Finding 1169045 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
I
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-01-14
Audit: 381736
Organization: City of Surprise, Arizona (AZ)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The City failed to keep documentation verifying that a vendor, with whom over $25,000 was spent, was not suspended or debarred.
  • Impacted Requirements: This noncompliance relates to federal procurement regulations that prohibit contracting with suspended or debarred parties.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Update procurement policies to establish internal controls for verifying suspension and debarment to ensure compliance.

Finding Text

Findings and Questioned Costs Related to Federal Awards Finding Number: 2025‐001 Repeat Finding: No Program Name/Assistance Listing Title: Clean Water State Revolving Fund Assistance Listing Number: 66.458 Federal Agency: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Federal Award Number: 910210‐23 Pass‐Through Agency: Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona Questioned Costs: N/A Type of Finding: Noncompliance, Significant Deficiency Compliance Requirement: Procurement, Suspension and Debarment Criteria Non‐Federal entities are prohibited from contracting with or making sub awards under covered transactions to parties that are suspended or debarred. “Covered transactions” include those procurement contracts for goods and services awarded under a non‐procurement transaction that are expected to equal or exceed $25,000 or meet certain other criteria as specified in 2 CFR §180.220. Condition For one vendor reviewed, with whom the City spent more than $25,000, no documentation was retained for the verification of suspension and debarment. Cause There was no policy in place to ensure that verification of suspension and debarment was performed and documentation was retained. Effect The City was not in compliance with federal regulations and guidelines related to suspension and debarment or procurement. However, it was subsequently determined that the vendor utilized was not suspended or debarred. Context The City was unable to provide documentation verifying that one of two vendors utilized in the Clean Water State Revolving Fund program, was not suspended or debarred. The sample was not intended to be, and was not, a statistically valid sample. Recommendation The City should update its procurement policies to ensure the internal controls over suspension and debarment are in place to ensure compliance with federal procurement requirements. Views of Responsible Officials See Corrective Action Plan.

Corrective Action Plan

Findings and Questioned Costs Related to Federal Awards Finding Number: 2025‐001 Program Name/Assistance Listing Title: Clean Water State Revolving Fund Assistance Listing Number: 66.458 Contact Person: Sandy Simmons, Finance Director Anticipated Completion Date: January 30, 2026 Planned Corrective Action: The City will update our policy to ensure internal controls over suspension and debarment are in place to ensure compliance with federal procurement requirements. The policy will identify who is responsible for performing suspension and debarment reviews, timelines for when they are to be performed, and how records should be maintained for audit purposes.

Categories

Procurement, Suspension & Debarment

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
66.458 CLEAN WATER STATE REVOLVING FUND $12.62M
14.256 NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PROGRAM (RECOVERY ACT FUNDED) $216,560
93.568 LOW-INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE $210,533
81.128 ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM (EECBG) $178,140
93.569 COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT $150,000
93.493 CONGRESSIONAL DIRECTIVES $147,282
20.513 ENHANCED MOBILITY OF SENIORS AND INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES $114,432
21.027 CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS $88,547
93.045 SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR THE AGING, TITLE III, PART C, NUTRITION SERVICES $84,707
14.218 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS/ENTITLEMENT GRANTS $54,553
16.575 CRIME VICTIM ASSISTANCE $32,414
20.600 STATE AND COMMUNITY HIGHWAY SAFETY $24,605
97.044 ASSISTANCE TO FIREFIGHTERS GRANT $22,823
16.922 EQUITABLE SHARING PROGRAM $22,664
14.239 HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM $22,630
97.067 HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM $12,376
20.616 NATIONAL PRIORITY SAFETY PROGRAMS $9,873
93.044 SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR THE AGING, TITLE III, PART B, GRANTS FOR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AND SENIOR CENTERS $9,049
16.738 EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM $6,604
97.106 SECURING THE CITIES PROGRAM $817