Finding 1182381 (2025-004)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
I
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-03-24
Audit: 393804
Organization: City of Portsmouth (NH)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: A significant deficiency was found in internal controls regarding vendor verification for suspension and debarment under federal regulations.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 2 CFR Part 200.214 is essential to ensure that federal funds are not awarded to ineligible vendors.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Strengthen procedures to ensure documentation of vendor verification is obtained before any transactions are executed.

Finding Text

Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Treasury Federal Program Name: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) Assistance Listing Number: 21.027 Federal Award Identification Number: SLFRP1134 Pass-Through Agency: New Hampshire Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery Pass-Through Number(s): Unknown Award Period: July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025 Compliance Requirement: Suspension and Debarment Type of Finding: • Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance and Other Matters Criteria or specific requirement: The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 2 Part 200.214 states that nonfederal entities are subject to the nonprocurement debarment and suspension regulations implementing Executive Orders 12549 and 12689, 2 CFR part 180. These regulations restrict awards, subawards, and contracts with certain parties that are debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for participation in Federal assistance programs or activities. Condition and Context: For one (1) of five (5) vendors tested, documentation was not provided to support that the City verified the vendor was not suspended or debarred from participation in federal assistant programs or activities. Questioned costs: None Cause: Procedures were not in place to document the verification that all vendors were not suspended or debarred from participation in federal programs or activities. Effect: While this did not occur in the instance identified in this finding, lack of verification of vendors’ suspension or debarment status could cause federal grant funds to be expended to vendors that are excluded from participation in federal assistance programs or activities. Repeat Finding: No. Recommendation: We recommend procedures be strengthened to ensure that documentation of verification of vendors’ suspension and debarment status is obtained prior to executing transactions. Views of responsible officials: Management agrees with the finding.

Corrective Action Plan

2025-004 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds - Assistance Listing Number 21.027 Recommendation: We recommend procedures be strengthened to ensure that documentation of verification of vendors’ suspension and debarment status is obtained prior to executing transactions. Explanation of disagreement with audit finding: There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Action taken in response to finding: The City will implement procedures to ensure verification that vendors receiving payments from federal awards are not suspended or debarred in accordance with 2 CFR §200.214 and 2 CFR Part 180. The Finance Department will require documentation of vendor verification through the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) or equivalent certification prior to processing payments related to federal awards. Documentation of the verification will be maintained with the procurement or payment records, and Finance will perform periodic reviews to ensure compliance with federal requirements. Name(s) of the contact person(s) responsible for corrective action: Michael Tucker, Deputy Finance Director Planned completion date for corrective action plan: Implemented immediately and effective for all current and future federal awards.

Categories

Procurement, Suspension & Debarment

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1182364 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1182365 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1182366 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1182367 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1182368 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1182369 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1182370 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1182371 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1182372 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1182373 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1182374 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1182375 2025-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1182376 2025-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1182377 2025-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1182378 2025-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1182379 2025-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1182380 2025-004
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
14.218 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS/ENTITLEMENT GRANTS $1.04M
84.425 EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND $942,123
84.027 SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANTS TO STATES $742,054
84.010 TITLE I GRANTS TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES $413,605
16.543 MISSING CHILDREN'S ASSISTANCE $139,489
84.367 SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION STATE GRANTS (FORMERLY IMPROVING TEACHER QUALITY STATE GRANTS) $108,855
97.047 BRIC: BUILDING RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITIES $106,384
84.287 TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS $97,129
84.048 CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION -- BASIC GRANTS TO STATES $46,229
97.115 ASSISTANCE TO FIREFIGHTERS GRANT (ARRA) $42,326
16.588 VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN FORMULA GRANTS $31,092
84.424 STUDENT SUPPORT AND ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAM $27,959
16.575 CRIME VICTIM ASSISTANCE $24,739
20.205 HIGHWAY PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION $21,944
84.173 SPECIAL EDUCATION PRESCHOOL GRANTS $21,415
10.555 NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM $15,652
21.027 CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS $14,470
16.607 BULLETPROOF VEST PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM $10,597
97.039 HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT $8,730
16.922 EQUITABLE SHARING PROGRAM $6,470
97.044 ASSISTANCE TO FIREFIGHTERS GRANT $4,611
20.616 NATIONAL PRIORITY SAFETY PROGRAMS $4,214
10.553 SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM $2,104
20.600 STATE AND COMMUNITY HIGHWAY SAFETY $1,062
97.042 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE GRANTS $200