Corrective Action Plans

RE: Corrective Action Plan Finding 2024-001 The Town awarded four contracts for engineering services for water projects funded by Federal awards without a competitive procurement process. This was due to a mistaken reliance on State procurement exemptions which do not apply to Federal procurements. Going forward, the Town will implement policies to perform competitive procurement procedures on all applicable contracts for goods and services charged to Federal awards. Sincerely, Michael Buckley, Town Accountant

This error occurred during fiscal year 2022, when the architect for an upcoming project was chosen. We are in a very rural area, where architects are not easy to come by. For this project, we had decided to utilize a local firm we had a good track record with. We presented it to our board for approval, and it was approved by them at that time so we originally had thought we could justify with having them as a sole source vendor. At the time, the total amount of the project was unknown, and has even changed significantly since that date. However, come to find out, due to the size of the project it should have been bid out. We have revised our procurement policy since this date and have educated all staff on proper procurement procedures.

Audit Finding Summary: 2024-002 The Organization did not establish or follow sufficient internal controls to ensure compliance with federal procurement requirements, including maintaining the required documentation for procurement activities. Corrective Action Plan: Contact Person Responsible for Corrective Action: Wendi Gephart, Federal Contracts and Grants Compliance Manager wendi@movementstrategy.org | (510) 956-3849 Planned Action: MSC recognizes the need for improved procurement documentation and internal controls. To strengthen compliance with 2 CFR 200.318-326, MSC will take the following actions. Revised Procurement Policies: MSC is updating its procurement policies and procedures to reinforce adherence to federal regulations, ensuring full and open competition in all procurement transactions. Enhanced Documentation and Record-Keeping: A comprehensive process will be established to maintain detailed procurement records, including justification for vendor selection, contract pricing, and competitive bidding results. This will ensure transparency and compliance with federal requirements. Staff Training in Federal Procurement Standards: MSC will provide training to staff on procurement regulations, including conflict-of-interest policies, documentation requirements, and competitive bidding procedures. Periodic Compliance Review: Internal review will be conducted periodically to verify compliance with procurement policies and federal regulations. MSC remains committed to continuous improvement in financial and compliance practices to uphold the integrity of its federally funded programs. Expected Completion Date: June 30, 2025

Failure to Follow Procurement Policy Finding 2023-003 Auditor Description of Condition and Effect: The Authority did not comply with the current procurement policy as procedures were not fully followed and forms required by the Authority’s procurement policy were not completed for the heating ventilation and cooling project, new roof, and electric vehicle charging stations. The following forms required by either 2 CFR 200 and/or the Authority’s own procurement policy were not completed for the current year capital asset purchases: Written Record of Procurement Checklist Form, Method of Procurement Decision Matrix, Advertisement and Solicitation Form, Bid Quotations, Fewer Than 3 Offers Received Evaluation if applicable, Proposal Tabulation, Certification of Compliance with Federal Clauses for the assets less than $25,000, and Responsibility Determination (sam.gov debarred verification). As a result, the Authority is noncompliant with 2 CFR 200 and its own procurement policy. Auditor Recommendation: We direct the Authority review and update its procurement policy and implement procedures to ensure that the Authority is complying with the federal requirements, required forms are being completed, and documentation is being maintained. Corrective Action Plan: The Authority acknowledges the finding and is currently working to correct this. Responsible Official: Contact person is Todd Shurn, Executive Director,275 East Wall Street, P.O. Box 837, Benton Harbor, Michigan 49023. Telephone (269) 927-2268. Due Date: September 30, 2025

Condition: The Town was unable to provide documentation to support a competitive procurement process for one vendor. Corrective Action Planned: A change in Town leadership (Town Administrator) caused the requested documents to be misplaced. In the future the Town will keep all procurement documents together in one central location at Town Hall. Anticipated Completion Date: Completed Contact: Laurie Dell’Olio, Town Accountant

Finding 2024-002 Condition: Three vendors were awarded a contract without a competitive procurement process. Corrective Action Planned: The district will implement controls to ensure that the all federal grants have the higher standard of the federal procurement, which is above the MGL Chapter 30B exemption to special education services, applied to federal grant spending. All efforts for quotes for contracted services will be memorialized in a memo to the Director of Finance and Operations prior to execution of contracts. Anticipated Completion Date: By July 1, 2025 Contact: Ross Mulkerin, Director of Finance and Operations

Federal Award Finding: 2024-002 Material Weakness in Compliance and Internal Control over Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Name and Contact Person: Adrienne Gaines, Executive Director Corrective Action: WISH has evaluated the processes and procedures regarding procurement and suspension and debarment, as well as the processes for maintaining records supporting all procurement activity. Management will appoint an individual to oversee this. Proposed Completion Date: June 30, 2025

2024-002 - LACK OF WRITTEN FISCAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES As of March 27, 2025, scaleLIT has updated its fiscal policies and procedures to reflect all the federal guidelines required by the Uniform Guidance. The scaleLIT Board Treasurer has reviewed and approved the updates.

FINDING 2024-004 Finding Subject: Child Nutrition Cluster – Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Contact Person Responsible for Corrective Action: Kelli Keith Contact Phone Number and Email Address: 812-438-2655, kkeith@risingsun.k12.in.us Views of Responsible Officials: We concur with the finding. Description of Corrective Action Plan: We had never been instructed to do price quotes for items purchased from the HPS Purchasing Co-Op before. In the future, we will obtain price quotes when purchasing from HPS when purchases are above the micro-purchasing threshold. Or we will find a different purchasing avenue and will not use HPS. The cafeteria director is currently discussing this with each of the cafeteria supervisors to decide which avenue they will use to avoid the finding in the future. Going forward, for any vendor expected to equal or exceed $25,000 that is paid from school lunch funds (or any federal funds for that matter), someone at the school corporation will verify those vendors aren’t suspended or debarred. Anticipated Completion Date: 08/01/2025: The next school year.

FINDING 2024-012 Subject: Special Education Cluster (IDEA) - Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Federal Agency: Department of Education Federal Programs: Special Education Grants to States, COVID-19 - Special Education Grants to States, Special Education Preschool Grants, COVID-19 - Special Education Preschool Grants Assistance Listing Numbers: 84.027, 84.027X, 84.173, 84.173X Federal Award Numbers and Years (or Other Identifying Numbers): 22611-027-PN01, 22611-027-ARP, 22619-027- ARP, 23611-027-PN01, 23619-027-PN01 Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of Education Compliance Requirement: Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Audit Findings: Material Weakness, Modified Opinion Contact Person Responsible for Corrective Action: Beth Husband/Alexandria Eckert Contact Phone Number 260-356-8312 Email Address: bhusband@hccsc.k12.in.us/aeckert@hccsc.k12.in.us Views of Responsible Officials: We concur with the finding Description of Corrective Action Plan: All future expenditures triggering procurement and suspension and debarment requirements will include implementing the following procurement policies: Reference Procurement Standards 2 CFR 200.318 Districts may not enter into contracts with entities that have been suspended or debarred from participating in contracts with federal funds. For contracts over $25,000, districts must verify a contractor is not excluded or disqualified. Contractors must be verified in one of three ways: 1. Checking the System for Award Management (SAM) (www.SAM.gov) 2. Collecting a certificate from that contractor. 3. Adding a clause or condition to the covered transaction with that contractor. (Recommended) **Proper verification and documentation must be sent to the LEA for audit purposes. Methods of Procurement Where specific EDGAR/UG thresholds apply, Districts must meet baseline requirements for procurement. If State or local rules have more restrictive thresholds, the most restrictive rule must be followed. Anticipated Completion Date: All expenditures initiated after March 26, 2025

FINDING 2024-005 Finding Subject: SPECIAL EDUCATION CLUSTER (IDEA) – PROCUREMENT AND SUSPENSION AND DEBARMENT Summary of Finding: Subject: Special Education Cluster (IDEA) - Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Federal Agency: Department of Education Federal Programs: Special Education Grants to States; Special Education Preschool Grants Assistance Listings Numbers: 84.027; 84.173 Federal Award Numbers and Years (or Other Identifying Numbers): 22611-042-ARP; 22619-042-ARP Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of Education Compliance Requirement(s): Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Audit Findings: Material Weakness, Modified Opinion Contact Person Responsible for Corrective Action: Dawn Mason, Business Manager, DeKalb Co. Eastern CSD Contact Phone Number and Email Address: 260-868-2125; Andrew McDaniel, Chief Financial and Operations Officer, West Noble School Corporation, 260-894-3191, mcdaniela@westnoble.k12.in.us Views of Responsible Officials: We concur with the findings. Description of Corrective Action Plan: The expenditures referenced in the finding were expended from the American Rescue Plan Special Education grant funds which were fully expended during the audit period. All future expenditures triggering procurement and suspension and debarment requirements will include implementing the following procurement policies. Reference Procurement Standards 2 CFR 200.318 Districts may not enter into contracts with entities that have been suspended or debarred from participating in contracts with federal funds. For contracts over $25,000, districts must verify a contractor is not excluded or disqualified. Contractors must be verified in one of three ways: 1. Checking the System for Award Management (SAM) (www.SAM.gov) 2. Collecting a certificate from that contractor. 3. Adding a clause or condition to the covered transaction with that contractor. (Recommended) **Proper verification and documentation must be sent to the LEA for audit purposes. Methods of Procurement Where specific EDGAR/UG thresholds apply, Districts must meet baseline requirements for procurement. If State or local rules have more restrictive thresholds, the most restrictive rule must be followed. Informal Procurement Procedures 1. Micro-purchase (0-$50,000) Dekalb County Eastern CSD has self-certified micro-purchases for up to $50,000 Micro-purchases may be awarded without soliciting competitive quotes if the district considers the price to be reasonable. Quotes must be attached to the invoice/checks for proper documentation and retained by the LEA. 2. Small Purchase ($50,000 – $150,000) Three quotes are required prior to purchase unless the purchase comes from a “Sole Source” vendor. Small purchases are required to be ordered under a purchase order unless in an emergency. Additional quotes must be presented along with the purchase order prior to being approved by the LEA. Formal Procurement Procedures 1. Sealed Bids (above $150,000) Bids must be solicited from an adequate number of suppliers, providing them with sufficient response time prior to the opening of the bids. Proper advertisement and procedures must be followed per IC 5-22 and corresponding documentation must be presented to the LEA prior to any final approval or purchases being made. 2. Competitive Proposals (above $150,000) The Request for Proposal method is used for procurements in which factors other than cost play a significant role. Per IC 5-22-9, when a purchasing agent makes a written determination that the use of competitive sealed bidding is either not practicable or not advantageous to the governmental body, the purchasing agent may award a contract using this procedure instead of competitive sealed bidding. This provides a formal process for the procurement of goods and/or services for which price is not the sole factor in the selection of a vendor or vendors. Proper advertisement and procedures must be followed per IC 5-22 and corresponding documentation must be presented to the LEA prior to any final approval or purchases being made. Noncompetitive (Sole Source) All sole source procurements require adequate written justification and must be attached to the corresponding purchase order or payment. Anticipated Completion Date: All expenditures initiated after March 12, 2025

Finding 2024-003 Contact Person Responsible for Corrective Action Plan: Brenda Layne, Food Service Director Contact Phone Number: 765-289-7323 We concur with the finding. Corrective Action plan: As of 3/1/25. Cindy will look the company up on Sam.gov. and the Food Service Director will look it over and both of us will initial and keep a copy on file. Anticipated Completion Date: March 2025

FINDING 2024-003 Subject: Special Education Cluster (IDEA) - Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Federal Agency: Department of Education Federal Programs: COVID-19 - Special Education Grants to States, COVID-19 - Special Education Preschool Grants Assistance Listings Numbers: 84.027, 84.173 Federal Award Numbers and Years (or Other Identifying Numbers): 22611-042-ARP, 22619-042-ARP Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of Education Compliance Requirement: Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Audit Findings: Material Weakness, Modified Opinion INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 20 METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT OF STEUBEN COUNTY SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) Condition and Context The School Corporation is a member of the Northeast Indiana Special Education Cooperative (Cooperative). During fiscal years 2022-2023 and 2023-2024, the Cooperative operated the special education program and spent the federal money on behalf of all its members. As the grant agreement was between the Indiana Department of Education and each member school, the School Corporation was responsible for ensuring and providing oversight of the Cooperative. The School Corporation did not have internal controls in place to ensure that the Cooperative complied with the procurement and the suspension and debarment requirements. The Cooperative did not have adequate procedures in place to ensure that the requirements for the simplified acquisition threshold and for small purchases were met for each applicable procured good or service or to ensure that vendors were not suspended or debarred prior to entering into a covered transaction. Procurement When the value of the procurement for property or services exceeds the simplified acquisition threshold (SAT), or a lower threshold established by a nonfederal entity, formal procurement methods are required. The SAT is typically set at $250,000. However, Indiana Code 5-22-8 has a more restrictive threshold. Therefore, the SAT threshold is set at $150,000. Formal procurement methods require adherence to documented procedures and formal methods such as sealed bids or proposals. When the purchase value exceeds the micro-purchase threshold but is less than the simplified acquisition threshold, a small purchase occurs. Small purchases require documented full and open competition or a documented rationale for limited competition. For 2022-2023, the Cooperative had one vendor, with disbursements, totaling $379,313, which exceeded the SAT threshold of $150,000. The Cooperative did not obtain sealed bids or competitive proposals nor was there documentation detailing the history of the procurement, which must include the reason for the procurement method used. For 2022-2023, the Cooperative had one vendor with disbursements in the amount of $55,374, which were less than the SAT threshold of $150,000, but exceeded the $50,000 micropurchase threshold and was selected for testing. The Cooperative did not obtain price or rate quotes nor was there documentation detailing the history of the procurement, which must include the reason for the procurement method used. For 2023-2024, three vendors with disbursements, totaling $175,125, were identified as being less than the simplified acquisition threshold of $150,000, but exceeding the $50,000 micropurchase threshold and were selected for testing. The Cooperative did not obtain price or rate quotes for two of the three vendors and there was no documentation detailing the history of the procurement, which must include the reason for the procurement method used. Suspension and Debarment Prior to entering into subawards and covered transactions with federal award funds, recipients are required to verify that such contractors and subrecipients are not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded. "Covered transactions" include, but are not limited to contracts, for goods and services awarded under a nonprocurement transaction (i.e., grant agreement) that are expected to equal or exceed $25,000. The verification is to be done by checking the SAM exclusions, collecting a certification from that vendor, or adding a clause or condition to the covered transaction with that vendor. INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 21 METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT OF STEUBEN COUNTY SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) Upon inquiry of the Cooperative in order to review the procedures in place for verifying that a vendor with which it plans to enter into a covered transaction is not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded, the Cooperative disclosed there were not any documented internal controls or procedures. Nine covered transactions were identified. The covered transactions, totaling $803,836, were selected for testing. The Cooperative did not verify the suspension and debarment status of the tested vendors prior to payment. The lack of internal controls and noncompliance were systemic throughout the audit period. Criteria 2 CFR 200.303 states in part: "The non-Federal entity must: (a) Establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-Federal entity is managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in 'Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government' issued by the Comptroller General of the United States or the 'Internal Control Integrated Framework', issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). . . ." 2 CFR 200.320 states in part: "The non-Federal entity must have and use documented procurement procedures, consistent with the standards of this section and §§ 200.317, 200.318, and 200.319 for any of the following methods of procurement used for the acquisition of property or services required under a Federal award or sub-award. (a) Informal procurement methods. When the value of the procurement for property or services under a Federal award does not exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (SAT), as defined in § 200.1, or a lower threshold established by a non-Federal entity, formal procurement methods are not required. The non-Federal entity may use informal procurement methods to expedite the completion of its transactions and minimize the associated administrative burden and cost. The informal methods used for procurement of property or services at or below the SAT include: . . . (2) Small purchases– (i) Small purchase procedures. The acquisition of property or services, the aggregate dollar amount of which is higher than the micro-purchase threshold but does not exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. If small purchase procedures are used, price or rate quotations must be obtained from an adequate number of qualified sources as determined appropriate by the non-Federal entity. . . . INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 22 METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT OF STEUBEN COUNTY SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) (b) Formal Procurement Methods. When the value of the procurement for property or services under a Federal financial assistance award exceeds the SAT, or a lower threshold established by a non-Federal entity, formal procurement methods are required. Formal procurement methods require following documented procedures. Formal procurement methods also require public advertising unless a non-competitive procurement can be used in accordance with § 200.319 or paragraph (c) of this section. The following formal methods of procurement are used for procurement of property or services above the simplified acquisition threshold or a value below the simplified acquisition threshold the non-Federal entity determines to be appropriate: . . . (1) Sealed bids. A procurement method in which bids are publicly solicited and a firm fixed-price contract (lump sum or unit price) is awarded to the responsible bidder whose bid, conforming with all the material terms and conditions of the invitation for bids, is the lowest in price. The sealed bids method is the preferred method for procuring construction, if the conditions. . . . (2) Proposals. A procurement method in which either a fixed price or cost-reimbursement type contract is awarded. Proposals are generally used when conditions are not appropriate for the use of sealed bids. . . ." 2 CFR 180.300 states: "When you enter into a covered transaction with another person at the next lower tier, you must verify that the person with whom you intend to do business is not excluded or disqualified. You do this by: (a) Checking the SAM Exclusions; or (b) Collecting a certification from that person; or (c) Adding a clause or condition to the covered transaction with that person." Cause The Cooperative noted that the ARP portion of the Special Education grant was new for 2022-2023 and 2023-2024. The ARP funding gave opportunity for types of expenditures that do not typically get expensed using special education funding. The transactions noted within the Condition and Context were from the ARP portion of the grant, which provided property or services that exceeded the micro-purchase threshold. Management of the Cooperative was unaware of the procurement requirements when property or services exceed the micro-purchase threshold. In addition, management of the Cooperative was unaware of the suspension and debarment requirements when a covered transaction is expected to equal or exceed $25,000. Effect Without the proper implementation of an effectively designed system of internal controls, including policies and procedures that provide segregation of duties and additional oversight as needed, the internal control system cannot be capable of effectively preventing, or detecting and correcting, material noncompliance. Without following the required methods for procurement, the Cooperative could be overpaying for services. Unverified vendors to whom payments equal to or in excess of $25,000 could be suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded. INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 23 METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT OF STEUBEN COUNTY SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) Noncompliance with the provisions of federal statutes, regulations, and terms and conditions of the federal award could result in the reduction of future federal funding to the Cooperative. Questioned Costs There were no questioned costs identified. Recommendation We recommended that the Cooperative's management design and implement a system of internal controls related to procurement and suspension and debarment procedures to ensure procurement requirements are met and to ensure entities are neither suspended nor debarred or otherwise excluded or disqualified prior to entering into any covered transactions. Views of Responsible Officials For the views of responsible officials, refer to the Corrective Action Plan that is part of this report.

Finding No. 2024-002: Procurement – Material Weakness in Internal Control Over Compliance Contact for Corrective Action: Jayson Tischler, Chief Operating Officer The Organization needed to sole source its architectural firm because it was mission-critical on a compressed timeline with the New Markets Tax Credit financing process. The Organization’s construction owner’s representative firm, D3 Development, LLC, undertook a market review that confirmed fair and reasonable pricing and service for the selected architectural services. The Organization then subsequently received a federal grant after the construction project began, which allowed the Organization to reimburse for architectural expenses. The Organization was able to reimburse through budget approval from HUD for those retroactive expenses, where competitive bidding had not been a requirement for the organization for any existing federal grants or awards. To ensure future compliance with federal procurement requirements, the Organization will revise its procurement policy to require a competitive bidding process, and proper documentation and record keeping of such, for all vendors eligible for reimbursement under federal programs. Additionally, the Organization will include suspension and debarment confirmation through the System for Award Management (SAM) in its procurement policy for all contractors. The Organization believes that these steps outlined above address this corrective action. Expected Completion Date: April 2025

To: Laura Sitrin, Director of Finance, Town of Falmouth From: Paul Dart, Director of Finance & Operations Date: March 31, 2025 RE: IDEA 240 Grant Expenditures The following outlines the findings, resolution and ongoing corrective actions for the IDEA FY24 Grant and FY25 Grant. Findings: Federal Award Findings and Questioned Costs 2024-001 U.S. Department of Education Passed-through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Special Education Cluster (IDEA) – ALN 84.027 & 84.173 COVID-19 – Special Education Cluster (IDEA) – ALN 84.027X Resolution: The following corrective actions have been taken to immediately address this finding and ensure compliance with federal procurement regulations going forward: ● Journal entries have been submitted to the Town Accountant in order to move all FY24 expenses originally charged to the FY24 240 IDEA grant to either the School Choice Contracted Services account or Circuit Breaker Contracted Services account, as appropriate. ● A grant amendment is in process to reallocate funds in the FY24 240 grant originally intended for these specialized vendors to out of district tuition instead, ensuring compliance with procurement requirements. ● In addition to the above corrective actions related to the FY24 grant spending, any expenses for goods and services incurred in FY25 that did not meet federal procurement requirements have been corrected for FY24 grants that remain open. ● Grant amendments and journal entries for the FY25 240 grant and FY25 262 grant are in process for the current fiscal year to maintain compliance. These actions resolve the issue in the current fiscal year for all grants that are currently open. To strengthen internal controls and prevent recurrence, the Business Office is updating the District procurement policies and procedures to ensure the most restrictive procurement provision is followed for all purchases made with federal funds. All procurement and grant management staff have met to review training on the federal procurement process including thresholds, methods, documentation/justification for non-competitive procurements, and the differences between state and federal regulations. The district is committed to ensuring continued compliance through ongoing staff training, monitoring and policy updates. For further information or questions regarding this corrective action plan, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Finding No. 2024-003: Procurement – Material Weakness in Internal Control Over Compliance Contact for Corrective Action: Matt Bergheiser, President The procurement policy for the organization will be updated to include a search of the suspension and debarment list as a first step towards compliance. UCD will implement and adhere to a strict protocol for verifying suspension and debarment status and conduct an open and competitive bidding process prior to awarding any contracts or subawards under federal programs as is outlined in our procurement policy document. All of the results of the process will be documented and submitted to the Finance department prior to the selection of a new vendor, in order to remain in compliance. Expected Completion Date: 3/31/2025

The Service Center will be sure to follow the federal procurement requirements pursuant to Policy 6325 and verify that appropriate controls and compliance with federal requirements are maintained with documentation supporting the procurement types.

Information on the federal program: Subject: Special Education Cluster (IDEA) – Procurement Federal Agency: Department of Education Federal Program: Special Education Grants to States, Special Education Preschool Grants Assistance Listing Number: 84.027 Federal Award Numbers and Years (or Other Identifying Numbers): H027A220084, H027A230084 Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of Education Compliance Requirement: Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Audit Finding: Significant Deficiency Condition: An effective internal control system was not in place at the School Corporation in order to ensure compliance with requirements related to the grant agreement and the Procurement and Suspension and Debarment compliance requirement. Federal regulations allow for informal procurement methods when the value of the procurement for property or services does not exceed the simplified acquisition threshold, which is set at $250,000. However, Indiana Code 5-22-8 has a more restrictive threshold of $150,000 or less for when small purchase procedures may be used. This informal process allows for methods other than the formal bid process. The informal process is divided between two methods based on thresholds. Micro purchases, typically for those purchases $10,000 or under, and small purchase procedures for those purchases above the micro purchase threshold, but below the simplified acquisition threshold. Micro purchases may be awarded without soliciting competitive price rate quotations. If small purchase procedures are used, then price or rate quotations must be obtained from an adequate number of qualified sources. Context: The School Corporation did not obtain price or rate quotes for one out of four vendors tested that were less than the simplified acquisition threshold of $150,000 but exceeded the $10,000 micro-purchase threshold. Documentation of vendor contract, bids or the School Corporation's process and rationale for the chosen vendor was not available for audit. Further, the School Corporation could not provide evidence that a suspension and debarment check had been performed on the vendor prior to entering into contract. Corrective Action Plan: The Special Education Director will obtain pricing quotes from the appropriate amount of qualified sources, when cumulative costs are projected to exceed the micro purchase threshold. The Special Education Director will document and communicate the results of this process with the Business Manager and Superintendent. Person responsible for implementation and projected implementation date: The Special Education Director, the Business Manager, and the Superintendent will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the corrective action plan, which will go into effect immediately.

Condition: The Town was unable to provide documentation to support a competitive procurement process for one vendor. Corrective Action Planned: A change in Town leadership (Town Administrator) caused the requested documents to be misplaced. In the future the Town will keep all procurement documents together in one central location at Town Hall. Anticipated Completion Date: Completed Contact: Laurie Dell’Olio, Town Accountant

Finding 2024-003 – Procurement and Suspension and Debarment (Significant Deficiency and Noncompliance) Planned Corrective Action: The University’s College of Agriculture, Environment, and Nutrition Sciences (CAENS) did not follow the three-quote procurement process. The two invoices, one dated November 2023 and one dated June 30, 2024, were cited for this exception. The University implemented internal controls enhancement by requiring the Office of Grants and Contracts to review and approve CAENS documents, including procurement, before they are submitted for processing in the University financial system, effective November 8, 2024. The University also established a new Procurement policy in Fiscal Year 2025, which includes an increase in quote limits and a preferred vendors list. Anticipated Date of Completion: Corrective action was implemented for CAENS on November 8, 2024. The new Procurement Policy will be effective for the fiscal year 2025. Person Responsible for Corrective Action: Assistant Vice President for Budgets and Procurement, and the Senior Associate Vice President for Business Affairs/Interim CFO

FINDING 2024-001 Finding Subject: Special Education Cluster (IDEA) – Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Summary of Finding: Federal Agency: Department of Education Federal Programs: COVID-19 - Special Education Grants to States; COVID-19 - Special Education Preschool Grants Assistance Listings Numbers: 84.027; 84.173 Federal Award Numbers and Years (or Other Identifying Numbers): 22611-042-ARP; 22619-042-ARP Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of Education Compliance Requirement(s): Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Audit Findings: Material Weakness, Modified Opinion Contact Person Responsible for Corrective Action: Dawn Mason, Business Manager, DeKalb Co. Eastern CSD Contact Phone Number and Email Address: 260-868-2125; dmason@dkeschools.com Views of Responsible Officials: We concur with the findings. Description of Corrective Action Plan: The expenditures referenced in the finding were expended from the American Rescue Plan Special Education grant funds which were fully expended during the audit period. All future expenditures triggering procurement and suspension and debarment requirements will include implementing the following procurement policies. Reference Procurement Standards 2 CFR 200.318 Districts may not enter into contracts with entities that have been suspended or debarred from participating in contracts with federal funds. For contracts over $25,000, districts must verify a contractor is not excluded or disqualified. Contractors must be verified in one of three ways: 1. Checking the System for Award Management (SAM) (www.SAM.gov) 2. Collecting a certificate from that contractor. 3. Adding a clause or condition to the covered transaction with that contractor. (Recommended) **Proper verification and documentation must be sent to the LEA for audit purposes. Methods of Procurement Where specific EDGAR/UG thresholds apply, Districts must meet baseline requirements for procurement. If State or local rules have more restrictive thresholds, the most restrictive rule must be followed. E INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 25 Informal Procurement Procedures 1. Micro-purchase (0-$50,000) Dekalb County Eastern CSD has self-certified micro-purchases for up to $50,000 Micro-purchases may be awarded without soliciting competitive quotes if the district considers the price to be reasonable. Quotes must be attached to the invoice/checks for proper documentation and retained by the LEA. 2. Small Purchase ($50,000 – $150,000) Three quotes are required prior to purchase unless the purchase comes from a “Sole Source” vendor. Small purchases are required to be ordered under a purchase order unless in an emergency. Additional quotes must be presented along with the purchase order prior to being approved by the LEA. Formal Procurement Procedures 1. Sealed Bids (above $150,000) Bids must be solicited from an adequate number of suppliers, providing them with sufficient response time prior to the opening of the bids. Proper advertisement and procedures must be followed per IC 5-22 and corresponding documentation must be presented to the LEA prior to any final approval or purchases being made. 2. Competitive Proposals (above $150,000) The Request for Proposal method is used for procurements in which factors other than cost play a significant role. Per IC 5-22-9, when a purchasing agent makes a written determination that the use of competitive sealed bidding is either not practicable or not advantageous to the governmental body, the purchasing agent may award a contract using this procedure instead of competitive sealed bidding. This provides a formal process for the procurement of goods and/or services for which price is not the sole factor in the selection of a vendor or vendors. Proper advertisement and procedures must be followed per IC 5-22 and corresponding documentation must be presented to the LEA prior to any final approval or purchases being made. Noncompetitive (Sole Source) All sole source procurements require adequate written justification and must be attached to the corresponding purchase order or payment. Anticipated Completion Date: All expenditures initiated after March 12, 2025

FINDING 2024-003 Finding Subject: Special Education Cluster (IDEA) – Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Contact Person Responsible for Corrective Action: Bethany Cmar Contact Phone Number and Email Address: 765-641-2126 (Bcmar@acsc.net) Views of Responsible Officials: We concur with the finding. Description of Corrective Action Plan: When it comes to procurements thresholds, ACS will prepare a policy to follow the necessary federal guidelines. For small purchases, three quotes or bids will be obtained to ensure compliance with the procurement guidelines. For all vendors expected to exceed over $25,000 in expenditures will be kept in a binder by the Special Ed Director to ensure that they are not suspended or debarred from federal awards. The CFO will then review and approve the documentation supporting this via signature. Anticipated Completion Date: June 30, 2025

FINDING 2024-007 (Section III-Federal Award Findings and Questioned Costs) Finding Subject: Special Education Cluster (IDEA) - Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Contact Person Responsible for Corrective Action: Dawn Mason, Business Manager, DeKalb Co. Eastern CSD Contact Phone Number and Email Address: 260-868-2125; dmason@dkeschools.com Views of Responsible Officials: We concur with the findings. Description of Corrective Action Plan: The expenditures referenced in the finding were expended from the American Rescue Plan Special Education grant funds which were fully expended during the audit period. All future expenditures triggering procurement and suspension and debarment requirements will include implementing the following procurement policies. Reference Procurement Standards 2 CFR 200.318 Districts may not enter into contracts with entities that have been suspended or debarred from participating in contracts with federal funds. For contracts over $25,000, districts must verify a contractor is not excluded or disqualified. Contractors must be verified in one of three ways: 1. Checking the System for Award Management (SAM) (www.SAM.gov) 2. Collecting a certificate from that contractor. 3. Adding a clause or condition to the covered transaction with that contractor. (Recommended) **Proper verification and documentation must be sent to the LEA for audit purposes. Methods of Procurement Where specific EDGAR/UG thresholds apply, Districts must meet baseline requirements for procurement. If State or local rules have more restrictive thresholds, the most restrictive rule must be followed. Informal Procurement Procedures 1. Micro-purchase (0-$50,000) Dekalb County Eastern CSD has self-certified micro-purchases for up to $50,000 Micro-purchases may be awarded without soliciting competitive quotes if the district considers the price to be reasonable. Quotes must be attached to the invoice/checks for proper documentation and retained by the LEA. 2. Small Purchase ($50,000 – $150,000) Three quotes are required prior to purchase unless the purchase comes from a “Sole Source” vendor. Small purchases are required to be ordered under a purchase order unless in an emergency. Additional quotes must be presented along with the purchase order prior to being approved by the LEA. Per Uniform Guidance: 2 CFR § 200.511(a) – “The auditee is responsible for follow-up and corrective action on all audit findings. . .The auditee must also prepare a corrective action plan for current year audit findings. . . The corrective action plan and summary schedule of prior audit findings must include findings relating to the financial statements which are required to be reported in accordance with GAGAS. ” 2 CFR § 200.511(c) – “At the completion of the audit, the auditee must prepare, in a document separate from the auditor's findings described in § 200.516, a corrective action plan to address each audit finding included in the current year auditor's reports. The corrective action plan must provide the name(s) of the contact person(s) responsible for corrective action, the corrective action planned, and the anticipated completion date. If the auditee does not agree with the audit findings or believes corrective action is not required, then the corrective action plan must include an explanation and specific reasons.” Formal Procurement Procedures 1. Sealed Bids (above $150,000) Bids must be solicited from an adequate number of suppliers, providing them with sufficient response time prior to the opening of the bids. Proper advertisement and procedures must be followed per IC 5-22 and corresponding documentation must be presented to the LEA prior to any final approval or purchases being made. 2. Competitive Proposals (above $150,000) The Request for Proposal method is used for procurements in which factors other than cost play a significant role. Per IC 5-22-9, when a purchasing agent makes a written determination that the use of competitive sealed bidding is either not practicable or not advantageous to the governmental body, the purchasing agent may award a contract using this procedure instead of competitive sealed bidding. This provides a formal process for the procurement of goods and/or services for which price is not the sole factor in the selection of a vendor or vendors. Proper advertisement and procedures must be followed per IC 5-22 and corresponding documentation must be presented to the LEA prior to any final approval or purchases being made. Noncompetitive (Sole Source) All sole source procurements require adequate written justification and must be attached to the corresponding purchase order or payment. Anticipated Completion Date: All expenditures initiated after March 12, 2025

FINDING 2024-003 Finding Subject: Special Education Cluster – Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Contact Person Responsible for Corrective Action: Marcia Fullenkamp, Treasurer Contact Phone Number and Email Address: (812) 623-2212; mfullenkamp@rodspecialed.org Views of Responsible Officials: We concur with the finding. Description of Corrective Action Plan: The ROD Special Education Cooperative will make notes in the Board Minutes regarding the fact that only one vendor can provide specific services prior to entering into a contract or purchasing said services. Each company providing services will be checked on the SAM.gov website to ensure that the vendor has not been suspended or debarred. Anticipated Completion Date: February 1, 2024

Finding 2024‐002 Finding Subject: Special Education Cluster (IDEA) ‐ Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Contact Person Responsible for Corrective Action: Todd A. Armstrong, Assistant Superintendent Contact Phone Number and Email Address: (812) 897‐6036 tarmstrong@warrick.k12.in.us Views of the Responsible Official: We concur with the finding. Additional Explanation: Although the vendors selected provided specific services outlined in the federal grant, proper documentation of how those vendors were selected was not maintained. Moreover, the department believed by following the spending allotted in the grant, they were meeting necessary purchasing guidelines. Internal controls did not identify this misstep and allowed the services to be purchased. To avoid this in the future, guidelines will be prepared for all departments submitting purchase requests, and an additional control will be put in place to verify that procedures are followed. Description of Corrective Action Plan: 1) Create and write an administrative guideline that outlines expected purchasing procedures. 2) Distribute and make available the administrative guideline to employees. 3) Create an additional internal control in the business office to verify that those procedures were met with each requisition or request for purchase. 4) Provide necessary corrections to any request that does not follow guidelines. Mr. Armstrong will oversee, direct, and coordinate this process. He will work with the Corporation administrative team to develop and write the guidelines. The Business department will distribute the guidelines to all interested parties and have guidelines available upon request. Mr. Armstrong will outline expectations and determine when they have been met satisfactorily. Anticipated Completion Date: The remedy for this finding will be in place prior to June 30, 2025.