Finding 1165046 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
I
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2025-12-16

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The District failed to verify that five out of ten vendors were not suspended or debarred when engaged for contracts over $25,000.
  • Impacted Requirements: This noncompliance violates 2 CFR Part 180, which mandates checks against the list of excluded parties for covered transactions.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: The District should update and enforce its policies on grant compliance to ensure proper verification procedures are consistently followed.

Finding Text

2025-001 – Suspension and Debarment Finding Type. Immaterial Noncompliance; Significant Deficiency in Internal Controls over Compliance (Suspension and Debarment). Program. Child Nutrition Cluster; U.S. Department of Agriculture; ALN Numbers 10.553, and 10.555; Passed through the Michigan Department of Education; Award Numbers 241970, 251970, 241960, and 251960. Criteria. Under the requirements of 2 CFR Part 180, for covered transactions for procurement and nonprocurement contracts that are expected to equal or exceed $25,000, the grantee must verify that the party being awarded a procurement and nonprocurement contract is not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded by checking the list of excluded parties, obtaining certification from the vendor or subrecipient, or including a clause or condition to the covered transaction with that entity. Condition. For five of the ten vendors selected for testing, the District was unable to provide evidence that the vendors were not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded at the time they were engaged to provide goods or services. Cause. The District does not have the proper internal controls in place to ensure that the appropriate procedures are being followed for covered transactions in accordance with the requirements of the Uniform Guidance. Effect. As a result of this condition, the District was exposed to an increased risk that disbursements of federal awards could be made to vendors or subrecipients suspended or debarred by the federal government. Questioned Costs. No costs have been questioned as a result of this finding inasmuch as no unallowable costs were identified. Recommendation. We recommend that the District review its written policies and procedures over federal awards with employees responsible for grant compliance to ensure that they are being followed consistently. View of Responsible Officials. The District will routinely check the website, print out the list of vendors and date the print out. Responsible Official. Maria Gistinger, Interim Director of Business & Finance Estimated Completion Date. June 30, 2026

Corrective Action Plan

The district will routinely check the website, print out the list of vendors, and date the print out.

Categories

Procurement, Suspension & Debarment Allowable Costs / Cost Principles

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1165042 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1165043 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1165044 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1165045 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.027 SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANTS TO STATES $1.70M
10.555 NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM $1.12M
84.010 TITLE I GRANTS TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES $579,094
10.553 SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM $448,616
84.002 ADULT EDUCATION - BASIC GRANTS TO STATES $350,000
84.367 SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION STATE GRANTS (FORMERLY IMPROVING TEACHER QUALITY STATE GRANTS) $198,104
12.002 PROCUREMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR BUSINESS FIRMS $89,386
84.173 SPECIAL EDUCATION PRESCHOOL GRANTS $62,135
84.424 STUDENT SUPPORT AND ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAM $51,443
84.425 EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND $50,317
93.778 MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM $45,445
84.048 CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION -- BASIC GRANTS TO STATES $27,754
84.365 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION STATE GRANTS $788
10.558 CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM $223