CAP for Finding: 2022-302 DATE: March 27, 2023 TO: Carolyn Stittleburg, Deputy State Auditor for Financial Audit Legislative Audit Bureau FROM: Barry Kasten, Director Bureau of Fiscal Services Department of Health Services SUBJECT: Corrective Action Plan ? Multiple Grants ? Reporting in the Schedule...
CAP for Finding: 2022-302 DATE: March 27, 2023 TO: Carolyn Stittleburg, Deputy State Auditor for Financial Audit Legislative Audit Bureau FROM: Barry Kasten, Director Bureau of Fiscal Services Department of Health Services SUBJECT: Corrective Action Plan ? Multiple Grants ? Reporting in the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards Department staff has reviewed the Legislative Audit Bureau?s (LAB) interim audit memo for Finding 2022-302: Multiple Grants - Reporting in the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards. This is the department?s Corrective Action Plan. ? Recommendation (2022-302): Multiple Grants ? Reporting in the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards We recommend the Wisconsin Department of Health Services further evaluate federal grant expenditures reported in the STAR General Ledger as it prepares its schedule of expenditures of federal awards and ensure it is: ? adjusting expenditures for prior-year transfers of expenditures in the current year. Wisconsin Department of Health Services Planned Corrective Action: DHS adjusted the expenditures for prior-year transfers of expenditures as recommended by LAB though DHS believes that there is no clearly defined direct authoritative guidance provided by OMB mandating a uniform method for reporting a transfer of prior year grant expenditures. Because of this, DHS believes it is prudent to seek confirmation of this treatment from the federal government going forward. LAB, in describing the effect, indicates that ?the State under-reported expenditures for the ELC grant by $55.9 million.? These expenditures were previously reported in prior fiscal years. Upon approval of the State?s FEMA project workbook, and in accordance with the compliance supplement, these previously reported expenditures were reported in FY 2021-22 under the Disaster Grants?Public Assistance (Presidentially Declared Disasters) (Assistance Listing number 97.036) grant. Without a matching reduction in expenditures to the ELC grant by $55.9 million, DHS is concerned that the lifetime expenditures on the SEFA schedule for these grant programs are going to reflect more expenditures than federal funding received. Additionally, because there is not direct authoritative guidance currently provided by OMB mandating a uniform method for reporting a transfer of prior year grant expenditures, DHS will work with DOA to seek clarification from the Federal Government on the proper treatment and reporting of transfers of prior year expenditures on the SEFA. Anticipated Completion Date: November 1, 2023 We recommend the Wisconsin Department of Health Services further evaluate federal grant expenditures reported in the STAR General Ledger as it prepares its schedule of expenditures of federal awards and ensure it is: ? properly identifying applicable COVID-19 expenditures; ? reporting all federal expenditures for each federal grant program, regardless of whether the agency has received reimbursement from the pass-through entity; and ? removing repayments of prior-year overpayments of expenditures from current-year expenditures. Wisconsin Department of Health Services Planned Corrective Action: DHS will ensure that it reviews the instructions that are received from DOA and present the proper amounts in the SEFA. This will include a review of adjustments made to grants open in prior state fiscal years and verification that they have not already been reported on the SEFA in a prior year, such as the WIC adjustment identified. Anticipated Completion Date: November 1, 2023 Person responsible for corrective action: Barry Kasten, Director Bureau of Fiscal Services, Division of Enterprise Services barry.kasten@dhs.wisconsin.gov