Finding 1179209 (2023-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2023
Accepted
2026-03-12

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: A significant amount of federal expenditures (approximately $6 million) was initially omitted from the SEFA, leading to a material misstatement and noncompliance with reporting requirements.
  • Impacted Requirements: The findings indicate a failure to meet 2 CFR §200.510(b) and §200.303, which mandate accurate and complete SEFA preparation and effective internal controls.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement a comprehensive reconciliation process, establish a formal review workflow, and maintain a centralized inventory of federal awards to enhance reporting accuracy and compliance.

Finding Text

Federal Program(s): SEFA Reporting (all programs) Compliance Area: Reporting (SEFA completeness and accuracy) Type of Finding: Material Weakness in Internal Control over Financial Reporting and Compliance Criteria 2 CFR §200.510(b) requires the auditee to prepare a complete and accurate Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA) that includes the total federal awards expended for the period, identified by federal agency, pass-through entity (as applicable), assistance listing number (ALN), and other required elements. 2 CFR §200.303 requires the auditee to establish and maintain effective internal controls over federal awards to provide reasonable assurance of compliance with statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of federal awards. Under GAGAS and Uniform Guidance, internal controls should ensure that federal expenditures are properly accumulated, reconciled, reviewed, and reported in the SEFA. Condition Our audit of the SEFA for the year ended June 30, 2023, federal expenditures totaling approximately $6,048,485 were omitted from the SEFA initially prepared by management. The omitted amount represented approximately 54% of total federal expenditures for the year and included activity under the CoronaVirus Capital Project Fund, ALN 21.029 amounting to $5,842,346. The SEFA was subsequently adjusted to include these expenditures. Cause The entity’s SEFA preparation process did not include sufficient procedures to ensure completeness. Specifically: • The SEFA was prepared using incomplete grant tracking reports that were not reconciled to the general ledger and grant agreements. • There was no formal secondary review by personnel independent of the preparer. • Subrecipient and pass-through activity (as applicable) was not fully captured in the SEFA compilation. Effect The omission resulted in an initially materially misstated SEFA and noncompliance with SEFA reporting requirements under 2 CFR §200.510(b). The deficiency required significant audit or proposed adjustments to correct the SEFA. This control deficiency constitutes a material weakness because it indicates that the entity’s internal controls over SEFA preparation were not effective to prevent or detect a material misstatement on a timely basis. In addition, the incomplete SEFA could lead to inaccurate reporting to oversight agencies and may affect risk assessments for program compliance. Questioned Costs None. Reporting finding only; no direct noncompliant costs identified. Perspective Information This issue reflects a systemic control deficiency affecting the SEFA as a whole rather than a single program. The magnitude of the omitted expenditures indicates a pervasive weakness in reporting controls. Identification as a Material Weakness We consider this deficiency a material weakness in internal control over financial reporting and compliance related to SEFA preparation because it resulted in a material misstatement of the SEFA and required significant auditor intervention to correct. Recommendation 1. Comprehensive Reconciliation: Reconcile federal grant activity (drawdowns, expenditures, indirect costs) to the general ledger, grant agreements, and agency/portal records. 2. Program Inventory & Certifications: Maintain a centralized inventory of all federal awards (by ALN, pass-through, award number) with program manager certifications of completeness at year-end. 3. Formal Review Workflow: Establish a documented secondary review by finance leadership independent of the preparer, with checklists covering ALNs, pass-throughs, subrecipient disclosures, notes to SEFA, and indirect cost treatment. 4. Subrecipient & Pass-Through Controls: Implement procedures to capture and verify all subrecipient amounts, pass-through activity, and required subrecipient disclosures on the SEFA. 5. Close Calendar & Training: Adopt an annual SEFA close calendar with milestones and provide training on Uniform Guidance reporting requirements to staff involved in SEFA compilation and review.

Corrective Action Plan

Root Cause Management concurs that federal expenditures totaling approximately $5,842,346 under ALN 21.029 were omitted from the initially prepared SEFA, along with an additional $206,139 of other federal programs, for a total of $6,048,485. The omission resulted from incomplete grant tracking reports not reconciled to the general ledger and grant agreements; absence of an independent secondary review; and procedures that did not fully capture pass-through and subrecipient activity. Objective Design and implement effective internal controls to ensure the SEFA is complete, accurate, and in compliance with 2 CFR §200.510(b) and §200.303; prevent recurrence of material omissions; and sustain readiness for Single Audit reporting. 1. Comprehensive Reconciliation Process Implement a standardized monthly and year-end reconciliation that ties federal award expenditures (including drawdowns and indirect costs) to the general ledger, award agreements/portals, and program manager reports. Create a SEFA Reconciliation Workbook with crosswalks by ALN, passthrough entity, award number, program, and period of performance. 2. Federal Awards Inventory & Certification Maintain a centralized Federal Awards Inventory listing all awards by ALN, award number, passthrough entity, and funding stream. Require annual certifications from responsible leadership team members confirming completeness and accuracy of reported expenditures and period-of-performance coverage. 3. Formal Review Workflow (Independent of Preparer) Establish a documented two-tier review: (1) VP of Finance prepares SEFA and reconciliation; (2) Leadership Team Members perform independent reviews using a SEFA Checklist covering ALNs, pass-throughs, subrecipient disclosures, notes (basis, indirect cost rate), and period-of-performance matching. Evidence the review via dated sign-offs. 4. Subrecipient & Pass-through Controls The VP of Finance create procedures to identify all pass-through and subrecipient transactions. Maintain subrecipient listings with amounts passed through and ensure required disclosures (ALN, pass-through numbers) are captured in SEFA. Reconcile subrecipient agreements and payment registers to SEFA. Leadership Team Members perform independent reviews for accuracy and completeness. 5. Close Calendar & Training Adopt an annual SEFA close calendar with milestones (pre-close, interim, final). Provide annual training for finance and program staff on Uniform Guidance reporting requirements and the SEFA Checklist; include updates to OMB Compliance Supplement as applicable. 6. Monitoring & Continuous Improvement Quarterly CAP monitoring by VP of Finance with status reports to the Finance Committee. Track metrics (e.g., % variance between GL and SEFA, number of checklist exceptions) and remediate promptly. Conduct a pre-audit SEFA "dry run" at least 60 days before year-end close. Roles & Responsibilities • VP of Finance: CAP owner; oversight, quarterly monitoring, reports to Finance Committee, designs reconciliation and review workflow; ensures adherence to checklist and certifications; prepares SEFA, reconciliation workbook, and supporting schedules. • Responsible Leadership Team Member/Program Managers: Certify award activity and completeness; provide supporting documentation. Timeline & Milestones Immediate (within 30 days): Approve CAP; establish Federal Awards Inventory template; draft SEFA Checklist; schedule training. Short term (within 60-90 days): Implement monthly reconciliation; obtain program certifications; pilot independent review on QI data. By next year-end close: Execute full close calendar; complete pre-audit SEFA dry run; document reviewer sign-offs; present monitoring results to Finance Committee. Compliance References • 2 CFR §200.510(h): SEFA preparation requirements (completeness, ALN, pass-through, etc.). • 2 CFR §200.303: Internal controls over federal awards. Management Statement (for 2 CFR §200.511(c) submission) Management agrees with the finding and has initiated the corrective actions described herein. The CAP will be monitored quarterly by the VP of Finance, with status updates provided to those charged with governance until all actions are fully implemented and operating effectively.

Categories

Reporting Subrecipient Monitoring Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1179193 2023-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1179194 2023-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1179195 2023-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1179196 2023-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1179197 2023-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1179198 2023-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1179199 2023-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1179200 2023-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1179201 2023-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1179202 2023-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1179203 2023-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1179204 2023-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1179205 2023-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1179206 2023-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1179207 2023-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1179208 2023-001
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
21.029 CORONAVIRUS CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND $5.84M
21.027 CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS $3.25M
10.766 COMMUNITY FACILITIES LOANS AND GRANTS $333,333
17.259 WIOA YOUTH ACTIVITIES $329,525
10.551 SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM $326,524
10.568 EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS) $287,101
10.569 EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (FOOD COMMODITIES) $178,308
10.557 WIC SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, INFANTS, AND CHILDREN $146,718
10.565 COMMODITY SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD PROGRAM $146,254
10.561 STATE ADMINISTRATIVE MATCHING GRANTS FOR THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM $113,681
17.270 REENTRY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES $55,973
97.024 EMERGENCY FOOD AND SHELTER NATIONAL BOARD PROGRAM $0