Finding 1155301 (2023-007)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
M
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2023
Accepted
2025-09-25
Audit: 367551
Organization: The City of Frederick, Maryland (MD)
Auditor: Brown Plus

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: There is a material weakness in internal controls over subrecipient monitoring, leading to potential noncompliance risks.
  • Impacted Requirements: The lack of documented procedures for selecting subrecipients and monitoring their compliance violates federal guidelines.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Develop and formalize procedures for subrecipient selection and monitoring, ensure documentation of meetings, and review all subrecipient reports.

Finding Text

Federal Agency: Department of Health and Human Services Federal Program: 93.137 Community Programs to Improve Minority Health Grant Program Identification Number: 1 CPIMP211296-01-00 Requirement: Subrecipient Monitoring Type of Finding: Material weakness in internal control over major program; Noncompliance Criteria: A pass-through entity’s subrecipient monitoring policies and procedures should provide information about the entity’s process to identify subawards, evaluate risk of noncompliance and perform monitoring procedures based upon identified risks. Condition: Program management does not have knowledge of the process used to select subrecipients. Monitoring procedures performed were not documented and reports submitted by the subrecipients were not reviewed. Cause: The program has had significant employee turnover and there was a lack of documentation of these policies and procedures. Effect: Selecting subrecipients without a formal evaluation process and performing minimal monitoring procedures increases the risk of noncompliance for the City and could lead to a loss of funding if the subrecipients are deemed noncompliant. Context: The City has two subrecipients to which they pass on the federal funding. There was no knowledge or documentation as to how the subrecipients were chosen or how the subaward agreements were developed. The City did hold progress meetings with subrecipients, but there were no minutes taken or any documentation maintained related to these meetings. Financial reports submitted by the subrecipients to program management were not reviewed to ensure grant funds were utilized for allowable activities and costs. Repeat Finding: This finding was reported for the year ended June 30, 2022 as 2022-007. Recommendation: Program management should develop standardized procedures for selecting and granting subawards. These procedures should be formalized and maintained for future reference. Brief minutes of progress meetings should be taken to show that monitoring is taking place. All reporting by the subrecipient should be reviewed by management of the program. Views of Responsible Official(s) and Planned Corrective Actions: See corrective action plan.

Corrective Action Plan

The Department will outline the selection process within the Notice of Funding Availability. Furthermore, a monitoring schedule will be created, and program staff are required to review all reports submitted by the subrecipient.

Categories

Subrecipient Monitoring

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1155297 2023-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1155298 2023-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1155299 2023-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1155300 2023-006
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1155302 2023-008
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1155303 2023-009
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1155304 2023-010
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1155305 2023-011
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1155306 2023-012
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1155307 2023-013
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1155308 2023-014
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1155309 2023-015
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1155310 2023-016
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1155311 2023-017
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1155312 2023-018
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
20.106 Airport Improvement Program, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Programs, and Covid-19 Airports Programs $4.30M
93.224 Health Center Program (community Health Centers, Migrant Health Centers, Health Care for the Homeless, and Public Housing Primary Care) $2.21M
93.137 Community Programs to Improve Minority Health $2.07M
14.231 Emergency Solutions Grant Program $1.03M
10.558 Child and Adult Care Food Program $996,154
93.568 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance $960,360
21.027 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $786,960
93.569 Community Services Block Grant $452,538
14.218 Community Development Block Grants/entitlement Grants $271,995
14.267 Continuum of Care Program $184,808
16.745 Criminal and Juvenile Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program $94,827
21.026 Homeowner Assistance Fund $85,771
93.150 Projects for Assistance in Transition From Homelessness (path) $74,103
81.042 Weatherization Assistance for Low-Income Persons $62,520
16.753 Congressionally Recommended Awards $41,550
16.738 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program $26,732
10.559 Summer Food Service Program for Children $26,497
93.499 Low Income Household Water Assistance Program $18,086
97.067 Homeland Security Grant Program $14,280
20.600 State and Community Highway Safety $14,003
95.001 High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program $13,275
66.466 Geographic Programs - Chesapeake Bay Program $11,325
20.616 National Priority Safety Programs $8,554
66.818 Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Cooperative Agreements $2,487