls were sent to the District when they were requested during the audit. Likewise, work was performed during fiscal year 2022 for a contract with Energy Optimizers for an HVAC project awarded during fiscal year 2021. Education Stabilization Funds ($778,580) were utilized for part of the project cost. The contractor maintained weekly certified payrolls; however, the certified payrolls were not sent to the District until requested during the audit. Without proper controls over wage rate requirements, there is an increased risk that the District and its contractors and subcontractors are not in compliance with applicable federal regulations. Additionally, noncompliance could result in federal funding being reduced or taken away, or other sanctions imposed by the federal grantor agency. The District should establish (or perform existing) controls to include the required clauses of 29 CFR 5.5, particularly those concerning prevailing wage rate and the requirement that the contractor shall submit weekly for each week in which any contract work is performed a copy of all payrolls to (or for transmission to, where applicable) the District, in its construction contracts (and subcontracts, where applicable) greater than $2,000 that are covered by the wage rate requirements and take steps to ensure contractors (and subcontractors, if applicable) are in compliance with all labor standards by collecting the required certified payroll documentation in a timely manner. The District should obtain the necessary information from the contractor to document compliance with the program requirements and report all suspected or reported violations to the Federal awarding agency.