Federal Program Information: Assistance Listing Number: 93.959 Federal Program Title: Block Grants for Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Passed Through Entity: County of Los Angeles Public Health Federal Award Number: PH-004383-W2, PH-004383-W1 Federal Award Year: July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024 Compliance Requirement: Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Assistance Listing Number: 93.531 Federal Program Title: Community Transformation Grants and National Dissemination and Support for Community Transformation Grants Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Passed Through Entity: County of Los Angeles Public Health Federal Award Number: PH-004921 Federal Award Year: July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024 Compliance Requirement: Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Criteria: Per the Uniform Guidance, 2 CFR §200.430(i), charges to federal awards for salaries and wages must be based on records that accurately reflect the actual work performed. Budget estimates may be used for interim purposes, but must be supported by contemporaneous documentation, reconciled to actual time worked, and adjusted as necessary. Additionally, 2 CFR §200.403(d) requires that costs be allocated to federal awards in accordance with the relative benefits received. The OMB Compliance Supplement (Part 6 – Internal Control and Part 3 – Compliance Requirements) reinforces that payroll and nonpayroll costs must be supported by reliable records and allocated using reasonable and consistent methodologies. Condition: During the testing of payroll costs, we noted that for Federal Assistance Listings 93.959 and 93.531, payroll charges in 4 out of 40 samples and 2 out of 11 samples, respectively, were based on budgeted rates rather than actual hours worked. Supporting documentation (e.g., timesheets or equivalent records) was not used to substantiate the final charges, and adjustments to actual time and effort were not made. For nonpayroll costs, we identified that in 3 out of 40 samples (93.959) and 5 out of 18 samples (93.531), costs were not allocated using a consistent and reasonable basis across all benefiting programs. Instead, the Organization either charged costs by maximizing the allowable budget under each program or have inadvertently used an incorrect basis due to oversight. Cause: The deficiencies occurred because the Organization’s internal controls were not sufficiently designed or implemented to ensure compliance with Uniform Guidance requirements. Specifically, payroll costs were charged to federal awards based on budget estimates rather than actual time and effort supported by records such as timesheets, and nonpayroll costs were either maximized to the budget or were allocated using an incorrect basis. These control gaps in review and documentation resulted in costs being charged to federal programs in a manner inconsistent with Allowable Costs/Cost Principles. Effect: As a result of these deficiencies, federal program expenditures reported to the awarding agency were misstated. Our testing identified questioned costs across both programs, consisting of payroll and nonpayroll overallocations. These represent unallowable costs under Uniform Guidance and may be subject to disallowance. Inaccurate cost allocations increase the risk of noncompliance with federal requirements, could lead to repayment of disallowed costs, and may negatively affect future federal funding decisions. Questioned Costs: Known and extrapolated costs for payroll and nonpayroll costs for Federal Assistance Listings 93.959 and 93.531 are summarized below. These amounts represent the overallocation to the programs, representing unallowable costs under Uniform Guidance. Recommendation: We recommend that the Organization strengthen its internal controls over payroll and nonpayroll cost allocations by requiring time and effort records to support all payroll charges to federal awards, ensuring nonpayroll costs are allocated using documented and equitable methodologies, and performing regular reconciliations of budgeted amounts to actual costs. In addition, staff responsible for preparing and reviewing cost allocations should receive training on Uniform Guidance requirements to ensure accuracy, compliance, and consistency across all federal programs. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions: For payroll, procedures will be implemented to ensure that payroll costs allocated to federal grants are supported by actual time. For nonpayroll, procedures will be enhanced to ensure proper allocation of nonpayroll costs to federal grants. Allocations will be reviewed and monitored on a monthly and quarterly basis to prevent misallocation and ensure compliance with the Uniform Guidance. Personnel responsible for implementation: Executive Director Christy Zamani and Beaulieu Accountancy Corporation. Date of implementation: August 5, 2025
FA 2024-001 Improve Budgetary Controls over Expenditures Compliance Requirement: Activities Allowed or Unallowed Allowable Costs/Cost Principes Internal Control Impact: Significant Deficiency Compliance Impact: Nonmaterial Noncompliance Federal Awarding Agency: U.S. Department of Education Pass-Through Entity: Georgia Department of Education AL Number and Title: COVID-19 – 84.425U – American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund Federal Award Number: S425U210012 (Year: 2021) Questioned Costs: $21,615.33 Description: A review of expenditures charged to the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund program revealed instances in which expenditures had not been properly approved by the pass-through entity. Background Information: On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law. The CARES Act was designed to mitigate the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in a variety of ways, including providing additional funding for local educational agencies (LEAs) navigating the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. Provisions included in Title VIII of the CARES Act created the Education Stabilization Fund to provide financial resources to educational entities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. The CARES Act allocated $30.75 billion, the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act allocated an additional $81.9 billion, and the American Rescue Plan Act added $165.1 billion in funding to the Education Stabilization Fund. Multiple Education Stabilization Fund subprograms were created and allotted funding through the various COVID-19-related legislation. Of these programs, the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund was created to address the impact that COVID-19 has had, and continues to have, on elementary and secondary schools across the nation. ESSER funding was granted to the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) by the U.S. Department of Education (ED). GaDOE is responsible for distributing funds to LEAs and overseeing the expenditure of funds by LEAs. ESSER funds totaling $11,379,058.14 were expended and reported on the Sumter County School District’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 200.403 – Factors Affecting Allowability of Costs state that “costs must meet the following general criteria in order to be allowable under Federal awards: (a) Be necessary and reasonable for the performance of the Federal award and be allocable thereto under these principles, (b) Conform to any limitations or exclusions set forth in these principles or in the Federal award as to types or amount of cost items, (c) Be consistent with policies and procedures that apply uniformly to both federally-financed and other activities of the non-Federal entity… (g) Be adequately documented…” Furthermore, to assist school districts in improving their financial management systems and associated compliance over federal programs, GaDOE published the Financial Management for Georgia Local Units of Administration (FMGLUA) manual. The FMGLUA manual requires that LEAs submit a budget as part of each federal program’s Consolidated Application process. The program budget reflects details regarding the manner in which each school district intends to expend the program funds. The Consolidated Application, including the budget, for each program must be reviewed and approved by GaDOE personnel before the LEA is authorized to expend program funds. Amendments to the budget are to be submitted to and approved by GaDOE when a school district intends to spend funds in a manner not initially reported. Lastly, LEA personnel must also provide program-specific assurances related to the ESSER program within the Consolidated Application system. These assurances are reflected in the Uniform Guidance, Section 200.415 – Required Certifications, and include provisions that require LEAs “to assure that expenditures are proper and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Federal award and approved project budgets...” Condition: A sample of 40 nonpersonal services expenditures was randomly selected for testing using a non-statistical sampling approach. These expenditures were reviewed to determine if appropriate internal controls were implemented and applicable compliance requirements were met. It was noted that prior approval was not obtained from GaDOE for two expenditures totaling $21,615.33 as these expenditures were not reflected in the approved budget or subsequent amendment within the Consolidated Application system, as required. Questioned Costs: Upon testing a sample of $3,582,721.30 in nonpersonal service expenditures, known questioned costs of $21,615.33 were identified for expenditures that were not approved through the Consolidated Application process. Using the population being sampled, which totaled $6,624,968.03, we project the likely questioned costs to be approximately $39,969.86. Cause: The School District did not follow its policies and procedures that govern the nonpersonal services expenditure process for federal programs. The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Coordinator did not ensure that all expenditures were included on the related consolidated application for the federal program. Effect: The School District is not in compliance with the Uniform Guidance or GaDOE guidance related to the ESSER program. Failure to accurately develop and amend budget information through the Consolidated Application process and verify compliance with applicable policies and regulations prior to the expenditure of federal program funds may expose the School District to unnecessary financial strains and shortages as GaDOE may require the School District to return funds associated with unapproved and unallowable expenditures. Recommendation: The School District should review current internal control procedures related to the ESSER program. Where vulnerable, the School District should develop and/or modify its policies and procedures to ensure that all potential expenditures are approved through the Consolidated Application process and deemed allowable before spending federal funds. In addition, management should develop and implement a monitoring process to ensure that controls procedures are being followed. Views of Responsible Officials: The School District concurs with this finding per discussion with Jannie Carter, Finance Director, and Walter Knighton, Superintendent, on July 9, 2025.
Federal Agency: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Federal Program: 10.558 Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) 2022, 2023, 2024 - CACFP 2022, 2023, 2024 - CACFP-CIL 2023 and 2024 - CACFP-SPON State Agency: Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) - Bureau of Community Food and Nutrition Assistance (BCFNA) Type of Finding: Internal Control (Material Weakness) and Material Noncompliance Questioned Costs: $0 Compliance Requirements: Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Cost Principles, and Subrecipient Monitoring As noted in our previous audit, during the year ended June 30, 2024, the BCFNA did not have sufficient controls and procedures to ensure CACFP reimbursements to subrecipients were allowable and supported with sufficient documentation, as required by federal regulations. As a result, significant unallowable and unsupported reimbursements were made without being prevented or detected timely. The BCFNA administers the CACFP through contracts with child and adult care centers and sponsors of centers (subrecipients) that provide meals to eligible children and adults under their care. The facilities/sponsors determine eligibility of each participant for free or reduced price meals, and are reimbursed at fixed rates for the number and type of meals served. During the year ended June 30, 2024, the BCFNA paid over 780 facilities/sponsors approximately $67.6 million for meal services. Disbursements to facilities/sponsors represented approximately 98 percent of the program's expenditures. To receive reimbursement for meals provided to eligible participants, CACFP facilities/sponsors submit monthly claims through the CNPWeb (CNP) claim system. The CNP system has edit checks to prevent and detect certain claim errors, such as meal claims that exceed facility/sponsor total enrollment and/or license capacity, or claims for types of meals the facility/sponsor was not approved to serve. Claims that pass the edit checks are reviewed by a BCFNA Public Health Program Associate, while claims that do not pass the edit checks are returned to the facility/sponsor for revision. Facilities/sponsors are not required to provide supporting documentation with their claim but are required to maintain and retain detailed records, including meal count, attendance, enrollment and eligibility determination records, receipt slips, menus, and other documentation to support meals claimed. Facility/sponsor records are maintained on a monthly basis, thus reviews or verifications of those records generally cover the entire month as opposed to a shorter period of time. BCFNA nutritionists perform periodic monitoring reviews of the facilities/sponsors and disallow costs associated with claim errors identified. These reviews have identified significant issues and claim errors, including some potentially fraudulent activity, and led to over 15 contract terminations in recent years. Since meal reimbursements are made without any supporting documentation, the BCFNA relies on system edit checks and subrecipient monitoring procedures to prevent and detect meal reimbursement claim errors. However, these edits and procedures alone were not sufficient to prevent and detect unallowable and unsupported meal reimbursement claims on a timely basis. The BCFNA has not implemented procedures to review supporting documentation, on a test basis, except for testing performed during routine monitoring reviews generally conducted once every 1 to 3 years for each facility/sponsor, and technical assistance reviews performed at the request of the facility/sponsor. Additionally, as noted in finding number 2024-009, weaknesses in the BCFNA monitoring procedures and noncompliance with subrecipient monitoring requirements were identified. Our review of documentation supporting a randomly-selected sample of 60 BCFNA monitoring reviews conducted for 60 CACFP facilities/sponsors during the year ended June 30, 2024, noted BCFNA disallowances (overclaims/underclaims) in 43 of 59 (73 percent) reviews for which meal reimbursement claims were tested. Overclaims totaled $48,508 (40 reviews) and underclaims totaled $10,144 (3 reviews), with a net overclaim of $38,364, or at least 7 percent of claims tested by the BCFNA. Disallowances resulted from various errors including incorrect or unsupported eligibility determinations, meal counts, attendance records, or noncompliance associated with menus and food purchases. The BCFNA adjusted subsequent claims to recoup or reimburse for the identified overclaims/underclaims. Erroneous and unsupported reimbursements represent at least 7 percent of meal reimbursements tested. If similar errors were made on the remaining population of CACFP meal reimbursements totaling approximately $67 million, unallowable costs could be significant. Without sufficient controls to ensure the accuracy of facility/sponsor meal reimbursement claims, the BCFNA cannot demonstrate adequate internal controls to ensure CACFP costs are allowable and supported, and the risk of paying unsupported and unallowable claims will continue. Regulation 7 CFR Section 226.7(k) requires the BCFNA to establish procedures for institutions to properly submit claims for reimbursement. Such procedures must include edit checks, including but not limited to, ensuring payments are made only for approved meal types and that the number of meals for which reimbursement is provided does not exceed the product of the total enrollment times operating days times approved meal types. Regulation 2 CFR Section 200.403 (within 2 CFR Part 200, known as the Uniform Guidance), provides that costs charged to federal programs should be necessary and reasonable for the performance of the federal award and adequately documented. Furthermore, 2 CFR Section 200.303(a) requires the non-federal entity to "[e]stablish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-federal entity is managing that 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." The DHSS Summary Schedule of Prior Audit Findings for prior audit finding number 2023-012, submitted in July 2025, states the DHSS disagreed with the finding and did not take corrective action. However, an April 2025 email from a USDA - Food and Nutrition Service (USDA-FNS) official to the DHSS regarding the prior audit finding, provided to auditors by DHSS officials, indicates some corrective action was taken. The email states to prevent overclaims, the USDA-FNS expects the BCFNA to have internal controls that focus on the areas of subrecipient screening during the application process and training; and the USDA-FNS validated the DHSS's actions to improve internal control processes in these specific areas. The April 2025, USDA-FNS email also states the prior audit finding was not sustained by the FNS because (1) the FNS does not require or expect the BCFNA to validate claims at the time of claim submission, and (2) the BCFNA was in compliance with edit check requirements. While the prior audit finding neither recommended the BCFNA validate claims at the time of submission nor noted noncompliance with edit check requirements, it did recommend the BCFNA strengthen internal controls over meal reimbursements, such as those recommended and validated by the USDA-FNS. Finding classification This finding is classified as a material weakness in internal control and material noncompliance with the federal activities allowed, allowable costs, and subrecipient monitoring requirements. The noncompliance identified in the finding is material based on the results of our audit sample, which identified at least 7 percent of subrecipient meal reimbursements tested by the BCFNA were not in compliance with federal requirements. The 7 percent error rate exceeds our audit materiality threshold of 4 percent. While the errors identified in the finding were corrected, similar material noncompliance in the remainder of the payments not tested is likely. Our decisions regarding the classification of the internal control deficiencies were made in accordance with AU-C Section 935, Compliance Audits, and the AICPA Audit Guide: Government Auditing Standards and Single Audits (Audit Guide). The Audit Guide provides the following definitions regarding internal control deficiencies: "A deficiency in internal control over compliance exists when the design or operation of a control over compliance does not allow management or employees, in the normal course of performing their assigned functions, to prevent, or detect and correct, noncompliance with a type of compliance requirement of a federal program on a timely basis." "A material weakness in internal control over compliance is a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control over compliance, such that there is a reasonable possibility that material noncompliance with a type of compliance requirement of a federal program will not be prevented, or detected and corrected, on a timely basis." "A reasonable possibility exists when the likelihood of the event is either reasonably possible or probable …" Reasonably possible is "[t]he chance of the future event or events occurring is more than remote but less than likely." Probable means "[t]he future event or events are likely to occur." The failure to design and implement adequate controls and procedures to ensure CACFP reimbursements to subrecipients are allowable and supported led to material noncompliance with the applicable requirements. The BCFNA's controls failed to prevent the material noncompliance identified. While the BCFNA's controls detected and corrected the payment errors identified, the detection and correction was not timely, occurring up to 3 years after the payments were made. Also, the detection and correction was limited to only 1 test month per subrecipient without any attempt to identify and correct noncompliance that occurred beyond the test month because, as noted at finding number 2024-009, the BCFNA's controls do not provide for expanded testing when significant errors are identified. Therefore, similar, material noncompliance in the remainder of the payments not tested is likely. Further, because the internal control deficiencies have not been corrected, similar, material noncompliance in future payments is likely. For these reasons, the deficiencies are considered a material weakness. Recommendation The DHSS through the BCNFA continue to strengthen internal controls over meal reimbursements to CACFP facilities/sponsors to ensure costs are allowable and supported. Auditee's Response We disagree with the auditor's finding. Our Corrective Action Plan includes an explanation and specific reasons for our disagreement. Auditor's Comment The DHSS Corrective Action Plan (CAP) states the DHSS disagrees with the finding and believes no corrective action is required because the prior year finding (finding number 2023-012) was not sustained by the USDA-FNS. However, as noted in the finding, an April 2025 email from a USDA-FNS official to the DHSS regarding the prior audit finding indicates some corrective action was made and validated by the USDA-FNS. Such corrective action was made after the current (fiscal year 2024) audit period. As noted in the finding, the prior audit finding recommended the BCFNA strengthen internal controls over meal reimbursements, such as those recommended and validated by the USDA-FNS. While the DHSS did not provide the State Auditor's Office information regarding the corrective action taken, any new procedures would have been implemented after the audit period, and will be subject to subsequent audits. Because the DHSS took no corrective action prior to or during the audit period, this finding is valid.
Finding 2024-002 – Material Weakness – Inadequate Documentation Federal Program: U.S. Department of Treasury, Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds – Assistance Listing Number 21.027 Activities Allowed or Unallowed and Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Criteria All expenditures charged to federal programs must be clearly and completely supported by required documentation that agrees with amounts in the Corporation’s general ledger and periodic reports to the federal grantor in accordance with 2 CFR Section 200.403(g). Condition We selected a sample of both payroll and nonpayroll related expenditures for controls and compliance. During our testing of payroll expenditures, there were five instances out of eleven in which a timesheet or other documentation could not be located to support a payment made to an employee. During our testing of nonpayroll related expenditures, there were three instances out of eighteen in which an invoice for the selected expenditure lacked proper documented approvals. Cause The primary reason for the above issues is due to the Corporation experiencing turnover at the Chief Financial Officer ("CFO") position and other key positions in the Finance Department, which led to the oversights in the monitoring of the Corporation’s internal controls over compliance in certain instances. Effects Without proper support for payments made to the employees, it increases the risk that an incorrect amount was paid to the employee, or the payment should not have been charged to the major program. Without proper approval of disbursements, it increases the risk of unallowed expenses being charged to the grant. Questioned Costs The total known questioned costs for the payroll expenditures were $3,246. Payroll expenditures are approximately 43% of the total expenditures for this program. There were no questioned costs for nonpayroll related expenditures. Perspective This audit finding is systemic. Statistical Sample A statistical sample was used. Repeat Finding This audit finding is a repeat finding of Finding 2023-002. Recommendation: All employees in the Finance Department and associated with any federal program must be adequately trained in overall federal regulations and guidance as well as other requirements associated with each federal award. All such employees must read the grant-related policies and internal control policies. Management should check to ensure all federal grant expenditures are properly approved and have supporting documentation. View of Responsible Officials Impact has experienced staff turnover which resulted in process challenges. Nevertheless, Impact will take this recommendation and implement revised procedures to ensure that the Finance Department and other pertinent Impact resources receive federal regulations and guidance training, incorporate available systems and technology capabilities available from the technology service providers, and adopt best practices. Finance will schedule regular grant reviews, inclusive of program expenditures. These improvements will be in place by March 31, 2026.
Improve Controls Over Period of Performance Over Federal Awards (Significant Deficiency) Federal Agency: Department of Education Cluster/Program: Special Education Cluster AL Number(s): 84.027 Award Year: 2024 Compliance Requirement: Period of Performance Type of Finding Compliance Internal Control over Compliance – Significant Deficiency Previously reported as 2023-001 Criteria or Specific Requirement A non-federal entity may charge only allowable costs incurred during the approved budget period of a federal award’s period of performance and any costs incurred before the federal awarding agency or pass-through entity made the federal award that were authorized by the federal awarding agency or pass-through entity (2 CFR sections 200.308 200.309 and 200.403(h)). Management of the School District is also responsible for establishing and maintaining effective internal control over compliance with federal requirements that have a direct and material effect on a federal pro¬gram. A deficiency in internal control over compliance exists when the design or operation of a control over compliance does not allow management or employees, in the normal course of per¬forming their assigned functions, to prevent, or detect and correct, noncompliance with a type of compliance requirement of a federal program on a timely basis. Condition and Context There were several payroll charges and invoices for costs that occurred prior to the start of the School District’s fiscal year 2024 IDEA special education grant. Since these costs occurred outside of the authorized period of performance, they are not eligible to be charged to that grant. Cause The School District has not established adequate procedures to ensure costs charged to the grant are within the authorized period of performance. Effect or Potential Effect Due to the weakness in internal control noted above, there are known and questioned costs reported related to salaries and contracted services incurred prior to the period of performance and charged to the grant, which could impact future grant funding. Questioned Costs The payroll charges and invoices for costs in question are below $25,000. Recommendation The School District should implement controls to ensure that no costs are charged to a grant prior to the authorized period of performance. Views of Responsible Official Management agrees with the finding. Planned Corrective Action Management’s corrective action plan is included at the end of this report after the schedule of prior year findings.
MW-2024-002 Improve Controls Over Period of Performance Over Federal Awards Federal Program(s) Information Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Education Cluster/Program: Special Education Cluster AL Number(s): 84.027/84.173 Award Year: 2022 Compliance Requirement: Period of Performance Type of Finding Material Noncompliance Internal Control over Compliance – Material Weakness Criteria or Specific Requirement A non-federal entity may charge only allowable costs incurred during the approved budget period of a federal award’s period of performance and any costs incurred before the federal awarding agency or pass-through entity made the federal award that were authorized by the federal awarding agency or pass-through entity (2 CFR sections 200.308 200.309 and 200.403(h)). Management of the School Department is also responsible for establishing and maintaining effective internal control over compliance with federal requirements that have a direct and material effect on a federal program. A deficiency in internal control over compliance exists when the design or operation of a control over compliance does not allow management or employees, in the normal course of per¬forming their assigned functions, to prevent, or detect and correct, noncompliance with a type of compliance requirement of a federal program on a timely basis. Condition and Context There were invoices for costs incurred after the end of the School Department’s fiscal year 2022 ARP SPED IDEA/Preschool grant. Since these costs occurred outside the authorized period of performance, they are not eligible to be charged to the grant. Cause The School Department has not established adequate procedures to ensure costs charged to the grant are within the authorized period of performance. Effect or Potential Effect Due to the weakness in internal control noted above, there are known and questioned costs reported for expenditures incurred outside the period of performance and charged to the grant. Questioned Costs Questioned costs related to these invoices outside of the period of performance were approximately $60,000. Recommendation The School Department should implement controls to ensure that no costs are charged to a grant outside the authorized period of performance. Views of Responsible Officials Management’s corrective action plan is included at the end of this report after the schedule of prior year findings.
FINDING REFERENCE NUMBER 2024-002 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) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AWARD NUMBERS H027A220003 – 22A (07/01/2022 – 09/30/2023); H027A230003 – 23A (07/01/2023 – 09/30/2024); H173A220002 (07/01/2022 – 09/30/2023); H173A230002 (07/01/2023 – 09/30/2024) COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS ACTIVITIES ALLOWED OR UNALLOWED // ALLOWABLE COSTS/COSTS PRINCIPLES TYPE OF FINDING MATERIAL NONCOMPLIANCE AND MATERIAL WEAKNESS CRITERIA 2 CFR Section 200.302 (a) establishes that each state must expend and account for the Federal award in accordance with state laws and procedures for expending and accounting for the state’s own funds. In addition, the state and the other non-Federal entity’s financial management systems, including records documenting compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award, must be sufficient to permit the preparation of reports required by general and program-specific terms and conditions; and the tracing of funds to a level of expenditures adequate to establish that such funds have been used according to the Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. In addition, 2 CFR Section 200.403 (b) establishes that except where otherwise authorized by statute, costs must be adequately documented in order to be allowable under Federal awards. STATEMENT OF CONDITION As part of our procedures over internal controls and compliance for the allowable activities’ requirement, we selected a sample of seventy-three (73) disbursements to suppliers made during the fiscal year under audit. We noted the following deficiencies: 1. In thirty-seven (37) disbursement receipts related to evaluation and therapy intervention services, service sheets with the signature or stamp of the institution that provided the services were not found. They were requested on several occasions and were not provided. 2. In nine (9) disbursement vouchers, the Excel master sheet and the adjustment report presented different amounts. No justification was provided for the differences in the reports. 3. In an evaluated disbursement voucher, a student was included who is billed $34,000 per month. In the student's file in MIPE, there is no breakdown of how the institution arrived at that amount in its service quote. The average monthly payments at that institution fluctuate between $9,300 and $20,800 per month. We were not provided with evidence of the educational cost analysis for this participant monthly cost. 4. In nine (9) disbursement vouchers, the payments to the suppliers for therapy services do not match the cost assigned by contract for these services. 5. In nine (9) disbursement voucher, the educational cost of a participant is not consistent with the proposal that the Institution includes in MIPE. 6. In four (4) disbursement vouchers evaluated, we were not provided with evidence of the supplier's proposals, nor was there evidence of receipt by the PRDE personnel demonstrating that the services were received as contracted. 7. In thirty-nine (39) vouchers evaluated, it was found that the invoiced expenses corresponded to both cluster programs (ALNs 84.027 and 84.173), and the invoices established this. However, the expenses in the system were recognized in grant ALN 84.027, not according to the participants attended and invoiced, according to their age. 8. In two (2) vouchers evaluated for training services, it was found that there were participants who were not employees of the IDEA program. 9. In a disbursement voucher, the cost per student could not be validated with the supplier's proposal per student, since it was not located in MIPE. QUESTIONED COSTS None. PERSPECTIVE INFORMATION This deficiency is a systemic problem that is related to lack of proper training and controls that require standard evaluation, approval, and reporting of expenditures incurred. STATEMENT OF CAUSE According to interviews carried out and documentation evaluated, some goods and services are received in the different Regional Offices (ORE), and each one carries out similar, but not standard, processes when certifying as received or pre-intervening invoices. Regarding the distribution of expenses, according to interviews and evaluated documentation, it was found that at the time of binding a contract, an analysis of the assigned participants is not made, in order to be able to make a distribution between the two programs of the cluster according to the age of the participant. In addition, according to interviews, although the contract budget is validated, they only limit themselves to verifying the amount available in general and there is no distribution of the expense according to the service provider's invoice. POSSIBLE ASSERTED EFFECT The PRDE is reporting expenses within the cluster that do not necessarily reflect the actual expenses incurred by each program in the cluster, this deficiency requires that when the period of availability of funds is ending, some adjustments be made to reclassify expenses, up to the amount of the award. In addition, the PRDE may have incurred payments for which the service or goods were not provided as contracted. IDENTIFICATION OF REPEAT FINDING This is a repeat finding (Finding Reference Number 2023-003). RECOMMENDATIONS We recommend that the PRDE establish standardized written guidelines and train the staff of the Regions to carry out and document the reviews and approvals of services, and ascertain that this information is uploaded in the accounting system of SIFDE. In addition, the personnel must be instructed to account for the budget and expense of therapy and related services, according to the enrollment of students who will attend, in accordance with the program that applies within the cluster. VIEWS OF RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS The PRDE acknowledges the auditor’s finding. Management clarifies that all requested information was available and existed within the PRDE systems; however, it was not provided in a timely manner due to circumstances beyond the Department’s control, including competing deliverables required from the same operational areas. Regarding the disbursement vouchers referenced by the auditors, including the Excel Master and Adjustment Reports, the program area reviewed the documents and confirmed that they reconciled accurately. The timing differences were due to automatic and manual adjustments. All supporting information was available in PRDE’s databases, including SIFDE and MIPE, and has been included as part of this response for further reference. For the student billed for $34,000, all supporting documentation—such as the proposal, approval of payment, and related evidence—was and remains available in MIPE. As part of PRDE’s internal controls, all necessary documentation must be uploaded into the system before any transaction can proceed. It is also important to note that auditors were granted full access to both MIPE and SIFDE at the beginning of their audit procedures. In relation to Findings 4 and 5, documentation was available in MIPE. Management notes that certain contracts and proposals may have amendments, and it appears the auditors may have reviewed an incorrect version of the file. Similarly, for Finding 6, the area revalidated the information during the preparation of this response and confirmed that the documentation cited as missing was, in fact, available in the MIPE portal. Additionally, management evaluated the matter related to expense recognition. In accordance with federal regulations and to ensure compliance with IDEA requirements, PRDE is authorized to cover certain expenses of the Preschool Grant (84.173) using IDEA Part B (84.027) funds. As detailed in the prior Single Audit report: “IDEA Part B, Section 611 funds can be used for students ages 3 to 21. According to the description provided by OSEP, the Grants to States program assists states in meeting the excess costs of providing special education and related services to children with disabilities. States must serve all children with disabilities between the ages of 3 through 21, unless inconsistent with State law or court orders. Under 34 CFR § 300.202(a), the LEA must use IDEA Part B funds to pay the excess costs of providing special education and related services to children with disabilities.” Regarding the vouchers related to training services, PRDE does not concur with that portion of the finding, as the contract does not stipulate that the teachers must be an IDEA employee. This contract was previously evaluated as part of the auditors’ procedures. The PRDE accepts the auditors’ recommendations and will implement corrective actions to improve the timely submission of documentation and strengthen internal coordination among areas involved in responding to audit requests Auditor Comment on Management Response for Finding No. 2024-002 In response of the second paragraph, our Auditors held three (3) meetings with PRDE’s personnel and the amounts were not reconciled. For the third response, no justification exists in MIPE or SIFDE that the amount paid is reasonable and in accordance with the contract. In fact, if all costs disclosed in the contract were applied to that student, the amount is less than the $34,000 paid monthly. For the fourth response related to Conditions 4 and 5, our Auditors requested all information to be available. We held three (3) meetings, and the information did not reconcile and was not available for our evaluation. In addition, we understand and acknowledge that contracts have amendments; however, these amendments relate to increases in the total amount because an original contract is based on a certain quantity, and amendments are made as funds are received. The cost per student established in the contract or proposals remained unchanged in these amendments. The lack of verification between the supplier's cost as stated in the contract and the cost invoiced by the supplier is a significant problem because the supplier is billing for a cost that was not part of the original agreement or proposal. For the fifth through seven responses, the Uniform Guidance requires that financial management system record the expenditures in the program that benefited from the services; no in the program with more budget.. IMPLEMENTATION DATE None RESPONSIBLE PERSON Enid Díaz Executive Director Alayra Figueroa Associate Secretary of Special Education
FINDING REFERENCE NUMBER 2024-003 FEDERAL PROGRAM (ALN – 84.938A) HURRICANE EDUCATION RECOVERY – INMMEDIATE AID TO RESTART SCHOOL OPERATIONS (RESTART) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AWARD NUMBER S938A180002 (04/26/2018 – 09/30/2025) COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS ACTIVITIES ALLOWED OR UNALLOWED // ALLOWABLE COSTS/COSTS PRINCIPLES // EQUIPMENT AND REAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT TYPE OF FINDING MATERIAL NONCOMPLIANCE AND MATERIAL WEAKNESS CRITERIA 2 CFR §200.302(b)(3)(4) establishes that the recipient's and subrecipient's financial management system must provide for the following: maintaining records that sufficiently identify the amount, source, and expenditure of Federal funds for Federal awards. These records must contain information necessary to identify Federal awards, authorizations, financial obligations, unobligated balances, as well as assets, expenditures, income, and interest. All records must be supported by source documentation. Effective control over and accountability for all funds, property, and assets. The recipient or subrecipient must safeguard all assets and ensure they are used solely for authorized purposes. 2 CFR §200.403 establishes that costs must meet the following criteria to be allowable under Federal awards: (g) be adequately documented. The Fiscal Process Guide – Program Funds Restart designed by the PRDE establishes that all movable and immovable property with a unit cost of five hundred dollars ($500.00) or more and a useful life of more than two (2) years will be capitalized. Both conditions must exist. These will be classified in the E5000 expense accounts, as appropriate. Also, indicate that capitalizable equipment (E5000) and non-capitalizable equipment (E4414) purchased with program funds will be labeled with the number assigned by the Property Registry System, as established in Section X of the "Procedure for the Control and Accounting of the Property of the Department of Education”. Also as stated in the Section 102(h)(3) of the 2018 Hurricane Relief Act, states that public control of funds and property for services provided to non-public schools must remain with a public agency, which also administers the funds and resources or contracts for services with public or private entities. STATEMENT OF CONDITION As part of our audit procedures over internal controls and compliance with the allowable activities requirement, we selected a sample of forty (40) disbursements from a population of six hundred eighty-three (683) disbursements to suppliers made during the fiscal year 2023-2024. During our testing, the following deficiencies were noted: 1. For two (2) reimbursement payments issued by the PRDE to private schools, we found that they were made based on a quotation instead of the invoice, which should have been submitted by the private school. 2. We noted three (3) reimbursement payments made by the PRDE to private schools due to equipment purchases performed that did not have the receiving reports issued by the private schools for properly validating that the equipment was incorporated as part of the private school records and its regular operations. Furthermore, the Restart Fiscal Process Guide does not contain a control that mandates the submission of a private school receiving report as part of the reimbursement process for equipment-related expenses. 3. For five (5) reimbursement payments for purchase of equipment were incorrectly recorded in account E6170 (Donations and Contributions to Private Entities) rather than in one of the E5000-series accounts designated for equipment. Also, these equipment’s were not included in the property & equipment register of the PRDE. According to the Restart Fiscal Process Guide, all the equipment purchased or reimbursed to the private schools should be recorded as part of the property list that belongs to the PRDE. In other words, PRDE must maintain ownership over the property bought with the Restart funds. QUESTIONED COSTS None. PERSPECTIVE INFORMATION During the evaluation of the supporting documents for the voucher, we observed that the invoice and receiving report were not available in SIFDE, considering that it is the accounting system designated for the evaluation of supporting documentation before the approval of any disbursement of funds. Also the codifications of these transactions were not properly reviewed in order to avoid missed codification, considering that the PRDE has the Third-Party Fiduciary Agent that had reviewed them and did not detect the missing codification and the missing documentation for the proper accounting and authorization process. STATEMENT OF CAUSE 1. The PRDE did not perform an effective review procedure over the reimbursement supporting documentation before the authorization of the payment. 2. Before reimbursements are processed, the PRDE has no established internal control or procedure requiring the private schools to submit receiving report for equipment purchases. 3. The PRDE lack of training or oversight on proper accounting practices, which leads to equipment expenses being coded incorrectly in account E6170 rather than the proper E5000 series. POSSIBLE ASSERTED EFFECT 1. If the PRDE issue reimbursement payment without the invoice, this could lead the PRDE to incur improper payments. 2. The PRDE lack of obtaining the receiving report for equipment purchases could lead to the reimbursing unallowable costs under the Federal program. Without proper documentation, it becomes difficult to verify whether the equipment purchases were legitimate and necessary for the program. 3. The PRDE incorrect accounting of equipment expenses could result in inaccurate financial reporting and a potential noncompliance issue with Federal regulations that require proper codification of expenses. IDENTIFICATION OF REPEAT FINDING Not previously reported. RECOMMENDATIONS We recommend that the PRDE review the Restart Fiscal Process Guide in order to include a requirement for private schools to submit receiving reports or equivalent documentation to substantiate equipment purchases prior to reimbursement. Provide training to all relevant personnel on the importance of accurate accounting and documentation, particularly for equipment purchases, and ensure that such expenses are properly coded. Implement a review process to verify that equipment reimbursements are supported by the required receiving report, invoice and that disbursements are coded appropriately in the accounting system (SIFDE). VIEWS OF RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS The PRDE does not agree with the recommendation to revise the Restart Fiscal Process Guide to require private schools to submit a receiving report or equivalent documentation to substantiate equipment purchases prior to reimbursement. These transactions correspond to reimbursements, not direct purchases made by PRDE; therefore, verification is performed through proof of payment submitted by the schools. When auditors requested confirmation of receipt, PRDE obtained photographs of the equipment from the schools to provide additional verification that the items were in the school. In addition, the PRDE wants to clarify that where quotations were used instead of invoices, the private schools provided valid proof of payment that matched the quotations submitted. This evidence demonstrated that the purchases were completed and consistent with the approved documentation, meeting the requirements for allowable and verifiable costs under Federal regulations. The PRDE does not agree with the recommendation to change the accounting classification or to implement additional review procedures related to the use of account E6170, “Donations and Contributions to Private Entities.” The use of account E6170 is appropriate given the nature of the transaction, which reflects a reimbursement to a private school rather than a direct purchase by PRDE that would otherwise be recorded under account E5500. The PRDE acknowledges the deficiencies noted during the audit regarding the omission of reimbursed equipment purchases from the PRDE Property and Equipment Register. To address this, the PRDE has prepared a list of reimbursed equipment purchased by private schools under the Restart Program. This list will be provided to the personnel responsible for maintaining the register to ensure the inclusion of these items in the Property and Equipment Register, in compliance with the capitalization and accountability requirements established in the Restart Fiscal Process Guide. The corrective action is scheduled for implementation on or before the end of the current fiscal year. Auditor Comment on Management Response for Finding No. 2024-003 In relation to situation #2 comments, the PRDE didn’t have evidence of the receiving report, which is required for all other purchases of equipment for which the PRDE is the owner. Internal controls over property and equipment should be the same for all equipment for which the PRDE is the owner. In relation to situation #3, all equipment purchased and registered in this account was not included in the inventory of the PRDE, because the general ledger account used is not recognized for purchase of property and equipment, instead is a general ledger account for donations. Further, in accordance with the “Guia de Procesos Fiscales – Fondos Programa Restart”, it is established that all reimbursement of equipment should be recorded in accounts E5000 or E4414. This is because the system recognizes that an addition of equipment was made and must be capitalized. IMPLEMENTATION DATE In process. RESPONSIBLE PERSON María de los A. Lizardi Valdés Office of Federal Affairs Director Edgar Delgado Serrano Office of Federal Affairs Associate Director Hamir M. Mojica Mojica Program Coordinator
FINDING REFERENCE NUMBER 2024-004 FEDERAL PROGRAMS (ALN – 84.027) SPECIAL EDUCATION – GRANTS TO STATES (IDEA, PART B) (ALN – 84.196A) EDUCATION FOR HOMELESS CHILDREN AND YOUTH (ALN – 84.425D) COVID-19 EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND: ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND (ALN – 84.425R) COVID-19 EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND: CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE AND RELIEF SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2021 – EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE TO NON-PUBLIC SCHOOLS (CRRSA EANS) (ALN – 84.425U) COVID-19 EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND: AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN – ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL EMERGENCY RELIEF (ARP ESSER) (ALN – 84.425V) COVID-19 EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND: AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN – EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR NON-PUBLIC SCHOOLS (ARP EANS) (ALN – 84.425W) COVID-19 EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND: AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN – ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL EMERGENCY RELIEF – HOMELESS CHILDREN AND YOUTH (ARP HCY) (ALN – 84.938A) HURRICANE EDUCATION RECOVERY – INMMEDIATE AID TO RESTART SCHOOL OPERATIONS (RESTART) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AWARD NUMBERS H027A220003 (0701/2022 – 09/30/2023); S196A220040 (0701/2022 – 09/30/2023); S196A230040 (0701/2023 – 09/30/2024); S425D210029 (01/05/2021 – 03/31/2025); S425R210053 (06/28/2021 – 03/31/2025); S425U210029 (03/24/2021 – 03/28/2026); S425V210053 (09/24/2021 – 03/28/2026); S425W210040 (04/23/2021 – 03/28/2026); S938A180002 (04/26/2018 – 09/30/2025); S938A180009 (09/29/2022 – 04/30/2026); CONSOLIDATED FUNDS COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENT ALLOWABLE COSTS/COSTS PRINCIPLES TYPE OF FINDING MATERIAL NONCOMPLIANCE AND MATERIAL WEAKNESS CRITERIA Part 200 – Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards Subpart E establish the requirements for Cost Principles – Allowable Costs under Federal awards. This Section at § 200.403 discloses factors affecting allowability of costs – states that costs must meet the following general criteria in order to be allowable under Federal awards: (a) Be necessary and reasonable for the performance of the Federal award and be allocable thereto under these principles; and (g) Be adequately documented. Section § 200.404 Reasonable costs add: A cost is reasonable if, in its nature and amount, it does not exceed that which would be incurred by a prudent person under the circumstances prevailing at the time the decision was made to incur the cost including (c) Market prices for comparable goods or services for the geographic area. Also, § 200.405 Allocable Costs include that: A cost is allocable to a particular Federal award or other cost objective if the goods or services involved are chargeable or assignable to that Federal award or cost objective in accordance with relative benefits received; including (2) Benefits both the Federal award and other work of the non-Federal entity and can be distributed in proportions that may be approximated using reasonable methods. STATEMENT OF CONDITION During our internal control and compliance tests of disbursements for Federal programs, we selected four (4) payments of professional services of Third-Party Fiduciary Agent Services ("TPFA") as part of our samples of the different Federal major programs. During our tests, we noted the following conditions: 1. Reasonableness of costs: The payment made to the vendor is a "flat fee" monthly payment agreed to in the professional service contract. Although the vendor invoice includes a detail of hours of service and expense summary, this information is solely for "information purposes" and not to be taken into account for the actual invoice payment process. The monthly payment amount only consideration is the agreed upon "flat fee". In the invoices evaluated (see detail below), the vendor includes a total hours incurred for each invoice with a price per hour range from $195 to $695. Also, the invoices include an expense summary for the period. When we compared the actual payment to the hours incurred and related expenditures, we noted an unreasonable charge to the PRDE and its Federal funds based upon the payment being made versus the actual service hours/expenses included on the invoice; when it is compared to price estimates made during the RFP process when the per hour price ranges were from $65 to $352. VOUCHER NUMBER VOUCHER DATE VOUCHER AMOUNT INVOICE NUMBER INVOICE DATE SERVICE PERIOD TOTAL HOURS INVOICED INVOICE AMOUNT TOTAL RELATED EXPENSES AVERAGE HOURLY RATE CALCULATED 24AP7166 8/14/2023 $ 2,333,333.33 830311-2023-27 7/5/2023 June 2023 7,335.00 $ 2,333,333.33 $ 699,296.00 $ 222.77 01180123 9/6/2023 2,333,333.33 830311-2023-28 8/1/2023 July 2023 6,756.00 2,333,333.33 127,620.42 326.48 01184263 9/19/2023 2,333,333.33 830311-2023-29 9/1/2023 August 2023 7,633.30 2,333,333.33 104,084.01 292.04 01188131 10/19/2023 2,333,333.33 830311-2023-30 10/1/2023 September 2023 6,884.00 2,333,333.33 103,238.55 323.95 01195137 11/28/2023 2,333,333.33 830311-2023-31 11/1/2023 October 2023 6,929.00 2,333,333.33 137,665.35 316.88 01201906 1/10/2024 2,333,333.33 830311-2023-32 12/1/2023 November 2023 5,913.00 2,333,333.33 91,491.21 379.14 01210539 1/30/2024 476,208.71 830311-2023-33A 1/1/2024 December 2023 1,130.00 476,208.71 - 421.42 01210542 2/6/2024 1,857,124.62 830311-2023-33B 1/1/2024 December 2023 4,408.00 1,857,124.62 73,628.57 404.60 01221775 3/12/2024 2,333,333.33 830311-2024-34 2/1/2024 January 2024 6,018.00 2,333,333.33 86,982.26 373.27 01226705 4/9/2024 2,333,333.33 830311-2024-35 3/1/2024 February 2024 5,725.00 2,333,333.33 75,861.61 394.32 01235153 4/16/2024 2,333,333.33 830311-2024-36 4/1/2024 March 2024 6,200.00 2,333,333.33 109,583.33 358.67 01251041 5/23/2024 2,500,000.00 830311-2024-37 5/8/2024 April 2024 6,420.00 2,500,000.00 302,908.85 - 01261194 6/24/2024 53,700.00 830311-2024-38A 6/1/2024 May 2024 126.74 53,700.00 - 423.70 01261196 6/24/2024 1,678,208.00 830311-2024-38B 6/1/2024 May 2024 4,245.79 1,678,208.00 180,197.40 352.82 01261198 6/24/2024 768,092.00 830311-2024-38C 6/1/2024 May 2024 1,964.47 768,092.00 - 390.99 $ 28,333,333.30 $ 28,333,333.30 $ 2,092,557.56 2. Allocability – the payment made was distributed among several Federal programs and state funds as follows: CONSOLIDATED FUNDS (SEA/LEA) ALN 84.027 NON-MAJOR ALN 84.196A ALN 84.425D ALN 84.425R ALN 84.425U ALN 84.425V ALN 84.425W ALN 84.938A TOTAL ALLOCATED AMOUNT $ - $ 2,333,333.33 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 2,333,333.33 - 2,333,333.33 - - - - - - - - 2,333,333.33 - 2,233,379.03 - 24,483.39 - - - - 75,470.91 - 2,333,333.33 2,333,333.33 - - - - - - - - - 2,333,333.33 2,333,333.33 - - - - - - - - - 2,333,333.33 - - 35,000.00 19,542.04 300,000.00 100,000.00 1,523,791.29 55,000.00 - 300,000.00 2,333,333.33 - - - - - - 476,208.71 - - - 476,208.71 1,857,124.62 - - - - - - - - - 1,857,124.62 2,333,333.33 - - - - - - - - - 2,333,333.33 2,333,333.33 - - - - - - - - - 2,333,333.33 2,333,333.33 - - - - - - - - - 2,333,333.33 2,500,000.00 - - - - - - - - - 2,500,000.00 53,700.00 - - - - - - - - - 53,700.00 1,678,208.00 - - - - - - - - - 1,678,208.00 - 65,031.74 - 63,309.25 - - 500,000.00 - 139,751.01 - 768,092.00 $ 17,755,699.27 $ 6,965,077.43 $ 35,000.00 $ 107,334.68 $ 300,000.00 $ 100,000.00 $ 2,500,000.00 $ 55,000.00 $ 215,221.92 $ 300,000.00 $ 28,333,333.30 62.67% 24.58% 0.12% 0.38% 1.06% 0.35% 8.82% 0.19% 0.76% 1.06% Based on the payment documentation of the evaluated invoices, the allocations were made based on available budget of administrative allocation of Federal awards, the invoices didn't include any basis for the allocation of costs between Federal and non-Federal funds. For example, on invoice number 830311-2023-32 the amount of $1,978,791 (85% of total invoice amount) was charged to several programs of ALN 84.425, although the services described in the invoice were not related only to these programs; therefore, the cost objective is not chargeable in accordance with the relative benefit received. In addition, several invoices for a total amount for the year of $6,965,077 or 24.58% of total payments were charged to Consolidated Funds which includes several Federal programs that could be incurred in unallowed costs. QUESTIONED COSTS Based on the Criterias established on Part II, § 200.403 and § 200.404 for Cost Principles – Allowable Costs under Federal awards, the based used for the costs distribution without specific services rendered to Federal Programs, as described in the Statement of Condition, we estimate as minimum the amount of $3,612,556.60 (including $107,334.68 on a Non-Major Program ALN 84.196A) as questioned costs for not supported documentation. This amount should increase if an evaluation of costs charged to Federal Programs included in Consolidated Funds. See also Perspective Information for more support. PERSPECTIVE INFORMATION The total contract amount awarded for the services over the two-year period is $79,675,000, with a flat fee of $3,143,750 for the first twelve months, and $3,495,833 for the next twelve months. In the fiscal year 2023 there were 3 amendments to the original contract where it was agreed to pay a total fee of $2,995,833 for the months of April and May 2023 and the total amount of $23,333,333 for 10 additional months or $2,333,333 monthly from June 2023 to March 2024. During fiscal year 2024 there were two (2) amendments to the original contract where it was agreed to pay a total monthly fee of $2,500,000 for the months of April 2024 to March 2025, and a total monthly fee of $2,375,000 for the months of April 2025 to October 2025. From the first year of the contract up to the last amendment the total contract amount is approximately $155,625,000. Based on the inconsistent cost allocation method and the lack of a requirement for the payments being made for actual works performed, we considered this a systematic problem in the contract management and payment. Based on the information provided and evaluated the allocation between Federal and non-Federal funds is not applied consistently, other eleven (11) invoices for a total amount of $17,755,699 were paid from non-Federal funds, during the fiscal year. In accordance with the documentation provided the allocation used is based on the budget amounts available from state and Federal funds; during this fiscal year the total amount paid to the supplier was $28,333,333. Of this amount 62.67% were covered with state funds, 24.58% with consolidated activities funds, and 12.75% with Federal programs funds. STATEMENT OF CAUSE The PRDE did not include on the RFP process and the contract negotiation a clause that requires that the payment of services will be made upon actual hours incurred or that a final reconciliation process will be made during the contract period of performance based on actual service hours and expense incurred. The PRDE agreed upon a "flat fee" contract based on an estimate / budget of hours presented by the vendor on its proposal without considering the requirement of adjusting the payment for actual workhours incurred as part of its contract negotiation. The PRDE staff could not provide the basis used to distribute the cost between the different programs and state funds in accordance with the benefit obtained from the costs incurred. There is no consistent treatment or basis for the allocation of the payment costs between Federal programs and state funds. The contract includes the accounting codes that can be charged for the contract costs; however, no amounts, limitations, or basis for the cost’s distributions were included on the contract or in the payment documentation. POSSIBLE ASSERTED EFFECT Unreasonable costs may be charged to the PRDE's Federal programs that may result in questionable or unallowable costs by the Federal grantors. IDENTIFICATION OF REPEAT FINDING This is a repeat finding (Finding Reference Numbers 2021-006; 2022-008; and 2023-004). RECOMMENDATIONS We recommend to the PRDE to establish an adequate and consistent allocation method of each invoice amount that reflects the relative benefits that the Federal program received from the services provided by the supplier during the invoice period, so the Federal program can be charged for the costs of that period. In addition, we recommend that the PRDE revised the contract terms to include a reconciliation of total hours and rates to adjust the payments made to the vendor before the contract expiration. Also, we recommend that the PRDE should request that adequate supporting evidence from the vendors be presented for any expenses to be reimbursed by the PRDE. VIEWS OF RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS The PRDE does not agree with the Recommendation to establish an allocation method for TPFA invoices because TPFA services are overhead costs paid from administrative funds and are not tied to any specific federal grant. In addition, the PRDE does not agree that contract terms should be revised before the contract expiration to require a reconciliation of total hours and rates because again, payments to the TPFA are overhead costs not directly tied to any specific program. Finally, the PRDE does not agree with the recommendation that the TPFA submit supporting evidence for the reimbursement of expenses because (i) the TPFA contract is a fixed fee that is inclusive of all professional service fees and expenses and (ii) the TPFA provides an explanation of major expenses incurred within each monthly invoice. Auditor Comment on Management Response for Finding No. 2024-004 As stated in CONDITION 2., “…on invoice 830311-2023-32 the amount of $1,978,791 (85% of total invoice amount) was charged to several programs of ALN 84.425, although the services described in the invoice were not related only to these programs; therefore, the cost objective is not chargeable in accordance with the relative benefit received.” Further, the 2 CFR 200.1, establishes that: “Indirect [facilities & administrative (F&A)] costs mean those costs incurred for a common or joint purpose benefitting more than one cost objective, and not readily assignable to the cost objectives specifically benefitted, without effort disproportionate to the results achieved. To facilitate equitable distribution of indirect expenses to the cost objectives served, it may be necessary to establish a number of pools of indirect (F&A) costs. Indirect (F&A) cost pools must be distributed to benefitted cost objectives on bases that will produce an equitable result in consideration of relative benefits derived.” This information was not provided for our evaluation. Also, we made reference to the Program Determination Email for ALNs. 84.938 and 84.425 dated September 18, 2024 (Audit Control Number 02-21-39634), received from Ms. Catherine Miers of the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education of the US Department of Education (USDE), in which they required that the PRDE provide documentation for the following corrective actions: “revised the contract terms to include a reconciliation of total hours and rates to adjust the payments made to the vendor before the contract expiration; requested that adequate supporting evidence from the vendors be presented for any expenses to be reimbursed by the PRDE; and develop an adequate review of the vendors invoice to properly identify the actual hours of services that benefited the Federal programs so a correct allocation of the costs incurred can be made within Federal programs and state funds”. IMPLEMENTATION DATE None RESPONSIBLE PERSON Jullymar Octtaviani Vega Sub-Secretary of Administration María de los Angeles Lizardi Valdés Office of Federal Affairs Director
FINDING REFERENCE NUMBER 2024-005 FEDERAL PROGRAMS (ALN – 10.553) SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM (SBP) – CHILD NUTRITION CLUSTER (ALN – 10.555) NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM (NSLP) – CHILD NUTRITION CLUSTER (ALN – 10.559) SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN (SFSP) – CHILD NUTRITION CLUSTER (ALN – 10.582) FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PROGRAM (FFVP) – CHILD NUTRITION CLUSTER (ALN – 10.558) CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM (CACFP) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (ALN – 84.010A) TITLE I GRANTS TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES (TITLE I, PART A OF THE ESSEA) (ALN – 84.027) SPECIAL EDUCATION – GRANTS TO STATES (IDEA, PART B) (ALN – 84.048A) CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION – BASIC GRANTS TO STATES (PERKINS V) (ALN – 84.367A) SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION STATE GRANTS (formerly IMPROVING TEACHER QUALITY STATE GRANTS) (ALN – 84.425D) COVID-19 EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND: ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND (ALN – 84.425U) COVID-19 EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND: AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN – ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL EMERGENCY RELIEF (ARP ESSER) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AWARD NUMBERS 1PRAEA18SCESUBA (10/01/2018 – 09/30/2019); 1PRAEA19SCESUBA (10/01/2019 – 09/30/2020); 1PRAEA20SCESUBA (10/01/2020 – 09/30/2021); 1PRAEA21SCESUBA (10/01/2021 – 09/30/2022); 1PRAEA22SCESUBA (10/01/2022 – 09/30/2023); 221PR300336E_A (10/01/2022 – 10/30/2024); S010A130052 (07/01/2013 – 09/30/2014); S010A140052 (07/01/2014 – 09/30/2015); S010A160052 (07/01/2015 – 09/30/2016); S010A160052 (07/01/2016 – 09/30/2017); H027A12003 (07/01/2012 – 09/30/2013); H027A14003 (07/01/2014 – 09/30/2015); H027A15003 (07/01/2015 – 09/30/2016); H027A18003 (07/01/2018 – 09/30/2019); H027A19003 (07/01/2019 – 09/30/2020); H027A20003 (07/01/2020 – 09/30/2021); H027A21003 (07/01/2021 – 09/30/2022); V048A180052 (07/01/2018 – 09/30/2019); S367A160052E (07/01/2016 – 09/30/2017); S425D200029 (06/16/2020 – 09/30/2021); S425D210029 (01/05/2021 – 03/31/2025); S425U210029 (03/24/2021 – 03/28/2026) COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENT ALLOWABLE COSTS/COSTS PRINCIPLES TYPE OF FINDING MATERIAL NONCOMPLIANCE AND MATERIAL WEAKNESS CRITERIA 2 CFR Section 200.403 (g) establishes that except where otherwise authorized by statute, costs must be adequately documented in order to be allowable under Federal awards. In addition 2 CFR Section 200.1, defines improper payments as a payment that should not have been made or that was made in an incorrect amount under statutory, contractual, administrative, or other legally applicable requirements. The term improper payment includes any payment to an ineligible recipient, any payment for ineligible goods or service, any duplicate payment, any payment for a good or service not received (except for those payments where authorized by law), any payment that is not authorized by law, and any payment that does not account for credit for applicable discounts. STATEMENT OF CONDITION As part of our audit procedures and interviews over financial reporting, we obtained a detail of accounts receivable related to duplicate or incorrect payments made for payroll transactions in the amount of $4,659,739. Invoices issued during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024, balance, were distributed as federal and state, as follows: ALN Number Transaction Balance 10.553/ 10.555/ 10.559/ 10.582 $ 167,694 10.558 1,240 84.010A 64,517 84.027A 228,284 84.041 546 84.048A 4,802 84.367A 1,027 84.425D 35,165 84.425U 27,501 Not Determined 2,357,671 Not Determined 25,907 Not Applicable 1,745,385 $ 4,659,739 Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies (Title I, Part A of the ESEA) Special Education - Grants to States (IDEA, Part B) Impact Aid (Title VII of ESEA) Program Description Child Nutrition Cluster Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (formerly Improving Teacher Quality State Grants) COVID-19 Education Stabilizatiopn Fund: Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) Total Invoices Issued Balance at 06/30/2024 Career and Technical Education - Basic Grants to States (Perkins V) Schoolwide Program (State and Federal Funds) Consolidated Funds (State and Federal Funds) State Funds COVID-19 Education Stabilizatiopn Fund: American Rescue Plan – Elementary and Secondary School Emergency (ARP ESSER) QUESTIONED COSTS Identified questioned costs are $530,776, which were identified as employees that didn't work for the Federal program. Other amount may be unallowed, if the PRDE can identify the portion of Federal funding incurred in Schoolwide and Consolidated activities. PERSPECTIVE INFORMATION The amount of $4,659,739, corresponds to incorrect payroll payments made from current and prior years, for which during fiscal year 2023-2024, the PRDE determined that an invoice for excess payroll payments proceeds. The PRDE was unable to indicate which amount of Schoolwide or Consolidated funds corresponds to Federal funding, because these funds close at year end. STATEMENT OF CAUSE The PRDE sends the Treasury Department of Puerto Rico a balance of the payroll, before the end of the fortnight, to speed up the payment process. By sending this information without balancing the hours worked, it causes errors in the payroll computations. POSSIBLE ASSERTED EFFECT The PRDE incurred payments to employees for hours not worked, and for which specific grants were received. IDENTIFICATION OF REPEAT FINDING This is a repeat finding (Finding Reference Number 2023-005). RECOMMENDATIONS We recommend PRDE design and implement adequate internal controls and payroll processes that will identify in real – time or sooner any incorrect payroll payment made. FINDING REFERENCE NUMBER 2024-005 – continuation VIEWS OF RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS Management agrees with the audit finding and has implemented a comprehensive corrective action plan to address payroll processing errors, strengthen internal controls, and ensure accurate and timely payments. As part of PRDE’s Fiscal Plan of 2020–2021, the Department launched the official integration project between the Time, Attendance, and Leave (TAL) system and the Payroll (RHUM) system. This integration ensures that payroll disbursements are made only after the employee’s attendance has been validated through the TAL system. Employees are required to record their attendance using biometric verification or have an authorized leave properly documented and approved by their supervisor before receiving payment. If attendance is not validated, the system automatically issues a notification and applies the necessary adjustment. This project, initiated in November 2020 with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Fiscal Oversight and Management Board (FOMB), MS Consulting, the Department of the Treasury (Hacienda), the Financial Advisory Authority (AAFAF), and the Puerto Rico Innovation and Technology Service (PRITS), was fully integrated by February 2021. As a result, PRDE has significantly reduced overpayments, duplicate payments, and other payroll inconsistencies. To reinforce this effort, PRDE issued a new Time and Attendance Policy on December 7, 2021, later updated on April 11, 2022, which clearly defines employee responsibilities, authorized leaves, disciplinary procedures, and supervisor accountability. Under this policy, employees and supervisors are required to follow strict timekeeping procedures, and noncompliance triggers automatic system notifications and salary adjustments. The PRDE’s Time and Attendance staff continues to monitor and maintain compliance through: i. Ongoing training sessions for PRDE personnel; ii. System dashboards tracking attendance behaviors; iii. Issuance of notifications and payroll adjustments as required; and iv. Regular follow-up and evaluation activities. Additionally, PRDE’s Finance Office implemented a reconciliation process that integrates data from TAL, RHUM, and SIFDE, ensuring that payroll expenditures align with validated attendance records. The system now performs cross-checks before submission to the Treasury Department, preventing disbursements for unverified time. These combined measures—technological integration, policy enforcement, staff training, and reconciliation controls—have strengthened payroll accuracy, reduced the risk of overpayments, and improved financial accountability across the Department. IMPLEMENTATION DATE Done RESPONSIBLE PERSON Evelyn Rodríguez Cardé Finance Office Director Jullymar Octtaviani Vega Sub-Secretary of Administration
Criteria Per 2 CFR §200.403 and the Organization’s internal control policies, all expenditures must be properly authorized and documented to ensure allowability and compliance with federal requirements. Condition During disbursement testing, we noted that 6 out of 40 transactions tested did not have proper documentation evidencing required approvals prior to payment. Cause The lack of documentation appears to be due to inconsistent application of internal controls and inadequate maintenance of approval records. Effect Without proper approval documentation, there is an increased risk of unallowable or unauthorized expenditures being charged to the federal program. Questioned Costs Not applicable Perspective Our sample was not, and was not intended to be, statistically valid. Of the 40 disbursements selected for testing, 6 disbursements, or 15% of our sample, had no proper documentation with approval. Identification as a Repeat Finding, if applicable Not applicable Recommendation CVCA should strengthen its internal controls to ensure that all disbursements are properly reviewed and approved in accordance with established policies. This includes maintaining adequate documentation of approvals for all transactions. View of Responsible Officials CVCA agrees with the finding.
Finding 2024-002: Failure to Follow Recordkeeping Requirements for Expenditures (Material Weakness) Federal Agency: United States Department of Agriculture Federal Program Name: COVID-19 - Pandemic Relief Activities: Local Food Purchase Agreements with States, Tribes, and Local Governments Assistance Listing Number: 10.182 Pass-Through Entity: State of Florida Department of Agriculture Compliance Requirement: Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Criteria: 2 CFR Section 200.334, requires recipients and subrecipients to retain all Federal award records for three years from the date of submission of their final financial reports (quarterly or annually). Records include, but are not limited to, financial records, supporting documentation, and statistical information. Additionally, 2 CFR Section 200.403, requires that costs must meet certain criteria to be allowable under federal awards, specifically 2 CFR Section 200.403(g), requires adequate documentation of those costs. Condition: During our testing, the Organization was unable to provide appropriate supporting documentation that evidenced a proper activity was conducted using federal funding, and further we could not determine if the costs incurred were allowable. Additionally, we noted that the Organization did not establish adequate internal controls to ensure supporting documentation was maintained to evidence that compliance was achieved. Cause: The Organizations internal controls were not effectively designed over recordkeeping of food purchases. Known Questioned Costs: $166,610 Context: The total sample size was 100 items of expense, which was determined to be a statistically valid sample. 10 out of the 100 items tested were not supported by appropriate documentation. 5 out of 100 items tested included freight costs that were included in the food costs. Freight should have been separated and classified as an administrative cost. These items resulted in the questioned costs calculated above and the noncompliance reported. The total population of expenditures charged to the federal program, from which our sample was selected, was $14,401,876. Effect: Federal funds may have been used for unallowable costs and therefore the purpose of the award may not have been met. Overall, this results in noncompliance with federal award requirements. Recommendation: We recommend the Organization evaluate its internal controls over allowable costs, recordkeeping and recording of federal expenditures and implement internal control procedures to ensure documentation is appropriately maintained for the required timeframe. Ongoing monitoring of the controls designed should be established to ensure future failures are minimized.
FINDING 2024-243 The Division did not properly evaluate costs related to the Rehabilitation Services-Vocational Rehabilitation Grants to States program resulting in direct costs incorrectly being recorded as indirect costs for the grant. Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency, Noncompliance Assistance Listing Title: Rehabilitation Services – Vocational Rehabilitation Grants to States Assistance Listing Number: 84.126 Federal Award Number: H126A240016, H126A220016, H126A210016 Program Year: October 1, 2020 – September 30, 2022; October 1, 2021 – September 30, 2023; October 1, 2023 – September 30, 2024 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration Compliance Requirement: Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Questioned Costs: None Criteria: The U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) included in 2 CFR 200.303 requires that a nonfederal entity receiving federal awards establish and maintain internal controls that provide reasonable assurance that the nonfederal entity is managing the federal award in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions in the federal award. Section 2 CFR 200.403(d) describes factors affecting the allowability of costs. Except where otherwise authorized by statute, costs must meet a consistency treatment criterion to be allowable under federal awards. A cost should not be assigned to a federal award as a direct cost if any other cost incurred for the same purpose in like circumstances has been allocated to the federal award as an indirect cost. This also applies for misapplying indirect costs as direct costs. Condition: We tested a sample of 60 transactions, plus 15 individually significant transactions, from the population of indirect costs incurred in State fiscal year 2022. Those costs were used to calculate the indirect cost rate used in fiscal year 2024. We identified 2 transactions from the sample of 60 (or 3 percent) and 1 (or 7 percent) individually significant transactions that should have been charged as direct costs. The 2 sampled transactions were $30 for training and $269 for postage. The individually significant transaction was $46,922 for laptops. We also tested a sample of 60 employee payroll transactions from the population of direct costs in fiscal year 2024 to determine that the costs were allowable and the Division’s internal control procedures were operating as intended. The Division could not provide documentation to confirm that 2 transactions (or 3 percent) were approved prior to entry in Luma. Cause: The Division has experienced a large amount of turnover in fiscal staff positions. Prior staff did not retain documentation, and current staff was unable to produce documentation to support the expenditure transactions or verify controls were in place and operating. Effect: The 3 indirect cost transactions that should have been recorded as direct costs caused the Division to draw a lower amount of grant funds than allowed. We did not find any compliance errors in our testing of payroll transactions; however, if control procedures are not operating as designed, errors could occur and not be detected. Recommendation: We recommend that the Division provide training to employees to correctly distinguish direct costs and indirect costs and design and establish procedures to ensure that documentation is retained to support transactions. Management’s View: To ensure all costs charged to federal grants are accurately classified as direct or indirect in accordance with federal cost principles, and to maintain documentation supporting all expenditures, approvals, and internal control activities in compliance with 2 CFR 200.303 and 2 CFR 200.403(d). Corrective Action: 7.1 Establish and Document Clear Cost Classification Procedures: Develop written procedures defining and distinguishing between direct and indirect costs. 7.2 Strengthen Internal Controls Over Cost Allocation: Implement review and approval controls to verify proper cost classification before posting transactions to Luma or inclusion in the indirect cost pool. 7.3 Enhance Staff Training and Knowledge: Provide targeted training for fiscal staff to ensure understanding of allowable cost principles and consistent application of cost classification policies. 7.4 Ensure Documentation Retention and Review: Maintain complete documentation supporting all cost allocations, including approval records, cost pool calculations, and reconciliations. 7.5 Perform Regular Monitoring and Verification: Conduct periodic reviews of both direct and indirect cost transactions to confirm classification accuracy and identify any required adjustments. Auditor’s Concluding Remarks: We thank the Division for its cooperation and assistance throughout the audit.
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. 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 – Allowable Costs/Cost Principles – Federal: 45 CFR 75.403. State: Wisconsin Department of Health Services Allowable Cost Policy Manual (ACPM) and 2 CFR 200.403. Condition – Costs were included as a cost on more than one federal and/or state award program in the current period. Questioned Costs – Federal: $88,199. State: $4,792. Questioned costs were determined by identifying all employees who appeared on more than one grant expenditure listing and reviewing the specific payroll periods charged to each award for duplicates. Questioned costs by federal award identification number are: • Assistance Listing No. 93.224 Award No. 6 H8FCS41089 and Agreement No. 435100-G24-3919588107-390 - $2,056 • Assistance Listing No. 93.527 Award No. 6 H80CS00751 and Agreement No. 435100-G24-3919588107-90 – $2,736 • Assistance Listing No. 93.527 Award No. 6H80CS00751 and Assistance Listing No. 93.224 Award No. 6 H8FCS41089 – $83,407 Context – Salaries and wages for two employees of the Organization were identified as being charged to both Award No. 6 H80CS00751 and 6 H8FCS41089 within the Health Center Program Cluster (HCP) for five to seven months during the fiscal year. For two other employees, salaries and wages were identified as being charged to both the Wisconsin Department of Health Community Health Center Program (CHCG) and one of the awards in the HCP, but instances were limited to only certain payroll periods. Effect – The Organization charged payroll expenditures to more than one funding stream within the HCP and CHCG grant awards. Cause – Salaries and wages are charged to federal and state awards through separate manual tracking spreadsheets, which link back to payroll supporting documentation summarized monthly based on pay date. The Organization’s internal controls intended to prevent charging amounts to more than one award includes a separate spreadsheet listing all employees and identifying the budgeted percentage of salaries and wages associated with each federal and state awards. The system was not accurately updated to reflect changes throughout the year or monitored when the Organization prepared “catch-up” drawdowns after-the-fact to justify use of remaining available grant funds. Identification as a repeat finding, if applicable – Not a repeat finding Recommendation – The Organization should consolidate tracking of salaries and wages charged to federal and state awards into a single listing for each payroll period rather than separate spreadsheets based on summarized monthly payroll data. The Organization should support the distribution of employees’ salaries and wages amongst federal and state awards to accurately reflect the work performed through the timekeeping system and payroll records. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions – Upon identification of costs allocated to more than one grant, the Organization identified allowable costs previously charged to program income and reallocated the duplicated expenditures without creating other instances of noncompliance (such as cash management or period of performance). Although the initial support provided to auditors contained instances of expenditures charged to more than one grant, expenditure justification has been updated to reflect corrections and all subsequent grant expenditure detail has been reviewed to ensure no recurrence in the subsequent period. The Organization has also reviewed our internal processes to capture all salaries supported by grants accurately and timely. Additional internal controls such as limiting the number of grants an employee can be on at one time and the reduction of more catch-up drawdowns to account for staffing changes within the organization were implemented. We are also working with our accounting software vendor and payroll vendor to automate the allocation of grant salaries based on time and effort of each individual rather than after-the-fact allocations to grants. This will reduce the need to maintain manual spreadsheets to track staff and essentially eliminate the risk of charging expenditures to more than one grant. 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. 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 – Allowable Costs/Cost Principles – Federal: 45 CFR 75.403. State: Wisconsin Department of Health Services Allowable Cost Policy Manual (ACPM) and 2 CFR 200.403. Condition – Costs were included as a cost on more than one federal and/or state award program in the current period. Questioned Costs – Federal: $88,199. State: $4,792. Questioned costs were determined by identifying all employees who appeared on more than one grant expenditure listing and reviewing the specific payroll periods charged to each award for duplicates. Questioned costs by federal award identification number are: • Assistance Listing No. 93.224 Award No. 6 H8FCS41089 and Agreement No. 435100-G24-3919588107-390 - $2,056 • Assistance Listing No. 93.527 Award No. 6 H80CS00751 and Agreement No. 435100-G24-3919588107-90 – $2,736 • Assistance Listing No. 93.527 Award No. 6H80CS00751 and Assistance Listing No. 93.224 Award No. 6 H8FCS41089 – $83,407 Context – Salaries and wages for two employees of the Organization were identified as being charged to both Award No. 6 H80CS00751 and 6 H8FCS41089 within the Health Center Program Cluster (HCP) for five to seven months during the fiscal year. For two other employees, salaries and wages were identified as being charged to both the Wisconsin Department of Health Community Health Center Program (CHCG) and one of the awards in the HCP, but instances were limited to only certain payroll periods. Effect – The Organization charged payroll expenditures to more than one funding stream within the HCP and CHCG grant awards. Cause – Salaries and wages are charged to federal and state awards through separate manual tracking spreadsheets, which link back to payroll supporting documentation summarized monthly based on pay date. The Organization’s internal controls intended to prevent charging amounts to more than one award includes a separate spreadsheet listing all employees and identifying the budgeted percentage of salaries and wages associated with each federal and state awards. The system was not accurately updated to reflect changes throughout the year or monitored when the Organization prepared “catch-up” drawdowns after-the-fact to justify use of remaining available grant funds. Identification as a repeat finding, if applicable – Not a repeat finding Recommendation – The Organization should consolidate tracking of salaries and wages charged to federal and state awards into a single listing for each payroll period rather than separate spreadsheets based on summarized monthly payroll data. The Organization should support the distribution of employees’ salaries and wages amongst federal and state awards to accurately reflect the work performed through the timekeeping system and payroll records. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions – Upon identification of costs allocated to more than one grant, the Organization identified allowable costs previously charged to program income and reallocated the duplicated expenditures without creating other instances of noncompliance (such as cash management or period of performance). Although the initial support provided to auditors contained instances of expenditures charged to more than one grant, expenditure justification has been updated to reflect corrections and all subsequent grant expenditure detail has been reviewed to ensure no recurrence in the subsequent period. The Organization has also reviewed our internal processes to capture all salaries supported by grants accurately and timely. Additional internal controls such as limiting the number of grants an employee can be on at one time and the reduction of more catch-up drawdowns to account for staffing changes within the organization were implemented. We are also working with our accounting software vendor and payroll vendor to automate the allocation of grant salaries based on time and effort of each individual rather than after-the-fact allocations to grants. This will reduce the need to maintain manual spreadsheets to track staff and essentially eliminate the risk of charging expenditures to more than one grant. 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. 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 – Allowable Costs/Cost Principles – Federal: 45 CFR 75.403. State: Wisconsin Department of Health Services Allowable Cost Policy Manual (ACPM) and 2 CFR 200.403. Condition – Costs were included as a cost on more than one federal and/or state award program in the current period. Questioned Costs – Federal: $88,199. State: $4,792. Questioned costs were determined by identifying all employees who appeared on more than one grant expenditure listing and reviewing the specific payroll periods charged to each award for duplicates. Questioned costs by federal award identification number are: • Assistance Listing No. 93.224 Award No. 6 H8FCS41089 and Agreement No. 435100-G24-3919588107-390 - $2,056 • Assistance Listing No. 93.527 Award No. 6 H80CS00751 and Agreement No. 435100-G24-3919588107-90 – $2,736 • Assistance Listing No. 93.527 Award No. 6H80CS00751 and Assistance Listing No. 93.224 Award No. 6 H8FCS41089 – $83,407 Context – Salaries and wages for two employees of the Organization were identified as being charged to both Award No. 6 H80CS00751 and 6 H8FCS41089 within the Health Center Program Cluster (HCP) for five to seven months during the fiscal year. For two other employees, salaries and wages were identified as being charged to both the Wisconsin Department of Health Community Health Center Program (CHCG) and one of the awards in the HCP, but instances were limited to only certain payroll periods. Effect – The Organization charged payroll expenditures to more than one funding stream within the HCP and CHCG grant awards. Cause – Salaries and wages are charged to federal and state awards through separate manual tracking spreadsheets, which link back to payroll supporting documentation summarized monthly based on pay date. The Organization’s internal controls intended to prevent charging amounts to more than one award includes a separate spreadsheet listing all employees and identifying the budgeted percentage of salaries and wages associated with each federal and state awards. The system was not accurately updated to reflect changes throughout the year or monitored when the Organization prepared “catch-up” drawdowns after-the-fact to justify use of remaining available grant funds. Identification as a repeat finding, if applicable – Not a repeat finding Recommendation – The Organization should consolidate tracking of salaries and wages charged to federal and state awards into a single listing for each payroll period rather than separate spreadsheets based on summarized monthly payroll data. The Organization should support the distribution of employees’ salaries and wages amongst federal and state awards to accurately reflect the work performed through the timekeeping system and payroll records. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions – Upon identification of costs allocated to more than one grant, the Organization identified allowable costs previously charged to program income and reallocated the duplicated expenditures without creating other instances of noncompliance (such as cash management or period of performance). Although the initial support provided to auditors contained instances of expenditures charged to more than one grant, expenditure justification has been updated to reflect corrections and all subsequent grant expenditure detail has been reviewed to ensure no recurrence in the subsequent period. The Organization has also reviewed our internal processes to capture all salaries supported by grants accurately and timely. Additional internal controls such as limiting the number of grants an employee can be on at one time and the reduction of more catch-up drawdowns to account for staffing changes within the organization were implemented. We are also working with our accounting software vendor and payroll vendor to automate the allocation of grant salaries based on time and effort of each individual rather than after-the-fact allocations to grants. This will reduce the need to maintain manual spreadsheets to track staff and essentially eliminate the risk of charging expenditures to more than one grant. 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. 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 – Allowable Costs/Cost Principles – Federal: 45 CFR 75.403. State: Wisconsin Department of Health Services Allowable Cost Policy Manual (ACPM) and 2 CFR 200.403. Condition – Costs were included as a cost on more than one federal and/or state award program in the current period. Questioned Costs – Federal: $88,199. State: $4,792. Questioned costs were determined by identifying all employees who appeared on more than one grant expenditure listing and reviewing the specific payroll periods charged to each award for duplicates. Questioned costs by federal award identification number are: • Assistance Listing No. 93.224 Award No. 6 H8FCS41089 and Agreement No. 435100-G24-3919588107-390 - $2,056 • Assistance Listing No. 93.527 Award No. 6 H80CS00751 and Agreement No. 435100-G24-3919588107-90 – $2,736 • Assistance Listing No. 93.527 Award No. 6H80CS00751 and Assistance Listing No. 93.224 Award No. 6 H8FCS41089 – $83,407 Context – Salaries and wages for two employees of the Organization were identified as being charged to both Award No. 6 H80CS00751 and 6 H8FCS41089 within the Health Center Program Cluster (HCP) for five to seven months during the fiscal year. For two other employees, salaries and wages were identified as being charged to both the Wisconsin Department of Health Community Health Center Program (CHCG) and one of the awards in the HCP, but instances were limited to only certain payroll periods. Effect – The Organization charged payroll expenditures to more than one funding stream within the HCP and CHCG grant awards. Cause – Salaries and wages are charged to federal and state awards through separate manual tracking spreadsheets, which link back to payroll supporting documentation summarized monthly based on pay date. The Organization’s internal controls intended to prevent charging amounts to more than one award includes a separate spreadsheet listing all employees and identifying the budgeted percentage of salaries and wages associated with each federal and state awards. The system was not accurately updated to reflect changes throughout the year or monitored when the Organization prepared “catch-up” drawdowns after-the-fact to justify use of remaining available grant funds. Identification as a repeat finding, if applicable – Not a repeat finding Recommendation – The Organization should consolidate tracking of salaries and wages charged to federal and state awards into a single listing for each payroll period rather than separate spreadsheets based on summarized monthly payroll data. The Organization should support the distribution of employees’ salaries and wages amongst federal and state awards to accurately reflect the work performed through the timekeeping system and payroll records. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions – Upon identification of costs allocated to more than one grant, the Organization identified allowable costs previously charged to program income and reallocated the duplicated expenditures without creating other instances of noncompliance (such as cash management or period of performance). Although the initial support provided to auditors contained instances of expenditures charged to more than one grant, expenditure justification has been updated to reflect corrections and all subsequent grant expenditure detail has been reviewed to ensure no recurrence in the subsequent period. The Organization has also reviewed our internal processes to capture all salaries supported by grants accurately and timely. Additional internal controls such as limiting the number of grants an employee can be on at one time and the reduction of more catch-up drawdowns to account for staffing changes within the organization were implemented. We are also working with our accounting software vendor and payroll vendor to automate the allocation of grant salaries based on time and effort of each individual rather than after-the-fact allocations to grants. This will reduce the need to maintain manual spreadsheets to track staff and essentially eliminate the risk of charging expenditures to more than one grant. 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.
2024-005 Period of Performance Program Information Federal Organization U.S Department of Health and Human Services Assistance Listing Numbers 93.224 & 93.527 Health Center Program Cluster Award Numbers H80CS00513, H8FCS41684, H8GC48547, H8LCS51197 Criteria [X] Compliance Finding [ ] Significant Deficiency [X] Material Weakness Title 2 CFR 200.403(h) requires that costs be incurred in the approved budget period for the applicable awards and Title 2 CFR 200.403(e) requires that those costs be determined according to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Condition The Organization’s federal expenditures includes costs for goods and/or services outside of the approved budget periods for the awards. Cause The Organization’s internal controls over compliance did not include consideration of when the goods were received or services were performed compared to the budget periods for the awards. Lack of understanding of GAAP and the requirements of accrual basis accounting allowed expenditures outside of the applicable budget periods to be approved and claimed as current federal expenditures based solely on management’s decision to pay for the expenditure in the current year. Effect The Organization may allocate unallowable costs to the federal awards. Questioned Costs $321,877 (of which $283,128 was previously reported in finding 2024-004 above) Context In a sample of sixty invoices, we noted eight included expenditures for goods or services that were not provided in the current budget period. $283,129 of expenditures charged to the program were for goods or services related to future budget periods. $38,748 of expenditures charged to the program were for goods or services related to previous budget periods. Recommendation We recommend management personnel authorized to approve expenditures of federal awards be limited to those who have a basic understanding of GAAP and the relationship between the accrual basis of accounting and the period of performance requirements. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective action Management is in agreement with this finding and will take corrective action as outlined below.
2024-005 Period of Performance Program Information Federal Organization U.S Department of Health and Human Services Assistance Listing Numbers 93.224 & 93.527 Health Center Program Cluster Award Numbers H80CS00513, H8FCS41684, H8GC48547, H8LCS51197 Criteria [X] Compliance Finding [ ] Significant Deficiency [X] Material Weakness Title 2 CFR 200.403(h) requires that costs be incurred in the approved budget period for the applicable awards and Title 2 CFR 200.403(e) requires that those costs be determined according to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Condition The Organization’s federal expenditures includes costs for goods and/or services outside of the approved budget periods for the awards. Cause The Organization’s internal controls over compliance did not include consideration of when the goods were received or services were performed compared to the budget periods for the awards. Lack of understanding of GAAP and the requirements of accrual basis accounting allowed expenditures outside of the applicable budget periods to be approved and claimed as current federal expenditures based solely on management’s decision to pay for the expenditure in the current year. Effect The Organization may allocate unallowable costs to the federal awards. Questioned Costs $321,877 (of which $283,128 was previously reported in finding 2024-004 above) Context In a sample of sixty invoices, we noted eight included expenditures for goods or services that were not provided in the current budget period. $283,129 of expenditures charged to the program were for goods or services related to future budget periods. $38,748 of expenditures charged to the program were for goods or services related to previous budget periods. Recommendation We recommend management personnel authorized to approve expenditures of federal awards be limited to those who have a basic understanding of GAAP and the relationship between the accrual basis of accounting and the period of performance requirements. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective action Management is in agreement with this finding and will take corrective action as outlined below.
2024-005 Period of Performance Program Information Federal Organization U.S Department of Health and Human Services Assistance Listing Numbers 93.224 & 93.527 Health Center Program Cluster Award Numbers H80CS00513, H8FCS41684, H8GC48547, H8LCS51197 Criteria [X] Compliance Finding [ ] Significant Deficiency [X] Material Weakness Title 2 CFR 200.403(h) requires that costs be incurred in the approved budget period for the applicable awards and Title 2 CFR 200.403(e) requires that those costs be determined according to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Condition The Organization’s federal expenditures includes costs for goods and/or services outside of the approved budget periods for the awards. Cause The Organization’s internal controls over compliance did not include consideration of when the goods were received or services were performed compared to the budget periods for the awards. Lack of understanding of GAAP and the requirements of accrual basis accounting allowed expenditures outside of the applicable budget periods to be approved and claimed as current federal expenditures based solely on management’s decision to pay for the expenditure in the current year. Effect The Organization may allocate unallowable costs to the federal awards. Questioned Costs $321,877 (of which $283,128 was previously reported in finding 2024-004 above) Context In a sample of sixty invoices, we noted eight included expenditures for goods or services that were not provided in the current budget period. $283,129 of expenditures charged to the program were for goods or services related to future budget periods. $38,748 of expenditures charged to the program were for goods or services related to previous budget periods. Recommendation We recommend management personnel authorized to approve expenditures of federal awards be limited to those who have a basic understanding of GAAP and the relationship between the accrual basis of accounting and the period of performance requirements. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective action Management is in agreement with this finding and will take corrective action as outlined below.
2024-005 Period of Performance Program Information Federal Organization U.S Department of Health and Human Services Assistance Listing Numbers 93.224 & 93.527 Health Center Program Cluster Award Numbers H80CS00513, H8FCS41684, H8GC48547, H8LCS51197 Criteria [X] Compliance Finding [ ] Significant Deficiency [X] Material Weakness Title 2 CFR 200.403(h) requires that costs be incurred in the approved budget period for the applicable awards and Title 2 CFR 200.403(e) requires that those costs be determined according to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Condition The Organization’s federal expenditures includes costs for goods and/or services outside of the approved budget periods for the awards. Cause The Organization’s internal controls over compliance did not include consideration of when the goods were received or services were performed compared to the budget periods for the awards. Lack of understanding of GAAP and the requirements of accrual basis accounting allowed expenditures outside of the applicable budget periods to be approved and claimed as current federal expenditures based solely on management’s decision to pay for the expenditure in the current year. Effect The Organization may allocate unallowable costs to the federal awards. Questioned Costs $321,877 (of which $283,128 was previously reported in finding 2024-004 above) Context In a sample of sixty invoices, we noted eight included expenditures for goods or services that were not provided in the current budget period. $283,129 of expenditures charged to the program were for goods or services related to future budget periods. $38,748 of expenditures charged to the program were for goods or services related to previous budget periods. Recommendation We recommend management personnel authorized to approve expenditures of federal awards be limited to those who have a basic understanding of GAAP and the relationship between the accrual basis of accounting and the period of performance requirements. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective action Management is in agreement with this finding and will take corrective action as outlined below.
2024-005 Period of Performance Program Information Federal Organization U.S Department of Health and Human Services Assistance Listing Numbers 93.224 & 93.527 Health Center Program Cluster Award Numbers H80CS00513, H8FCS41684, H8GC48547, H8LCS51197 Criteria [X] Compliance Finding [ ] Significant Deficiency [X] Material Weakness Title 2 CFR 200.403(h) requires that costs be incurred in the approved budget period for the applicable awards and Title 2 CFR 200.403(e) requires that those costs be determined according to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Condition The Organization’s federal expenditures includes costs for goods and/or services outside of the approved budget periods for the awards. Cause The Organization’s internal controls over compliance did not include consideration of when the goods were received or services were performed compared to the budget periods for the awards. Lack of understanding of GAAP and the requirements of accrual basis accounting allowed expenditures outside of the applicable budget periods to be approved and claimed as current federal expenditures based solely on management’s decision to pay for the expenditure in the current year. Effect The Organization may allocate unallowable costs to the federal awards. Questioned Costs $321,877 (of which $283,128 was previously reported in finding 2024-004 above) Context In a sample of sixty invoices, we noted eight included expenditures for goods or services that were not provided in the current budget period. $283,129 of expenditures charged to the program were for goods or services related to future budget periods. $38,748 of expenditures charged to the program were for goods or services related to previous budget periods. Recommendation We recommend management personnel authorized to approve expenditures of federal awards be limited to those who have a basic understanding of GAAP and the relationship between the accrual basis of accounting and the period of performance requirements. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective action Management is in agreement with this finding and will take corrective action as outlined below.
2024-005 Period of Performance Program Information Federal Organization U.S Department of Health and Human Services Assistance Listing Numbers 93.224 & 93.527 Health Center Program Cluster Award Numbers H80CS00513, H8FCS41684, H8GC48547, H8LCS51197 Criteria [X] Compliance Finding [ ] Significant Deficiency [X] Material Weakness Title 2 CFR 200.403(h) requires that costs be incurred in the approved budget period for the applicable awards and Title 2 CFR 200.403(e) requires that those costs be determined according to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Condition The Organization’s federal expenditures includes costs for goods and/or services outside of the approved budget periods for the awards. Cause The Organization’s internal controls over compliance did not include consideration of when the goods were received or services were performed compared to the budget periods for the awards. Lack of understanding of GAAP and the requirements of accrual basis accounting allowed expenditures outside of the applicable budget periods to be approved and claimed as current federal expenditures based solely on management’s decision to pay for the expenditure in the current year. Effect The Organization may allocate unallowable costs to the federal awards. Questioned Costs $321,877 (of which $283,128 was previously reported in finding 2024-004 above) Context In a sample of sixty invoices, we noted eight included expenditures for goods or services that were not provided in the current budget period. $283,129 of expenditures charged to the program were for goods or services related to future budget periods. $38,748 of expenditures charged to the program were for goods or services related to previous budget periods. Recommendation We recommend management personnel authorized to approve expenditures of federal awards be limited to those who have a basic understanding of GAAP and the relationship between the accrual basis of accounting and the period of performance requirements. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective action Management is in agreement with this finding and will take corrective action as outlined below.
2024-005 Period of Performance Program Information Federal Organization U.S Department of Health and Human Services Assistance Listing Numbers 93.224 & 93.527 Health Center Program Cluster Award Numbers H80CS00513, H8FCS41684, H8GC48547, H8LCS51197 Criteria [X] Compliance Finding [ ] Significant Deficiency [X] Material Weakness Title 2 CFR 200.403(h) requires that costs be incurred in the approved budget period for the applicable awards and Title 2 CFR 200.403(e) requires that those costs be determined according to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Condition The Organization’s federal expenditures includes costs for goods and/or services outside of the approved budget periods for the awards. Cause The Organization’s internal controls over compliance did not include consideration of when the goods were received or services were performed compared to the budget periods for the awards. Lack of understanding of GAAP and the requirements of accrual basis accounting allowed expenditures outside of the applicable budget periods to be approved and claimed as current federal expenditures based solely on management’s decision to pay for the expenditure in the current year. Effect The Organization may allocate unallowable costs to the federal awards. Questioned Costs $321,877 (of which $283,128 was previously reported in finding 2024-004 above) Context In a sample of sixty invoices, we noted eight included expenditures for goods or services that were not provided in the current budget period. $283,129 of expenditures charged to the program were for goods or services related to future budget periods. $38,748 of expenditures charged to the program were for goods or services related to previous budget periods. Recommendation We recommend management personnel authorized to approve expenditures of federal awards be limited to those who have a basic understanding of GAAP and the relationship between the accrual basis of accounting and the period of performance requirements. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective action Management is in agreement with this finding and will take corrective action as outlined below.
2024-005 Period of Performance Program Information Federal Organization U.S Department of Health and Human Services Assistance Listing Numbers 93.224 & 93.527 Health Center Program Cluster Award Numbers H80CS00513, H8FCS41684, H8GC48547, H8LCS51197 Criteria [X] Compliance Finding [ ] Significant Deficiency [X] Material Weakness Title 2 CFR 200.403(h) requires that costs be incurred in the approved budget period for the applicable awards and Title 2 CFR 200.403(e) requires that those costs be determined according to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Condition The Organization’s federal expenditures includes costs for goods and/or services outside of the approved budget periods for the awards. Cause The Organization’s internal controls over compliance did not include consideration of when the goods were received or services were performed compared to the budget periods for the awards. Lack of understanding of GAAP and the requirements of accrual basis accounting allowed expenditures outside of the applicable budget periods to be approved and claimed as current federal expenditures based solely on management’s decision to pay for the expenditure in the current year. Effect The Organization may allocate unallowable costs to the federal awards. Questioned Costs $321,877 (of which $283,128 was previously reported in finding 2024-004 above) Context In a sample of sixty invoices, we noted eight included expenditures for goods or services that were not provided in the current budget period. $283,129 of expenditures charged to the program were for goods or services related to future budget periods. $38,748 of expenditures charged to the program were for goods or services related to previous budget periods. Recommendation We recommend management personnel authorized to approve expenditures of federal awards be limited to those who have a basic understanding of GAAP and the relationship between the accrual basis of accounting and the period of performance requirements. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective action Management is in agreement with this finding and will take corrective action as outlined below.
Condition: We identified unallowable costs totaling $11,454, comprised of $2,275 of employee meals and $9,179 of investment advisory fees. Criteria: Title 2, CFR, Part 200, Subpart E-Cost Principles, Basic Considerations, section 200.403, Factors Affecting Allowability of Costs, states, in part, that “Except where otherwise authorized by statute, costs must meet the following general criteria in order to be allowable under Federal awards: a) be necessary and reasonable for the performance of the Federal award, b) be properly documented showing the business nature of the charge. Cause: Internal controls over reporting compliance requirements were not properly designed and were not placed in operation. Management is responsible for compliance with the requirements of allowable/unallowable costs and for the design, implementation, and maintenance of effective internal controls over compliance with the requirements of laws, statutes, regulations, rules, and provisions of grant agreements applicable to its federal program. Effect: The lack of internal controls and procedures over compliance increases the risk of using federal funds for unallowable costs. Recommendation: We recommend the Agency develop a written policies and procedures manual for allowable/unallowable costs compliance, which should include a checklist detailing all the necessary steps to ensure a proper review of all costs charged to the federal program.
Eligibility and Allowable Costs Material Weakness U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY – FEMA Passed through from United Way Worldwide ALN #: 97.024 Federal Award Identification #: LRO #782600077 Condition: Documentation was not retained to prove eligibility and allowable costs to the program for both rental assistance and utility assistance participants. Criteria: 2 CFR Part 200.403 Questioned Costs: $28,604 Context: Out of 26 tested for eligibility, 11 recipients did not have adequate support to prove eligibility for both rental assistance and utility assistance. Harmony could not locate documentation to support certain participants including the participant's lease and did not maintain proper participant identification on file. Additionally, within the sample selected, there were individuals who received utility assistance; however, Harmony could not locate the utility bill to support the amounts paid on behalf of the participant. Therefore, there was not a way to verify that the utility assistance met the various utility assistance eligibility requirements as outlined in the grant agreement. Lastly, for one rental assistance recipient, the amount of support provided was greater than three months of assistance as limited by the program. Cause: Lack of supporting documentation or not properly retaining documentation to support the eligibility of recipients. Effect: Lack of supporting documentation or not retaining the documentation to support the eligibility causes the funds to become questioned costs. Identification as repeat finding, if applicable: Not applicable. Recommendation: We recommend the Organization periodically review supporting documentation for completed applications to ensure all support is retained. We also recommend implementing enhanced internal controls to verify all support is properly retained. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Action: Management agrees with the finding. See corrective action plan.
Eligibility and Allowable Costs Material Weakness U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY – FEMA Passed through from United Way Worldwide ALN #: 97.024 Federal Award Identification #: LRO #782600077 Condition: Documentation was not retained to prove eligibility and allowable costs to the program for both rental assistance and utility assistance participants. Criteria: 2 CFR Part 200.403 Questioned Costs: $28,604 Context: Out of 26 tested for eligibility, 11 recipients did not have adequate support to prove eligibility for both rental assistance and utility assistance. Harmony could not locate documentation to support certain participants including the participant's lease and did not maintain proper participant identification on file. Additionally, within the sample selected, there were individuals who received utility assistance; however, Harmony could not locate the utility bill to support the amounts paid on behalf of the participant. Therefore, there was not a way to verify that the utility assistance met the various utility assistance eligibility requirements as outlined in the grant agreement. Lastly, for one rental assistance recipient, the amount of support provided was greater than three months of assistance as limited by the program. Cause: Lack of supporting documentation or not properly retaining documentation to support the eligibility of recipients. Effect: Lack of supporting documentation or not retaining the documentation to support the eligibility causes the funds to become questioned costs. Identification as repeat finding, if applicable: Not applicable. Recommendation: We recommend the Organization periodically review supporting documentation for completed applications to ensure all support is retained. We also recommend implementing enhanced internal controls to verify all support is properly retained. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Action: Management agrees with the finding. See corrective action plan.
2023 001 Activities Allowed or Unallowed and Allowable Costs/ Cost Principles U.S. Department of Homeland Security: Passed through the State of New Jersey, Department of Law and Public Safety: Disaster Grants – Public Assistance (Presidentially Declared Disasters) – ALN 97.036 Federal Grant Numbers and Years State of New Jersey pass-through number: UH1WX Project Worksheet #1822 – October 5, 2021 to March 5, 2022 (Application 553330) Statistically Valid Sample: The sample was not intended to be, and was not, a statistically valid sample. Prior Year Findings: None Criteria Compliance – Program Specific The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, evaluates the eligibility of all costs claimed by the applicant. Not all costs incurred as a result of the incident are eligible. (PAPPG v4) Chapter 4, page(s) 51-54; Chapter 6, page(s) 65 & 93-95. Cost must be: • Directly tied to the performance of eligible work; • Adequately documented (2 CFR section 200.403(g)); • Reduced by all applicable credits, such as insurance proceeds and salvage values (Stafford Act section 312, 42 USC section 5155, and 2 CFR section 200.406); • Authorized and not prohibited under federal, state, territorial, tribal, or local government laws or regulations; • Consistent with applicant’s internal policies, regulations, and procedures that apply uniformly to both federal awards and other activities of the applicant; and • Necessary and reasonable to accomplish the work properly and efficiently (2 CFR section 200.403). 1. Applicant (Force Account) Labor FEMA refers to the applicant’s personnel as “force account.” FEMA reimburses force account labor based on actual hourly rates plus the cost of the employee’s actual fringe benefits. FEMA calculates the fringe benefit cost based on a percentage of the hourly pay rate. Because certain items in a benefit package are not dependent on hours worked (e.g., health insurance), the percentage for overtime is usually different than the percentage for straight-time. Compliance – General Per 2 CFR Section 200.430, charges to federal awards for salaries and wages must be based on records that accurately reflect the work performed. These records must: (i) Be supported by a system of internal control which provides reasonable assurance that the charges are accurate, allowable, and properly allocated; (ii) Be incorporated into the official records of the non-federal entity; (iii) Reasonably reflect the total activity for which the employee is compensated by the non-federal entity, not exceeding 100% of compensated activities; (iv) Encompass federally assisted and all other activities compensated by the non-federal entity on an integrated basis, but may include the use of subsidiary records as defined in the non-federal entity's written policy; (v) Comply with the established accounting policies and practices of the non-federal entity. Internal Control Per 2 CFR section 200.303(a), a non-federal entity must 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). Condition and Context The New Jersey Turnpike Authority (the “Authority”), through the State of New Jersey, Department of Homeland Security (the State), administers the federal Disaster Grants – Public Assistance (Presidentially Declared Disasters) program and is reimbursed for eligible expenditures when a presidentially declared disaster occurs. For the Authority’s force account labor costs, the Authority utilizes manual Daily Worksheets (timesheets) as the official records for time and effort worked during an event by the Authority’s personnel. These timesheets are then entered into the Authority’s information system (PeopleSoft) for review and approval, reconciling back to the information entered on the respective timesheet. For two of forty timesheets selected for testwork, the Authority was unable to provide the timesheets as the official record for the time and effort charged to the federal program. However, the Authority successfully demonstrated through PeopleSoft system that the time and effort charged to the federal program was properly reviewed and approved and reconciled to the amounts of reimbursement requested from the State. Cause The Authority did not maintain and make readily available certain timesheets used as the official record for the time and effort charged to the federal program in accordance with the Uniform Guidance. Effect The Authority did not comply with 2 CFR Section 200.430 related to incorporating the physical timesheets into the official records of the Authority. Questioned Costs None as the time and effort amounts charged were determined to be allowable. Recommendation We recommend that the Authority strengthen its processes to ensure that all timesheets for disaster related events that are federally funded are maintained and are made readily available if subject to audit or other inspection in accordance with the Uniform Guidance. Views of Responsible Officials Management agrees with the finding. We are committed to strengthening our processes to ensure that all physical timesheets related to FEMA-declared disaster events are properly maintained and readily accessible. To achieve this, we will implement enhanced procedures and controls to ensure full compliance with the Uniform Guidance requirements.
2023-001- Internal Control over Compliance and Compliance with Activities Allowed or Unallowed and Allowable Costs and Cost Principles Information on the Major Federal Program U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Center for Disease Control and Prevention Assistance Listing Number: 93.988 Assistance Listing Name: Cooperative Agreements for State-Based Diabetes Control Programs and Evaluation of Surveillance Systems Grant Award Number(s): 1 NU58DP007372-01-00 Award Period: June 30, 2023 to June 29, 2028 Criteria or Specific Requirement – The Uniform Guidance 2 CFR Section 200.303 requires non-Federal entities receiving Federal awards establish and maintain internal control to reasonably ensure compliance with Federal statues, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. In addition, per 2 CFR Section 200.403, “Except where otherwise authorized by statute, costs must meet the following general criteria in order to be allowable under Federal awards: a) Be necessary and reasonable for the performance of the Federal award and be allocable thereto under these principles. b) Conform to any limitations or exclusions set forth in these principles or in the Federal award as to types or amount of cost items. c) Be consistent with policies and procedures that apply uniformly to both federally-financed and other activities of the non-Federal entity. d) Be accorded consistent treatment. A cost may not be assigned to a Federal award as a direct cost if any other cost incurred for the same purpose in like circumstances has been allocated to the Federal award as an indirect cost. e) Be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), except, for state and local governments and Indian tribes only, as otherwise provided for in this part. f) Not be included as a cost or used to meet cost sharing or matching requirements of any other federally- financed program in either the current or a prior period. g) Be adequately documented. h) Cost must be incurred during the approved budget period. The Federal awarding agency is authorized, at its discretion, to waive prior written approvals to carry forward unobligated balances to subsequent budget periods pursuant to § 200.308(e)(3).” Furthermore, according to the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200), specifically §200.430(i), “charges to Federal awards for salaries and wages must be based on records that accurately reflect the work performed. These records must be supported by a system of internal control which provides reasonable assurance that the charges are accurate, allowable, and properly allocated”. The records must also be supported by the approval of an individual with firsthand knowledge of the work performed. Condition - During our audit, within the tested sample of seven timesheets out of a population of twenty-six, three timesheets for employees charged to the federal program did not have proper approval in the system. The lack of signed approval indicates that the timesheets were not reviewed and approved by an individual with knowledge of the work performed, as required under the Uniform Guidance. ADA has documented expenditure policies and procedures. However, the review and approval process did not operate as designed. Cause – ADA did not adhere to its internal policies and procedures to ensure timesheets were properly reviewed and approved. Effect or Potential Effect – Without adequate internal controls in place to ensure costs are properly verified and approved, ADA could unallowably and inaccurately charge salary and wages expenditures to the federal program. Questioned Costs – None Context - This is a condition based on testing of ADA’s compliance. Based on tested samples, we noted four out of seven sampled timesheets were not properly approved in the system. The samples were selected using a non-statistical method. Repeat Finding - This finding is not a repeat finding. Recommendation - BDO recommends that ADA adhere to its documented policies and procedures to ensure all timesheets are reviewed and approved by authorized personnel with knowledge of the work performed. ADA should also provide training to all employees involved in the timesheet preparation and approval process to ensure compliance with the Uniform Guidance requirements. Views of Responsible Officials: The findings were primarily related to a change that ADA made to the Human Resources Information System. Going forward, ADA will adhere to our documented policies and procedures to ensure all timesheets are reviewed and approved by authorized personnel with knowledge of the work performed. Additionally, we will provide training to all employees involved in the timesheet preparation and approval process to ensure compliance with the Uniform Guidance requirements.
Federal agency: All agencies in the SEFA Assistance Listing Number: See SEFA Award Period: 01/01/2023 to 12/31/2023 Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control Over Compliance Criteria or Specific Requirement: The compliance requirements for Federal Assistance Number 93.558 – Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) State Programs includes a Period of Performance element. The compliance requirement related to period of performance is that a non-federal entity may charge only allowable costs incurred during the approved budget period (also identified as the grant period) of a federal award’s period of performance and any costs incurred before the federal awarding agency or pass-through entity made the federal award that were authorized by the federal awarding agency or pass-through entity (2 CFR sections 200.308 200.309 and 200.403(h)). Condition: Allocations of indirect costs are performed once during the year-end closing process based on time study data for the entire year, and when program attendance data for programs that are ran for various increments throughout the year is available. The TANF grant period that was tested as a major program was December 2022 – August 2023. As the grant period ended in September, no costs incurred after that date should be considered major program expenditures. Questioned Costs: Indeterminable. The questioned costs could be considered those indirect costs considered TANF expenditures that were incurred after August 2023. In addition, because the program attendance is used to allocate costs between programs, program attendance after August 2023 may be inappropriate to be considered when allocating those indirect costs to specific programs. Context: Indirect cost allocations are performed once during the year-end closing process by the auditee. Time studies are performed to allocate indirect costs between supporting and program functions. The indirect costs allocated to the program functions are then allocated between individual programs, including federally funded programs, based on the number of participant hours in each program. The time study and program hours used to allocate indirect costs are based on the entire year and not just the major program grant period. In addition, indirect costs that are allocated are incurred during the entire year and not just the major program grant period. Cause: Time and program participation data used to allocate costs are not consistent with the grant period. In addition, the costs that are allocated are not consistent with the grant period. Effect: The single annual allocation of costs means that costs incurred outside the major program grant/budget period are being allocated to the major program. In addition, allocation base data from outside the grant/budget period is being used as a base for the indirect cost allocation. Repeat Finding: No Auditor’s Recommendation: We recommend the auditee perform indirect cost allocations so that the costs and allocation base align with the grant/budget period. Performing the allocation of indirect costs annually may not create an equitable allocation at the individual program level. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: We agree that the allocation being performed once annually does not create the most equitable allocation of costs between our individual programs. We will perform our indirect cost allocations more periodically during the course of the fiscal year to ensure that more appropriate times studies and applicable participant hours are being utilized to limit the potential of allocating unrelated indirect costs from the year to individual programs, including the federally funded programs.
Federal agency: All agencies in the SEFA Assistance Listing Number: See SEFA Award Period: 01/01/2023 to 12/31/2023 Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control Over Compliance Criteria or Specific Requirement: The compliance requirements for Federal Assistance Number 93.558 – Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) State Programs includes a Period of Performance element. The compliance requirement related to period of performance is that a non-federal entity may charge only allowable costs incurred during the approved budget period (also identified as the grant period) of a federal award’s period of performance and any costs incurred before the federal awarding agency or pass-through entity made the federal award that were authorized by the federal awarding agency or pass-through entity (2 CFR sections 200.308 200.309 and 200.403(h)). Condition: Allocations of indirect costs are performed once during the year-end closing process based on time study data for the entire year, and when program attendance data for programs that are ran for various increments throughout the year is available. The TANF grant period that was tested as a major program was December 2022 – August 2023. As the grant period ended in September, no costs incurred after that date should be considered major program expenditures. Questioned Costs: Indeterminable. The questioned costs could be considered those indirect costs considered TANF expenditures that were incurred after August 2023. In addition, because the program attendance is used to allocate costs between programs, program attendance after August 2023 may be inappropriate to be considered when allocating those indirect costs to specific programs. Context: Indirect cost allocations are performed once during the year-end closing process by the auditee. Time studies are performed to allocate indirect costs between supporting and program functions. The indirect costs allocated to the program functions are then allocated between individual programs, including federally funded programs, based on the number of participant hours in each program. The time study and program hours used to allocate indirect costs are based on the entire year and not just the major program grant period. In addition, indirect costs that are allocated are incurred during the entire year and not just the major program grant period. Cause: Time and program participation data used to allocate costs are not consistent with the grant period. In addition, the costs that are allocated are not consistent with the grant period. Effect: The single annual allocation of costs means that costs incurred outside the major program grant/budget period are being allocated to the major program. In addition, allocation base data from outside the grant/budget period is being used as a base for the indirect cost allocation. Repeat Finding: No Auditor’s Recommendation: We recommend the auditee perform indirect cost allocations so that the costs and allocation base align with the grant/budget period. Performing the allocation of indirect costs annually may not create an equitable allocation at the individual program level. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: We agree that the allocation being performed once annually does not create the most equitable allocation of costs between our individual programs. We will perform our indirect cost allocations more periodically during the course of the fiscal year to ensure that more appropriate times studies and applicable participant hours are being utilized to limit the potential of allocating unrelated indirect costs from the year to individual programs, including the federally funded programs.
2023 – 004: Cost Allocation of Fringe Benefits to LSC Grants Federal Agency: Legal Services Corporation (LSC) Federal Program Name: LSC Native American Grant Assistance Listing Number: 09.706060 Federal Award Identification Number and Year: 09-706060 - 2023 Award Period: January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023 Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance Other Matters Criteria or specific requirement: Federal regulations (45 CFR 1630.5 and 2 CFR 200.403) state that expenditures are allowable under an LSC (or federal) grant or contract only if the recipient can demonstrate that the cost was consistent with accounting policies and procedures that apply uniformly to both LSC (or, federal)-funded and non-LSC (of, federal) -funded activities. Condition: During our testing we noted that 100% of medical insurance for a specific location was allocated to the grant. However, we noted that medical insurance for other pay periods and locations were allocated on a trimester basis using an allocation base of total grant hours for the period divided by total general fund hours. As such, the fringe benefit cost mentioned above was allocated in an inconsistent manner to other grant fringe benefit costs was not fully representative of the employees’ time and effort. However, management noted that these costs were allocated in a manner to comply with 45 CFR 1630.5(g) which allows LSC award recipients to allocate proportional share of another funding source’s share of an indirect cost to LSC funds. Questioned costs: None. Context: This single instance was noted during testing of 26 payroll and payroll-related disbursements. Cause: The Organization’s employee benefit cost allocation methodology is primarily based on a periodic calculation of grant hours versus general fund hours multiplied by period costs, but it often includes manual adjustments based on review of individual expense data. Therefore, the methodology is challenging to apply consistently, document contemporaneously, and apply in accordance with federal regulations. Effect: The inclusion of frequent manual adjustments in the Organization’s employee benefit cost allocation methodology could cause costs to be allocated to grants in a manner where costs are not applied uniformly to both LSC (or, federal)-funded and non-LSC (of, federal) -funded activities. Repeat Finding: This is not a repeat finding. Recommendation: We recommend that the Organization consider updating its employee benefit cost allocation methodology and process to reduce the frequency of manual adjustments based on review of expense data and maximize the use of automated allocations that are calculated in a consistent manner that ensure costs are applied uniformly to respective benefited activities. Views of responsible officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding
2023 – 004: Cost Allocation of Fringe Benefits to LSC Grants Federal Agency: Legal Services Corporation (LSC) Federal Program Name: LSC Native American Grant Assistance Listing Number: 09.706060 Federal Award Identification Number and Year: 09-706060 - 2023 Award Period: January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023 Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance Other Matters Criteria or specific requirement: Federal regulations (45 CFR 1630.5 and 2 CFR 200.403) state that expenditures are allowable under an LSC (or federal) grant or contract only if the recipient can demonstrate that the cost was consistent with accounting policies and procedures that apply uniformly to both LSC (or, federal)-funded and non-LSC (of, federal) -funded activities. Condition: During our testing we noted that 100% of medical insurance for a specific location was allocated to the grant. However, we noted that medical insurance for other pay periods and locations were allocated on a trimester basis using an allocation base of total grant hours for the period divided by total general fund hours. As such, the fringe benefit cost mentioned above was allocated in an inconsistent manner to other grant fringe benefit costs was not fully representative of the employees’ time and effort. However, management noted that these costs were allocated in a manner to comply with 45 CFR 1630.5(g) which allows LSC award recipients to allocate proportional share of another funding source’s share of an indirect cost to LSC funds. Questioned costs: None. Context: This single instance was noted during testing of 26 payroll and payroll-related disbursements. Cause: The Organization’s employee benefit cost allocation methodology is primarily based on a periodic calculation of grant hours versus general fund hours multiplied by period costs, but it often includes manual adjustments based on review of individual expense data. Therefore, the methodology is challenging to apply consistently, document contemporaneously, and apply in accordance with federal regulations. Effect: The inclusion of frequent manual adjustments in the Organization’s employee benefit cost allocation methodology could cause costs to be allocated to grants in a manner where costs are not applied uniformly to both LSC (or, federal)-funded and non-LSC (of, federal) -funded activities. Repeat Finding: This is not a repeat finding. Recommendation: We recommend that the Organization consider updating its employee benefit cost allocation methodology and process to reduce the frequency of manual adjustments based on review of expense data and maximize the use of automated allocations that are calculated in a consistent manner that ensure costs are applied uniformly to respective benefited activities. Views of responsible officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding
2023 – 004: Cost Allocation of Fringe Benefits to LSC Grants Federal Agency: Legal Services Corporation (LSC) Federal Program Name: LSC Native American Grant Assistance Listing Number: 09.706060 Federal Award Identification Number and Year: 09-706060 - 2023 Award Period: January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023 Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance Other Matters Criteria or specific requirement: Federal regulations (45 CFR 1630.5 and 2 CFR 200.403) state that expenditures are allowable under an LSC (or federal) grant or contract only if the recipient can demonstrate that the cost was consistent with accounting policies and procedures that apply uniformly to both LSC (or, federal)-funded and non-LSC (of, federal) -funded activities. Condition: During our testing we noted that 100% of medical insurance for a specific location was allocated to the grant. However, we noted that medical insurance for other pay periods and locations were allocated on a trimester basis using an allocation base of total grant hours for the period divided by total general fund hours. As such, the fringe benefit cost mentioned above was allocated in an inconsistent manner to other grant fringe benefit costs was not fully representative of the employees’ time and effort. However, management noted that these costs were allocated in a manner to comply with 45 CFR 1630.5(g) which allows LSC award recipients to allocate proportional share of another funding source’s share of an indirect cost to LSC funds. Questioned costs: None. Context: This single instance was noted during testing of 26 payroll and payroll-related disbursements. Cause: The Organization’s employee benefit cost allocation methodology is primarily based on a periodic calculation of grant hours versus general fund hours multiplied by period costs, but it often includes manual adjustments based on review of individual expense data. Therefore, the methodology is challenging to apply consistently, document contemporaneously, and apply in accordance with federal regulations. Effect: The inclusion of frequent manual adjustments in the Organization’s employee benefit cost allocation methodology could cause costs to be allocated to grants in a manner where costs are not applied uniformly to both LSC (or, federal)-funded and non-LSC (of, federal) -funded activities. Repeat Finding: This is not a repeat finding. Recommendation: We recommend that the Organization consider updating its employee benefit cost allocation methodology and process to reduce the frequency of manual adjustments based on review of expense data and maximize the use of automated allocations that are calculated in a consistent manner that ensure costs are applied uniformly to respective benefited activities. Views of responsible officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding
2023 – 004: Cost Allocation of Fringe Benefits to LSC Grants Federal Agency: Legal Services Corporation (LSC) Federal Program Name: LSC Native American Grant Assistance Listing Number: 09.706060 Federal Award Identification Number and Year: 09-706060 - 2023 Award Period: January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023 Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance Other Matters Criteria or specific requirement: Federal regulations (45 CFR 1630.5 and 2 CFR 200.403) state that expenditures are allowable under an LSC (or federal) grant or contract only if the recipient can demonstrate that the cost was consistent with accounting policies and procedures that apply uniformly to both LSC (or, federal)-funded and non-LSC (of, federal) -funded activities. Condition: During our testing we noted that 100% of medical insurance for a specific location was allocated to the grant. However, we noted that medical insurance for other pay periods and locations were allocated on a trimester basis using an allocation base of total grant hours for the period divided by total general fund hours. As such, the fringe benefit cost mentioned above was allocated in an inconsistent manner to other grant fringe benefit costs was not fully representative of the employees’ time and effort. However, management noted that these costs were allocated in a manner to comply with 45 CFR 1630.5(g) which allows LSC award recipients to allocate proportional share of another funding source’s share of an indirect cost to LSC funds. Questioned costs: None. Context: This single instance was noted during testing of 26 payroll and payroll-related disbursements. Cause: The Organization’s employee benefit cost allocation methodology is primarily based on a periodic calculation of grant hours versus general fund hours multiplied by period costs, but it often includes manual adjustments based on review of individual expense data. Therefore, the methodology is challenging to apply consistently, document contemporaneously, and apply in accordance with federal regulations. Effect: The inclusion of frequent manual adjustments in the Organization’s employee benefit cost allocation methodology could cause costs to be allocated to grants in a manner where costs are not applied uniformly to both LSC (or, federal)-funded and non-LSC (of, federal) -funded activities. Repeat Finding: This is not a repeat finding. Recommendation: We recommend that the Organization consider updating its employee benefit cost allocation methodology and process to reduce the frequency of manual adjustments based on review of expense data and maximize the use of automated allocations that are calculated in a consistent manner that ensure costs are applied uniformly to respective benefited activities. Views of responsible officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding
2023 – 009: Cost Allocation of Compensation to Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Grants Federal Agency: Department of Treasury Federal Program Name: COVID-19: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery, Various – See SEFA Assistance Listing Number: 21.027 Federal Award Identification Number and Year: Various – See SEFA Pass-Through Agency: Various – See SEFA Pass-Through Numbers: Various – See SEFA Award Period: Various – see SEFA Type of Finding: Material Weakness in Internal Control over Compliance Other Matters Criteria or specific requirement: Federal regulations (CFR 200.403), state that allowable costs must be consistent with policies and procedures of federal award recipients that apply uniformly to both federally-financed and other activities of the Organization. It also states that costs must be adequately documented. Condition: During our testing, we noted that: We were unable to view evidence for one allocation of $23 of medical insurance expenses for one employee related to one month. Three allocations of medical and dental insurance expenses totaling $1,903 were allocated using the percentage of total grant hours of the period instead of the percentage of total grant salary expense, which was the base used for other similar benefit expense allocations. We were unable to view support of the allocation based on total grant hours for the period. These amounts appeared to be under allocated by $549. One salary allocation of $848 appeared to be under allocated by $1,689 when compared to time and effort records and compensation information. We were unable to see evidence that supported the allocation. As such, the salary costs and fringe mentioned above were allocated in an inconsistent manner to other grant payroll costs were not fully representative of the employees’ time and effort and benefit obtained by grant from the allocated cost. Questioned costs: $23 of allocated medical insurance expense described above, which is related to Assistance Listing Number 21.027 and the Eviction Clinic grant passed through from Arapahoe County. Context: These six instances were noting during testing of 47 payroll and payroll-related disbursements. Cause: The Organization’s salary, wage and employee benefit cost allocation methodology is primarily based on time and effort records and a periodic calculation of grant hours versus general fund hours multiplied by period costs, but it often includes manual adjustments based on review of individual time records and expense data. Management also sometimes allocates employee benefit expense using a base of total grant salary expense for a period when compared to total salary expense for the same period. Therefore, the methodology is challenging to apply consistently, document contemporaneously, and apply in accordance with federal regulations. Effect: The inclusion of frequent manual adjustments and varying allocation bases in the Organization’s salaries, wages, and employee benefit cost allocation methodology could cause costs to be allocated to grants that are not reflective of the time and effort spent on grant activities nor compensation paid to employees during relevant work periods. It would also lead to challenges in maintaining sufficient supporting documentation of such cost allocations. Repeat Finding: This is not a repeat finding. Recommendation: We recommend that the Organization consider updating its salaries, wages, and employee benefit cost allocation methodology and process to reduce the frequency of manual adjustments based on review of individual time records and expense data and maximize the use of automated allocations based on employees’ time and effort records, effective compensation during work periods, and that are calculated in a consistent manner. We also recommend that the Organization maintain contemporaneous documentation supporting all cost allocations. Views of responsible officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding
2023 – 009: Cost Allocation of Compensation to Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Grants Federal Agency: Department of Treasury Federal Program Name: COVID-19: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery, Various – See SEFA Assistance Listing Number: 21.027 Federal Award Identification Number and Year: Various – See SEFA Pass-Through Agency: Various – See SEFA Pass-Through Numbers: Various – See SEFA Award Period: Various – see SEFA Type of Finding: Material Weakness in Internal Control over Compliance Other Matters Criteria or specific requirement: Federal regulations (CFR 200.403), state that allowable costs must be consistent with policies and procedures of federal award recipients that apply uniformly to both federally-financed and other activities of the Organization. It also states that costs must be adequately documented. Condition: During our testing, we noted that: We were unable to view evidence for one allocation of $23 of medical insurance expenses for one employee related to one month. Three allocations of medical and dental insurance expenses totaling $1,903 were allocated using the percentage of total grant hours of the period instead of the percentage of total grant salary expense, which was the base used for other similar benefit expense allocations. We were unable to view support of the allocation based on total grant hours for the period. These amounts appeared to be under allocated by $549. One salary allocation of $848 appeared to be under allocated by $1,689 when compared to time and effort records and compensation information. We were unable to see evidence that supported the allocation. As such, the salary costs and fringe mentioned above were allocated in an inconsistent manner to other grant payroll costs were not fully representative of the employees’ time and effort and benefit obtained by grant from the allocated cost. Questioned costs: $23 of allocated medical insurance expense described above, which is related to Assistance Listing Number 21.027 and the Eviction Clinic grant passed through from Arapahoe County. Context: These six instances were noting during testing of 47 payroll and payroll-related disbursements. Cause: The Organization’s salary, wage and employee benefit cost allocation methodology is primarily based on time and effort records and a periodic calculation of grant hours versus general fund hours multiplied by period costs, but it often includes manual adjustments based on review of individual time records and expense data. Management also sometimes allocates employee benefit expense using a base of total grant salary expense for a period when compared to total salary expense for the same period. Therefore, the methodology is challenging to apply consistently, document contemporaneously, and apply in accordance with federal regulations. Effect: The inclusion of frequent manual adjustments and varying allocation bases in the Organization’s salaries, wages, and employee benefit cost allocation methodology could cause costs to be allocated to grants that are not reflective of the time and effort spent on grant activities nor compensation paid to employees during relevant work periods. It would also lead to challenges in maintaining sufficient supporting documentation of such cost allocations. Repeat Finding: This is not a repeat finding. Recommendation: We recommend that the Organization consider updating its salaries, wages, and employee benefit cost allocation methodology and process to reduce the frequency of manual adjustments based on review of individual time records and expense data and maximize the use of automated allocations based on employees’ time and effort records, effective compensation during work periods, and that are calculated in a consistent manner. We also recommend that the Organization maintain contemporaneous documentation supporting all cost allocations. Views of responsible officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding
2023 – 009: Cost Allocation of Compensation to Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Grants Federal Agency: Department of Treasury Federal Program Name: COVID-19: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery, Various – See SEFA Assistance Listing Number: 21.027 Federal Award Identification Number and Year: Various – See SEFA Pass-Through Agency: Various – See SEFA Pass-Through Numbers: Various – See SEFA Award Period: Various – see SEFA Type of Finding: Material Weakness in Internal Control over Compliance Other Matters Criteria or specific requirement: Federal regulations (CFR 200.403), state that allowable costs must be consistent with policies and procedures of federal award recipients that apply uniformly to both federally-financed and other activities of the Organization. It also states that costs must be adequately documented. Condition: During our testing, we noted that: We were unable to view evidence for one allocation of $23 of medical insurance expenses for one employee related to one month. Three allocations of medical and dental insurance expenses totaling $1,903 were allocated using the percentage of total grant hours of the period instead of the percentage of total grant salary expense, which was the base used for other similar benefit expense allocations. We were unable to view support of the allocation based on total grant hours for the period. These amounts appeared to be under allocated by $549. One salary allocation of $848 appeared to be under allocated by $1,689 when compared to time and effort records and compensation information. We were unable to see evidence that supported the allocation. As such, the salary costs and fringe mentioned above were allocated in an inconsistent manner to other grant payroll costs were not fully representative of the employees’ time and effort and benefit obtained by grant from the allocated cost. Questioned costs: $23 of allocated medical insurance expense described above, which is related to Assistance Listing Number 21.027 and the Eviction Clinic grant passed through from Arapahoe County. Context: These six instances were noting during testing of 47 payroll and payroll-related disbursements. Cause: The Organization’s salary, wage and employee benefit cost allocation methodology is primarily based on time and effort records and a periodic calculation of grant hours versus general fund hours multiplied by period costs, but it often includes manual adjustments based on review of individual time records and expense data. Management also sometimes allocates employee benefit expense using a base of total grant salary expense for a period when compared to total salary expense for the same period. Therefore, the methodology is challenging to apply consistently, document contemporaneously, and apply in accordance with federal regulations. Effect: The inclusion of frequent manual adjustments and varying allocation bases in the Organization’s salaries, wages, and employee benefit cost allocation methodology could cause costs to be allocated to grants that are not reflective of the time and effort spent on grant activities nor compensation paid to employees during relevant work periods. It would also lead to challenges in maintaining sufficient supporting documentation of such cost allocations. Repeat Finding: This is not a repeat finding. Recommendation: We recommend that the Organization consider updating its salaries, wages, and employee benefit cost allocation methodology and process to reduce the frequency of manual adjustments based on review of individual time records and expense data and maximize the use of automated allocations based on employees’ time and effort records, effective compensation during work periods, and that are calculated in a consistent manner. We also recommend that the Organization maintain contemporaneous documentation supporting all cost allocations. Views of responsible officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding
ACTIVITIES ALLOWED OR UNALLOWED AND ALLOWABLE COSTS/COST PRINCIPLES Significant Deficiency in Internal Control Over Compliance and Noncompliance ALN 93.391 – Activities to Support State, Tribal, Local and Territorial (STLT) Health Department Response to Public Health or Healthcare Crises Department of Health and Human Services Award Number: NH75OT0000010 Award Year: 2021 Criteria or Specific Requirement: The Uniform Guidance in 2 CFR Section 200.303, Internal Controls, requires that non-Federal entities receiving Federal awards (i.e., auditee management) establish and maintain internal controls designed to reasonably ensure compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. The Uniform Guidance in 2 CFR Section 200.403(g) states that for costs to be allowable under Federal awards, they must be adequately documented. Condition: Controls in place at the City’s Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE) were not effective in preventing incorrect expenditures from being charged to the grant. There was one instance where the existence of a control failed to detect an error within an invoice selected, which resulted in an overpayment to the subrecipient. Cause: Personnel reviewing expenditures did not adequately review to ensure invoices were correct prior to payment. Effect or Potential Effect: An invoice to a subrecipient was overpaid. Questioned Costs: $431 Context: BDO selected a sample of 20 expenditures totaling to $216,560 from a population of 162 expenditures totaling to $625,782. There was one expenditure in the amount of $4,101 that was overpaid. The compliance sample was expanded, and another 12 expenditures were selected totaling to $29,975. There were no additional compliance deviations noted. This is a condition identified per review of the City’s compliance with specified requirements using a sample that was not statistically valid. Identification as a Repeat Finding: N/A Recommendation: DDPHE should improve existing review controls to ensure the mathematical accuracy of invoices has been checked, especially with respect to payments to subrecipients. Payroll and other costs reported on the face of the invoice should agree to supporting payroll documentation received. Views of Responsible Officials: The City agrees with the finding. DDPHE will implement additional trainings and is encouraging a standard template in Excel to avoid calculation errors. For additional information, see the City’s separate report for planned corrective actions.
Section II – Financial Statement FindingsFinding 2023-001 Significant Deficiency in Internal Controls and Compliance with major program AIL Number: 93.658 Description: Approval of Credit Card Expenditures Criteria: Title 2, CFR, Part 200, Subpart D – Post Federal Award Requirements, section 200.303, Internal controls. states, in part, that “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…” Title 2, CFR, Part 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles, Basic Considerations, section 200.403, Factors affecting allowability of costs. states, in part, that “Except where otherwise authorized by statute, costs must meet the following general criteria in order to be allowable under Federal awards: (g) Be adequately documented.” Condition: In our testing we were unable to verify that credit card transactions were tied out to source documents and approval to ensure allowable costs under Uniform Guidance. Cause: Management is not following their policies to reconciling credit card charges to underlying source documents and document approval prior to payments made. Effect: By not reviewing and approving credit card transactions there is a heightened risk of unallowable costs and fraudulent charges. Recommendation: We recommend that management improve internal controls around credit card expenditures by reviewing credit card transactions and underlying receipts and approving prior to payment. Management’s Response: Management’s response to the finding is discussed in the attached Corrective Action Plan. Section III – Federal Award Findings and Questioned Costs Finding 2023-001 Significant deficiency in internal control over compliance with major program AIL Number: 93.658 Program Name: Foster Care Title IV-E Federal Agency: Department of Health and Human Services Pass-through Agency: California Department of Social Services Questioned Costs: None Compliance Requirement: Activities Allowed or Unallowed and Allowable Costs, Cost Principles See Finding 2023-01 in Section II above.
FINDING 2023-003 Subject: COVID-19: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds - Body Camera - Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Cost Principles, Period of Performance Federal Agency: Department of the Treasury Federal Program: COVID-19: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Assistance Listings Number: 21.027 Federal Award Number and Year (or Other Identifying Number): 71391 Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of Homeland Security Compliance Requirements: Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/ Cost Principles, Period of Performance Audit Findings: Material Weakness, Other Matters INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 17 CITY OF MICHIGAN CITY SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) Condition and Context The City's Police Department applied for and was awarded a body camera grant from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS). The City's Police Department sought reimbursement from the IDHS in October of 2023. An invoice from Utility, dated October 28, 2022, in the amount of $600,000 for body cameras was submitted for the reimbursement. The invoice was originally paid by the City with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds on April 3, 2023. The City received reimbursement of $61,740 from the IDHS on December 5, 2023, which was receipted into the City's Grant Fund along with the City's local match in the amount of $30,870. The Controller's Office did an adjustment on December 31, 2023, in the amount of $92,610, to reimburse the ARP Coronavirus LF Recovery Fund and decrease the Grant Fund, for the reimbursement of $61,740 and the local share of $30,870. However, per the grant agreement with the IDHS, "If the subrecipient incurs a financial obligation prior to approval of the State, then the subrecipient will be required to reimburse the State for the amount of funds that were not approved." As such, the expenditure was not an allowable activity or allowable cost and was outside of the period of performance due to the City incurring the expense prior to signing the grant agreement with the IDHS on March 3, 2023. The lack of internal controls and noncompliance were isolated to the purchase noted above. 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 200.403 states in part: "Except where otherwise authorized by statute, costs must meet the following general criteria in order to be allowable under Federal awards: . . . (c) Be consistent with policies and procedures that apply uniformly to both federallyfinanced and other activities of the non-Federal entity. . . . (f) Not be included as a cost or used to meet cost sharing or matching requirements of any other federally-financed program in either the current or a prior period. . . ." 2 CFR 200.306(b) states: "For all Federal awards, any shared costs or matching funds and all contributions, including cash and third-party in-kind contributions, must be accepted as part of the non-Federal entity's cost sharing or matching when such contributions meet all of the following criteria: (1) Are verifiable from the non-Federal entity's records; INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 18 CITY OF MICHIGAN CITY SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) (2) Are not included as contributions for any other Federal award; (3) Are necessary and reasonable for accomplishment of project or program objectives; (4) Are allowable under subpart E of this part; (5) Are not paid by the Federal Government under another Federal award, except where the Federal statute authorizing a program specifically provides that Federal funds made available for such program can be applied to matching or cost sharing requirements of other Federal programs; (6) Are provided for in the approved budget when required by the Federal awarding agency; and (7) Conform to other provisions of this part, as applicable." The Grant Agreement states in part: "Any purchases made by the Subrecipient that are not authorized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury allowability guidelines, the Subrecipient's Project or State, will not be reimbursed under this grant." "Pre-award costs, as defined in 2 CFR 200.458, may not be paid with funding from this award." 2 CFR 200.458 states: "Pre-award costs are those incurred prior to the effective date of the Federal award or subaward directly pursuant to the negotiation and in anticipation of the Federal award where such costs are necessary for efficient and timely performance of the scope of work. Such costs are allowable only to the extent that they would have been allowable if incurred after the date of the Federal award and only with the written approval of the Federal awarding agency. If charged to the award, these costs must be charged to the initial budget period of the award, unless otherwise specified by the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity." Cause Management had not developed a system of internal controls that would have prevented or detected material noncompliance. The City did not ensure that the policies and procedures in place related to allowable or unallowable activities, allowable costs and cost principles, and period of performance were complied with at the acceptance of the grant from the IDHS. 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, an invoice that was previously paid with other federal award funds was submitted for reimbursement to another agency. The original invoice was outside of the period of performance and unallowable as related to the award from the IDHS. Furthermore, noncompliance with the provisions of federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the federal award could result in the loss of future federal funding to the City. Questioned Costs We identified $61,740 in questioned costs as noted above in the Condition and Context. INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 19 CITY OF MICHIGAN CITY SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) Recommendation We recommended that management of the City establish a proper system of internal controls, including strengthening its policies and procedures to ensure all costs submitted for reimbursement are not already reimbursed by another federal award and are within the period of performance. Views of Responsible Officials For the views of responsible officials, refer to the Corrective Action Plan that is part of this report.
Criteria As noted throughout the Uniform Guidance, including Part 2, CFR Part 200.403 notes “Cost must be incurred during the approved budget period.” Condition While performing tests of the Garden’s internal controls over compliance, we noted multiple transactions had occurred after the respective period of performance for the Federal Award had expired. Cause of Condition The Garden has not implemented proper internal control policies to adhere to the requirements of the Uniform Guidance. Effect of Condition Noncompliance may impact future funding from Federal awards. Recommendation We recommend the Garden implement proper internal control procedures to track the period of performance for each Federal Award, and ensure costs are only charged to programs during the proper period.
Criteria As noted throughout the Uniform Guidance, including Part 2, CFR Part 200.403 notes “Cost must be incurred during the approved budget period.” Condition While performing tests of the Garden’s internal controls over compliance, we noted multiple transactions had occurred after the respective period of performance for the Federal Award had expired. Cause of Condition The Garden has not implemented proper internal control policies to adhere to the requirements of the Uniform Guidance. Effect of Condition Noncompliance may impact future funding from Federal awards. Recommendation We recommend the Garden implement proper internal control procedures to track the period of performance for each Federal Award, and ensure costs are only charged to programs during the proper period.
Federal Program Information: Funding Agency: U.S Department of Health and Human Services FALN: 93.926 Federal Award Identification Number: H49MC00119‐19‐00 Pass Through Entity: State of Georgia Department of Human Services Award Year: 2018‐2020 Criteria: Under 2 CFR Section 200.303(a), non‐federal entities must establish and maintain effective internal controls to provide reasonable assurance that the entity is managing the federal awards in compliance with statues, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the award. Additionally, under 2 CFR sections 200.308 200.309 and 200.403(h)), the Organization may charge only allowable costs incurred during the approved budget period of a federal award’s period of performance and any costs incurred before the federal awarding agency or pass‐through entity made the federal award that were authorized by the federal awarding agency or pass‐through entity. Condition: The Organization lacked supporting documentation for non‐payroll expenses. Due to lack of supporting documentation, period of performance could not be verified. Of the sixty (60) nonpayroll transactions examined, ten (10) lacked supporting documentation for review, and 1 expense was for services performed in a prior period. Effect: Management possibly did not expend funds in accordance with the approved detailed lineitem budget and grant agreement and possibly expended funds in the incorrect period of performance. Cause: Expenses including approved invoices and/or supporting documentation were not properly maintained in part due to several changes in personnel within the accounting area and overall limited number of personnel for certain functions and lack of board oversight. Questioned costs: Known questioned costs of $7,674 and likely questioned costs of $34,117 for Healthy Start. Recommendation: We recommend that internal controls be strengthened and processes implemented to ensure all expenses include supporting documentation/invoice indicating period of performance.
Federal Program Information: Funding Agency: U.S Department of Health and Human Services FALN: 93.926 Federal Award Identification Number: H49MC00119‐19‐00 Pass Through Entity: State of Georgia Department of Human Services Award Year: 2018‐2020 Criteria: Under 2 CFR Section 200.303(a), non‐federal entities must establish and maintain effective internal controls to provide reasonable assurance that the entity is managing the federal awards in compliance with statues, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the award. Additionally, under 2 CFR sections 200.308 200.309 and 200.403(h)), the Organization may charge only allowable costs incurred during the approved budget period of a federal award’s period of performance and any costs incurred before the federal awarding agency or pass‐through entity made the federal award that were authorized by the federal awarding agency or pass‐through entity. Condition: The Organization lacked supporting documentation for non‐payroll expenses. Due to lack of supporting documentation, period of performance could not be verified. Of the sixty (60) nonpayroll transactions examined, ten (10) lacked supporting documentation for review, and 1 expense was for services performed in a prior period. Effect: Management possibly did not expend funds in accordance with the approved detailed lineitem budget and grant agreement and possibly expended funds in the incorrect period of performance. Cause: Expenses including approved invoices and/or supporting documentation were not properly maintained in part due to several changes in personnel within the accounting area and overall limited number of personnel for certain functions and lack of board oversight. Questioned costs: Known questioned costs of $7,674 and likely questioned costs of $34,117 for Healthy Start. Recommendation: We recommend that internal controls be strengthened and processes implemented to ensure all expenses include supporting documentation/invoice indicating period of performance.
Unallowable Use of Housing Choice Voucher Cluster Programs’ Funds (Material Weakness, Material Non-Compliance) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program (Housing Choice Voucher Cluster) – Assistance Listing No. 14.871, Emergency Housing Voucher Program (Housing Choice Voucher Cluster) – Assistance Listing No. 14.EHV, Grant Period: Year-End December 31, 2023 Criteria The cost principles in 2 CFR Part 200, Sub-part E of the Uniform Guidance describe allowable and unallowable uses of federal award program subsidies. Parts 200.403 and 200.405 prohibit the use of federal award program subsidies to fund expenditures outside of the applicable federal award program. Specifically, the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and Emergency Housing Voucher Programs’ subsidies and reserves cannot be used to fund expenditures and/or deficits of other federal or non-federal programs, except through allowable Management and Book-keeping Fees. Condition and Perspective During 2023, the Authority’s Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program advanced $255,941 out of its Program. The Emergency Housing Choice Voucher Program advanced $186,741 out of its Program. Questioned Costs – $255,941 and $186,741 from the Programs. Cause Lack of non-federal funds available to finance non-federal expenditures. Effect Non-compliance with federal Allowable Cost requirements. Recommendation We recommend that the Authority limit advancing funds from the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and Emergency Housing Voucher Programs, to allowable Fees only as specified in the Uniform Guidance and applicable HUD literature. Management’s Response The Authority will limit advancing funds from the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and Emergency Housing Voucher Programs, to allowable Fees only. The Authority’s Executive Director, Trey George, has assumed the responsibility of executing this corrective action as of November 1, 2024.
Unallowable Use of Housing Choice Voucher Cluster Programs’ Funds (Material Weakness, Material Non-Compliance) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program (Housing Choice Voucher Cluster) – Assistance Listing No. 14.871, Emergency Housing Voucher Program (Housing Choice Voucher Cluster) – Assistance Listing No. 14.EHV, Grant Period: Year-End December 31, 2023 Criteria The cost principles in 2 CFR Part 200, Sub-part E of the Uniform Guidance describe allowable and unallowable uses of federal award program subsidies. Parts 200.403 and 200.405 prohibit the use of federal award program subsidies to fund expenditures outside of the applicable federal award program. Specifically, the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and Emergency Housing Voucher Programs’ subsidies and reserves cannot be used to fund expenditures and/or deficits of other federal or non-federal programs, except through allowable Management and Book-keeping Fees. Condition and Perspective During 2023, the Authority’s Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program advanced $255,941 out of its Program. The Emergency Housing Choice Voucher Program advanced $186,741 out of its Program. Questioned Costs – $255,941 and $186,741 from the Programs. Cause Lack of non-federal funds available to finance non-federal expenditures. Effect Non-compliance with federal Allowable Cost requirements. Recommendation We recommend that the Authority limit advancing funds from the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and Emergency Housing Voucher Programs, to allowable Fees only as specified in the Uniform Guidance and applicable HUD literature. Management’s Response The Authority will limit advancing funds from the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and Emergency Housing Voucher Programs, to allowable Fees only. The Authority’s Executive Director, Trey George, has assumed the responsibility of executing this corrective action as of November 1, 2024.
Finding 2023-001 - Controls Over Payroll Expenditures (Material Weakness) Criteria: 2 CFR 200.403 establishes principles and standards for determining costs for federal awards carried out through grants, cost reimbursement contracts, and other agreements with state and local governments. To be allowable, under federal awards, cost must meet certain criteria: a)Be necessary and reasonable for the performance of the Federal award and be allocable thereto underthese principles. b)Conform to any limitations or exclusions set forth in these principles or in the Federal award as to typesor amount of cost items. c)Be consistent with policies and procedures that apply uniformly to both federally-financed and otheractivities of the non-Federal entity. d)Be accorded consistent treatment. A cost may not be assigned to a Federal award as a direct cost if anyother cost incurred for the same purpose in like circumstances has been allocated to the Federal award asan indirect cost. e)Be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), except, for stateand local governments and Indian tribes only, as otherwise provided for in this part. f)Not be included as a cost or used to meet cost sharing or matching requirements of any other federallyfinanced program in either the current or a prior period. g)Be adequately documented. h)Cost must be incurred during the approved budget period. Additionally, 2 CFR 200.303 indicates that non-Federal Entities receiving Federal awards must establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the nonFederal entity is managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations and terms and conditions of the Federal award. The Corporation should have controls in place to document that salaries and overtime paid with federal funds were allowable. Timecards supporting hours worked should be approved and pay rates reviewed. Condition and Context: A summary of allowable charges for the grant was prepared for submission. Within a sample of 45, we noted that 25 timecards did not have a documented review. Effect: Payroll expenditures could be inaccurately charged to the federal grant. Cause: Management noted that time is tracked in a spreadsheet and is reviewed but formal documentation of review is not maintained. Questioned Costs: None Identification as a repeat finding, if applicable: This is a repeat finding. Appeared as finding 2022-002 in the prior report. Recommendation: We recommend the Corporation maintain documented approval of all timecards. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions: Management agrees with the finding and has prepared a corrective action plan.
Finding 2023-001 - Controls Over Payroll Expenditures (Material Weakness) Criteria: 2 CFR 200.403 establishes principles and standards for determining costs for federal awards carried out through grants, cost reimbursement contracts, and other agreements with state and local governments. To be allowable, under federal awards, cost must meet certain criteria: a)Be necessary and reasonable for the performance of the Federal award and be allocable thereto underthese principles. b)Conform to any limitations or exclusions set forth in these principles or in the Federal award as to typesor amount of cost items. c)Be consistent with policies and procedures that apply uniformly to both federally-financed and otheractivities of the non-Federal entity. d)Be accorded consistent treatment. A cost may not be assigned to a Federal award as a direct cost if anyother cost incurred for the same purpose in like circumstances has been allocated to the Federal award asan indirect cost. e)Be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), except, for stateand local governments and Indian tribes only, as otherwise provided for in this part. f)Not be included as a cost or used to meet cost sharing or matching requirements of any other federallyfinanced program in either the current or a prior period. g)Be adequately documented. h)Cost must be incurred during the approved budget period. Additionally, 2 CFR 200.303 indicates that non-Federal Entities receiving Federal awards must establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the nonFederal entity is managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations and terms and conditions of the Federal award. The Corporation should have controls in place to document that salaries and overtime paid with federal funds were allowable. Timecards supporting hours worked should be approved and pay rates reviewed. Condition and Context: A summary of allowable charges for the grant was prepared for submission. Within a sample of 45, we noted that 25 timecards did not have a documented review. Effect: Payroll expenditures could be inaccurately charged to the federal grant. Cause: Management noted that time is tracked in a spreadsheet and is reviewed but formal documentation of review is not maintained. Questioned Costs: None Identification as a repeat finding, if applicable: This is a repeat finding. Appeared as finding 2022-002 in the prior report. Recommendation: We recommend the Corporation maintain documented approval of all timecards. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions: Management agrees with the finding and has prepared a corrective action plan.