Finding 1224790 (2025-003)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
M
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-07-27
Audit: 407991
Organization: City of Chicago Heights (IL)
Auditor: SELDEN FOX LTD

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The City failed to properly monitor its subrecipient, a nonprofit, by not obtaining or reviewing required Single Audit reports and not addressing discrepancies in funding documentation.
  • Impacted Requirements: This oversight violates 2 CFR §200.332, which mandates that pass-through entities ensure compliance with Federal regulations and monitor subrecipients effectively.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: The City should enhance its monitoring procedures, including documenting reviews of audit reports, evaluating findings related to subawards, and resolving discrepancies in Federal award reporting.

Finding Text

2025 – 003 Subrecipient Monitoring Federal Award Identification: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF)(ALN 21.027) Criteria: Under 2 CFR §200.332, pass-through entities are required to monitor the activities of subrecipients as necessary to ensure compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the subaward. Such monitoring includes reviewing Single Audit reports, considering whether audit findings relate to the pass-through entity's subawards, and ensuring that subrecipients take timely and appropriate corrective action on deficiencies pertaining to Federal awards provided by the pass-through entity. Condition: The City passed through portions of SLFRF funding to a nonprofit organization. The City also provided Homeowners Assistance Fund Program (HAF) funds to that same organization. The City did not document that it had obtained the subrecipient's Single Audit reports, nor did it document its review of amounts reported in the SEFA and its evaluation of a finding reported by the subrecipient related to the SLFRF program with an assessment of corrective actions taken by the subrecipient. The subrecipient’s SEFA for June 30, 2025, did not properly identify the City as a passthrough entity of HAF funding. Rather, the expenditures appeared to be direct funding from Treasury due to the lack of passthrough agency identification. The City did not document timely inquiry, review, or follow-up regarding the omission of HAF expenditures from the subrecipient's SEFA, despite the City having provided HAF funding to the nonprofit during the period. Cause: The City's subrecipient monitoring procedures were not adequately designed or implemented to ensure that subrecipient Single Audit findings were formally reviewed and followed up on, and discrepancies identified in subrecipient reporting were investigated and resolved. Effect: Failure to evaluate and follow up on subrecipient audit findings and reporting discrepancies may allow noncompliance to remain unresolved, increase the risk of improper use of Federal funds, impair the City's ability to identify potential questioned costs, and result in noncompliance with Uniform Guidance subrecipient monitoring requirements. As a result, the City lacked additional assurance that its subawards were administered in accordance with applicable Federal requirements. Questioned Costs: Undeterminable Recommendation: We recommend that the City strengthen its subrecipient monitoring procedures to: • Document its review of subrecipient Single Audit reports; • Evaluate whether reported audit findings relate to City-funded subawards; • Follow up on corrective actions for applicable findings and maintain supporting documentation of that review; and • Investigate and resolve discrepancies in subrecipient Federal award reporting, including omissions identified on the SEFA. • Amend its existing grants administration policy to include a section related to subrecipient monitoring responsibilities Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Management agrees with the finding. The City will establish and document formal subrecipient-monitoring procedures consistent with 2 CFR §200.332.

Corrective Action Plan

The City will establish and document formal subrecipient-monitoring procedures consistent with 2 CFR §200.332. The audit found that the City did not document its review of the subrecipient's Single Audit report, evaluate whether the subrecipient's audit finding related to City-provided funds, or follow up on discrepancies in the subrecipient's Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards. 1. Maintain a complete inventory of all federal subawards, including the subrecipient, federal program, Assistance Listing Number, award amount, period of performance, and applicable compliance requirements. 2. Require each subrecipient to submit its annual Single Audit report or written confirmation that it was not subject to the Single Audit requirement. 3. Review each applicable Single Audit report and the Federal Audit Clearinghouse for findings that could relate to City-funded subawards. 4. Compare subaward information reported by the subrecipient on its Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards to the City's accounting and grant records. 5. Investigate and resolve any reporting discrepancies, including missing pass-through entity information, incorrect Assistance Listing Numbers, or omitted federal expenditures. 6.. Use a standardized monitoring checklist and retain all supporting documentation in the applicable grant file. Responsible Officials Anticipated Completion Date The revised monitoring checklist will be completed by September 30, 2026. Review and follow-up concerning the identified subrecipient will be completed by December 31 , 2026. Monitoring will continue throughout the duration of each subaward. Contact Person Responsible for the Corrective Action Plan Cynthia Smith, Finance Director City of Chicago Heights 1601 Chicago Road Chicago Heights, Illinois 60411

Categories

Subrecipient Monitoring Reporting

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
21.027 CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS $1.53M
21.026 HOMEOWNER ASSISTANCE FUND $500,000
14.218 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS/ENTITLEMENT GRANTS $300,000
16.710 PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERSHIP AND COMMUNITY POLICING GRANTS $202,050
20.600 STATE AND COMMUNITY HIGHWAY SAFETY $9,634