Finding 1222667 (2025-005)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
B
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-07-01
Audit: 406238
Auditor: WEGNER CPAS

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Costs charged to the Federal award were based on estimates rather than actual costs, leading to potential inaccuracies.
  • Impacted Requirements: Noncompliance with 2 CFR 200.403 and 2 CFR 200.404 regarding documentation and reasonable cost allocations.
  • Recommended Follow-up: Implement written policies for cost documentation and provide training on Uniform Guidance for grant accounting staff.

Finding Text

Finding 2025-005 Assistance Listing Number(s): 93.558 Name of Federal Program or Cluster: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Name of Federal Agency: Department of Health and Human Services Name of Pass-through Entity: Virginia Department of Social Services Pass-through Entity Identifying Number: BEN-21-029 Award Period: July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025 Criteria or Specific Requirement: Per 2 CFR 200.403 Factors affecting allowability and 2 CFR 200.404 Reasonable costs, costs charged to Federal awards must be adequately documented, reasonable, and based on actual costs. Allocations must be supported and not based on unsupported estimates. Condition and Context: 9 of 60 disbursements tested (totaling $2,736 in the sample) were allocated to the Federal award using estimates for insurance, software, IT support, telephone system, payroll processing, and benefit plan administration. Total charges to the award for these categories were approximately $18,838. Cause: The entity used estimated allocations without adequate supporting documentation or reconciliation to actual costs. Effect or Potential Effect: Costs charged to the Federal award may not be accurate, allowable, or properly allocated, resulting in likely questioned costs of $18,838. Repeat Finding: This finding is a repeat of 2024-002 representing the continued instance of noncompliance identified separately in the current year. Questioned Costs: $18,838. This is the total of allocated costs charged to the federal award. Actual bases for allocation were not determined at time of audit. Recommendation: UCM should develop and implement comprehensive written policies and procedures addressing allowability and documentation standards. Controls should ensure only actual costs are charged. Staff responsible for grant accounting should receive Uniform Guidance training. Views of Responsible Officials: Management acknowledges the finding and will work to implement appropriate corrective actions to address the deficiency and improve compliance going forward.

Corrective Action Plan

2025-005 Auditor’s Recommendation: UCM should develop and implement comprehensive written policies and procedures addressing allowability and documentation standards. Controls should ensure only actual costs are charged. Staff responsible for grant accounting should receive Uniform Guidance training. Corrective Action: UCM will develop and implement comprehensive written policies and procedures addressing cost eligibility, documentation standards, and the requirement that only actual costs are charged to Federal awards. The procedures will be designed to ensure costs charged to Federal awards are permitted under the award terms, properly supported, accurately recorded, and consistent with Uniform Guidance requirements. UCM will update its grant accounting procedures to require supporting documentation for all costs charged to Federal awards, including invoices, receipts, payroll records, allocation schedules, contracts, purchase approvals, proof of payment, and other relevant source documents. Estimated, unsupported, or budgeted amounts will not be charged to Federal awards unless specifically permitted by the award terms and adjusted to actual costs within the required reporting period. UCM will also implement a documented review process to confirm that Federal award expenditures are based on actual costs incurred. The review will include verification that the expense was incurred during the grant period, relates to the approved program, is supported by adequate documentation, is charged to the correct funding source, and agrees to the general ledger and supporting records. Evidence of review and approval will be retained with the grant files. Staff responsible for grant accounting, Federal award reporting, payroll allocation, accounts payable, and program budget oversight will receive Uniform Guidance training. Training will include cost eligibility, documentation standards, actual cost requirements, cost allocation, and grant expenditure review procedures. Responsible for Corrective Action: Shruti Jha, Senior Director of Finance Liya Tseye & Carmen Romero, Accountants Gina Macanlalay, Director of Family Achievement Program Laura D’Ambrogi, Grants Manager Anticipated Completion Date: December 31, 2026

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1222665 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1222666 2025-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1222668 2025-006
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1222669 2025-007
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1222670 2025-008
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
93.558 TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES $1.18M
97.010 CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION AND TRAINING $70,869