Finding 1156596 (2024-006)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
I
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2025-09-30
Audit: 368940
Organization: Meeker County (MN)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The County failed to verify that a vendor was not federally suspended or debarred before signing a contract.
  • Impacted Requirements: Federal guidelines mandate that grant recipients must perform verification checks on vendors prior to covered transactions.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: The County should enhance procedures to ensure compliance with suspension and debarment verification before entering into contracts.

Finding Text

2024-006: SUSPENSION AND DEBARMENT Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Treasury Federal Program Name: COVID-19 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) Assistance Listing Number: 21.027 Federal Award Identification Number and Year: SLFRP1480, 2024 Award Period: Year Ended December 31, 2024 Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance and Other Matters Criteria or specific requirement: Federal guidelines require grant recipients to perform verification procedures that a vendor is not federally suspended or debarred prior to entering into a covered transaction. Condition: The County did not retain documentation to support that vendors were not suspended or debarred. Questioned Costs: None. The vendor was not federally suspended or debarred. Context: During suspension and debarment testing, one of the six covered transactions we tested did not have a verification that the vendor was not federally suspended or debarred until after having a signed contract Cause: The County did not follow their policy regarding suspension and debarment. Effect: By entering into a contract with a vendor prior to verifying they are not federally suspended or debarred, it is possible that the County could have entered into a contract with a suspended vendor. Repeat Finding: No. Recommendation: We recommend the County implement additional procedures to ensure suspension and debarment verification procedures are followed prior to entering into a contract. Views of responsible officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding.

Corrective Action Plan

SUSPENSION AND DEBARMENT Recommendation: The County should implement additional procedures to ensure suspension and debarment verification procedures are followed prior to entering a covered transaction. Explanation of disagreement with audit finding: There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Action planned in response to finding: County personnel will review Sam.Gov website for suspension and debarment verification prior to entering a covered transaction. Name of the contact person responsible for corrective action: Andrew Letson, County Administrator. Planned completion date for corrective action plan: December 31, 2025

Categories

Procurement, Suspension & Debarment Significant Deficiency

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1156588 2024-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1156589 2024-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1156590 2024-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1156591 2024-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1156592 2024-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1156593 2024-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1156594 2024-006
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1156595 2024-006
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
21.027 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $2.65M
93.778 Medical Assistance Program $905,907
93.563 Child Support Services $266,908
10.561 State Administrative Matching Grants for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program $246,052
93.558 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families $174,501
10.557 Wic Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children $172,488
93.658 Foster Care Title IV-E $157,544
93.667 Social Services Block Grant $128,518
20.205 Highway Planning and Construction $104,444
16.575 Crime Victim Assistance $93,598
97.042 Emergency Management Performance Grants $46,835
93.959 Block Grants for Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse $46,240
93.994 Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant to the States $18,414
93.323 Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infectious Diseases (elc) $16,757
93.070 Environmental Public Health and Emergency Response $9,314
97.012 Boating Safety Financial Assistance $7,452
21.019 Coronavirus Relief Fund $5,474
93.556 Marylee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program $5,213
93.590 Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention Grants $4,746
84.181 Special Education-Grants for Infants and Families $3,568
93.575 Child Care and Development Block Grant $2,863
93.645 Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services Program $2,229
93.251 Early Hearing Detection and Intervention $2,100
93.566 Refugee and Entrant Assistance State/replacement Designee Administered Programs $1,975
93.008 Medical Reserve Corps Small Grant Program $1,430
93.767 Children's Health Insurance Program $526