Finding 1123458 (2024-001)

Significant Deficiency
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2025-03-31
Audit: 351403
Organization: City of Beverly (MA)
Auditor: Cbiz CPAS PC

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: There are significant deficiencies in internal controls over reporting for federal funds, leading to inaccuracies in submitted reports.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with OMB’s Uniform Administrative Requirements is not being met, specifically regarding the accuracy of financial reports.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: The City should enhance internal controls to ensure thorough review and reconciliation of reports with the general ledger before submission.

Finding Text

2024-001 Improve Internal Controls Over Reporting Federal Agency: U.S. Department of the Treasury Award Name: COVID-19 – Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds AL Number(s): 21.027 Award Year: 2024 Compliance Requirement: Reporting Type of Finding Compliance Internal Control over Compliance - Significant Deficiency Criteria or Specific Requirement OMB’s Uniform Administrative Requirement, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (UG) requires that grant recipients design internal controls to ensure that reports submitted to the State/Federal government are complete and accurate. Management is also responsible for establishing and maintaining effective internal controls 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 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. Condition and Context Key line items, specifically current period expenditures and total cumulative expenditures, included on the project and expenditure report submitted for quarter 1 2024 (January – March) did not agree to the general ledger. Cause Weaknesses in the design and implementation of internal controls. Effect or Potential Effect Due to the weaknesses in internal control noted above, key line items on reports submitted may not be complete or accurate. No questioned costs are reported as it is not quantifiable. Recommendation The City should design and implement improved internal controls to ensure that reports are reviewed in detail and agreed back to the general ledger prior to submission to ensure completeness and accuracy. Views of Responsible Official Management agrees with the finding.

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Reporting Significant Deficiency Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 547016 2024-001
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
10.555 National School Lunch Program $1.25M
21.027 Covid-19 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $1.09M
97.025 National Urban Search and Rescue (us&r) Response System $858,343
10.553 School Breakfast Program $248,918
84.010 Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies $133,623
84.425 Covid-19 Education Stabilization Fund $62,674
15.616 Clean Vessel Act $56,250
97.044 Assistance to Firefighters Grant $55,451
20.106 Airport Improvement Program, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Programs, and Covid-19 Airports Programs $48,483
20.600 State and Community Highway Safety $41,763
84.424 Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program $38,739
84.173 Special Education Preschool Grants $30,824
84.367 Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (formerly Improving Teacher Quality State Grants) $24,570
97.042 Emergency Management Performance Grants $21,150
10.559 Summer Food Service Program for Children $19,960
84.365 English Language Acquisition State Grants $11,761
93.044 Special Programs for the Aging, Title Iii, Part B, Grants for Supportive Services and Senior Centers $9,408
84.048 Career and Technical Education -- Basic Grants to States $6,150
15.904 Historic Preservation Fund Grants-in-Aid $5,000
20.616 National Priority Safety Programs $3,931
84.027 Special Education Grants to States $1,411
84.351 Arts in Education $904