Finding 1077357 (2023-002)

Significant Deficiency
Requirement
C
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2023
Accepted
2024-09-30
Audit: 323222
Organization: Search for Common Ground (DC)
Auditor: Bdo USA LLP

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Organization failed to keep advance payments in interest-bearing accounts, leading to noncompliance with federal cash management regulations.
  • Impacted Requirements: According to §200.305(b)(8), advance payments must be in interest-bearing accounts, and any interest earned over $500 must be remitted to the U.S. Government.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Management should enhance cash management policies to ensure compliance with federal requirements and implement controls to calculate and remit interest on cash advances.

Finding Text

2023-002 Internal Control over Compliance and Compliance with Cash Management Information on the Federal Program(s): United States Agency for International Development Assistance Listing Number: 98.001 Assistance Listing Name: USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas Pass-through Award(s): Pass-through Entity Pass-through Award Number Award Period The American Bar Association 72068520LA0001 September 10, 2020 through March 31, 2023 FHI 360 PO22001322 March 15, 2022 through February 29, 2024 Education Development Center, Inc. 72066822CA00002 October 1, 2022 through June 30, 2026 Freedom House 7200-AA-19-LA-00005 October 1, 2019 through April 30, 2023 Freedom House 720-68520-LA-00002 September 15, 2020 through September 14, 2024 Freedom House 21-H4A004-01 April 1, 2021 through September 30, 2025 Freedom House 7200-AA-21-LA-00004 September 25, 2022 through August 31, 2023 Freedom House 7200-AA-21-LA-00004 July 6, 2023 through August 31, 2024 Freedom House 7200-AA-21-LA-00004 September 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023 Management Systems International, Inc. 6122.01.18.005 July 24, 2018 through May 23, 2023   United States Department of Homeland Security Assistance Listing Number: 97.132 Assistance Listing Name: Financial Assistance for Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention Award Number: Direct Award Number Award Period EMW-2021-GR-00047-S01 October 1, 2021 through December 31, 2023 United States Department of State Assistance Listing Number: 19.517 Assistance Listing Name: Overseas Refugee Assistance Programs for Africa Pass-through Award(s): Pass-through Entity Pass-through Award Number Award Period World Vision SPRMCO23CA0146-SFCG August 1, 2023 through July 30, 2024 World Vision SPRMCO22CA0158-SFCG August 1, 2022 through July 31, 2023 Criteria: In accordance with §200.305(b)(8), Federal Payment, advance payments must be deposited in interest bearing accounts unless one of the four exceptions apply. In accordance with §200.305(b)(9), Federal Payment, interest earned on amounts up to $500 per year may be retained by the non-Federal entity for administrative purposes. Any additional interest earned on Federal advance payments deposited in interest-bearing accounts must be remitted annually to the Department of Health and Human Services Payment Management System (PMS). Condition: We noted the Organization does not maintain advance payments on Federal awards in interest-bearing accounts. The Organization has since prepared an estimated calculation of interest it would have earned if the advance payments were deposited in interest-bearing accounts. As the Organization estimated it could have earned approximately $22,186 of interest during the year ended December 31, 2023 on cash advances, the Organization estimates they owes the United States Government $21,686 of interest. Questioned Costs: None. Context: The nature of these findings is detailed in the condition section above. Cause: The Organization’s internal controls established to ensure compliance with cash management regulations did not operate as designed to ensure controls address the regulation to calculate the interest earned on cash advances to remit to the U.S. Government at the end of the year. Effect: Failure to have adequate controls in place to ensure cash advances are in interest-bearing accounts and processes to calculate the amount of interest earn resulted in the Organization not returning funding to the U.S. Government, as required. Repeat Finding: This finding is not a repeat finding from prior year. Recommendation: We recommend management ensure the compliance cash management policies that align to U.S. Government funding requirements related to interest on cash advances. Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding and recommendations set forth within and has developed a corrective action plan to address the instances of noncompliance identified and lapses in prescribed internal controls.

Categories

Cash Management

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 500905 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 500906 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 500907 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 500908 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 500909 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 500910 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 500911 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 500912 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 500913 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 500914 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 500915 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 500916 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 500917 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 500918 2023-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 500919 2023-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 500920 2023-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 500921 2023-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 500922 2023-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 500923 2023-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 500924 2023-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1077347 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1077348 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1077349 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1077350 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1077351 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1077352 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1077353 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1077354 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1077355 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1077356 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1077358 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1077359 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1077360 2023-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1077361 2023-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1077362 2023-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1077363 2023-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1077364 2023-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1077365 2023-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1077366 2023-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
19.801 Office of Global Women's Issues $2.04M
97.132 Financial Assistance for Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention $621,603
19.517 Overseas Refugee Assistance Programs for Africa $350,094
19.345 International Programs to Support Democracy, Human Rights and Labor $246,889
19.040 Public Diplomacy Programs $231,135
19.501 Public Diplomacy Programs for Afghanistan and Pakistan $225,072
19.415 Professional and Cultural Exchange Programs - Citizen Exchanges $172,805
19.700 General Department of State Assistance $132,993
19.706 Partnership for Regional East Africa Counterterrorism $122,904
98.001 Usaid Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas $61,900
93.308 National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (nimhd) Extramural Loan Repayment Program $53,574
19.225 Africa Regional Democracy Fund $2,309
19.979 Regional Peace and Security $-649
19.121 Conflict and Stabilization Operations $-7,932
19.021 Investing in People in the Middle East and North Africa $-17,521
19.701 Global Counterterrorism Programs $-24,469
19.016 Iraq Assistance Program $-77,578