Finding Text
Recipients must use the standard financial reporting forms or such other forms as may be authorized by OMB (approval is indicated by an OMB paperwork control number on the form) when reporting to the Federal awarding agency. Each recipient must report program outlays and program income on a cash or accrual basis, as prescribed by the Federal awarding agency. If the Federal awarding agency requires reporting of accrual information and the recipient’s accounting records are not normally maintained on the accrual basis, the recipient is not required to convert its accounting system to an accrual basis but may develop such accrual information through analysis of available documentation. The Federal awarding agency may accept identical information from the recipient in machine-readable format, computer printouts, or electronic outputs in lieu of closed formats or on paper.
The standard financial reporting form for grants is as follows: Request for Advance or Reimbursement (SF-270) (OMB No. 0348-0004)). Recipients are required to use the SF-270 to request reimbursement payments under non-construction programs, and may be required to use it to request advance payments.
The grant agreement does not require that the non-federal entity utilize standard forms as noted below. Instead, Article V, Section B of the grant agreement states:
1. Periodically, but not more frequently than once every 30 calendar days, the Non-Federal Sponsor shall provide the Government with a sufficient invoice for costs the Non-Federal Sponsor has incurred for the Project.
2. Upon receipt of such sufficient invoice, the Government shall review the costs identified therein and shall determine: (a) the amount to be included in total project costs, subject to the limitations in Article II.C. of this Agreement; (b) the total costs incurred by the parties to date (including the value of lands, easements, rights-of-way, and relocations, and the costs of permits determined in accordance with Article V of this Agreement); (c) each party’s share of total project costs and the costs of data recovery activities associated with historic preservation in accordance with Article II.P. of this Agreement incurred by the parties to date; (d) the costs incurred by each party to date; (e) the total amount of reimbursements the Government has made to date in accordance with this paragraph; (f) the balance of Federal funds available for the Project, as of the date of such review; (g) the amount of reimbursement, if any, due to the Non-Federal Sponsor; and (h) the amount that actually will be paid to the Non-Federal Sponsor (hereinafter the “payment amount”) if the amount of reimbursement determined above cannot be fully paid due to an insufficiency of Federal funds or the limitations of the Section 594 Program Limit for Ohio or the Section 102 Limit.
Article I, Section K state the term “sufficient invoice” shall mean documentation provided by the Non-Federal Sponsor containing the following: (1) a written certification by the Non-Federal Sponsor to the Government that it has made specified payments to contractors, suppliers, or employees for performance of work in accordance with this Agreement, or a written certification by the Non-Federal Sponsor to the Government that it has received bills from contractors, suppliers, or employees for performance of work in accordance with this Agreement; (2) copies of all relevant invoices and evidence of such payments or bills received; (3) written identification of such costs that have been paid with Federal program funds and a copy of the written verification from the Federal agency that provided the funds; and (4) a written request for reimbursement for the amount of such specified payments or bills received.
The Village prepared the relevant request for reimbursement as required by the grantor, but the obligations requested per the reimbursement request forms were not always in agreement with the obligations/payments for which the funds were actually used. It was noted that actual obligations/payments were also eligible activities that were incurred/paid during the year. Additionally, the Village does not have any formal policies regarding reporting requirements.
We recommend that the Village more closely monitor its reimbursement requests in relation to actual expenditures paid to ensure that the Village reports accurately reflect actual obligation/use of funds. Additionally, the Village should adopt formal policies and procedures that address reporting requirements.