Finding 1211182 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
C
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-05-01
Audit: 400376
Auditor: CBIZ CPAS PC

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Organization failed to submit monthly reimbursement requests as required by the grant agreement.
  • Impacted Requirements: Non-compliance with OMB, USDA, and FAS regulations regarding timely payment requests.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Establish internal controls and procedures to ensure timely submission of reimbursement requests in line with grant requirements.

Finding Text

Criteria The grant agreement specifies that requests for payment shall be submitted monthly on Standard Form SF-270, Request for Advance or Reimbursement. In no case, shall the recipient submit an invoice more than monthly or less than annually when work was performed within that fiscal year. Payment requests must comply or otherwise by consistent with OMB, USDA, and FAS regulations and Federal Awards terms and conditions. Context The Organization did not remit monthly requests for reimbursement as required by the grant agreement during the year ended December 31, 2025. Further, the Organization had not submitted a reimbursement request for any grant expenditures incurred during 2025 by its fiscal year end of December 31, 2025. Reimbursement for all 2025 grant expenditures was submitted in February 2026. Cause Lack of understanding and oversight over the cash management grant agreement requirements. Effect Non-compliance with reimbursement requirements can result in the federal awarding agency questioning costs, delaying reimbursements, and potentially imposing penalties or other administrative actions. It can also strain the OrganizationÂ’s cash flow and financial management processes. Questioned Cost None. Recommendation We recommend that management develop processes and procedures, including implementing internal controls as needed, surrounding timely cash management reimbursement requests to ensure reimbursement requests are in accordance with the grant agreement. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions See Corrective Action Plan.

Corrective Action Plan

While it may be impractical to request a cash reimbursement monthly due to the lag in receivingtimely invoices from sub-awardees and/or contractors, the review and computation of submitted hours confirmed and recalculated as specified within each of the different grant guidelines, Management will begin after 3/31/2026: 1) Request cash reimbursement monthly where practical and underlying support has been received timely and substantiated, staff hours submitted and approved; or 2) Request cash reimbursement no greater than quarterly for those same expenses as specified in #1.

Categories

Cash Management Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
10.621 ASSISTING SPECIALTY CROP EXPORTS $1.03M
10.937 PARTNERSHIPS FOR CLIMATE-SMART COMMODITIES $639,492
10.604 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR SPECIALTY CROPS PROGRAM $563,790
10.328 FOOD SAFETY OUTREACH PROGRAM $25,960