Finding 1187002 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
I
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-03-26

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The District failed to verify if vendors were suspended or debarred before awarding contracts over $25,000 using federal funds.
  • Impacted Requirements: Non-compliance with federal procurement regulations, specifically regarding suspension and debarment checks.
  • Recommended Follow-up: The Business Office needs to establish clear policies and procedures to ensure all vendors are checked for suspension or debarment compliance.

Finding Text

Finding Number: 2025‐001 Repeat Finding: No Program Name/Assistance Listing Title: Child Nutrition Cluster Assistance Listing Number: 10.553, 10.555 Federal Agency: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Federal Award Number: 7AZ300AZ3, 6AZ300400 Pass‐Through Agency: Arizona Department of Education Questioned Costs: N/A Type of Finding: Noncompliance, Significant Deficiency Compliance Requirement: Procurement, Suspension and Debarment Criteria Non‐Federal entities are prohibited from contracting with or making sub awards under covered transactions to parties that are suspended or debarred. “Covered transactions” include those procurement contracts for goods and services awarded under a non‐procurement transaction that are expected to equal or exceed $25,000 or meet certain other criteria as specified in 2 CFR §180.220. Condition Verification of suspension and debarment was not performed for all vendors with whom the District spent at least $25,000 using federal grant monies. Cause The Business office did not have policies and procedures in place to ensure vendors were not suspended or debarred. Effect The District was not in compliance with the requirements set forth by the federal government. However, it was determined that the vendors in question were not suspended or debarred. Context For the one vendor reviewed with purchases in excess of $25,000, the District did not verify if the vendor was suspended or debarred. The sample was not intended to be, and was not, a statistically valid sample. Recommendation The Business Office should implement policies and procedures to ensure compliance with federal requirements regarding suspension and debarment. Views of Responsible Officials See Corrective Action Plan.

Corrective Action Plan

Finding Number: 2025‐001 Program Name/Assistance Listing Title: Child Nutrition Cluster Assistance Listing Number: 10.553, 10.555 Contact Person: Abraham Amezcua, Business Manager Anticipated Completion Date: January 22, 2026 Planned Corrective Action: Effective immediately, the Business Office will verify that any vendor receiving a contract or purchase order expected to equal or exceed $25,000 (using federal funds) is not suspended or debarred by the federal government by searching the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) for the vendor’s name. A "screenshot" or PDF of the "No Results Found" page or the active status page will be printed and physically attached to the purchase order or contract file as permanent evidence of verification. Page

Categories

Procurement, Suspension & Debarment

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1187000 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1187001 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.027 SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANTS TO STATES $190,440
84.010 TITLE I GRANTS TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES $128,355
10.553 SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM $107,152
84.011 MIGRANT EDUCATION STATE GRANT PROGRAM $49,308
84.358 RURAL EDUCATION $26,542
84.365 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION STATE GRANTS $17,828
10.555 NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM $6,892
84.173 SPECIAL EDUCATION PRESCHOOL GRANTS $756