Finding 1169241 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
I
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-01-15

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The District failed to comply with procurement regulations, leading to significant deficiencies in their purchasing process.
  • Impacted Requirements: Non-federal entities must adhere to procurement standards outlined in 2 CFR §§200.318-326, which the District did not follow.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Ensure that all requisitions over the formal procurement threshold are processed according to Federal, State, and Board policies.

Finding Text

Findings and Questioned Costs Related to Federal Awards Finding Number: 2025‐001 Repeat Finding: No Program Name/Assistance Listing Title: Child Nutrition Cluster Assistance Listing Numbers: 10.553, 10.555, 10.559, 10.582 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture Federal Award Number: 6AZ300400, 7AZ300AZ3, 7AZ310AZ1 Pass‐Through Agency: Arizona Department of Education Questioned Costs: N/A Type of Finding: Noncompliance, Significant Deficiency Compliance Requirement: Procurement, Suspension and Debarment Criteria Non‐federal entities other than states, including those operating federal programs as subrecipients of states, must follow the procurement standards set out at 2 CFR §§200.318 through 200.326. Subrecipients must use their own documented procurement procedures, which reflect applicable State and local laws and regulations, provided that the procurements conform to applicable federal statutes and the procurement requirements identified in 2 CFR part 200. Condition The District did not follow Federal, State, and Board policies and regulations governing procurement. Cause The District’s review procedures over each transaction did not operate as designed. Effect The District was not in compliance with Federal, State, and Board policies and regulations governing procurement. Context The District issued requests for written quotes to multiple vendors, and awarded the quote to three vendors to avoid spending over $100,000 with one vendor. However, as the items purchased were homogenous items, and the expenses with the three vendors totaled $252,424, the District should have issued a sealed procurement. The sample was not intended to be, and was not, a statistically valid sample. Recommendation Approvers should ensure requisitions exceeding the formal procurement threshold are appropriately procured in accordance with Federal, State and Board policies and regulations. 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: Child Nutrition Cluster Assistance Listing Numbers: 10.553, 10.555, 10.559, 10.582 Contact Person: Shannon Kavanagh, Executive Director of Business Services Anticipated Completion Date: October 14, 2025 Planned Corrective Action: Upon finding that the District was not compliant with Federal, State, and Board policies and regulations governing procurement, a Request for Procurement was issued for the services received by the awarded vendors. The RFP was issued October 14, 2025. Moving forward, the District is taking additional steps to review the procurement requirements for the purchase of like items over $100,000 with the Executive Director of Business Services, the Assistant Director of Business Services, and the Purchasing Accountant/Buyer. The District will also be reviewing this requirement District‐wide with individuals responsible for purchasing during one of the ten purchasing workgroup meetings annually.

Categories

Procurement, Suspension & Debarment

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1169237 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1169238 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1169239 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1169240 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.010 TITLE I GRANTS TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES $1.86M
84.027 SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANTS TO STATES $1.23M
10.553 SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM $993,659
84.011 MIGRANT EDUCATION STATE GRANT PROGRAM $739,546
10.582 FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PROGRAM $325,307
84.287 TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS $323,565
93.434 EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT/PRESCHOOL DEVELOPMENT GRANTS $304,439
84.367 SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION STATE GRANTS (FORMERLY IMPROVING TEACHER QUALITY STATE GRANTS) $232,872
21.027 COVID-19 CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS $157,778
84.424 STUDENT SUPPORT AND ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAM $154,643
84.365 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION STATE GRANTS $153,805
93.778 MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM $122,344
10.559 SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN $95,878
84.196 EDUCATION FOR HOMELESS CHILDREN AND YOUTH $86,912
93.354 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY RESPONSE: COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE: PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE $65,676
21.019 COVID-19 CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUND $35,586
10.555 NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM $31,675
84.173 SPECIAL EDUCATION PRESCHOOL GRANTS $24,590
84.425 COVID-19 EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND $341