Finding Text
Finding Reference 2025-004 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Homeland Security Pass-Through Agency: Central Office of Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency of Puerto Rico (COR3) Program: Disaster Grants – Public Assistance (Presidentially Declared Disaster) (ALN 97.036) Compliance Requirement: Reporting (L) Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Controls (SD), Instance of Noncompliance (NC) It is not a prior-year finding. Statement of Condition In our Reporting Test, we evaluated the Quarterly Progress Reports of a total of five (5) projects for two quarters of fiscal year 2024-2025. During our audit procedures, we noted that the reports of two (2) projects did not agree with the accounting and project records. Criteria 2 CFR 200.302 (a) stated that the state’s and the other non-Federal entity’s financial management system, including records documenting compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award, must be sufficient to permit the preparation of reports required by general and program-specific terms and conditions; and the tracing of funds to a level of expenditures adequate to establish that such funds have been used according to the Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. Also, 2 CFR 200.302 (b) (2) states that the financial management system of each non-Federal entity must provide accurate, current, and complete disclosure of the financial results of each Federal award or program in accordance with the reporting requirements set forth in §§ 200.328 and 200.329. Cause of Condition The Municipality’s accounting controls and procedures fail to ensure accurate, current and complete disclosure of the financial results of federal assisted activities. Effect of Condition The expenses reported in the Quarterly Progress Reports do not agree with the accounting records. Recommendation We recommend that Program Administrators reconcile the differences between the quarterly report and the accounting records before the submission of the next submission to the pass-through entity. Questioned Cost None Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Action We concur with the finding. During the testing of reports, the Quarterly Progress Reports of five (5) projects, corresponding to two (2) quarters of fiscal year 2024-2025, were evaluated. It was found that in two (2) projects, the quarterly reports did not match the accounting records or the project documentation. Therefore, for the purposes of this audit, the municipal accounting controls and procedures did not ensure that the reported information was accurate, up-to-date, and fully reconciled with the financial records. In light of the above, the reports will be reconciled with the accounting records, and the discrepancies found will be identified, documented, and adjusted in the system where the error originated, as appropriate. Furthermore, from this point forward, once the Quarterly Reports (QPR) are issued, a copy must be sent to the Program Accountant, the Finance Director, and myself for validation and reconciliation prior to official filing, thus preventing situations like this to occur. This process will form part of the internal control required to ensure that the reported information is accurate, current, complete, and consistent with the accounting records, in accordance with applicable federal requirements. Implementation Date: From March 2026. Full implementation is expected in fiscal year 2026-2027. Responsible Person: Mrs. Natasha Vázquez Federal Programs Director