FAC Explorer

Finding 1172705 (2022-005)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
AB
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2026-02-06
Audit: 385956
Organization: Northwest Indian College (WA)
Auditor: CLIFTONLARSONALLEN LLP

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Significant deficiencies in internal controls over payroll disbursements led to underpayments and overpayments for employees.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 2 CFR Part 200 regarding allowable costs and maintaining adequate internal controls was not met.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: The College should improve payroll controls to ensure accurate employee compensation and address the repeat finding.

Finding Text

Federal Agency: Department of the Interior and Department of Education Federal Programs: Assistance to Tribally Controlled Community Colleges and Universities and COVID-19 – Education Stabilization Fund Assistance Listing Numbers: 15.027 and 84.425K Federal Award Identification Number and Year: A19AP00118-09 and P425K00022 Award Period: July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022 Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance and Other Matters Criteria: The Uniform Guidance Cost Principles described in 2 CFR Part 200, Compensation, states that costs of compensation are allowable to the extent that they satisfy the specific requirements of the grant and that total compensation for individual employees is reasonable for the services rendered. Salaries and benefits are allowable for this grant as long as the job duties are a result of responding to the pandemic. In addition, 2 CFR 200.303, nonfederal entities receiving federal awards are required to establish and maintain internal controls designed to reasonably ensure compliance with federal laws, regulations, and program compliance requirements. Condition: During our testing, we noted the following matters related to allowable costs and activities. Assistance Listing Number 15.027: • Of the 14 payroll disbursements selected for testing, it was noted that 6 employees were underpaid and 5 were overpaid based on the information available. Assistance Listing Number 84.425K: • Of the 60 payroll disbursements selected for testing, it was noted that one employee was overpaid based on the information available. Questioned Costs: Assistance Listing Number 15.027 - $6,649. Context: During our testing of payroll expenditures, the College was unable to provide support for payroll costs charged to the grant. Total payroll costs charged to assistance listing numbers 15.027 was $3,920,538. Total payroll costs charged to assistance listing number 84.425K and 84.425F were $836,137.78. Cause: Due to staffing shortages, as well as the amount of time passed from the transactions being tested, the College was unable to provide support for payroll costs. Effect: The College is unable to support payment amounts to 12 employees. Repeat Finding: Yes, see Finding 2021-005 Recommendation: We recommend the College enhance their controls around payroll disbursements to ensure employees are paid properly. Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding and has prepared a plan to correct the finding.

Corrective Action Plan

Recommendation: We recommend the College enhance their controls around payroll disbursements to ensure employees are paid properly. Explanation of disagreement with audit finding: There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Action taken in response to finding: The College has recognized the challenge of hiring a Payroll Specialist. In September 2022, the College outsourced “Payroll” to Paycom. We continue to develop and communicate the unique needs of our College Payroll structure and Federal and private funding sources with Paycom and the College Human Resources to ensure that employees are paid properly. As such, the Business Office is undergoing a restructure and we have identified an internal candidate to take the lead on Payroll. Name of the contact person responsible for corrective action: Clarissa Salhus, Finance Manager, Reatha Tom, Accounts Payable Specialist, Michelle Ferron-Guppy, Director – Human Resources, and Zoy Zamudio-Lane, Human Resources Generalist Planned completion date for corrective action plan: September 30, 2024

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Significant Deficiency Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1172688 2022-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172689 2022-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172690 2022-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172691 2022-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172692 2022-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172693 2022-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172694 2022-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172695 2022-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172696 2022-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172697 2022-006
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172698 2022-006
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172699 2022-006
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172700 2022-007
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172701 2022-008
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172702 2022-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172703 2022-008
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172704 2022-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172706 2022-008
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172707 2022-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172708 2022-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172709 2022-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172710 2022-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172711 2022-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172712 2022-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172713 2022-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172714 2022-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172715 2022-009
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172716 2022-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172717 2022-009
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1172718 2022-003
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.425 EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND $3.93M
15.027 ASSISTANCE TO TRIBALLY CONTROLLED COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES $1.78M
84.063 FEDERAL PELL GRANT PROGRAM $1.50M
84.031 Higher Education Institutional Aid - Title III - 2021-2022 Part A $921,111
84.031 Higher Education Institutional Aid - Title III - Formula Funds 2021-2022 Part F $589,587
93.859 Native American Research Centers for Health - AIWIRE $412,988
47.076 STEM Education - Instructional Capacity Excellence in Tribal Colleges and Universities Programs $382,398
84.031 Higher Education Institutional Aid - Title III - Formula Funds 2020-2021 Part F $350,877
84.101 CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION - GRANTS TO NATIVE AMERICANS AND ALASKA NATIVES $284,963
47.076 STEM Education - Targeted STEM Infusion Projects - Salish Sea Research Center Summer Science $227,135
10.221 TRIBAL COLLEGES EDUCATION EQUITY GRANTS $215,362
15.027 ASSISTANCE TO TRIBALLY CONTROLLED COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES - FI&R $191,121
47.076 STEM Education - Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Program (S-STEM) $184,009
84.250 TVR Institute - NAU Subaward $168,115
93.243 SAMHSA - Native Connections $159,755
10.500 Cooperative Extension Service - Indigenous Community Engagement $120,499
10.222 TRIBAL COLLEGES ENDOWMENT PROGRAM $120,319
93.243 SAMHSA - Native Connections Project $119,974
84.315 Traditionally Underserved Populations - Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation $96,441
43.001 SCIENCE - Water Quality Algorithms $91,956
84.031 Higher Education Institutional Aid - Title III - 2017-2018 $91,518
43.008 OFFICE OF STEM ENGAGEMENT (OSTEM) - Esteem $91,007
10.227 1994 INSTITUTIONS RESEARCH GRANTS - eDNA Longfin Smelt $86,569
93.859 Native American Research Centers for Health - 11 $84,355
93.243 SAMHSA - Northwest Washington Indian Health Board $83,828
93.243 SAMHSA -Northwest Indian College - Native Connections $71,142
93.243 SAMHSA - Northwest Washington Indian Health Board Native Connections Project $68,404
47.076 STEM Education - Digital Divide $68,298
10.500 Cooperative Extension Service - Traditional Foods and Plants $66,673
11.478 CENTER FOR SPONSORED COASTAL OCEAN RESEARCH COASTAL OCEAN PROGRAM - University of California, Santa Cruz - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Algal Toxins $61,210
43.008 OFFICE OF STEM ENGAGEMENT (OSTEM) - National Aeronautics and Space Administration - STEM $46,635
84.031 Higher Education Institutional Aid - Title III - 2016-2017 $41,769
10.227 1994 INSTITUTIONS RESEARCH GRANTS - Paralytic Shellfish Toxins $33,652
84.033 FEDERAL WORK-STUDY PROGRAM $33,409
10.766 COMMUNITY FACILITIES LOANS AND GRANTS - Community Funds 2021 $30,870
10.500 Cooperative Extension Service - Financial Literacy Development $30,475
84.007 FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY GRANTS $27,118
10.227 1994 INSTITUTIONS RESEARCH GRANTS - Mentor Students $23,393
84.031 Higher Education Institutional Aid - Title III - 2018-2019 $21,827
15.156 TRIBAL CLIMATE RESILIENCE - Youth Engagement $20,363
10.224 FUND FOR RURAL AMERICA_RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES - Buoy $18,611
47.076 STEM Education - Tribal Colleges and Universities Programs Enterprise Advancement Centers Center $17,852
47.075 STEM Education - Ethical STEM $14,238
10.766 COMMUNITY FACILITIES LOANS AND GRANTS - Health & Wellness Equipment $10,268
15.156 TRIBAL CLIMATE RESILIENCE - Microgrid Feasibility Study $9,798
47.076 STEM Education - SEA PHAGES II $9,702
93.243 SAMHSA - Lummi Indian Business Council - Native Connections $9,301
93.732 NPAIHB $7,177
10.227 1994 INSTITUTIONS RESEARCH GRANTS - SWAT Model $7,047
11.417 Washington Sea Grant (WSG) Omnibus 2022 $6,676
45.311 NATIVE AMERICAN AND NATIVE HAWAIIAN LIBRARY SERVICES $6,525
10.224 FUND FOR RURAL AMERICA_RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES - National Disaster Resilience - Diets $5,253
10.766 COMMUNITY FACILITIES LOANS AND GRANTS - Parking Lot 2020 $5,008
10.500 Cooperative Extension Service - Food Sovereignty $4,980
93.U01 Ethical Genomics $3,321
43.008 OFFICE OF STEM ENGAGEMENT (OSTEM) - CHARM $2,742
47.076 STEM Education - Connections to Water $1,792
43.008 OFFICE OF STEM ENGAGEMENT (OSTEM) - Space Grant $1,525
84.002 Adult Education - State Basic Skills $-190
84.002 Adult Education - Train the Trainer $-411
10.500 Cooperative Extension Service - Distance Learning and Telemedicine $-2,255
84.002 Adult Education - BEDA CBO State Grant $-2,843
84.031 Higher Education Institutional Aid - Title III - Formula Funds $-100,350