Finding 1190785 (2025-002)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
B
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-03-27

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Alliance is not properly allocating indirect costs, as their method does not match actual payroll data.
  • Impacted Requirements: This violates Title 2 U.S. CFR Part 200.414, which mandates appropriate cost allocation.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement a review process for cost allocations and ensure adherence to internal controls; the new de minimis cost rate should simplify this process.

Finding Text

2025-002: Allocation of Costs Other Than Payroll Criteria or specific requirement: In accordance with Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200.414, the Alliance must allocate indirect costs appropriately. Condition and context: The Alliance allocates certain shared costs, other than payroll, using an approach that details the full-time equivalents performing work on each grant. During the year ended June 30, 2025, costs were allocated using a schedule that did not agree to actual underlying payroll data. Cause: The NetSuite program, used to ensure that the proper allocations were used, was not reviewed for an error in the program that did not adequately account for the addition of new grants which slightly changed some allocations of space costs Effect or potential effect: Without adequate controls over this process, the Alliance could incorrectly charge costs to federal grants. Questioned costs: None. Identification as a repeat finding, if applicable: This is a repeat finding. Recommendation: The Alliance should ensure that internal control processes for the allocation of costs are consistently followed. A review process should be in place to ensure that accurate allocations are used. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, the Alliance has implemented the use of the de minimis cost rate, which will alleviate the need to create an allocation approach for shared costs. Views of responsible officials: Refer to the Corrective Action Plan prepared by the Alliance in regard to this matter.

Corrective Action Plan

Starting in May 2024, the Alliance adapted its monthly Time and Effort Report that is reviewed by Kim Atkins, Executive Director, to be used for allocation of expenses other than payroll. This ensures a consistent, reviewed and authorized report is being used for expense allocation. This report is shared monthly with the Alliance’s funding agencies along with the submission of monthly vouchers for processing. During the year ended June 30, 2025, the Alliance has ensured that allocations were signed off on by Kim and has significantly reduced the amount of finance staff time required to process the allocation of administrative costs. The data from this monthly report is entered into NetSuite for allocation of administrative costs but subsequent review of the allocation program in NetSuite determined that the proper adjustment for adding new grants had not been built into the program. The Accounting Manager, Sarah Burgess, is currently working with NetSuite to fix this problem going forward. As of July 1, 2025 the Alliance is modifying all of its grants to adopt the 15% de minimis cost rate for all expenses other than personnel, direct program, and space costs.

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1190778 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1190779 2025-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1190780 2025-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1190781 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1190782 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1190783 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1190784 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1190786 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1190787 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1190788 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1190789 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1190790 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
14.267 CONTINUUM OF CARE PROGRAM $280,798
14.241 HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH AIDS $179,931
93.917 HIV CARE FORMULA GRANTS $46,872
93.941 HIV DEMONSTRATION, RESEARCH, PUBLIC AND PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION PROJECTS $18,724
93.153 COORDINATED SERVICES AND ACCESS TO RESEARCH FOR WOMEN, INFANTS, CHILDREN, AND YOUTH $14,256
93.354 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY RESPONSE: COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE: PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE $13,894