Finding 1181986 (2025-002)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
I
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-03-23

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The District lacks effective internal controls to verify suspension and debarment of vendors paid $25,000 or more, risking noncompliance with federal requirements.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 2 CFR §200.303 and related internal control standards is not being met, potentially leading to issues with federal awards.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement internal controls for vendor verification and regularly review federal expenditure reports to ensure compliance with suspension and debarment requirements.

Finding Text

2025-002: Material Weakness in Internal Controls over Compliance with Suspension and Debarment Federal Assistance Listing Number: 10.553 and 10.555 Federal Award Year: 2025 Program Title: Child Nutrition Cluster Name of Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture Name of Pass-Through Entity: Colorado Department of Education COVID-19 Program: No Criteria: 2 CFR §200.303 requires that the grant recipient must establish, document, and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the recipient is managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. These controls should align with the 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). Condition: Based on our sample selection of four vendors for testing, we have identified that two of the four vendors tested did not have adequate verification of suspension and debarment. Upon further testing and discussion, the District does not have internal controls in place to verify suspension and debarment on vendors that are paid greater than or equal to $25,000, as required by 2 CFR 200 for various federal awards. Upon further compliance testing, vendors in our testing were in compliance with the requirement. Questioned Costs: No questioned costs have been identified. Cause: The District’s internal controls over suspension and debarment requirement were not properly designed or implemented. Effect: Without internal controls over compliance, the District may not be able to identify noncompliance with a suspended or debarred vendors in a timely manner and may incur potential questioned costs without knowledge of the noncompliance. Repeat Finding: No. Recommendation: We recommend that the District implement internal controls over the suspension and debarment requirement and add this requirement to the procurement process at the District. In addition, we recommend that the District periodically review federal expenditure reports to identify vendors that may have been paid with federal grants in excess of the $25,000 suspension and debarment threshold to prevent potential noncompliance. Corrective Action Plan: Reported on page 64.

Corrective Action Plan

The District will implement internal controls over the suspension and debarment requirement and add this requirement to the procurement process at the District. In addition, we recommend that the District periodically review federal expenditure reports to identify vendors that may have been paid with federal grants in excess of the $25,000 suspension and debarment threshold to prevent potential noncompliance. All district employees who are approved to obtain bids for purchases have already been informed and trained on the expectation on obtaining proof of suspension and debarment requirements from any vendor they receive bids from or plan on making purchases from that will exceed the $25,000 threshold. Responsible Official: Mandee Campbell, Director of Business Services Anticipated Completion Date: April 1, 2026

Categories

Procurement, Suspension & Debarment

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1181985 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.425 EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND $475,738
84.010 TITLE I GRANTS TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES $363,479
10.553 SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM $239,879
10.555 NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM $78,334
84.367 IMPROVING TEACHER QUALITY STATE GRANTS $59,245
84.048 CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION -- BASIC GRANTS TO STATES $24,493
84.424 STUDENT SUPPORT AND ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAM $20,971
93.354 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY RESPONSE: COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE: PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE $6,000