Finding 1151689 (2024-001)

Material Weakness
Requirement
P
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2025-08-29

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA) was incomplete and inaccurate, omitting expenditures incurred but not reimbursed.
  • Impacted Requirements: Noncompliance with 2 CFR § 200.508(b) and § 200.510(b), affecting the accuracy of reported federal expenditures.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Management should ensure all federal expenditures are reported, reconcile SEFA with accounting records, and provide training on SEFA reporting requirements.

Finding Text

2025-001 – Incomplete and Inaccurate Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA) Criteria In accordance with 2 CFR § 200.508(b), the auditee must prepare a Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA) for the period covered by the auditee’s financial statements. The SEFA must be prepared in accordance with the requirements of 2 CFR § 200.510(b), which includes reporting total federal awards expended for each federal program during the audit period, regardless of whether a reimbursement has been requested. Condition During our audit of the SEFA, we noted that the reported expenditures for the Economic Development Cluster only included those amounts for which reimbursement requests had been submitted as of year-end. Expenditures that had been incurred but not yet submitted for reimbursement were omitted. In addition, other grants were inadvertently excluded from the SEFA schedule. This resulted in an incomplete and inaccurate presentation of total federal expenditures for the fiscal year. Cause The cause of this condition was a misunderstanding by management regarding the proper basis for reporting federal expenditures. Management relied solely on reimbursement activity, rather than on total expenditures incurred during the audit period, when preparing the SEFA. In addition, management should review all federal funding/expenditures activity to verify all grants are captured on the SEFA. Effect Failure to report all federal expenditures incurred during the reporting period resulted in a misstatement of total federal awards expended. This can impact the determination of major programs, the risk assessment process, and federal oversight. Additionally, it results in noncompliance with federal regulations governing SEFA preparation. Recommendation We recommend that management implement procedures to ensure the SEFA includes all federal expenditures incurred during the reporting period, regardless of whether reimbursement has been requested. This should include reconciling SEFA amounts to the underlying accounting records and grant activity, as well as training responsible personnel on Uniform Guidance requirements for SEFA reporting. Management’s Response Responsible Official’s Response and Corrective Action Planned: We have implemented procedures to ensure that the SEFA includes all federal expenditures incurred during the reporting period, regardless of whether reimbursement has been requested. Reconciliation of the SEFA amounts are completed monthly. Management will also offer and require training to all personnel responsible on the Uniform Guidance requirements for SEFA reporting. Implementation Date: Immediate Person Responsible for Corrective Action Plan: Chief Financial Officer, Ashley Cason

Categories

Reporting

Other Findings in this Audit

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
20.106 Airport Improvement Program $2.05M
11.300 Investments for Public Works and Economic Development Facilities $1.34M
97.036 Disaster Grants - Public Assistance (presidentially Declared Disasters) $572,181
93.575 Child Care and Development Block Grant $448,632
14.228 Community Development Block Grants/state's Program and Non-Entitlement Grants in Hawaii $125,843
14.239 Home Investment Partnerships Program $90,723
20.205 Highway Planning and Construction $60,884
21.027 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $17,747
00.000 Usss Task Force $6,000
16.838 Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-Based Program $1,810
20.600 State and Community Highway Safety $1,676