Finding 1166263 (2025-003)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2025-12-23
Audit: 377334
Organization: City Colleges of Chicago (IL)
Auditor: RSM US LLP

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: City Colleges submitted a required quarterly report 14 days late, violating the reporting timeline.
  • Impacted Requirements: The delay breaches the PTE's Subaward Agreement and 2 CFR Section 200.303, which mandate timely submission of reports.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: City Colleges should establish monitoring procedures to ensure future reports are submitted on time.

Finding Text

Finding 2025-003 – Reporting Repeat Finding: No Federal Program Title – U.S. Department of Education Higher Education Institutional Aid 84.031C Federal Award Year 2024-2025 Award Number: 21061-210822-1-HWC Pass-Through Entity: Northeastern Illinois University Condition For one of the four reports tested for the Higher Education Institutional Aid Program, City Colleges did not timely submit a quarterly report to the Pass-Through Entity (PTE). A quarterly performance report was due on May 1, 2025 and submitted 14 days late on May 15, 2025. Criteria Per the terms of the PTE's annual Subaward Agreement, City Colleges is required to submit quarterly reports along with annual performance reports. Quarterly reports are required to be submitted within 30 days of the period end. 2 CFR Section 200.303 requires entities receiving Federal awards establish and maintain internal controls deigned to reasonably ensure compliance with Federal laws, regulations, and program compliance requirements. Effective internal controls should include procedures in place to ensure timely reporting of required performance reports. Questioned Costs There were no questioned costs related to testing of reporting. Cause Submission delay was the result of poor time management and breakdowns in communication between PIs and the grantor. Context Frequent. One out of four reports (25%) selected for testing. Effect Failure to submit reports timely is noncompliance with the requirements of the grant award and could result in loss of funding or other penalties. Recommendation We recommend City Colleges implement monitoring procedures to ensure that reports are submitted in a timely manner. Views of responsible officials We agree with this finding. See corrective action plan.

Corrective Action Plan

Condition For one of the four reports tested for the Higher Education Institutional Aid Program, City Colleges did not timely submit a quarterly report to the Pass-Through Entity (PTE). A quarterly performance report was due on May 1, 2025 and submitted 14 days late on May 15, 2025. Cause Submission delay was the result of miscommunication between PIs and the grantor. Corrective Action Taken or Planned The Institutional Resource Development (IRD) team will review all subaward grant contracts and work with the colleges to ensure that Tasks are entered into the Salesforce system to provide automatic two-week reminders to the PIs when performance reports are due to the pass-through entity (PTE). Contact Person: Lizz Gardner, Associate Vice Chancellor, Institutional Resource Development Anticipated Completion Date: January 31, 2026

Categories

Subrecipient Monitoring Reporting

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1166261 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1166262 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.063 FEDERAL PELL GRANT PROGRAM $77.01M
84.268 FEDERAL DIRECT STUDENT LOANS $4.65M
84.007 FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY GRANTS $1.93M
84.033 FEDERAL WORK-STUDY PROGRAM $1.47M
84.002 ADULT EDUCATION - BASIC GRANTS TO STATES $1.33M
84.042 TRIO STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES $855,372
16.525 GRANTS TO REDUCE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING ON CAMPUS $766,000
84.425 EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND $535,466
12.006 NATIONAL DEFENSE EDUCATION PROGRAM $517,554
84.116 FUND FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION $506,071
93.600 HEAD START $493,515
20.205 HIGHWAY PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION $419,204
16.575 CRIME VICTIM ASSISTANCE $387,464
81.117 ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY INFORMATION DISSEMINATION, OUTREACH, TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ANALYSIS/ASSISTANCE $378,893
84.044 TRIO TALENT SEARCH $327,013
84.066 TRIO EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY CENTERS $289,543
47.076 STEM EDUCATION (FORMERLY EDUCATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES) $282,763
11.307 ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE $230,241
84.031 HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONAL AID $213,303
10.558 CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM $158,480
93.243 SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES PROJECTS OF REGIONAL AND NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE $112,959
17.274 YOUTHBUILD $106,685
84.048 CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION -- BASIC GRANTS TO STATES $94,556
81.049 OFFICE OF SCIENCE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM $43,317
93.732 MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH EDUCATION AND TRAINING GRANTS $38,342
21.027 CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS $28,105
93.969 PPHF GERIATRIC EDUCATION CENTERS $24,676
45.162 PROMOTION OF THE HUMANITIES TEACHING AND LEARNING RESOURCES AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT $18,717
93.113 ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH $17,747
93.859 BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING $13,477
93.575 CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT $3,309