Finding 1169706 (2021-003)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
AB
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2021
Accepted
2026-01-20
Audit: 382719
Organization: Pittsburg County (OK)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: $51,385 in costs were improperly reimbursed from the Coronavirus Relief Fund due to prior reimbursement from another federal grant.
  • Impacted Requirements: Noncompliance with federal cost principles and grant requirements, risking future funding and potential repayment of funds.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement robust policies and procedures to ensure all federal grant expenditures are compliant and not reimbursed by other sources.

Finding Text

Finding 2021-003 – Noncompliance Over Allowable Costs/Cost Principles - Coronavirus Relief Fund PASS THROUGH GRANTOR: Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services FEDERAL AGENCY: U.S. Department of Treasury ASSISTANCE LISTING: 21.019 FEDERAL PROGRAM NAME: Coronavirus Relief Fund FEDERAL AWARD NUMBER: SA-0135 FEDERAL AWARD YEAR: 2021 CONTROL CATEGORY: Allowable Costs/Cost Principles QUESTIONED COSTS: $51,385 Condition: After performing expenditure testwork on 100% of the program, disbursements totaling $51,385 were not expended in accordance with the Allowable Costs/Cost Principles compliance requirements due to ineligible costs. • Reimbursed payroll expenditures totaling $51,385 were previously reimbursed by another federal grant. Cause of Condition: Policies and procedures have not been designed and implemented to ensure compliance with federal award requirements. Effect of Condition: These conditions resulted in noncompliance with grant requirements. The County runs the risk of misappropriation of funds which could hinder the County from receiving future federal funding. Further, this could result in the repayment of funds. Recommendation: OSAI recommends the County design and implement policies and procedures to ensure compliance with applicable grant requirements. Management Response: Chairman Board of County Commissioners: The BOCC will be more diligent in their overview of grant applications to ensure that all federal grant application requests are not reimbursable through any other federal grant program. County Clerk: The County will develop internal controls to oversee compliance of federal grants to verify that all expenditures are valid per federal grant documents. County Treasurer: As County Treasurer, I will help develop internal controls for compliance on all federal grants. Criteria: 2 CFR § 200.303(a) Internal Controls reads as follows: The non-Federal entity must: Establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-Federal entity is managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in “Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government” issued by the Comptroller General of the United States or the “Internal Control Integrated Framework”, issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). The Department of the Treasury Federal Register, Vol. 86, No. 10 states in part, “Fund payments may not be used for expenses that have been or will be reimbursed by another federal program.” Additionally, guidance provided in the Subrecipient Agreement - Federal Funding Certification executed 05/26/20 between Pittsburg County and the State of Oklahoma states in part, 5. Funds provided as a direct payment from the State of Oklahoma pursuant to this certification must adhere to official federal guidance issued or to be issued on what constitutes a necessary expenditure. Any funds expended by a political subdivision or its grantee(s) in any manner that does not adhere to official federal guidance or in violation of this certification shall be returned to the State of Oklahoma Coronavirus Relief Fund. 6. Any local government entity receiving funds pursuant to this certification shall retain documentation of all uses of the funds… 10. I acknowledge and certify that Recipient has not received, and will not apply for, federal funds from any other source, to reimburse it for the expenditures for which funds are sought pursuant hereto.

Corrective Action Plan

The BOCC will be more diligent in their overview of grant applications to ensure that all federal grant application requests are not reimbursable through any other federal grant program. All transactions regarding federal grants will be required to be flagged with the grant information and will require approval by the BOCC before any action can be taken. BOCC will determine the validity of each transaction to ensure compliance with grant requirements.

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Subrecipient Monitoring Eligibility Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1169704 2021-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1169705 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
21.019 CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUND $1.35M
15.226 PAYMENTS IN LIEU OF TAXES $175,342
16.034 CORONAVIRUS EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING PROGRAM $34,247
12.112 PAYMENTS TO STATES IN LIEU OF REAL ESTATE TAXES $33,470
97.042 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE GRANTS $21,325
16.738 EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM $10,000
21.027 CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS $7,084
97.036 DISASTER GRANTS - PUBLIC ASSISTANCE (PRESIDENTIALLY DECLARED DISASTERS) $6,222