Finding 1138320 (2024-004)

Significant Deficiency
Requirement
I
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2025-05-29
Audit: 357537
Organization: City of Desert Hot Springs (CA)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The City failed to check if contractors were suspended or debarred before awarding contracts using federal funds.
  • Impacted Requirements: This violates the requirement to verify contractor eligibility under 31 CFR section 19.300.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: The City should create formal policies and procedures for conducting suspension and debarment checks before contract awards.

Finding Text

Finding 2024-004 Procurement and Suspension and Debarment – Internal Control over Suspension and Debarment Identification of the Federal Program: Assistance Listing Number: 20.205 Assistance Listing Title: Highway Planning and Construction Program (Federal-Aid Highway Program) Federal Agency: U.S. Department of the Transportation Federal Award Identification Number: HSIPL-5384(023); ER-15Y0(001); ER-15Y0(002); ER-15Y0(003); ER-15Y0(004) Assistance Listing Number: 21.027 Assistance Listing Title: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (CSLFRF) Federal Agency: U.S. Department of the Treasury Federal Award Identification Number: 1505-0271 Criteria or Specific Requirement (Including Statutory, Regulatory, or Other Citation): Prior to entering into subawards and contracts with award funds, recipients must verify that such contractors and subrecipients are not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded pursuant to 31 CFR section 19.300. Condition: During the audit, we noticed that the City did not perform suspension and debarment checks on the contractors that they hired with Highway Planning and Construction Program (“HPC”) and CSLFRF Funds. Cause: The City does not have formal policies and procedures in place to ensure the suspension and debarment review process over vendors that provides goods or services to the City’s programs was conducted prior to entering into a contract. Effect or Potential Effect: Without verifying whether vendors are suspended or debarred from working on federally-funded projects prior to the contract being awarded, the City could be contracting with vendors that are prohibited from working on federally funded projects and incurring potentially disallowed costs. Questioned Costs: None noted. Context: See condition above for the context of the finding. Identification as a Repeat Finding, If Applicable: No. Recommendation: We recommended the City develop policies and procedures to incorporate the suspension and debarment verification prior to awarding contracts. Views of Responsible Officials: Management concurs with the finding and agrees to implement necessary corrective procedures.

Categories

Procurement, Suspension & Debarment Subrecipient Monitoring

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 561876 2024-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 561877 2024-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 561878 2024-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 561879 2024-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 561880 2024-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 561881 2024-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 561882 2024-005
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1138318 2024-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1138319 2024-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1138321 2024-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1138322 2024-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1138323 2024-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1138324 2024-005
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
20.205 Highway Planning and Construction $3.29M
14.218 Community Development Block Grants/entitlement Grants $373,043
21.027 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $106,617
97.067 Homeland Security Grant Program $58,324
20.608 Minimum Penalties for Repeat Offenders for Driving While Intoxicated $46,246
20.600 State and Community Highway Safety $24,405
16.738 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program $17,990
16.607 Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program $2,002