Finding Text
Condition: The Bureau did not submit its Single Audit reporting package for the year ended June 30, 2021 to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse within the timeframe required by 2 CFR 200.512(a), submitting well after the nine-month deadline. Criteria: 2 CFR 200.512 requires recipients to submit the complete reporting package—including the financial statements and SEFA (200.510), summary schedule of prior audit findings (200.511), auditor’s reports (200.515), and corrective action plan (200.511(c))—to the FAC within 30 days of the auditor’s report or nine months after year-end. Context: While the Bureau filed timely for FY 2014–2015, it has repeatedly failed to meet filing deadlines since FY 2016; FY 2016 was submitted nearly two years late, FY 2017 was delayed but covered by FEMA administrative relief, and the reporting packages for FY 2018, FY 2019, and FY 2020 were submitted significantly past statutory limits. FY 2021 continued this pattern of late submission, indicating ineffective controls over the audit reporting timeline. Cause: The delay is related to systemic weaknesses in financial management and reporting processes described in Finding 2021-001, including the absence of an integrated financial system and excessive reliance on Excel spreadsheets, which hinder timely reconciliation, compilation, and audit preparation. Effect: Failure to comply with reporting deadlines may subject the Bureau to federal sanctions, including withholding or disallowance of indirect costs, suspension of funding until audit submission is complete, or termination of federal awards; repeated delinquency also undermines the Bureau’s credibility with federal agencies. Questioned Costs: None. Recommendation: Implement a formalized audit and reporting calendar to ensure required documents are compiled and ready for audit by March 31 each year, establish an integrated system supporting timely reporting, assign responsibility for monitoring the Single Audit submission timeline, and conduct periodic status reviews to ensure timely submission to the FAC under Uniform Guidance requirements. Management Response: See corrective action plan.