Finding Text
2024-001: Significant Deficiency Over Compliance with Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Federal Program: Highway Planning and Construction and Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Federal Assistance Listing Number(s): 20.205 and 21.027 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Department of Treasury Pass-through Entity: Colorado Department of Transportation (20.205 only) Criteria: 2 CFR 200.319 states that all procurement transactions under the Federal award must be conducted in a manner that provides full and open competition and is consistent with Federal procurement standards. 2 CFR 200.214 states in part that recipients and subrecipients are subject to the nonprocurement debarment and suspension regulations. In addition, 2 CFR 200.303 in part states that a recipient of a Federal award must establish, document, and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award. Condition: We have selected and tested vendors for suspension and debarment with expenditures in excess of $25,000 for the Bridge CR-397 and EMS projects for compliance with suspension and debarment. We identified that two vendors were not properly verified for suspension and debarment prior to the contract execution date. Cause: Internal controls over suspension and debarment were properly designed but not operating effectively to verify that all vendors are in compliance with suspension and debarment. Effect: Our testing identified that the County’s internal controls over compliance with suspension and debarment are not operating effectively, which may cause the County to be out of compliance with Federal and grant requirements. Repeat Finding: No. Recommendation: We recommend that the County re-evaluate the design of internal controls over suspension and debarment to be in compliance with the Federal requirements and the County’s procurement policy/procedures.