Findings Citing § 200.318

2024-005 Inadequate Contract Retention and Suspension/Debarment Verification (Material Weakness) Federal Agency: Department of Education Pass-through Agency: New Hampshire Department of Education Cluster/Program: Special Education Cluster Assistance Listing Number(s): 84.027, 84.173, 84.027X, 84.173X Passed-through Identification: 20220039, 20221010, 20221035, 20221036, 20221037, 20230209, 20230211, 20230212, 20230214, 20230215, 20230231, 20230232, 2024188, 20240189, 20240190, 20240191, 20240191, 20240199, 20240308 Compliance Requirement: Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Type of Finding: Internal Control over Compliance – Material Weakness Material Noncompliance Criteria or Specific Requirement: Federal regulations require that non-federal entities, including school administrative units (SAUs), maintain adequate documentation for all procurement transactions and ensure that vendors are eligible to participate in federal programs. Specifically, 2 CFR 200.318–200.327 outlines standards for procurement, including maintaining documentation that demonstrates compliance with federal requirements, ensuring fair and open competition, and retaining executed contracts and related procurement records. Additionally, 2 CFR 180 and 2 CFR 200.213 require verification that vendors are not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded from participation in federal programs prior to entering into a contract. Federal guidance emphasizes that all procurement documentation, including executed contracts, bid evaluations, and vendor eligibility verification, must be retained to provide an audit trail demonstrating compliance and prudent use of federal funds. Maintaining proper documentation and performing required verification steps helps prevent the risk of fraud, waste, or improper payments and ensures transparency and accountability in the use of public resources. Condition: During testing of procurement activities, we noted that two signed and executed contracts could not be located. Furthermore, for all vendors reviewed except one, there was no evidence that the School Administrative Unit (SAU) performed procedures to verify that the vendors were not suspended or debarred. Cause: The SAU did not have a consistent process for retaining executed contracts or for documenting the verification of vendor eligibility under suspension/debarment requirements. Staff were not aware of the federal verification requirements or lacked formal procedures to ensure compliance. Effect: The absence of executed contracts and verification procedures increases the risk of noncompliance with federal procurement regulations. This could potentially result in questioned costs during a federal audit and may expose the SAU to financial or reputational risk if funds were improperly paid to ineligible vendors. Questioned Costs: $679,147 Identification as Repeat Finding: This is not a repeat finding. Recommendation: The SAU should implement a formal procurement policy that ensures all contracts are properly executed, signed, and retained. The policy should also establish a standardized process to verify all vendors against federal suspension and debarment lists prior to awarding contracts, with documentation of all verification steps maintained as part of the procurement record. Additionally, staff should be trained on these procedures to ensure ongoing compliance with federal requirements. Views of Responsible Officials: Management’s views and corrective action plan is included at the end of this report.

Criteria: 2024 Compliance Supplement stated that the non-federal entity must meet the general procurement standards in 2 CFR section 200.318(a), which indicated that the recipient or subrecipient must maintain and use documented procedures for procurement transactions under a Federal award or subaward, including for acquisition of property or services. These documented procurement procedures must be consistent with State, local, and tribal laws and regulations and the standards identified in §§ 200.317 through 200.327. Condition/Context: As a result of our audit procedures, we noted that Eden's current purchasing (procurement) policy does not include the elements required by the Uniform Guidance. In particular, the policy should address the procurement methods outlined in the procurement claw (i.e. micro-purchases, small purchases, competitive bidding, etc.). Repeat Finding from Prior Year(s): No Cause and Effect: This issue arose from Eden’s limited understanding of the Uniform Guidance’s procurement requirements, which contributed to non-compliance with program requirements. Questioned Cost: None Recommendation: We recommend that management revisit its procurement policies to incorporate the necessary elements required by the Uniform Guidance. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Action: Management agrees with the finding that the agency did not have policies for Procurement or Suspension and Debarment. The agency intends to adopt a procurement policy and procedures that meets the general procurement standards in 2 CFR section 200.318(a) and the State of California. The agency is also creating policies and procedures to ensure vendors are not suspended or debarred from work on federally funded projects.

FINDING REFERENCE NUMBER 2024-009 FEDERAL PROGRAMS (ALN – 84.027) SPECIAL EDUCATION – GRANTS TO STATES (IDEA, PART B) – SPECIAL EDUCATION CLUSTER (IDEA) (ALN – 84.173) SPECIAL EDUCATION – PRESCHOOL GRANTS (IDEA PRESCHOOL) – SPECIAL EDUCATION CLUSTER (IDEA) (ALN – 84.938A) HURRICANE EDUCATION RECOVERY – INMMEDIATE AID TO RESTART SCHOOL OPERATIONS (RESTART) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AWARD NUMBERS H027A220003 (07/01/2022 – 09/30/2023); H027A230003 (07/01/2023 – 09/30/2024); H173A220003 (07/01/2022 – 09/30/2023); H173A230003 (07/01/2023 – 09/30/2024); S938A180002 (04/26/2018 – 09/30/2025). COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENT PROCUREMENT AND SUSPENSION AND DEBARMENT TYPE OF FINDING MATERIAL NONCOMPLIANCE AND MATERIAL WEAKNESS CRITERIA 2 CFR Section 200.317, establishes that when conducting procurement transactions under a Federal award, a State or Indian Tribe must follow the same policies and procedures it uses for procurements with non-Federal funds. 2 CFR §200.318(a)(i) establishes that the recipient or subrecipient must maintain and use documented procedures for procurement transactions under a Federal award or subaward, including for acquisition of property or services. These documented procurement procedures must be consistent with State, local, and tribal laws and regulations and the standards identified in §§ 200.317 through 200.327. The recipient or subrecipient must maintain records sufficient to detail the history of each procurement transaction. These records must include the rationale for the procurement method, contract type selection, contractor selection or rejection, and the basis for the contract price. STATEMENT OF CONDITION For the ALN 84.938A Restart program, we selected the same sample determined to audit the compliance requirement activities allowed or unallowed/allowable costs/cost principle of forty (40) disbursements from a population of six hundred eighty-three (683) disbursements to suppliers made during the fiscal year 2023-2024. For these forty (40) disbursements, we evaluated the procurement process, and we found the following deficiencies: For nineteen (19) of the cases, the PRDE did not provide either all the necessary documentation or, in some instances, only partial information, preventing a proper assessment of the procurement process for each authorized disbursement. In relation to the IDEA Cluster Program (ALNs 84.027 and 84.173), we requested a list of all procurement procedures performed related to professional services and direct services to participants. No information was provided related to procurement procedures. In addition, we selected a sample of twenty-five (25) transactions for which a quotation process should have been performed, no evidence of quotation process was provided. This represents a scope limitation. QUESTIONED COSTS None. PERSPECTIVE INFORMATION After we requested all the supporting information related to procurement processes, the PRDE was not be able to provide the basic documentation for the procurement performed during the reasonable period of time. STATEMENT OF CAUSE In relation to the IDEA Cluster, the program performs a procurement process related to specific services for which no evidence of the procurement performed was provided. In addition, quotations for some purchases are performed through the Purchase Department of the PRDE. Evidence of the sample selection was not provided for evaluation For the ALN 84.938A, due to the lack of an adequate archiving process for the documentation of the procurement processes, the evidence could not be provided for our evaluation POSSIBLE ASSERTED EFFECT Due to the lack of filing documentation related to the procurements performed program ALN 84.938A Restart, we were unable to properly ascertain if compliance with the procurement process was performed. In relation to the IDEA Cluster, we were unable to ascertain compliance with the procurement compliance requirements. IDENTIFICATION OF REPEAT FINDING This is a repeat finding (Finding Reference Number 2023-007). RECOMMENDATIONS We recommend that the PRDE review its internal control procedures for filings to ensure that all procurement documentation is readily available to any auditor or entity tasked with assessing the procurement process. VIEWS OF RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS Management agrees with the audit finding. The Puerto Rico Department of Education (PRDE) acknowledges that the requested procurement documentation was not fully available at the time of the auditors’ review. However, management made every effort to gather and reconstruct the information for all the selected transactions, and the complete documentation will be available. Furthermore, the PRDE is taking actions to improve the accessibility and organization of procurement files to ensure that all documentation is readily available for review in a timely manner. Internal controls over document retention and filing procedures are being reinforced to prevent recurrence of this situation. It is important to note that the procurement processes followed by the PRDE comply with the applicable requirements established under the Code of Federal Regulations (2 CFR Part 200 – Uniform Guidance). Management remains committed to strengthening its internal controls, ensuring full compliance with federal and state requirements, and maintaining complete and timely documentation to support all procurement activities. IMPLEMENTATION DATE Current Fiscal Year. RESPONSIBLE PERSON María de los A. Lizardi Valdés Office of Federal Affairs Director Edgar Delgado Serrano Office of Federal Affairs Associate Director

Federal Procurement Regulations Significant Deficiency U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ALN #: 93.224 - Health Centers Program and 93.527 - Grants for New and Expanded Services under the Health Center Program Federal Award Identification #: 20H80CS00111, 24H80CS00111, 21H8FCS40976, 23H8GCS47647 Condition: During the Health Centers Program audit, it was noted that HAH did not follow their procurement policies as required by the Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200.318. Criteria: 2 CFR 200.318 Questioned Costs: $0 Context: During the audit, it was noted that while the majority of program expenditures are salary and benefits, HAH did not follow their policies for procurement for other goods and services, and did not obtain multiple bids or sole source justification for any purchases that exceeded the micro-purchases threshold. Cause: Turnover at HAH, who separated from the parent entity in FY24 resulting in changes in procedures. Effect: Lack of internal control to ensure program requirements Identification as repeat finding, if applicable: Not applicable. Recommendation: We recommend that HAH establish an updated procurement policy and designate an individual to review all purchases over the micro-purchases threshold and review procurement documentation to ensure it is sufficient before expenses are approved for payment. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Action: Management agrees with the finding. See corrective action plan.

NONCOMPLIANCE WITH PROCUREMENT AND SUSPENSION AND DEBARMENT REQUIREMENTS, CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS, ASSISTANCE LISTING No. 21.027, DIRECT ALLOCATION, GRANT No. AM-23-0295, YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2024 Criteria: Per 2 CFR 200.214, non-Federal entities are subject to the non-procurement, debarment and suspension regulations implementing Executive Orders 12549 and 12689, 2 CFR part 180. The regulations in 2 CFR part 180 restrict awards, subawards, and contracts with certain parties that are debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for participation in Federal assistance programs or activities. Condition: The city did not comply with the procurement standards outlined in 2 CFR §200.318-§200.327, which require competitive procurement processes and verification that contractors are not suspended or debarred. Specifically, the city did not verify the eligibility of program recipients/participants/contractors through the System for Award Management (SAM) or equivalent documentation in order to verify that they were not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded from participation in the program. Cause: The city does not have procurement policies and procedures in place that allow it to comply with procurement standards outlined in the Uniform Guidance. Effect: Non-compliance with program terms and conditions. Questioned Costs: None Recommendation: Management should develop procedures that will provide reasonable assurance that procurement of goods and services are made in compliance with applicable federal regulations and other procurement requirements specific to a federal award or subaward, and that no subaward, contract, or agreement for purchase of goods or services is made with any suspended or debarred party. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective action: The government agrees with this finding and will adhere to the attached corrective action plan.

Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Federal Program Name: Opioid STR Assistance Listing Number: 93.788 Federal Award Identification Number and Year: 167552 - 2024 Pass-Through Agency: Oregon Health Authority Pass-Through Number(s): 167552 Award Period: January 4, 2021, through September 29, 2024 Type of Finding: Material Weakness in Internal Controls over Compliance and Material Noncompliance: Procurement, Suspension and Debarment Criteria or specific requirement: 2 CFR Part 200 sections 200.214 and 200.318-327 outlines the required general procurement standards, competition, and methods of procurement to be followed. These elements must be incorporated into an organization’s procurement policies and must be followed to ensure procurements are supported and covered transactions are only entered into with entities that are not federally suspended or debarred. Condition: The Alliance does not have formal procurement or suspension and debarment policy. For the sampled procurement transactions, documentation was not retained supporting the determination that the vendors were single source providers, as required by Uniform Guidance. In addition, a suspension and debarment check was not performed before entering into the covered transaction. Questioned costs: Yes Known: $9,239 Likely: $39,740 Context: The Organization does not have written procurement policies nor suspension and debarment policies. CLA tested six procurement transactions charged to the major program. For the sampled procurement transactions, documentation was not retained detailing the history of the procurement, including: the rationale for the method of procurement, selection of contract type, basis for contractor selection, and the basis for the contract price. Documentation should be retained to evidence the adequate number of price comparisons, price analyses, and rationale of acquisition, including to limit competition where competition is limited or contractor is single source. In addition, five covered transactions were tested for suspension and debarment. Documentation was not retained showing selected entities were checked for suspension and debarment prior to entering into the covered transactions. Cause: Due to a lack of knowledge about federal procurement, suspension and debarment, and documentation requirements. Effect: There is an increased possibility of entering into a covered transaction with vendors/contractors who are federally suspended or debarred. Without adequate records retained, the Alliance is at risk of noncompliance with federal suspension and debarment requirements. Repeat Finding: No Recommendation: CLA recommends the Alliance to develop the procurement policy compliance in with Uniform Guidance, including such documentation as the procurement threshold of the transaction, price comparisons and analyses made, bids obtained, proof of any limited competition, dated vendor screenings and signed authorization of the appropriate program personnel. CLA also recommends emphasizing the importance of the procurement standards and established policy to all authorized purchasers within the Alliance. The Alliance also needs to ensure that the policy includes suspension, and debarment checks, and it should be done prior to entering into the program. Each type of disbursement that leaves the Alliance (check, ACH, EFT, credit card, etc.) to improve documentary evidence that costs are being reviewed and approved for appropriateness. Views of responsible officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding.

Finding 2024-001: Significant Deficiency – Lack of Procurement Policy and Documentation on Sole Source Contracts and Verification of Vendors Federal Grantor: Department of Health and Human Services Condition: The Organization does not have a procurement policy in place that complies with Uniform Guidance. The Organization contracted with a vendor on a sole-source basis and did not document justification for the use of a sole source vendor. In addition, the Organization did not verify that the vendor was not on the list of vendors suspended or debarred from federal contracting before contracting with the vendor. Criteria: Entities are required to have written standards of conduct that cover conflicts of interest and govern the performance of its employees engaged in the selection, award, and administration of contracts (2 CFR section 200.318(c) and 48 CFR sections 52.203-13 and 52.303-16). Entities are required to follow the procurement standards in 2 CFR sections 200.318 through 200.327, including ensuring that the procurement method used for the contracts are appropriate based on the dollar amount and conditions specified in 2 CFR section 200.320 and noncompetitive procurements. Entities also must comply with 2 CFR Part 1326 that prohibits entities that have been debarred, suspended or voluntarily excluded from participating in Federal procurement. Cause: The Organization does not have a procurement policy that addresses sole source contracting and verifying vendor certification that they are not debarred, suspended, ineligible or voluntarily excluded from Federal procurements. Effect: The Department of Health and Human Services may impose additional conditions on the receipt of a subsequent tranche of future award funds, if any, or take other available remedies as set forth in 2 C.F.C. section 200.339. Recommendation: We recommend the Organization review policies with staff to ensure procurement requirements are followed, and that staff are familiar with federal procurement requirements. Management’s Response: The Organization will develop a procurement policy that complies with federal requirements and will document its justification for vendor selections.

The Ohio County Fiscal Court failed to publicly advertise for bids for all but two of the work site projects for the Emergency Watershed Protection Program project. While the county advertised a pre-bid meeting in the local newspaper for prospective companies to get an opportunity to learn about the project, the actual request for bids should have also been advertised in the local newspaper to ensure fair and cost effective procurement procedures. The total of the amount paid for services not properly advertised was $555,000. A total of $766,100 was spent for this program in the audit year. Per the emergency management staff, this was likely due to a misunderstanding and oversight of what was advertised. They had maintained documentation of the pre-bid meeting being advertised and thought that the actual bid request was advertised as well, but it appears it was not. By not following proper bidding procedures, the public was not made aware of the request for bids for this project and did not have an opportunity to apply to provide services for the project. Only those who attended the pre-bid meeting knew of the bidding procedures and the specifications for the projects. KRS 46.010(2) requires, “each county treasurer, and each county officer who receives or disburses state funds, to keep an accurate account of receipts and disbursements, showing a daily balance of receipts and disbursements.” KRS 46.010(3) requires, “all county officers handling state funds, other than taxes, to make an annual report to the Department for Local Government showing receipts and disbursements, and to make other financial statements as the Department for Local Government requires.” Strong internal controls require management to monitor disbursements to ensure compliance with procurement laws, and to keep good records of all bids and other procurement transactions. KRS 424.260 requires that all contractual services other than professional involving expenditures of greater than $40,000 to be advertised in the local newspaper for bids. In addition, 2 CFR section 200.318 (a) states “The recipient or subrecipient must maintain and use documented procedures for procurement transactions under a Federal award or subaward, including for acquisition of property or services. These documented procurement procedures must be consistent with State, local, and tribal laws and regulations and the standards identified in §§ 200.317 through 200.327." Repeat Finding: This is not a repeat finding from the previous year.

Finding #SA2024-004 Compliance with Procurement Requirements Assistance Listing Number: 21.027 Assistance Listing Title: COVID-19 – Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Name of Federal Agency: Department of Treasury Pass Through Entity: California State Water Resources Control Board Federal Award Identification Number: A-00216-01 Criteria: Section I, Procurement and Suspension and Debarment, of the May 2024 OMB Compliance Supplement includes the following: In July 2022, Treasury released Final Rule FAQ 13.15, which explains that only a subset of the requirements in Subparts D and E of the Uniform Guidance apply to recipients’ use of award funds under the revenue loss eligible use category. The requirements of 2 CFR sections 200.318 through 200.327 are not included in the list of requirements applicable to such funds. The FAQ 13.15 referenced indicates “In general, these requirements provide that recipients should not deviate from their established practices and policies regarding the incurrence of costs, and that they should expend and account for the funds in accordance with laws and procedures for expending and accounting for the recipient’s own funds.” Condition: We selected seven services and supplies transactions under the revenue loss category to test for allowability under the program and compliance with the City’s procurement policies and noted two vehicle purchases in the amounts of $60,762 and $54,383 were accompanied by sole source purchase documentation, in lieu of formal bidding, but the sole source forms were not signed as approved by the Department Director. Cause: We understand City staff could not locate the authorized forms for the two vehicle purchases. Effect: The City is not in compliance with the procurement requirements of the CSLFRF program. Recommendation: The City must develop procedures to ensure that the procurement files contain documentation to demonstrate compliance with the bidding/quote, contract and sole source requirements, as well as City Council approval requirements, to ensure compliance not only with its own policies, but with the procurement requirements of the CSLFRF grant. View of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Please see Corrective Action Plan separately prepared by the City.

2024-001 – Procurement, Debarment and Suspension Federal Program Information: US Department of the Treasury, passed through State of Maine Efficiency Maine 21.027 - Coronavirus State Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Criteria: The following CFR(s) apply to this finding: 2 CFR section 200.318 through 200.327. Condition: During audit procedures it was identified that the Town did not check sam.gov to confirm the contractor was not debarred or suspended from receiving federal funds nor did they request a Suspension and Debarment certification from the contractor. It was also identified that the contract was missing several required provisions, including but not limited to, Davis Bacon requirement, Clean Air Act, Federal Water Pollution Act, and the procurement file did not have the cost or price analysis documented. Cause: The Town did not follow their adopted procurement policy. Effect: There is a possibility that the contractor could have been debarred or suspended from working on federally funded projects. Funding may have been erroneously paid to a debarred or suspended contractor resulting in a material misstatement. Identification of Questioned Costs: $290,843 Context: The entire population of 12 months of reimbursements from the fiscal year were examined. Only two disbursements were made during the fiscal year, both were examined. Repeat Finding: This is a not a repeat finding. Recommendation: It is recommended that the Town implement internal control processes and procedures to ensure that federal procurement requirements are understood, including those requirements of recipients, subrecipients, contractors and how to determine who is a recipient, subrecipient and/or contractor. Views of Responsible Officials and Corrective Action Plan: Please see the Corrective Action Plan.

2024-001 – Procurement, Debarment and Suspension Federal Program Information: US Department of the Treasury, passed through State of Maine Efficiency Maine 21.027 - Coronavirus State Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Criteria: The following CFR(s) apply to this finding: 2 CFR section 200.318 through 200.327. Condition: During audit procedures it was identified that the Town did not check sam.gov to confirm the contractor was not debarred or suspended from receiving federal funds nor did they request a Suspension and Debarment certification from the contractor. It was also identified that the contract was missing several required provisions, including but not limited to, Davis Bacon requirement, Clean Air Act, Federal Water Pollution Act, and the procurement file did not have the cost or price analysis documented. Cause: The Town did not follow their adopted procurement policy. Effect: There is a possibility that the contractor could have been debarred or suspended from working on federally funded projects. Funding may have been erroneously paid to a debarred or suspended contractor resulting in a material misstatement. Identification of Questioned Costs: $290,843 Context: The entire population of 12 months of reimbursements from the fiscal year were examined. Only two disbursements were made during the fiscal year, both were examined. Repeat Finding: This is a not a repeat finding. Recommendation: It is recommended that the Town implement internal control processes and procedures to ensure that federal procurement requirements are understood, including those requirements of recipients, subrecipients, contractors and how to determine who is a recipient, subrecipient and/or contractor. Views of Responsible Officials and Corrective Action Plan: Please see the Corrective Action Plan.

FA 2024-001 Improve Controls over Procurement Compliance Requirement: Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Internal Control Impact: Material Weakness Compliance Impact: Material Noncompliance Federal Awarding Agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture Pass-Through Entity: Georgia Department of Education AL Numbers and Titles: 10.553 – School Breakfast Program 10.555 – National School Lunch Program COVID-19 - 10.555 – National School Lunch Program 10.582 – Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Federal Award Numbers: 245GA324N1199 (Year: 2024) 245GA324L1603 (Year: 2024) 245GA324L1603 (Year: 2024) Questioned Costs: $5,380.74 Description: A review of expenditures charged to the Child Nutrition Cluster revealed that the School District’s internal control procedures were not operating appropriately to ensure that the School District’s procurement procedures were followed. Background Information: The Child Nutrition Cluster (CNC) is comprised of various programs that are intended to assist states in administering and overseeing food service program operators that provide healthful, nutritious meals to eligible children in public and non-profit private schools, residential child care institutions, and summer programs. This Cluster of programs also fosters healthy eating habits in children by providing fresh fruits and fresh vegetables to children attending elementary and secondary schools and encourages the domestic consumption of nutritious agricultural commodities. CNC funding was granted to the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. GaDOE is responsible for distributing funds to local educational agencies (LEAs) and overseeing the various CNC programs. CNC funds totaling $450,874.38 were expended and reported on the Quitman County Board of Education’s Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA) for fiscal year 2024. Criteria: As a recipient of federal awards, the School District is required to establish and maintain effective internal control over federal awards that provides reasonable assurance of managing the federal awards in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the federal awards pursuant to Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance), Section 200.303 – Internal Controls. Additionally, provisions included in the Uniform Guidance, Section 200.318 – General Procurement Standards state in part that “(a) the non-Federal entity must use its own documented procurement procedures, which reflects applicable State and local laws and regulations and… (b) non-Federal entities must maintain oversight to ensure that contractors perform in accordance with the terms, conditions, and specifications of their contracts or purchase orders.” In addition, provisions included in the Uniform Guidance, Section 200.320 – Methods of Procurement to Be Followed provide guidance for procurement through small purchase procedures and state “If small purchase procedures are used, price or rate quotations must be obtained from an adequate number of qualified sources…” Condition: A sample of 22 procurement transactions was randomly selected for testing using a non-statistical sampling approach. These transactions were reviewed to determine if appropriate internal controls were implemented and applicable compliance requirements were met. The School District could not provide evidence that an adequate number of rate or price quotations were obtained from qualified sources for ten small purchase expenditures. Questioned Costs: Upon testing a sample of $25,223.43 in procurement transactions, known questioned costs of $5,380.74 were identified for expenditures that did not follow the School District’s procurement procedures. Using the total population of $302,197.99 in procurement transactions, we project the likely questioned costs to be approximately $64,465.81. The following Assistance Listing Numbers were affected by known and likely questioned costs: 10.553, 10.555, and 10.582. Cause: In discussing these deficiencies with the School District, they indicated the errors occurred due to oversight in following board-approved policies related to procurement. Effect: The School District is not in compliance with the Uniform Guidance and GaDOE guidance. Failure to appropriately implement procedures to address procurement compliance requirements exposes the School District to unnecessary risk of error and misuse of federal funds and could result in the expenditure of federal funds with unqualified vendors. In addition, this deficiency could lead to the return of grant funds associated with unallowable expenditures in the future. Recommendation: The School District should evaluate and improve internal control procedures to ensure that required procurement methods are properly identified and followed and appropriate procurement documentation is obtained and retained on-file. In addition, management should develop a monitoring process to ensure that these procedures are operating appropriately. Views of Responsible Officials: We concur with this finding

2 CFR § 400.1 gives regulatory effect to the Department of Agriculture for 2 CFR § 200.318 through 200.327 which describe specific procedures non-Federal entities must follow when making procurement transactions using Federal funds. 2 CFR § 200.318(a) indicates that a non-Federal entity must use its own documented procurement procedures which reflect applicable State and local laws and regulations, provided that such procurements conform to applicable Federal law and standards. 2 CFR § 200.320 indicates the non-Federal entity must use one of the following methods of procurement: (a) procurement by micro-purchases, which are acquisitions of supplies or services for which the aggregate dollar amount does not exceed the micro-purchase threshold; (b) procurement by small purchase procedures, which are relatively simple and informal procurements that do 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; (c) procurement by sealed bids, which are purchases made through publicly solicited bids and result in a firm fixed-price contract (lump-sum or unit price) awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder whose bid conforms to all material terms and conditions of the invitation for bids. This method is appropriate when a complete, adequate, and realistic specification or purchase description is available, two or more responsible bidders are willing and able to compete effectively for the business, and the procurement lends itself to a firm fixed-price contract with the selection of the successful bidder made principally on price; (d) procurement by competitive proposals, which is appropriate when purchases are large and competitive bidding is not appropriate; or (e) procurement by noncompetitive proposals, which are appropriate when the item is available only from a single source, the noncompetitive procurement is expressly authorized in the Federal award, competition is deemed inadequate after solicitation of multiple sources, or the item must be purchased without delay due to a public emergency or exigent circumstances. 2 CFR § 200.318(i) indicates the non-Federal entity must maintain records sufficient to detail the history of procurement. Such records must include, but are not necessarily limited to, the rationale for the method of procurement, selection of contract type, contractor selection or rejection, and the basis for the contract price. Maple Heights City School District Board Policy EAG – Administration of Federal Grant Funds requires that all purchases of property and services using federal funds be conducted in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, the Uniform Guidance, and the District’s written policies and procedures. The policy also requires the District to perform a cost or price analysis for every procurement exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold. In addition, purchasing records must be maintained in sufficient detail to document the history of each procurement, including at a minimum: the rationale for the method of procurement, the selection of contract type, the contractor selected or rejected, the basis for the contract price, and verification that the contractor is not suspended or debarred. Although the District provided verbal justification for the four vendors selected during procurement testing for the Child Nutrition Cluster, it did not maintain written documentation sufficient to detail the history of the procurements, as required by federal regulations and District procurement policy. The procurements tested were below the simplified acquisition threshold; however, for three of the four procurements, required price or rate quotations from an adequate number of qualified sources were not documented. As a result, the District could not demonstrate compliance with federal procurement requirements. Failure to follow Uniform Guidance requirements and district federal procurement policies could lead to reduced future federal funding and questioned costs. The District should adopt and implement procedures to ensure that the history of each procurement is documented, including the rationale for the method of procurement, vendor selection, cost or price analysis, if applicable, and the justification for limiting competition, such as the use of a sole source provider or procurement due to emergency or exigent circumstances.

Finding: 2024-006 Procurement, Suspension, and Debarment (Significant Deficiency) Information on the Federal Programs: ALN #10.937 Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Criteria or Specific Requirement (including Statutory, Regulatory, or Other Citation):  2 CFR 200.320(a)(1)(iv) allows for an increased micro-purchase threshold of up to $50,000 only if the non-Federal entity self-certifies that it meets specific conditions, including internal controls, organizational risk, and procurement oversight capacity.  2 CFR 200.214 prohibits contracting with or making subawards to parties that are suspended or debarred, and entities are required to verify that contractors are not listed on the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) at the time of contact/award.  2 CFR 200.318(c)(1) requires non-Federal entities to maintain written standards of conduct covering conflicts of interest and governing the performance of employees engaged in the selection, award, and administration of contracts. Condition: Our testing identified the following exceptions: 1. CIF did not maintain a comprehensive written procurement, suspension, and debarment policy during the fiscal year under audit. A draft policy was developed during the audit planning phase and is pending approval from the Board of Directors. 2. The draft policy self-certified a micro-purchase threshold of $50,000, which is not appropriate given that CIF does not meet all criteria required under 2 CFR 200.320(a)(1)(iv), and the elevated threshold is excessive relative to the size and scope of the Organization’s operations. 3. CIF provided SAM.gov suspension and debarment checks for contractors in our sample; however, the checks were undated, and we were unable to confirm that the verification was performed at the time of contract execution. 4. CIF did not maintain a conflict of interest policy during the fiscal year under audit, as required by 2 CFR 200.318(c)(1). While a draft conflict of interest policy was included in the draft procurement policy, it was not in effect during the year under audit. Cause: These conditions occurred because the Organization did not have formalized procurement policies and procedures in place throughout the year.Effect or Potential Effect: Failure to maintain compliant procurement and conflict of interest policies and procedures increases the risk that Federal funds may be spent in a manner inconsistent with Uniform Guidance requirements. Questioned Costs: $96,051 (all contractual expenses changed to ALN #10.937) Context: We tested a statistically valid sample of contractual relationships charged to Federal awards. The deficiencies noted were consistent across the sample population, indicating a systemic issue rather than isolated exceptions. Identification as a Repeat Finding, if Applicable: N/A Recommendation: We recommend that management: 1. Finalize and implement a comprehensive procurement, suspension, and debarment policy that incorporates all requirements of 2 CFR 200.318–200.320. 2. Amend the draft policy to adopt a micro-purchase threshold appropriate for the Organization’s size and risk profile, consistent with 2 CFR 200.320(a)(1)(iv). 3. Ensure that SAM.gov checks are performed and documented with date-stamps at the time of contract execution. 4. Adopt and enforce a formal conflict of interest policy as required by 2 CFR 200.318(c)(1), and amend the policy to require annual (written) reaffirmations from all employees and Board members.

Condition: The County’s procurement policy is not in compliance with the requirements set forth in the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) at 2 CFR Part 200. Controls are ineffective to prevent failures in compliance with procurement requirements. Criteria: The Uniform Guidance at 2 CFR Part 200, specifically sections 200.318 to 200.326, establishes procurement standards and requirements for federal awards. The key principles include ensuring competition, maintaining written procurement policies, and avoiding conflicts of interest in procurement decisions. Effect: The lack of sufficient controls over procurement may result in noncompliance with federal requirements, potentially leading to disallowed costs, audit findings, and reduced funding. Recommendation: We recommend that the County revise its procurement policy (including internal control policies and procedures specific to the County) to align with the Uniform Guidance requirements. We also recommend the County provide its procurement policy in written form and regularly updated to each of its federal and state program managers to ensure proper compliance and consistent implementation. Response/Corrective Action Plan: We concur with the finding and will revise the procurement policy as well as the internal control policies and procedures specific to the County to be in alignment with the Uniform Guidance requirements. Upon completion, the new policy will be provided to all department heads to ensure proper compliance in the utilization and disbursement of federal funds.

CHILD NUTRITION CLUSTER – PROCUREMENT U.S. Department of Agriculture Child Nutrition Cluster Assistance Listing Number: 10.553, 10.555, 10.556, 10.559, 10.582 Passed Through Minnesota Department of Education Pass Through Number: 10.CNC Award Period: July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024 Type of Finding: Material Weakness in Internal Control Over Compliance, Material Noncompliance (Modified Opinion) Criteria or specific requirement: Non-federal entities other than states must follow the procurement standards set out at CFR section 200.318 through 200.326. This includes utilizing one of the five allowable procurement methods, including small purchase guidelines for items over the micro-purchase threshold and sealed bids, competitive proposals, or noncompetitive proposals when items exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. In addition, the Uniform Guidance requires the entity maintain records sufficient to detail the history of the procurement. Condition: During our testing of the District’s procurements within the Child Nutrition program, it was noted that none of the selected procurements had sufficient documentation of the history of the transaction. Context: Forty procurement transactions were selected for testing. Federal regulations require that purchases follow documented procurement procedures, including evidence of open competition and retention of contract documentation for those procurement transactions over the District’s $3,500 micropurchase threshold. The District did not provide documentation of an open and competitive process for any of these purchases. Questioned costs: None Cause: Time pressure led to this requirement being missed. Effect: Lack of proper documentation could lead to using vendors for small purchase acquisition without ensuring comparable pricing from other vendors and justifying costs. Repeat finding: No Recommendation: We recommend that the District ensure quotes are obtained for all procurements that are above the micro-purchase threshold, and that this process is documented along with their assessments of cost analysis performed. Views of responsible officials: There is no disagreement with the finding.

SPECIAL EDUCATION CLUSTER – PROCUREMENT U.S. Department of Education Special Education Cluster Assistance Listing Number: 84.027 & 84.173 Passed Through Minnesota Department of Education Pass Through Number: H027A220087 Award Period: July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024 Type of Finding: Material Weakness in Internal Control Over Compliance, Material Noncompliance (Modified Opinion) Criteria or specific requirement: Non-federal entities other than states must follow the procurement standards set out at CFR section 200.318 through 200.326. This includes utilizing one of the five allowable procurement methods, including small purchase guidelines for items over the micro-purchase threshold and sealed bids, competitive proposals, or noncompetitive proposals when items exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. In addition, the Uniform Guidance requires the entity maintain records sufficient to detail the history of the procurement. Condition: During our testing of the District’s procurements within the Special Education program, it was noted not all procurements followed the appropriate method and history of the transaction was not sufficiently documented. Context: Five selections over the $3,500 micropurchase threshold were selected for testing. Federal regulations require that purchases above this threshold follow documented procurement procedures, including evidence of open competition and retention of contract documentation. The District did not provide documentation of an open and competitive process for four of these purchases and did not maintain the executed contract for one purchase. Questioned costs: None Cause: Time pressure led to this requirement being missed. Effect: Lack of proper documentation could lead to using vendors for small purchase acquisition without ensuring comparable pricing from other vendors and justifying costs. Repeat finding: Yes – 2023-006. Recommendation: We recommend that the District ensure quotes are obtained for all procurements that are above the micro-purchase threshold, and that this process is documented along with their assessments of cost analysis performed. Views of responsible officials: There is no disagreement with the finding.

FINDING 2024-010 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 Listings Numbers: 84.027, 84.027X, 84.173, 84.173X Federal Award Numbers and Years (or Other Identifying Numbers): 21611-045-PN01, 22611-045-PN01, 22611-045-ARP, 21619-045-PN01, 22619-045-PN01, 22619-045-ARP Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of Education Compliance Requirement: Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Audit Findings: Material Weakness, Modified Opinion Condition and Context The School Corporation had not properly designed or implemented a system of internal controls, which would include appropriate segregation of duties, that would likely be effective in preventing, or detecting and correcting, noncompliance related to the Procurement and Suspension and Debarment compliance requirement. Procurement - Small Purchases 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 unless a lower, more restrictive threshold is set by a nonfederal entity. As Indiana Code has set a more restrictive threshold of $150,000, the informal procurement method is permitted when the value of the procurement does not exceed $150,000. 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. The population for those procurements that fell within the small purchase range consisted of three vendors with a total purchased amount from those vendors of $75,284. The School Corporation did not provide adequate documentation detailing the history of procurement, which must include the reason for the procurement method used, for all three vendors. 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. One vendor provided contracted services paid with Special Education Grant funds during the audit period totaling $44,827. Upon inquiry of the School Corporation, it was determined that the School Corporation did not verify that the contractor was not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded. INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 36 NORTH LAWRENCE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) The lack of effective internal controls and noncompliance were systemic issues 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 200.318 states in part: "(a) The non-Federal entity must have and use documented procurement procedures, consistent with State, local, and tribal laws and regulations and the standards of this section, for the acquisition of property or services required under a Federal award or subaward. The non-Federal entity's documented procurement procedures must conform to the procurement standards identified in §§ 200.317 through 200.327. . . . (i) The non-Federal entity must maintain records sufficient to detail the history of procurement. These records will include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following: Rationale for the method of procurement, selection of contract type, contractor selection or rejection, and the basis for the contract price. . . ." 2 CFR 200.320 states in part: "The non-Federal entity must have and use document 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 37 NORTH LAWRENCE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) Indiana Code 5-22-8-3 states in part: "(a) . . . if the purchasing agent expects the purchase to be: (1) at least fifty thousand dollars ($50,000); and (2) not more than one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000). . . . (d) . . . the purchasing agent shall award a contract to the lowest responsible and responsive offeror for each line or class of supplies required. . . ." 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 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 A proper system of internal controls was not designed by management of the School Corporation, which would include segregation of key functions. Embedded within a properly designed and implemented internal control system should be internal controls consisting of policies and procedures. Policies reflect the School Corporation's management statements of what should be done to affect internal controls, and procedures should consist of actions that would implement these policies. Effect Without the proper implementation of an effectively designed system of internal controls, the internal control system cannot be capable of effectively preventing, or detecting and correcting, material noncompliance. As a result, procurement procedures for goods and services were not adhered to, and vendors to whom payments equal to or in excess of $25,000 were not verified to be not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded. Noncompliance with the grant agreement and the compliance requirement could result in the loss of future federal funds to the School Corporation. Questioned Costs There were no questioned costs identified. Recommendation We recommended that management of the School Corporation establish a proper system of internal controls and develop policies and procedures to ensure there are appropriate procurement procedures for goods and services and contractors and subrecipients, as appropriate, are not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded prior to entering into any contracts or subawards. INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 38 NORTH LAWRENCE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) Views of Responsible Officials For the views of responsible officials, refer to the Corrective Action Plan that is part of this report.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION-FINDING 2024-002 – PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES-AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN (ARP) ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND (ESSER III) - ALN 84.425U-CONDITION: During my review of the District’s compliance with the requirements for noncompetitive procurement, I noted the District did not document its rationale for purchases made from ‘Associates in Counseling’. This is a repeat finding 2023-002 from the prior fiscal year-CRITERIA: In accordance with Section 2 CFR 200.318(i) of the Uniform Guidance, the District must maintain records sufficient to detail the history of procurement. These records include but are not limited to the rationale for the method of procurement, selection of contract type, contractor selection or rejection, and the basis for the contract price. Furthermore, Section 2 CFR 200.320(c’) of the Uniform Guidance details five (5) circumstances in which noncompetitive procurement can be used.-EFFECT: The District did not comply with Section 2 CFR 200.318(i) and Section 2CFR 200.320(c’) of the Uniform Guidance, and District Procurement Policy #626, regarding the proper documentation required for noncompetitive procurement.-QUESTIONED COST: $163,315-CAUSE: The District utilized this vendor as they felt these professional services best fit the needs of the District. However, the additional procedures addressed in its Procurement Policy for Federal Programs (#626) which addresses the issue of noncompetitive procurement as outlined in Section 2 CFR 200.320(c’), were inadvertently not performed.-RECOMMENDATION: I recommend that for all future purchases involving noncompetitive procurement, that the District adhere to the requirements of 1) the District’s Procurement Policy for Federal Programs (#626), and 2) Section 2 CFR 200.320(c) of the Uniform Guidance.-VIEWS OF RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS: Management of the School District has reviewed the above noted finding and recommendation and have developed a corresponding ‘Corrective Action Plan’ to address this matter (See Corrective Action Plan).

Significant Deficiencies 2024-004 - Procurement, Suspension and Debarment Federal Program Information: Department of Transportation – ALN: - 20.500, 20.507, 20.525 & 20.526 – Federal Transit Cluster Criteria: The following CFR(s) apply to this finding: 2 CFR 200.318 to 327. Condition: During audit procedures, it was identified that the Committee did not follow policies and procedures as adopted. Cause: The Committee does not have the necessary internal controls over compliance. Effect: Insufficient controls could result in unallowable expenses being charged to the program and subsequently improperly reimbursed by federal funds. Identification of Questioned Costs: None identified. Context: While reviewing the procurement policies and procedures, the auditor requested the micro and small purchases form, as found in the procurement policies and procedures documents, but none could be provided for the samples originally requested. Repeat Finding: This is a repeat finding of 2023-004. Recommendation: The auditor recommends that the Committee update its procurement policy and implement internal control processes and procedures to ensure that they are following the criteria above. Views of Responsible Officials and Corrective Action Plan: See attached Corrective Action Plan.

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

SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS For the year ended May 31, 2024 SECTION II – FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FINDINGS No matters were reported. SECTION III – FEDERAL AWARD FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS Finding Number: 2024-001 Federal Program: 14.267 Continuum of Care Category: Compliance/internal control Criteria: As established in CFR 200.318 of General procurement standards (c)- Conflict of interest - (1) “The recipient or subrecipient must maintain written standards of conduct covering conflicts of interest and governing the actions of its employees engaged in the selection, award, and administration of contracts. No employee, officer, agent, or board member with a real or apparent conflict of interest may participate in the selection, award, or administration of a contract supported by the Federal award. A conflict of interest includes when the employee, officer, agent, or board member, any member of their immediate family, their partner, or an organization that employs or is about to employ any of the parties indicated herein, has a financial or other interest in or a tangible personal benefit from an entity considered for a contract. “ The Conflict-of-Interest policy of the Organization establishes the parameters that define an actual, potential or apparent conflict of interest as follows: • actual conflict of interest - includes any link or relationship between any employee, any Board member and/or any volunteer facing a real and existing conflict • potential conflict of interest - includes any link or relationship between any employee, any Board member and/or any volunteer that could be in a situation that may result in a conflict of interest • apparent conflict of interest - includes any link or relationship between any employee, any Board member and/or any volunteer that could be in a situation that may be perceived having to do with conflict, although in fact it is not Employees, directors, Board members and/or volunteers of the Organization must recognize when they have, could have, or could be thought to have a conflict of interest and must be reported immediately. The Organization can employ relatives, partners and/or spouses of an employee, if the family romantic or marital relationship does not cause a conflict of interest or negative and adversely impact the Organization. In addition, on January 1, 2024, the Organization established a new protocol through an agreement regarding how the working relationships between family members will be managed. The purpose is to reasonably accommodate the supervision status of any immediate family member recruited by the Organization. Specific controls are established for functions such as the performance evaluation process, the disciplinary or reprimand process, evaluation and approval of legal documents, requisition of funds, and programmatic implementation process, among others, to ascertain that any actual, potential or apparent conflict of interest is appropriately mitigated. The agreement needs to be signed by the parties having the relationship and another independent party. Condition: An immediate family member of the Executive Director was promoted to Director of Services and the safeguard measures established in the Conflict-of-Interest policy and the new protocol of the Organization were not followed. The following instances were noted: • The Employment Agreement was signed exclusively by the Executive Director and the Director of Services. • The Reasonable Accommodation of the Supervisory Role of the Director of Services Agreement was signed exclusively by the Executive Director and the Director of Services. In addition, another immediate family member of the Director of Services was hired as a professional contractor. At the moment of the recruitment, the document establishing the relationship was not signed. Subsequently the referred document was signed but it did not specify the existing conflicts with the Director of Services and the Executive Director. Cause: Failure to include a third-party signature in certain legal agreements signed by Executive Director and its immediate family member as established in the new protocol. Failure to follow the Conflict-of-interest policy established policies regarding the timely completion of conflict-ofinterest document, and proper disclosure of such conflict. The conflict of interest between the professional contractor, the Executive Director and the Director of Services was not notified to the Board of Directors to take appropriate remedial action. Context: Not applicable Effect or potential effect: Payments or transactions made between parties that have conflicts of interest and generate economic benefits can occur without being detected. Recommendation: • Review all contracts to ensure that they comply with the conflict-of-interest clause. • In the event of a potential conflict, establish a third-party signature for the Human Resources director or any member of the board executive committee. • Update the employee manual to include the new protocol. Views of responsible officials: Management agrees with the audit findings and is committed to addressing the issues identified to ensure compliance with CFR 200.318, our Conflict-of-Interest policy, and new organizational protocols. We would like to bring to your attention that effective on November 30, 2024, the Executive Director resigned from his position with Corporacion La Fondita de Jesús. We will review and revise our Conflict-of-Interest policy and protocols to ensure they are comprehensive and clear. This includes detailing the steps to be followed when hiring or promoting individuals with familial relationships within the organization. We will establish an independent review and approval process for all employment and promotion agreements involving immediate family members of senior management. This process will include an additional review by a member of the executive committee of the Board of Directors to ensure objectivity and compliance with policies. We will review all contracts to ensure that they comply with the conflict-ofinterest clause.

Federal agency: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Federal program title: Capitalization Grant for Clean Water State Revolving Funds Assistance Listing Number: 66.458 Federal Award Identification Number and Year: N/A Pass-Through Agency: Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Pass-Through Number: L176108 Award Period: March 27, 2023 – September 17, 2024 Type of Finding: • Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance Criteria or specific requirement: Uniform Grant Guidance (2 CFR 180 and 200.318) requires non-federal entities to have formal, documented policies and procedures for procurement and suspension and debarment to ensure transparency, consistency, and compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Condition: During our audit, we noted that the District does not have a formal, documented policy for procurement and suspension and debarment. This includes the absence of procedures for vendor selection, contract management, and criteria for suspension and debarment of vendors. Questioned costs: None Context: The organization operates in a highly regulated environment where procurement activities and vendor management are critical to operational success. Effective procurement policies ensure that the organization engages with qualified vendors, maintains compliance with regulatory requirements, and mitigates risks associated with vendor relationships. Suspension and debarment policies are essential to prevent engaging with vendors who have previously demonstrated non-compliance or unethical behavior. Cause: The District relies on their contractor to ensure vendors and purchases comply with regulatory guidelines. Effect: The absence of a formal procurement and suspension and debarment policy increases the risk of non-compliance with federal regulations. Without these policies, the entity may inadvertently engage in transactions with parties that are debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded from federal programs. Additionally, the lack of structured procurement procedures can result in inefficient use of resources, increased costs, and potential conflicts of interest. Repeat finding: No. Recommendation: We recommend that the organization develop and implement a formal, documented policy for procurement and suspension and debarment. Views of responsible officials: Management agrees with the finding. The District will work on implementing a formal, documented policy for procurement and suspension and debarment.

Finding 2024-004 Federal assistance listing number and name: 10.415 Rural Rent Housing Loans Awards numbers and years: 2024 Federal agency: United States Department of Agriculture Compliance Requirement: Procurement Questioned Costs: None Criteria: 2 CFR 200.318(a) requires nonfederal entities to have and use documented procurement procedures, consistent with federal, state, and local requirements, for the acquisition of property or services under a federal award. These procedures must ensure full and open competition and address conflicts of interest Condition and Context: The entity has not established or documented a formal procurement policy or procedures to guide the acquisition of goods and services. No written guidelines were provided during the review period. Cause: The absence of an established procurement policy appears to be due to a lack of prioritization or awareness of regulatory requirements regarding procurement governance. Effect: The lack of a procurement policy increases the risk of non-compliance with applicable procurement laws and guidelines, and reduced accountability and transparency in financial operations. Recommendation: The management should develop, approve, and implement a comprehensive procurement policy in accordance with applicable laws and best practices.

Finding 2024-004 Federal assistance listing number and name: 10.415 Rural Rent Housing Loans Awards numbers and years: 2024 Federal agency: United States Department of Agriculture Compliance Requirement: Procurement Questioned Costs: None Criteria: 2 CFR 200.318(a) requires nonfederal entities to have and use documented procurement procedures, consistent with federal, state, and local requirements, for the acquisition of property or services under a federal award. These procedures must ensure full and open competition and address conflicts of interest Condition and Context: The entity has not established or documented a formal procurement policy or procedures to guide the acquisition of goods and services. No written guidelines were provided during the review period. Cause: The absence of an established procurement policy appears to be due to a lack of prioritization or awareness of regulatory requirements regarding procurement governance. Effect: The lack of a procurement policy increases the risk of non-compliance with applicable procurement laws and guidelines, and reduced accountability and transparency in financial operations. Recommendation: The management should develop, approve, and implement a comprehensive procurement policy in accordance with applicable laws and best practices.

SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS For the year ended May 31, 2024 SECTION II – FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FINDINGS No matters were reported. SECTION III – FEDERAL AWARD FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS Finding Number: 2024-001 Federal Program: 14.267 Continuum of Care Category: Compliance/internal control Criteria: As established in CFR 200.318 of General procurement standards (c)- Conflict of interest - (1) “The recipient or subrecipient must maintain written standards of conduct covering conflicts of interest and governing the actions of its employees engaged in the selection, award, and administration of contracts. No employee, officer, agent, or board member with a real or apparent conflict of interest may participate in the selection, award, or administration of a contract supported by the Federal award. A conflict of interest includes when the employee, officer, agent, or board member, any member of their immediate family, their partner, or an organization that employs or is about to employ any of the parties indicated herein, has a financial or other interest in or a tangible personal benefit from an entity considered for a contract. “ The Conflict-of-Interest policy of the Organization establishes the parameters that define an actual, potential or apparent conflict of interest as follows: • actual conflict of interest - includes any link or relationship between any employee, any Board member and/or any volunteer facing a real and existing conflict • potential conflict of interest - includes any link or relationship between any employee, any Board member and/or any volunteer that could be in a situation that may result in a conflict of interest • apparent conflict of interest - includes any link or relationship between any employee, any Board member and/or any volunteer that could be in a situation that may be perceived having to do with conflict, although in fact it is not Employees, directors, Board members and/or volunteers of the Organization must recognize when they have, could have, or could be thought to have a conflict of interest and must be reported immediately. The Organization can employ relatives, partners and/or spouses of an employee, if the family romantic or marital relationship does not cause a conflict of interest or negative and adversely impact the Organization. In addition, on January 1, 2024, the Organization established a new protocol through an agreement regarding how the working relationships between family members will be managed. The purpose is to reasonably accommodate the supervision status of any immediate family member recruited by the Organization. Specific controls are established for functions such as the performance evaluation process, the disciplinary or reprimand process, evaluation and approval of legal documents, requisition of funds, and programmatic implementation process, among others, to ascertain that any actual, potential or apparent conflict of interest is appropriately mitigated. The agreement needs to be signed by the parties having the relationship and another independent party. Condition: An immediate family member of the Executive Director was promoted to Director of Services and the safeguard measures established in the Conflict-of-Interest policy and the new protocol of the Organization were not followed. The following instances were noted: • The Employment Agreement was signed exclusively by the Executive Director and the Director of Services. • The Reasonable Accommodation of the Supervisory Role of the Director of Services Agreement was signed exclusively by the Executive Director and the Director of Services. In addition, another immediate family member of the Director of Services was hired as a professional contractor. At the moment of the recruitment, the document establishing the relationship was not signed. Subsequently the referred document was signed but it did not specify the existing conflicts with the Director of Services and the Executive Director. Cause: Failure to include a third-party signature in certain legal agreements signed by Executive Director and its immediate family member as established in the new protocol. Failure to follow the Conflict-of-interest policy established policies regarding the timely completion of conflict-ofinterest document, and proper disclosure of such conflict. The conflict of interest between the professional contractor, the Executive Director and the Director of Services was not notified to the Board of Directors to take appropriate remedial action. Context: Not applicable Effect or potential effect: Payments or transactions made between parties that have conflicts of interest and generate economic benefits can occur without being detected. Recommendation: • Review all contracts to ensure that they comply with the conflict-of-interest clause. • In the event of a potential conflict, establish a third-party signature for the Human Resources director or any member of the board executive committee. • Update the employee manual to include the new protocol. Views of responsible officials: Management agrees with the audit findings and is committed to addressing the issues identified to ensure compliance with CFR 200.318, our Conflict-of-Interest policy, and new organizational protocols. We would like to bring to your attention that effective on November 30, 2024, the Executive Director resigned from his position with Corporacion La Fondita de Jesús. We will review and revise our Conflict-of-Interest policy and protocols to ensure they are comprehensive and clear. This includes detailing the steps to be followed when hiring or promoting individuals with familial relationships within the organization. We will establish an independent review and approval process for all employment and promotion agreements involving immediate family members of senior management. This process will include an additional review by a member of the executive committee of the Board of Directors to ensure objectivity and compliance with policies. We will review all contracts to ensure that they comply with the conflict-ofinterest clause.

Federal agency: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Federal program title: Capitalization Grant for Clean Water State Revolving Funds Assistance Listing Number: 66.458 Federal Award Identification Number and Year: N/A Pass-Through Agency: Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Pass-Through Number: L176108 Award Period: March 27, 2023 – September 17, 2024 Type of Finding: • Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance Criteria or specific requirement: Uniform Grant Guidance (2 CFR 180 and 200.318) requires non-federal entities to have formal, documented policies and procedures for procurement and suspension and debarment to ensure transparency, consistency, and compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Condition: During our audit, we noted that the District does not have a formal, documented policy for procurement and suspension and debarment. This includes the absence of procedures for vendor selection, contract management, and criteria for suspension and debarment of vendors. Questioned costs: None Context: The organization operates in a highly regulated environment where procurement activities and vendor management are critical to operational success. Effective procurement policies ensure that the organization engages with qualified vendors, maintains compliance with regulatory requirements, and mitigates risks associated with vendor relationships. Suspension and debarment policies are essential to prevent engaging with vendors who have previously demonstrated non-compliance or unethical behavior. Cause: The District relies on their contractor to ensure vendors and purchases comply with regulatory guidelines. Effect: The absence of a formal procurement and suspension and debarment policy increases the risk of non-compliance with federal regulations. Without these policies, the entity may inadvertently engage in transactions with parties that are debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded from federal programs. Additionally, the lack of structured procurement procedures can result in inefficient use of resources, increased costs, and potential conflicts of interest. Repeat finding: No. Recommendation: We recommend that the organization develop and implement a formal, documented policy for procurement and suspension and debarment. Views of responsible officials: Management agrees with the finding. The District will work on implementing a formal, documented policy for procurement and suspension and debarment.

Finding 2024-004 Federal assistance listing number and name: 10.415 Rural Rent Housing Loans Awards numbers and years: 2024 Federal agency: United States Department of Agriculture Compliance Requirement: Procurement Questioned Costs: None Criteria: 2 CFR 200.318(a) requires nonfederal entities to have and use documented procurement procedures, consistent with federal, state, and local requirements, for the acquisition of property or services under a federal award. These procedures must ensure full and open competition and address conflicts of interest Condition and Context: The entity has not established or documented a formal procurement policy or procedures to guide the acquisition of goods and services. No written guidelines were provided during the review period. Cause: The absence of an established procurement policy appears to be due to a lack of prioritization or awareness of regulatory requirements regarding procurement governance. Effect: The lack of a procurement policy increases the risk of non-compliance with applicable procurement laws and guidelines, and reduced accountability and transparency in financial operations. Recommendation: The management should develop, approve, and implement a comprehensive procurement policy in accordance with applicable laws and best practices.

Finding 2024-004 Federal assistance listing number and name: 10.415 Rural Rent Housing Loans Awards numbers and years: 2024 Federal agency: United States Department of Agriculture Compliance Requirement: Procurement Questioned Costs: None Criteria: 2 CFR 200.318(a) requires nonfederal entities to have and use documented procurement procedures, consistent with federal, state, and local requirements, for the acquisition of property or services under a federal award. These procedures must ensure full and open competition and address conflicts of interest Condition and Context: The entity has not established or documented a formal procurement policy or procedures to guide the acquisition of goods and services. No written guidelines were provided during the review period. Cause: The absence of an established procurement policy appears to be due to a lack of prioritization or awareness of regulatory requirements regarding procurement governance. Effect: The lack of a procurement policy increases the risk of non-compliance with applicable procurement laws and guidelines, and reduced accountability and transparency in financial operations. Recommendation: The management should develop, approve, and implement a comprehensive procurement policy in accordance with applicable laws and best practices.

Health Center Program Cluster – Assistance Listing Nos. 93.224 and 93.527 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Award No. 6 H80CS00751-22-03, April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024 Award No. 4 H8GCS47984-01-01, December 1, 2022 – December 31, 2023 Award No. 6 H8FCS41089‐01‐03, April 1, 2021 – March 31, 2024 Community Health Center Program – State Identifying No. 435.151301 Wisconsin Department of Health Agreement No. 435100-G24-3919588107-90, July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024 Agreement No. 435100-G23-3919588107-390, July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023 Criteria or Specific Requirement – Procurement – Federal: 45 CFR 75.329. State: Wisconsin Department of Health Services ACPM and 2 CFR 200.318. Condition – The Organization’s policy governing procurement requirements for the purchase of goods or services charged to federal or state awards was not compliant with Uniform Guidance. Questioned Costs – None Context – The Organization’s procurement policy does not incorporate the following methods of procurement established by Uniform Guidance: micro-purchases, small purchase procedures, sealed bids, competitive proposals, and noncompetitive proposals. Effect – Purchases of goods or services were made that may not have been obtained in the most effective manner or in compliance with Uniform Guidance. Cause – The Organization’s procurement policy has not been updated to align with Uniform Guidance. Identification as a repeat finding, if applicable – Not a repeat finding Recommendation – The Organization should revise its procurement policy consistent with requirements in Uniform Guidance and provide staff education and training on the updated policy. Additionally, the Organization should review Uniform Guidance requirements on an annual basis to ensure its procurement policy remains compliant with Uniform Guidance. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions – The Organization has historically addressed procurement in our finance manual., however we will create a stand-alone procurement policy that is monitored regularly to ensure compliance with Uniform Guidance. Further, relevant staff participated in a training focused on CHC grants management matters in December 2024 and will continue to look for learning opportunities to support and challenge compliance matters.

Health Center Program Cluster – Assistance Listing Nos. 93.224 and 93.527 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Award No. 6 H80CS00751-22-03, April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024 Award No. 4 H8GCS47984-01-01, December 1, 2022 – December 31, 2023 Award No. 6 H8FCS41089‐01‐03, April 1, 2021 – March 31, 2024 Community Health Center Program – State Identifying No. 435.151301 Wisconsin Department of Health Agreement No. 435100-G24-3919588107-90, July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024 Agreement No. 435100-G23-3919588107-390, July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023 Criteria or Specific Requirement – Procurement – Federal: 45 CFR 75.329. State: Wisconsin Department of Health Services ACPM and 2 CFR 200.318. Condition – The Organization’s policy governing procurement requirements for the purchase of goods or services charged to federal or state awards was not compliant with Uniform Guidance. Questioned Costs – None Context – The Organization’s procurement policy does not incorporate the following methods of procurement established by Uniform Guidance: micro-purchases, small purchase procedures, sealed bids, competitive proposals, and noncompetitive proposals. Effect – Purchases of goods or services were made that may not have been obtained in the most effective manner or in compliance with Uniform Guidance. Cause – The Organization’s procurement policy has not been updated to align with Uniform Guidance. Identification as a repeat finding, if applicable – Not a repeat finding Recommendation – The Organization should revise its procurement policy consistent with requirements in Uniform Guidance and provide staff education and training on the updated policy. Additionally, the Organization should review Uniform Guidance requirements on an annual basis to ensure its procurement policy remains compliant with Uniform Guidance. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions – The Organization has historically addressed procurement in our finance manual., however we will create a stand-alone procurement policy that is monitored regularly to ensure compliance with Uniform Guidance. Further, relevant staff participated in a training focused on CHC grants management matters in December 2024 and will continue to look for learning opportunities to support and challenge compliance matters.

Health Center Program Cluster – Assistance Listing Nos. 93.224 and 93.527 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Award No. 6 H80CS00751-22-03, April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024 Award No. 4 H8GCS47984-01-01, December 1, 2022 – December 31, 2023 Award No. 6 H8FCS41089‐01‐03, April 1, 2021 – March 31, 2024 Community Health Center Program – State Identifying No. 435.151301 Wisconsin Department of Health Agreement No. 435100-G24-3919588107-90, July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024 Agreement No. 435100-G23-3919588107-390, July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023 Criteria or Specific Requirement – Procurement – Federal: 45 CFR 75.329. State: Wisconsin Department of Health Services ACPM and 2 CFR 200.318. Condition – The Organization’s policy governing procurement requirements for the purchase of goods or services charged to federal or state awards was not compliant with Uniform Guidance. Questioned Costs – None Context – The Organization’s procurement policy does not incorporate the following methods of procurement established by Uniform Guidance: micro-purchases, small purchase procedures, sealed bids, competitive proposals, and noncompetitive proposals. Effect – Purchases of goods or services were made that may not have been obtained in the most effective manner or in compliance with Uniform Guidance. Cause – The Organization’s procurement policy has not been updated to align with Uniform Guidance. Identification as a repeat finding, if applicable – Not a repeat finding Recommendation – The Organization should revise its procurement policy consistent with requirements in Uniform Guidance and provide staff education and training on the updated policy. Additionally, the Organization should review Uniform Guidance requirements on an annual basis to ensure its procurement policy remains compliant with Uniform Guidance. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions – The Organization has historically addressed procurement in our finance manual., however we will create a stand-alone procurement policy that is monitored regularly to ensure compliance with Uniform Guidance. Further, relevant staff participated in a training focused on CHC grants management matters in December 2024 and will continue to look for learning opportunities to support and challenge compliance matters.

Health Center Program Cluster – Assistance Listing Nos. 93.224 and 93.527 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Award No. 6 H80CS00751-22-03, April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024 Award No. 4 H8GCS47984-01-01, December 1, 2022 – December 31, 2023 Award No. 6 H8FCS41089‐01‐03, April 1, 2021 – March 31, 2024 Community Health Center Program – State Identifying No. 435.151301 Wisconsin Department of Health Agreement No. 435100-G24-3919588107-90, July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024 Agreement No. 435100-G23-3919588107-390, July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023 Criteria or Specific Requirement – Procurement – Federal: 45 CFR 75.329. State: Wisconsin Department of Health Services ACPM and 2 CFR 200.318. Condition – The Organization’s policy governing procurement requirements for the purchase of goods or services charged to federal or state awards was not compliant with Uniform Guidance. Questioned Costs – None Context – The Organization’s procurement policy does not incorporate the following methods of procurement established by Uniform Guidance: micro-purchases, small purchase procedures, sealed bids, competitive proposals, and noncompetitive proposals. Effect – Purchases of goods or services were made that may not have been obtained in the most effective manner or in compliance with Uniform Guidance. Cause – The Organization’s procurement policy has not been updated to align with Uniform Guidance. Identification as a repeat finding, if applicable – Not a repeat finding Recommendation – The Organization should revise its procurement policy consistent with requirements in Uniform Guidance and provide staff education and training on the updated policy. Additionally, the Organization should review Uniform Guidance requirements on an annual basis to ensure its procurement policy remains compliant with Uniform Guidance. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions – The Organization has historically addressed procurement in our finance manual., however we will create a stand-alone procurement policy that is monitored regularly to ensure compliance with Uniform Guidance. Further, relevant staff participated in a training focused on CHC grants management matters in December 2024 and will continue to look for learning opportunities to support and challenge compliance matters.

Finding 2024-005 – Suspension and debarment Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Federal Program Name: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds; Health Center Program Cluster Assistance Listing Number: 21.027; 93.224/93.527 Pass-Through Entity: Cook County Department of Public Health, N/A Pass-Through Number: None; N/A Award Periods: May 1, 2023-November 30, 2026; July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2023; Type of Finding: Significant deficiency in internal control over compliance Criteria: 2 CFR sections 200.212 and 200.318(h); 2 CFR section 180.300; 48 CFR section 52.209-6 outlines that the non-federal entity must verify that the agency in which it is entering into a contract is not suspended or debarred or otherwise excluded from participating in the transaction. Condition: Legacy did not document that sam.gov was checked prior to entering into a contract with a vendor. Questioned Costs: None. Context: One (1) of two (2) vendors tested within 21.027 and two (2) of two (2) vendors within 93.224/93.527. Cause: Legacy did not create and maintain documentation showing that suspension and debarment had been checked prior to engaging a vendor. Effect: Contracted vendors may be ineligible to receive federal dollars for services performed. Repeat Finding: Yes. Prior Year Finding: 2023-006. Recommendation: We recommend that Legacy check, and document, the use of Sam.gov to verify that a vendor was not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded from participating in the transaction prior to entering into a contract. Views of Responsible Officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding.

Finding 2024-005 – Suspension and debarment Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Federal Program Name: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds; Health Center Program Cluster Assistance Listing Number: 21.027; 93.224/93.527 Pass-Through Entity: Cook County Department of Public Health, N/A Pass-Through Number: None; N/A Award Periods: May 1, 2023-November 30, 2026; July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2023; Type of Finding: Significant deficiency in internal control over compliance Criteria: 2 CFR sections 200.212 and 200.318(h); 2 CFR section 180.300; 48 CFR section 52.209-6 outlines that the non-federal entity must verify that the agency in which it is entering into a contract is not suspended or debarred or otherwise excluded from participating in the transaction. Condition: Legacy did not document that sam.gov was checked prior to entering into a contract with a vendor. Questioned Costs: None. Context: One (1) of two (2) vendors tested within 21.027 and two (2) of two (2) vendors within 93.224/93.527. Cause: Legacy did not create and maintain documentation showing that suspension and debarment had been checked prior to engaging a vendor. Effect: Contracted vendors may be ineligible to receive federal dollars for services performed. Repeat Finding: Yes. Prior Year Finding: 2023-006. Recommendation: We recommend that Legacy check, and document, the use of Sam.gov to verify that a vendor was not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded from participating in the transaction prior to entering into a contract. Views of Responsible Officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding.

Health Center Program Cluster – Assistance Listing Nos. 93.224 and 93.527 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Award No. 6 H80CS00751-22-03, April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024 Award No. 4 H8GCS47984-01-01, December 1, 2022 – December 31, 2023 Award No. 6 H8FCS41089‐01‐03, April 1, 2021 – March 31, 2024 Community Health Center Program – State Identifying No. 435.151301 Wisconsin Department of Health Agreement No. 435100-G24-3919588107-90, July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024 Agreement No. 435100-G23-3919588107-390, July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023 Criteria or Specific Requirement – Procurement – Federal: 45 CFR 75.329. State: Wisconsin Department of Health Services ACPM and 2 CFR 200.318. Condition – The Organization’s policy governing procurement requirements for the purchase of goods or services charged to federal or state awards was not compliant with Uniform Guidance. Questioned Costs – None Context – The Organization’s procurement policy does not incorporate the following methods of procurement established by Uniform Guidance: micro-purchases, small purchase procedures, sealed bids, competitive proposals, and noncompetitive proposals. Effect – Purchases of goods or services were made that may not have been obtained in the most effective manner or in compliance with Uniform Guidance. Cause – The Organization’s procurement policy has not been updated to align with Uniform Guidance. Identification as a repeat finding, if applicable – Not a repeat finding Recommendation – The Organization should revise its procurement policy consistent with requirements in Uniform Guidance and provide staff education and training on the updated policy. Additionally, the Organization should review Uniform Guidance requirements on an annual basis to ensure its procurement policy remains compliant with Uniform Guidance. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions – The Organization has historically addressed procurement in our finance manual., however we will create a stand-alone procurement policy that is monitored regularly to ensure compliance with Uniform Guidance. Further, relevant staff participated in a training focused on CHC grants management matters in December 2024 and will continue to look for learning opportunities to support and challenge compliance matters.

Health Center Program Cluster – Assistance Listing Nos. 93.224 and 93.527 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Award No. 6 H80CS00751-22-03, April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024 Award No. 4 H8GCS47984-01-01, December 1, 2022 – December 31, 2023 Award No. 6 H8FCS41089‐01‐03, April 1, 2021 – March 31, 2024 Community Health Center Program – State Identifying No. 435.151301 Wisconsin Department of Health Agreement No. 435100-G24-3919588107-90, July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024 Agreement No. 435100-G23-3919588107-390, July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023 Criteria or Specific Requirement – Procurement – Federal: 45 CFR 75.329. State: Wisconsin Department of Health Services ACPM and 2 CFR 200.318. Condition – The Organization’s policy governing procurement requirements for the purchase of goods or services charged to federal or state awards was not compliant with Uniform Guidance. Questioned Costs – None Context – The Organization’s procurement policy does not incorporate the following methods of procurement established by Uniform Guidance: micro-purchases, small purchase procedures, sealed bids, competitive proposals, and noncompetitive proposals. Effect – Purchases of goods or services were made that may not have been obtained in the most effective manner or in compliance with Uniform Guidance. Cause – The Organization’s procurement policy has not been updated to align with Uniform Guidance. Identification as a repeat finding, if applicable – Not a repeat finding Recommendation – The Organization should revise its procurement policy consistent with requirements in Uniform Guidance and provide staff education and training on the updated policy. Additionally, the Organization should review Uniform Guidance requirements on an annual basis to ensure its procurement policy remains compliant with Uniform Guidance. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions – The Organization has historically addressed procurement in our finance manual., however we will create a stand-alone procurement policy that is monitored regularly to ensure compliance with Uniform Guidance. Further, relevant staff participated in a training focused on CHC grants management matters in December 2024 and will continue to look for learning opportunities to support and challenge compliance matters.

Health Center Program Cluster – Assistance Listing Nos. 93.224 and 93.527 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Award No. 6 H80CS00751-22-03, April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024 Award No. 4 H8GCS47984-01-01, December 1, 2022 – December 31, 2023 Award No. 6 H8FCS41089‐01‐03, April 1, 2021 – March 31, 2024 Community Health Center Program – State Identifying No. 435.151301 Wisconsin Department of Health Agreement No. 435100-G24-3919588107-90, July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024 Agreement No. 435100-G23-3919588107-390, July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023 Criteria or Specific Requirement – Procurement – Federal: 45 CFR 75.329. State: Wisconsin Department of Health Services ACPM and 2 CFR 200.318. Condition – The Organization’s policy governing procurement requirements for the purchase of goods or services charged to federal or state awards was not compliant with Uniform Guidance. Questioned Costs – None Context – The Organization’s procurement policy does not incorporate the following methods of procurement established by Uniform Guidance: micro-purchases, small purchase procedures, sealed bids, competitive proposals, and noncompetitive proposals. Effect – Purchases of goods or services were made that may not have been obtained in the most effective manner or in compliance with Uniform Guidance. Cause – The Organization’s procurement policy has not been updated to align with Uniform Guidance. Identification as a repeat finding, if applicable – Not a repeat finding Recommendation – The Organization should revise its procurement policy consistent with requirements in Uniform Guidance and provide staff education and training on the updated policy. Additionally, the Organization should review Uniform Guidance requirements on an annual basis to ensure its procurement policy remains compliant with Uniform Guidance. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions – The Organization has historically addressed procurement in our finance manual., however we will create a stand-alone procurement policy that is monitored regularly to ensure compliance with Uniform Guidance. Further, relevant staff participated in a training focused on CHC grants management matters in December 2024 and will continue to look for learning opportunities to support and challenge compliance matters.

Health Center Program Cluster – Assistance Listing Nos. 93.224 and 93.527 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Award No. 6 H80CS00751-22-03, April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024 Award No. 4 H8GCS47984-01-01, December 1, 2022 – December 31, 2023 Award No. 6 H8FCS41089‐01‐03, April 1, 2021 – March 31, 2024 Community Health Center Program – State Identifying No. 435.151301 Wisconsin Department of Health Agreement No. 435100-G24-3919588107-90, July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024 Agreement No. 435100-G23-3919588107-390, July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023 Criteria or Specific Requirement – Procurement – Federal: 45 CFR 75.329. State: Wisconsin Department of Health Services ACPM and 2 CFR 200.318. Condition – The Organization’s policy governing procurement requirements for the purchase of goods or services charged to federal or state awards was not compliant with Uniform Guidance. Questioned Costs – None Context – The Organization’s procurement policy does not incorporate the following methods of procurement established by Uniform Guidance: micro-purchases, small purchase procedures, sealed bids, competitive proposals, and noncompetitive proposals. Effect – Purchases of goods or services were made that may not have been obtained in the most effective manner or in compliance with Uniform Guidance. Cause – The Organization’s procurement policy has not been updated to align with Uniform Guidance. Identification as a repeat finding, if applicable – Not a repeat finding Recommendation – The Organization should revise its procurement policy consistent with requirements in Uniform Guidance and provide staff education and training on the updated policy. Additionally, the Organization should review Uniform Guidance requirements on an annual basis to ensure its procurement policy remains compliant with Uniform Guidance. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions – The Organization has historically addressed procurement in our finance manual., however we will create a stand-alone procurement policy that is monitored regularly to ensure compliance with Uniform Guidance. Further, relevant staff participated in a training focused on CHC grants management matters in December 2024 and will continue to look for learning opportunities to support and challenge compliance matters.

Finding 2024-005 – Suspension and debarment Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Federal Program Name: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds; Health Center Program Cluster Assistance Listing Number: 21.027; 93.224/93.527 Pass-Through Entity: Cook County Department of Public Health, N/A Pass-Through Number: None; N/A Award Periods: May 1, 2023-November 30, 2026; July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2023; Type of Finding: Significant deficiency in internal control over compliance Criteria: 2 CFR sections 200.212 and 200.318(h); 2 CFR section 180.300; 48 CFR section 52.209-6 outlines that the non-federal entity must verify that the agency in which it is entering into a contract is not suspended or debarred or otherwise excluded from participating in the transaction. Condition: Legacy did not document that sam.gov was checked prior to entering into a contract with a vendor. Questioned Costs: None. Context: One (1) of two (2) vendors tested within 21.027 and two (2) of two (2) vendors within 93.224/93.527. Cause: Legacy did not create and maintain documentation showing that suspension and debarment had been checked prior to engaging a vendor. Effect: Contracted vendors may be ineligible to receive federal dollars for services performed. Repeat Finding: Yes. Prior Year Finding: 2023-006. Recommendation: We recommend that Legacy check, and document, the use of Sam.gov to verify that a vendor was not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded from participating in the transaction prior to entering into a contract. Views of Responsible Officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding.

Finding 2024-005 – Suspension and debarment Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Federal Program Name: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds; Health Center Program Cluster Assistance Listing Number: 21.027; 93.224/93.527 Pass-Through Entity: Cook County Department of Public Health, N/A Pass-Through Number: None; N/A Award Periods: May 1, 2023-November 30, 2026; July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2023; Type of Finding: Significant deficiency in internal control over compliance Criteria: 2 CFR sections 200.212 and 200.318(h); 2 CFR section 180.300; 48 CFR section 52.209-6 outlines that the non-federal entity must verify that the agency in which it is entering into a contract is not suspended or debarred or otherwise excluded from participating in the transaction. Condition: Legacy did not document that sam.gov was checked prior to entering into a contract with a vendor. Questioned Costs: None. Context: One (1) of two (2) vendors tested within 21.027 and two (2) of two (2) vendors within 93.224/93.527. Cause: Legacy did not create and maintain documentation showing that suspension and debarment had been checked prior to engaging a vendor. Effect: Contracted vendors may be ineligible to receive federal dollars for services performed. Repeat Finding: Yes. Prior Year Finding: 2023-006. Recommendation: We recommend that Legacy check, and document, the use of Sam.gov to verify that a vendor was not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded from participating in the transaction prior to entering into a contract. Views of Responsible Officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding.

Assistance Listing Number 66.468 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund United States Environmental Protection Agency North Dakota Public Finance Authority Procurement Suspension & Debarment 2 CFR Part 200.318 Criteria 2 CFR Part 200.318 states that a non-Federal entity must have and use documented procedures, consistent with state, local, and tribal laws and regulations and the standards of 2 CFR part 200.317 through 200.327. Condition District does not have a written procurement policy in place. Cause The District has not approved a written procurement policy. Effect Non-compliance with Procurement Suspension & Debarment compliance requirements. Questioned Costs Not Applicable Repeat Finding See 2022-005. Recommendation We recommend for the board of the District to create and implement a procurement policy that adheres to state and local regulations as well as 2 CFR Part 200.317 through 200.327. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions The District will create and approve a procurement policy that adheres to state and local regulations as well as 2 CFR Part 200.317 through 200.327.

Finding 2023-001 Noncompliance and material weakness in internal control over compliance with procurement requirements Federal Agency: Department of Housing and Urban Development Assistance Listing Number: 14.251 Assistance Listing Name: Community Project Funding Award Number: B-23-CP-WA-1530 Criteria Nonfederal entities must follow the procurement standards set out at 2 CFR sections 200.318 through 200.326. For acquisitions exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, the nonfederal entity must use one of the following procurement methods: the sealed bid method if the acquisition meets the criteria in 2 CFR section 200.320(b)(i); the competitive proposals method under the conditions specified in 2 CFR section 200.320(b)(2); or the noncompetitive proposals method (i.e., solicit a proposal from only one source) but only when one or more of four circumstances are met, in accordance with 2 CFR section 200.320(c)). Condition and Effect During our testing of the procurement compliance requirement, we noted that the Aquarium had not performed the required procurement procedures for one of the vendors in our sample. For this one vendor the acquisition exceeded the simplified acquisition threshold. The Aquarium used a noncompetitive method to select the vendor; however, the acquisition did not meet one of the four qualifying circumstances for a noncompetitive procurement. Cause The Aquarium’s system of internal control did not operate effectively to prevent the Aquarium from incorrectly using a noncompetitive procurement process, when instead a proscribed competitive procurement process should have been followed. Context During the year under audit there was a total population of nine vendors to which the procurement compliance requirement applied. For our testing of the procurement compliance requirement, we tested a sample of two vendors from the total population of nine. As noted in the condition section above, our testing found that the Aquarium did not comply with the procurement compliance requirements for one of the vendors tested. We also noted that the procurement activity for this vendor occurred in 2017 and prior to the Aquarium seeking federal funding for the Ocean Pavilion project. Questioned Costs Payments to that one vendor during 2023 that were charged to the major federal program totaled $118,845. Repeat Finding This is not a repeat finding. Recommendation We recommend management provide training for those involved with procurement activities for acquisitions that will be charged to federal awards to ensure the Aquarium’s procurement policies and procedures are consistently applied. We also recommend management update the Aquarium’s procurement policies and procedures to ensure they incorporate the required procedures and controls to ensure compliance with the procurement requirements in 2 CFR 200 (the Uniform Guidance) for acquisitions that will be charged to federal awards. Views of Responsible Officials and Corrective Action Plan Management agrees with the finding and has provided the accompanying corrective action plan.

Finding 2023-003: Significant Deficiency - Internal Control Over Procurement, Suspension and Debarment Program Water and Waste Disposal Systems for Rural Communities Federal Agency U.S. Department of Agriculture Assistance Listing Number 10.760 Criteria: For federal awards after January 1, 2018, guidance provided in 2 CFR part 200.318 requires nonfederal entities to establish and follow their own documented procurement procedures that conform to applicable federal law and standards. 2 CFR part 200.320 includes different allowable methods of procurement. There are also requirements to verify the vendors are not suspended or debarred. Condition/Context: During our testing for this program, we noted that the City did not have a written procurement policy to conform with Uniform Guidance requirements. The City contracted with a thirdparty administrator who provided the services related to procurement for this grant program. Cause: The City was not aware that a written policy was required to be in place outside of the terms and condition in the grant agreement. Effect: Without an adequate policy in place, procurement procedures may not adhere to requirements of federal awards. Questioned Costs: None noted. Recommendation: Program personnel should become familiar with the procurement, suspension and debarment rules for Federal programs and implement a formal written policy to conform with Uniform Guidance requirements. Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding and will make efforts to implement a formal procurement policy.

Assistance Listing, Federal Agency, and Program Name - ALN 47.074, National Science Foundation, Biological Sciences - Collaborative Research: Phenobase: Community, Infrastructure, and Data for Global Scale Analyses of Plant Phenology; ALN 47.074, National Science Foundation, Biological Sciences - REU Site: Plant Biology and Conservation Research Experiences for Undergraduates Federal Award Identification Number and Year - DBI-2223510, DBI2149888 Pass through Entity - N/A Finding Type - Material weakness and material noncompliance with laws and regulations Repeat Finding - No Criteria - 2 CFR 180.300 - 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 of disqualified. You do this by: (a) checking SAM exclusions; or (b) Collecting a certification from that person; or (c) Adding a clause or condition to the covered transaction with that person. 2 CFR 200.318(i) - The entity must maintain records sufficient to detail the history of procurement. These records will include, but are not limited to, the following: Rationale for the method of procurement, selection of contract type, contractor selection or rejection, and the basis for the contract price. 2 CFR 200.319(a) - All procurement transactions for the acquisition of property or services required under a federal award must be conducted in a manner providing full and open competition consistent with the standards of this section and § 200.320. 2 CFR 200.320(a)(2)(i) - 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. Condition - The Society did not have documentation to support that two covered transactions were checked for potential suspension or debarment before entering into the transaction. There was one covered transaction where the Society did not have documentation to support the procurement process followed or that more than one vendor was reviewed for pricing before selecting the vendor chosen. Questioned Costs - The Society charged a total of $31,000 to grant DBI-2223510 during 2023 for a covered transaction in which there was not supporting documentation that the service was procured under the requirements above. Identification of How Questioned Costs Were Computed - The amount of the covered transaction that was submitted for reimbursement during 2023. Context - Two covered transactions with total expenditures charged to the grants of $85,735 were reviewed. The population subject to testing included a total of three covered transactions. Cause and Effect - The Society experienced significant personnel turnover during the year within its accounting and grants departments, which resulted in issues with documentation retention and records retrieval. Recommendation - The Society should implement an internal review process of its record retention to ensure that all procurement documentation is appropriately retained in accordance with its formal policies. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions - Staff turnover in early 2023 resulted in limited capacity for dedicated staff to check for potential suspension or debarment before adding vendors to the system. We have dedicated staff who will be managing this process going forward. The Society has written procurement policies and procedures. Key leadership stakeholders have been apprised of our policies and procedures. The Society will be implementing a training series for government funded procurement stakeholders within the Society to ensure compliance.

Assistance Listing, Federal Agency, and Program Name - ALN 47.074, National Science Foundation, Biological Sciences - Collaborative Research: Phenobase: Community, Infrastructure, and Data for Global Scale Analyses of Plant Phenology; ALN 47.074, National Science Foundation, Biological Sciences - REU Site: Plant Biology and Conservation Research Experiences for Undergraduates Federal Award Identification Number and Year - DBI-2223510, DBI2149888 Pass through Entity - N/A Finding Type - Material weakness and material noncompliance with laws and regulations Repeat Finding - No Criteria - 2 CFR 180.300 - 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 of disqualified. You do this by: (a) checking SAM exclusions; or (b) Collecting a certification from that person; or (c) Adding a clause or condition to the covered transaction with that person. 2 CFR 200.318(i) - The entity must maintain records sufficient to detail the history of procurement. These records will include, but are not limited to, the following: Rationale for the method of procurement, selection of contract type, contractor selection or rejection, and the basis for the contract price. 2 CFR 200.319(a) - All procurement transactions for the acquisition of property or services required under a federal award must be conducted in a manner providing full and open competition consistent with the standards of this section and § 200.320. 2 CFR 200.320(a)(2)(i) - 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. Condition - The Society did not have documentation to support that two covered transactions were checked for potential suspension or debarment before entering into the transaction. There was one covered transaction where the Society did not have documentation to support the procurement process followed or that more than one vendor was reviewed for pricing before selecting the vendor chosen. Questioned Costs - The Society charged a total of $31,000 to grant DBI-2223510 during 2023 for a covered transaction in which there was not supporting documentation that the service was procured under the requirements above. Identification of How Questioned Costs Were Computed - The amount of the covered transaction that was submitted for reimbursement during 2023. Context - Two covered transactions with total expenditures charged to the grants of $85,735 were reviewed. The population subject to testing included a total of three covered transactions. Cause and Effect - The Society experienced significant personnel turnover during the year within its accounting and grants departments, which resulted in issues with documentation retention and records retrieval. Recommendation - The Society should implement an internal review process of its record retention to ensure that all procurement documentation is appropriately retained in accordance with its formal policies. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions - Staff turnover in early 2023 resulted in limited capacity for dedicated staff to check for potential suspension or debarment before adding vendors to the system. We have dedicated staff who will be managing this process going forward. The Society has written procurement policies and procedures. Key leadership stakeholders have been apprised of our policies and procedures. The Society will be implementing a training series for government funded procurement stakeholders within the Society to ensure compliance.

Procurement Policy Federal Agency: U.S. Department of the Treasury Federal Program Title: NeighborWorks® America Grant Cluster Federal Assistance Listing Number: 21.U12 Compliance Requirement: Procurement Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance, Other Matter Criteria or Specific Requirement: The Organization should have a formal procurement policy to guide the Organization when entering into covered transactions. The policy needs to include all components identified in 2 CFR 200.318. Condition: The Organization had 3 expenses applied to the grant in excess of the $10,000 required micro-purchase threshold and below their internal $15,000 policy. The Organization also did not have a procurement policy in place that follows Uniform Guidance. Questioned Costs: None Context: The Organization had an internal procurement policy in effect that specified procurement controls and documentation for purchases greater than $15,000, which exceeds the $10,000 micro-purchase threshold required under Uniform Guidance. The Organization entered into three transactions below their $15,000 internal policy but in excess of the $10,000 required micro purchase threshold for which an adequate number of price or rate quotes were not documented. Cause: Management Oversight Effect: The effect of not having a procurement policy with all the required components would be noncompliance with 2 CFR 200.318. Recommendation: It is recommended that the Organization review and update the procurement policy as necessary to ensure compliance with the Uniform Guidance. Views of Responsible Officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Refer to the Organization’s Corrective Action Plan for more information.

Finding 2023-001: Procurement Policy Information on the Federal Program: All Criteria: According to 2 CFR §200.303, 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). Additionally, according to 2 CFR §200.318 Procurement standards, the non-Federal entity must maintain records sufficient to detail the history of procurement. These records will include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following: Rationale for the method of procurement, selection of contract type, contractor selection or rejection, and the basis for the contract price. Title 2, Subtitle A Chapter II Part 200 Subpart D 200.319 Procurement Standards. All procurement transactions for the acquisition of property or services required under a Federal award must be conducted in a manner providing full and open competition consistent with the standards of this section and §200.320. The non-Federal entity must have written procedures for procurement transactions." Additionally, according to 2 CFR §200.318 Procurement standards, the non-Federal entity must maintain records sufficient to detail the history of procurement. These records will include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following: Rationale for the method of procurement, selection of contract type, contractor selection or rejection, and the basis for the contract price. Title 2, Subtitle A Chapter II Part 200 Subpart D 200.319 Procurement Standards. All procurement transactions for the acquisition of property or services required under a Federal award must be conducted in a manner providing full and open competition consistent with the standards of this section and §200.320. The non-Federal entity must have written procedures for procurement transactions. Condition: During our testing performed over procurement and through inquiries with management, we noted the Organization does not have a formally documented procurement policy in place that is consistent with 2 CFR §200.318(a). Cause: Management has not formalized and implemented an official organizational procurement policy. Effect or Potential Effect: An official procurement policy will outline specified thresholds for which procurement is required, required documentation needed for each threshold, and individuals responsible for ensuring procurement is performed in all required circumstances. When no policy is in place, there is a risk that procurement would not be performed, or adequate documentation would not be obtained, when required. Questioned Costs: None noted. Context: We noted that the Organization does not have a documented procurement policy in effect.Identification as a Repeat Finding, if Applicable: Not a repeat finding. Recommendation: We recommend that management formalize and implement an official procurement policy. This policy should include thresholds for which various levels of procurement are required. The policy should also include what documentation is required for each level of procurement. Additionally, the policy should specify individuals responsible for conducting procurement, and approving the final selection.

Finding # 2023-002 Type: Immaterial noncompliance over procurement Assistance Listing: 10.937 Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Criteria/Requirement The Organization’s procurement policies should incorporate the provisions of the procurement standards set out at 2 CFR sections 200.318 through 200.327. Cause: The Organization’s fiscal policies and procedures do not meet the required federal standards for procurement. Effect: Executed contracts using federal funds may be in violation of federal guidelines. Questioned Costs: None. Recommendation: The Organization's procurement policy must have documented procurement procedures, consistent with state, local, and tribal laws and regulations for the acquisition of property or services required under a federal award or subaward. The Organization should maintain records sufficient to detail the history of procurement. Management’s Response: The Organization agrees with the auditor’s recommendation. At the time of this audit’s issuance, the Organization has updated its procurement policies and procedures to be consistent with federal requirements.

Finding # 2023-002 Type: Immaterial noncompliance over procurement Assistance Listing: 10.937 Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Criteria/Requirement The Organization’s procurement policies should incorporate the provisions of the procurement standards set out at 2 CFR sections 200.318 through 200.327. Cause: The Organization’s fiscal policies and procedures do not meet the required federal standards for procurement. Effect: Executed contracts using federal funds may be in violation of federal guidelines. Questioned Costs: None. Recommendation: The Organization's procurement policy must have documented procurement procedures, consistent with state, local, and tribal laws and regulations for the acquisition of property or services required under a federal award or subaward. The Organization should maintain records sufficient to detail the history of procurement. Management’s Response: The Organization agrees with the auditor’s recommendation. At the time of this audit’s issuance, the Organization has updated its procurement policies and procedures to be consistent with federal requirements.