Corrective Action Plans

FINDING 2025-003 Finding Subject: Special Education Cluster (IDEA) - Procurement Contact Person Responsible for Corrective Action: Meghan Damron Contact Phone Number and Email Address: 219-650-5300, mdamron@mvsc.k12.in.us Views of Responsible Officials: We concur with the finding. We have taken the audit finding, conclusions and recommendations and created a corrective action plan to correct our procurement for the future. Description of Corrective Action Plan: Although Merrillville Community School Corporation left Northwest Indiana Special Education Cooperative (NISEC) as of July 1, 2024 we continue to use our procurement process following our school board policies. NISEC has reported that for the 2023-2024 school year the corrective action plan was initiated by the below process. As a member of the Northwest Indiana Special Education Cooperative (NISEC), the School Corporation usually expends contracted services out of our general education fund. For the fiscal year of 2023-2024 we included our contracted speech services into our federal grant funds. During the audit the School Corporation was notified that we didn’t following the procurement procedures when expending out of the federal grant. This finding was due to the School Corporation not going out and receiving multiple bids for contracted companies that provide services to our students. The School Corporation uses three contracted companies to provide Speech Pathologist and Speech Language Assistants. We have used these three companies for many years and have built great working relationships with these providers. After receiving the finding and discussing with the auditor we created a memo that we took to our board. In the memo we explain why we use the three contracted vendors instead of going out for bids. Finding Speech pathologist and Assistant are very difficult in the school setting and we have created great working relationships with these three contracted companies. Within the memo we list all of the contracted vendors we use and why we work directly with them instead of going out for bids. At the beginning of each school year we will take a new memo with any contracted companies that we will be using during the school year. Dexter Suggs, Ph.D. Superintendent of Schools "Once a Pirate, Always a Pirate" BOARD OF SCHOOL TRUSTEES Judy C. Dunlap James Donohue DeLena N. Thomas Alex Dunlap III Robert J. Krause President Vice-President Secretary Member Member INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 31 MERRILLVILLE COMMUNITY SCHOOL CORPORATION 6701 Delaware Street, Merrillville, IN 46410 (219) 650-5300 FAX (219) 650-5320 www.mvsc.k12.in.us Anticipated Completion Date: The Northwest Indiana Special Education Cooperative created the memo as soon as we received the finding and took the memo to the board. We have procedures in place now that any vendor that will exceed the simplified acquisition threshold, we will obtain bids or create a memo if bids are not an option. We took the memo to our October 9,2024 board. This was completed fully as of July 1, 2024. Dexter Suggs, Ph.D. Superintendent of Schools "Once a Pirate, Always a Pirate"

The organization will revise and reinforce its procurement policies to ensure compliance with 2 CFR 200.318–200.320. Staff involved in procurement will receive training in federal procurement standards, including competitive bidding and documentation requirements. Internal controls will be strengthened to ensure consistent application of procedures and oversight. Anticipated Completion Date: 5/31/2026. Responsible Contact Person: Anthony Daniels-Halisi, CEO.

The organization will revise and reinforce its procurement policies to ensure compliance with 2 CFR 200.318–200.320. Staff involved in procurement will receive training in federal procurement standards, including competitive bidding and documentation requirements. Internal controls will be strengthened to ensure consistent application of procedures and oversight. Anticipated Completion Date: January 31, 2026. Responsible Contact Person: Alfred D. Ivy, Director of Business Affairs & Operations.

FINDING 2025-002 Finding Subject: Child Nutrition Cluster – Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Contact Person(s) Responsible for Corrective Action: Mendy Shrout & Billy Boyette Contact Phone Number and Email Address(es): (765) 795-4664 / mshrout@cloverdale.k12.in.us & bboyette@cloverdale.k12.in.us Views of Responsible Officials: We concur with the finding. Description of Corrective Action Plan: Procurement We will be updating the Policy 6325 for Micro purchases from $10,000.00 to $50,000.00. We are in policy review now. Suspension and Debarment All new vendors entered into the system are checked by the Corporation Treasurer through the Office of Inspector General search, printed and kept on file in the Corporation office. Further, all vendors used by the Food Service department have been updated to be current. Anticipated Completion Date: March 1, 2026

FINDING 2025-002 Finding Subject: Teacher and School Leader Incentive Grants – Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Contact Person Responsible for Corrective Action: Chris Gearlds, Assistant Superintendent Contact Phone Number and Email Address: (317) 856-5265; cgearlds@decaturproud.org Views of Responsible Official: We concur with Audit Finding Description of Corrective Action Plan: The Teacher and School Leader Incentive Grant was completed during the audit period and the school district does not plan on receiving this award in the future. Therefore, further corrective action is not required and district officials will utilize this information to ensure compliance in other federal awards. Anticipated Completion Date: February 1, 2026

Condition: The Village did not have written policies for cash management or procurement that adhered to the requirements of the Code of Federal Regulations. Planned Corrective Action: The Village is currently reviewing existing policies to determine the best course of action and updating them for compliance. Some updates may require voter approval as certain provisions are in the Village Charter. Contact person responsible for corrective action: Penny Ray Anticipated Completion Date: 12/31/2026

Criteria or Specific Requirement: Nonfederal entities other than states, including those operating federal programs as subrecipients of states, must follow the procurement standards set out at 2 CFR sections 200.318 through 200.326. They must use their own documented procurement procedures, which reflect applicable state and local laws and regulations, provided that the procurements conform to applicable federal statutes and the procurement requirements identified in 2 CFR Part 200. Views from Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding. Management has established written policies and procedures for procurement. Management confirmed policies and procedures were followed and monitored during the construction of the project. Written policies and procedures were completed after year-end. Contact Person: John Jacques Date of Completion: November 14, 2025

Special Education Cluster (IDEA) – Assistance Listing No. 84.027/84.173/ Recommendation: We recommend the district add internal controls over monitoring vendor purchases throughout the fiscal year and comparing them to procurement policies to ensure proper procedures are followed in accordance with 2 CFR 200.319. Explanation of disagreement with audit finding: There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Action taken in response to finding: The District will continue to review its internal controls and modify policies and procedures, as necessary. Additional training will be attended by staff to rectify this matters for future years. Name(s) of the contact person(s) responsible for corrective action: Julie A. Stone, Director of Business Services Planned completion date for corrective action plan: The District plans to have the finding corrected by the reporting period ending June 30, 2026.

FINDING 2025-001 Finding Subject: Child Nutrition Cluster - Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Summary of Finding: Procurement: For two vendors, the School Corporation did not obtain price or rate quotes as required. The School Corporation did not maintain documentation to support the rationale and justification to limit competition, and there was no documentation of the history of the Procurement which would include the rationale for the method of procurement, the selection of the vendor, and the basis for price. Suspension and Debarment: Two vendors were identified for which the School Corporation was required to verify the suspension and debarment status, however no such verification could be provided for audit. Contact Person Responsible for Corrective Action: Food Service Director, Joshua Deck Contact Phone Number and Email Address: (812) 649-2591 / josh.deck@sspencer.k12.in.us Views of Responsible Officials: We concur with the finding. Description of Corrective Action Plan: Procurement: The Food Service Director will maintain a binder/Google Drive folder with documentation of price and/or rate quotes and documentation of the attempts made from at least three vendors that fall within the small purchase threshold. If price and/or rate quotes cannot be obtained from at least three vendors, documentation of the reasoning will be maintained. Suspension and Debarment: The Food Service Director will ensure that all vendors are not suspended or debarred by either ensuring the suspension and debarment verbiage is included in the contracts, providing a clause to the vendor to sign that they are not suspended or debarred, or checking the SAM.gov website. Documentation of these records will be maintained for audit. Anticipated Completion Date: Effective FY 2025/2026

FINDING 2025-001 Finding Subject: Special Education Cluster (IDEA) - Procurement Contact Person Responsible for Corrective Action: Samantha Berrier Contact Phone Number and Email Address: 219-962-2909, sberrier@rfcsc.k12.in.us Views of Responsible Officials: We concur with the finding. Description of Corrective Action Plan: The offices of the Northwest Indiana Special Education Cooperative (NISEC), on behalf of River Forest Community School Corporation, its member school, has implemented a corrective action plan to ensure that the proper methodology for procurement is followed. Additionally, a system of internal controls has been established to ensure that vendors are procured using the required methods. The Northwest Indiana Special Education Cooperative created a corrective action plan to develop procedures to obtain bids when any vendor will exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. As part of this corrective action plan they have included procedures to follow if a noncompetitive procurement would be applicable. These procedures include documenting the rationale for using this alternative method and requesting approval from the Board of School Trustees when doing so. Anticipated Completion Date: October 9th, 2024

Condition: The University supported full and open competition when testing Research and Development procurement contracts but did not support rationale for utilizing the selected contractor for 12 of the 23 samples tested. The University supported full and open competition when testing Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds procurement contracts but did not support rationale for utilizing the selected contractor for 5 of the 5 samples tested. Planned Corrective Action: Management will reinforce its existing procurement procedures to ensure that competitive selections are not only conducted appropriately but also consistently documented. Management will implement a standardized documentation protocol that captures the rationale, evaluation criteria, and selection process for each procurement decision. The Procurement Policy will be revised, training will be provided to relevant staff, and periodic reviews will be conducted to ensure compliance. Contact person responsible for corrective action: Luba Kagan Anticipated Completion Date: June 30, 2026

FINDING 2025-002 Finding Subject: Child Nutrition Cluster-Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Contact Person Responsible for Corrective Action: Missy Schultheis Contact Phone Number and Email Address: 812-354-8478 mschultheis@pcsc.k12.in.us Views of Responsible Officials: We concur with the finding. Description of Corrective Action Plan: The School Corporation will review and update the existing procurement policy to ensure it clearly outlines the procedures for different purchasing methods including the specific thresholds. We will establish a procedure requiring the retention of all documentation supporting procurement decisions. We will develop a process to verify that vendors/contractors are not suspended or debarred by any federal or state agency prior to entering into a "covered transaction" or contract. Anticipated Completion Date: This be implemented in the 2025-2026 school year and will continue for future years.

The District Cafeteria Manager, Melanie Pardini, corrected this procedure for fiscal year 2025-26 and has the process in place going forward for each fiscal year.

We agree with auditor's comments, and the following actions have or will be taken to ensure the procurement of goods and services for the nutrition services department follows all applicable steps according to Title 2, Code of Federal Regulations (2 CFR) sections 200.317 -200.327; Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR), parts 210 and 220; and all applicable state and local rules: 1. During the school year 2024/2025, changes were made to staff to allow for additional oversight. A Procurement Specialist reporting directly to the Director of Purchasing was added to staff in lieu of a Buyer that had previously reported to the Director of Nutrition Services. This move allowed for an additional step to ensure proper procurement is happening. 2. All purchasing methods, including Micropurchase, Simplified Acquisition, and Formal, will be followed in accordance with all applicable regulations, in line with RUSD's written procurement procedures. 3. Any noncompetitive procurement will only occur if the conditions outlined in applicable regulations are met and sufficient evidence and documentation is received and retained, including participating in performing due diligence to ascertain whether a single source document is accurate from any given vendor. 4. In addition documented annual training will take place for all staff involved in the procurement process. This procedure includes a review and annual update of procurement procedures, if applicable, and an acknowledgement of the nutrition services code of conduct in regards to purchasing. Please reach out to us with any questions.

Finding 2025-001: Procurement Finding: The College's procurement policy does not reflect all applicable state and local laws and federal regulations. For two out of three (67%) small purchase procurements, there was not sufficient evidence to support that documentation of the noncompetitive procurement method selected was provided at the time of purchase. Cause: The College does not have a procurement policy that follows the procurement standards set out at 2 CFR sections 200.318 through 200.327. Corrective Actions Taken or Planned: The Business Office will review all applicable state and local laws and federal regulations and enhance the College’s procurement policy. As part of the review and enhancement, the policy on the website will be updated, and additional training will be held with PI’s currently with grants and those receiving grants in the future. A more robust procurement process will be implemented which will involve multiple departments. By October 31, 2025, the Business Office will communicate with all current PI’s an interim policy including the need for competitive bids, vendor screening, and more detailed descriptions. Contact Person Responsible: Doug MacKay, Controller Lake Forest College Completion Date: January 31, 2026

FINDING: 2025-005 Name of contact person: Lynn Gierke, Township Supervisor, 906-523-4000 Description of Finding: In accordance with 2 CFR Section 200.319(d), non-federal entities must have their own written policies for procurement transactions. The policy should incorporate all requirements within 2 CFR section 200.318 through 200.326 of the Uniform Guidance. Corrective Action Plan: We will create a procurement policy that meets all the requirements of 2 CFR section 200.318 through 200. Proposed Completion Date: March 31, 2026

Finding 2024-005 – Inadequate Procurement Documentation (Material Weakness) Name of Federal Agency: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Federal Program Name: Nonpoint Source Implementation Grants Assistance Listing Numbers: 66.460 Pass-Through Entity: Oregon Department of Environmental Quality Name of Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Commerce – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Federal Program Name: Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Program Assistance Listing Numbers: 11.438, 15.015, 15.244 Pass-Through Entity: State of Oregon – Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) Name of Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture Federal Program Name: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Assistance Listing Numbers: 10.665 Pass-Through Entity: U.S. Forest Service Name of Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture Federal Program Name: Natural Resources Conservation Service Assistance Listing Numbers: 10.905 Pass-Through Entity: U.S. Forest Service Name of Federal Agency: U.S. Department of the Interior Federal Program Name: Wildlife, Sport Fish and Restoration Program Assistance Listing Numbers: 15.244 Pass-Through Entity: Bureau of Land Management Name of Federal Agency: U.S. Department of the InteriorFederal Program Name: Secure Rural Schools and community Self-Determination – Watershed and water-quality improvements Assistance Listing Numbers: 15.234 Pass-Through Entity: Bureau of Land Management Criteria: Federal procurement standards require non-Federal entities to maintain records sufficient to detail the history of procurement, including the method of procurement, selection of contract type, contractor selection or rejection, and basis for the contract price. Competitive procurement must follow the entity’s written procedures consistent with 2 CFR §§200.317-200.327, including:  Written procedures for procurement (§200.318(a)).  Full and open competition requirements (§200.319).  Methods of procurement (sealed bids, proposal requirements, and required documentation (§200.320).  Contract cost and price justification, (§200.324).  Suspension/debarment verification for covered transactions (§200.214; §200.213). Condition: During the audit period, the Entity did not retain sufficient procurement documentation for several contracts funded under the above Assistance Listings. Specifically, files lacked one or more of the following:  Evidence of the procurement method used.  Price or cost analysis.  Suspension/debarment checks for vendors where required.  Documentation of competition.  Conflict-of-interest attestations. Cause: Partnership for the Umpqua Rivers procurement procedures were not sufficiently detailed or consistently applied to federal purchases. No evidence of procedures or review for procurement or suspension / debarment was provided to auditors. Turnover and limited training on Uniform Guidance procurement standards contributed to the inconsistent file completeness. Effect or Potential Effect: Without complete procurement documentation, the Entity cannot demonstrate compliance with federal procurement requirements, increasing the risk of:  Noncompetitive awards or unreasonable prices.  Unallowable costs for the award requirements.  Potential disallowance or repayment of federal funds.  Findings in federal or pass-through monitoring and future audits. Questioned Cost: Yes, $902,496 related to expenditures that had no procurement support or detail. Context: During our audit, it was found that the Partnership for the Umpqua Rivers had experienced complete staff turnover in Financial Management for the year being audited. No current finance employees had worked for the organization during the year being audited. Award files provided to auditors did not contain information related to procurement, suspension or debarment procedures or processes. Repeat of a Prior-Year Finding: No, Prior- year did not require a Single Audit. Recommendation: We recommend that Partnership for the Umpqua Rivers: Update Written Procurement Procedures o Incorporate Uniform Guidance thresholds and methods (§200.320), competition requirements (§200.319), and documentation expectations (history of procurement). o Embed steps for suspension / debarment checks and Appendix II Contract clauses.  Standardized Procurement Checklist o Pre-award checklist that verifies: method, competition evidence, cost/price analysis, conflict of interest attestations, SAM exclusion check, and required federal clauses. o Post -award checklist ensuring complete contract file (award memo, bid tab / evaluation, signed agreement, clause verification).  Cost/Price Analysis Guidance o Require documented price reasonableness for small purchases, formal cost or price analysis for larger or sole-source awards, per (§200.324).  Training & Accountability o Provide targeted training to procurement and program staff on 2 CFR §§200.317- 20.327 and Assistance Listing award conditions. o Implement supervisory pre-award review and periodic file audits. District Response: Partnership for the Umpqua Rivers acknowledges the deficiencies. Corrective Action Plan: ____________ (To be completed by Partnership for the Umpqua Rivers) Planned Implementation Date: _____________ Responsible Person: Partnership for the Umpqua Rivers Finance Manager

Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners: These procurement issues originated during the prior County Clerk’s administration, but the current leadership is focused on corrective measures. Together, we are: • developing a SOP to ensure vendor checks for suspension and debarment are conducted on all purchases over $25,000, • establishing written standards of conduct to address conflicts of interest and set clear procurement guidelines, • and enhancing oversight and review to ensure all procurement processes are fully compliant with federal regulations. Our goal is to build a consistent, transparent procurement framework that safeguards both compliance and public trust. County Clerk: I was not the County Clerk in Office at this time. To correct this issue, the County plans to develop a SOP to timely and accurately track and report on the SEFA. The SOP will be reviewed, adopted, and monitored by the Board of County Commissioners.

FINDING 2024-010 Finding Subject: Special Education Cluster (IDEA) - Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Contact Person Responsible for Corrective Action: Susie Swango, Director of Special Education Contact Phone Number and Email Address: swangos@nlcs.k12.in.us (812) 277-3220 ext. 16243 Views of Responsible Officials: We concur with the finding. Description of Corrective Action Plan: Procurement - Small Purchases The school corporation will follow all Federal Requirements for small purchase procedures including obtaining price or rate quotations from an adequate number of qualified sources. We will document the procurement method we are using and attach supporting documentation for rate and price quotes by source. Suspension and Debarment Prior to entering into subawards and covered transactions with federal award funds, the school corporation will verify that such contractors and subrecipients are not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded. All purchases $25,000 or greater will involve the following process - (1) checking SAM.gov to see if there are any exclusions, (2) require Vendor supply certification that they have not been suspended or debarred OR clause will be added to agreement or contract signed by Vendor as certification. Anticipated Completion Date: December 1, 2025

Views of Auditee and Corrective Actions: GDOE disagrees with the finding. GDOE does allow for vendors to provide quotes for brand name or equal products. In this case, the substitute product offered was not equal to the product GDOE was soliciting. The end user provided justification that the substitute product did not meet the needs or specifications requested.

Response to finding 2024-002 – Procurement, Suspension, and Debarment Views of Responsible Officials: CSforALL management agrees with the conditions identified by SAX Advisory Group, including the noted causes and resulting effects under 2024-002. Due to the organizational pause at the end of 2024 and the transition period throughout 2025, this finding continued into the 2024 audit period. The Organization operated with significantly reduced staffing and limited capacity, which delayed the development of procurement policies addressing suspension and debarment requirements. Initial governance updates occurred during the 2025 Q4 Board meeting, where the Board approved a revised version of the By-Laws focused on correcting deficiencies in board structure and conflict-of-interest provisions. Procurement procedures recommended in this finding were not included in that initial revision but are scheduled for development and implementation as part of the 2026 rebuilding phase. Corrective Action taken in 2025: While no procurement-specific corrective action has yet been implemented, foundational updates to the By-Laws were approved at the 2025 Q4 Board meeting to address structural governance issues. These updates establish the basis for incorporating required procurement, suspension, and debarment procedures. The Operations Manager and Advisory Consultant have begun drafting updated procurement policies to ensure compliance with federal requirements. Corrective Action Planned for 2026: Draft procurement, suspension, and debarment policies will be completed and presented to the Board as a formal resolution in early 2026. Upon approval, these policies will be incorporated into the By-Laws and will take immediate effect. The Board has also approved the planned hiring of a consultant with Executive Director and strategy experience in 2026 to support policy implementation, training, staff alignment, and ongoing compliance review. These measures will ensure full compliance with procurement requirements throughout the 2026 operating year and beyond.

Views of Responsible Officials (unaudited): The Organization agrees with the finding and recommendation. The Board of Directors of the Organization will develop policies and procedures to ensure they meet the Uniform Guidance Requirements.

The Village will adopt all necessary policies.

Internal Controls over Compliance and Compliance with Procurement Standards Individual Responsible for Corrective Action Plan: Christopher Holleman, Interim CFO Anticipated Completion Date: December 31, 2025 Corrective Action Plan: Management will ensure that the policy be redistributed for retraining purposes underscoring the vital importance of following the policy and federal guidelines related to procurements. In addition, the CFO will take lead to ensure that the procurement policy is appropriately applied, and documentation meets required standards.

Response acknowledges the material audit adjustment to the Organization’s financial statements. This situation is related to internal controls over compliance with suspension and debarment requirement. Management has improved procedures related to the future compliance with suspension and debarment processes for contracts. We also do not anticipate hiring any other contractors in the foreseeable future since our capital campaign building project is not completed.