Finding 1074397 (2023-002)

Information on the Federal Program: Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Treasury Federal Program: COVID-19 - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Assistance Listing Number 21.027 Compliance Requirement: Subrecipient Monitoring Type of Finding: Material Weakness in Internal Controls over Compliance, Modified Opinion Criteria: 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 200.332, Requirements for pass-through entities, states "All pass-through entities must: (a) ensure that every subaward is clearly identified to the subrecipient as a subaward and includes the following information at the time of the subaward; (b) evaluate each subrecipient's risk of noncompliance with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the subaward for purposes of determining the appropriate subrecipient monitoring; (c) consider imposing specific subaward conditions upon a subrecipient if appropriate as described in Section 200.208 (Specific conditions); (d) Monitor the activities of the subrecipient as necessary to ensure that the subaward is used for authorized purposes, in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the subaward; and that subaward performance goals are achieved; (f) Verify that every subrecipient is audited as required by Subpart F of this part when it is expected that the subrecipient's Federal awards expended during the respective fiscal year equaled or exceeded the threshold set forth in Section 200.501. 2 CFR 200.303 states in part: "The non-Federal enity 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." Condition: The City received a total State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) allocation of $3,431,839. In its March, 2022, Project and Expenditures Report, the City elected to use the standard allowance for identifying revenue loss and reported its Revenue Loss Due to Covid-19 Public Health Emergency as $3,431,839. During fiscal year ended September 30, 2023, the City made payments from its SLFRF federal award, totaling $1,600,000, to another local government entity for materials used by the other government for a water line project. The payments were supported by an invoice from the other government, to which were attached copies of invoices submitted to the other government by its vendors. The City reported in its March, 2023, Project and Expenditures Report that the payments were made under the Infrastructure: Drinking water: Transmission & distribution Project Expenditure Category and Subcategory. The City also reported the transactions as a subaward, including identification of the subrecipient, and reported each of the payments to the subrecipient in the Expenditures section, in that Project and Expenditures Report. The City was unable to provide: a copy of the subaward agreement that clearly identified the subaward to the subrecipient as a subaward and that included the information required by Section 200.332(a); supporting documentation that the City evaluated the subrecipient's risk of noncompliance as required by Section 200.332(b); supporting documentation that the City monitored the activities of the subrecipient as required by Section 200.332 (d); and/or supporting documentation that the City verified that the subrecipient was audited as required by Subpart F. Cause: The City did not have adequate internal controls to ensure compliance with the Subrecipient Monitoring compliance requirement. The City's past federal awards experience did not involve or include subawards. Effect or Potential Effect: Noncompliance by the subrecipient may occur due to the subrecipient not being aware of the federal program's requirements and due to the City not sufficiently monitoring the subrecipient. Recommendation: We recommend that management of the City design and implement a comprehensive system of internal controls over federal award compliance, including development of policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the Subrecipient Monitoring compliance requirement. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: See Corrective Action Plan