Finding 1228067 (2024-003)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
B
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2026-08-27
Audit: 409908
Organization: Kids Cove Community Outreach (TX)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: There is a material weakness in internal controls over compliance with allowable costs for the CACFP, leading to inaccurate reporting of personnel expenses.
  • Impacted Requirements: Section 200.430 of the Uniform Guidance requires that personnel expenses charged to federal awards be accurately supported and allocated.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Management should review and update procedures to ensure compliance with Section 200.430 and accurately report all personnel costs.

Finding Text

Finding No. 2024‐003: Allowable costs – Material weakness in internal control over compliance and compliance finding 10.558 Child And Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Criteria: In accordance with Section 200.430 of the Uniform Guidance, charges for personnel expenses using federal awards must be supported by a system of internal control that provides reasonable assurance that charges are accurate, allowable and properly allocated. Condition: During our review of personnel expenses, we noted that 3 of 3 sampled personnel costs were recorded at the net amounts paid to the employees on the manual grant program expenditure listing. This had the effect of understating the total costs charged to the grant program for both the taxes withheld from the employees as well as the company match. It also understated the total amount of grant program expenditures listed on the SEFA. Cause: Management error. Effect: Understatement of total costs charged to the grant program for both the taxes withheld from the employees as well as the company match. It also understated the total amount of grant program expenditures listed on the SEFA. Questioned costs: None. There were no questioned costs as amounts paid to KCCO are based on meals served multiplied by the applicable rate per meal and are not based on actual costs incurred or reported. Recommendation: Management should review the current procedures and the requirements of Section 200.430 and implement changes where necessary to ensure personnel costs are charged in accordance with Section 200.430. Management’s Response: See corrective action plan.

Corrective Action Plan

Corrective Action Planned: Kids Cove Community Outreach acknowledges the finding related to the recording of personnel costs at the net amount paid to employees rather than recording the full gross payroll expense, including applicable employee withholdings and employer payroll taxes and matching contributions. To correct this finding, Kids Cove Community Outreach will implement a mandatory supervisory review process for all payroll-related charges to the CACFP program. All personnel costs charged to the CACFP program will be recorded using the employee's gross wages as the basis for the payroll expense. Applicable employer payroll taxes and other allowable employer-paid payroll costs will also be properly recorded when applicable and supported by payroll documentation. The organization will maintain payroll registers, employee timesheets, payroll reports, payroll tax records, canceled checks or electronic payment records, and other supporting documentation necessary to substantiate personnel costs charged to CACFP. Effective immediately, all payroll charges to the CACFP program must receive supervisory review and approval before the payroll expenditure is finalized and posted to the CACFP grant records. The Administrator and the Director will review the payroll documentation to verify that: 1. The employee is authorized to perform work charged to the CACFP program. 2. The hours worked or salary charged are supported by an approved timesheet or payroll record. 3. Gross wages, rather than net wages, are recorded as personnel expense. 4. Applicable employer payroll taxes and matching contributions are properly recorded. 5. Payroll costs are charged to the appropriate federal program and accounting period. 6. The amount recorded on the CACFP grant expenditure listing agrees with the payroll register and supporting documentation. 7. Any corrections or adjustments are properly documented and approved. The supervisory review will be documented by the supervisor's signature or initials and date on a payroll review checklist or other designated payroll approval document. No payroll expenditure will be posted to the CACFP grant program records until the mandatory supervisory review has been completed. On a monthly basis, the designated bookkeeping personnel will reconcile personnel costs charged to CACFP to the payroll register, general ledger, and supporting payroll records. The Administrator and Director will review the reconciliation to ensure that gross wages, employee withholdings, employer payroll taxes, and applicable matching contributions have been properly accounted for and that the amounts charged to CACFP are accurate and properly supported. Employees responsible for payroll processing, bookkeeping, and grant financial records will receive training regarding the proper recording of payroll costs under federal award requirements, including the difference between gross wages, employee withholdings, and employer payroll taxes and matching contributions. The Director will be responsible for ensuring that the mandatory supervisory review and monthly payroll reconciliation are completed. The designated payroll/bookkeeping personnel will be responsible for preparing the payroll records, maintaining supporting documentation, and recording payroll expenditures in the appropriate grant program records. The corrective action will be implemented immediately and will apply to all payroll charged to the CACFP program beginning with the next payroll cycle and continuing for all subsequent payroll periods. Management will periodically review CACFP payroll records, payroll registers, grant expenditure listings, general ledger activity, and supporting documentation to ensure that personnel costs are recorded accurately and completely. Any errors identified through the supervisory review or monthly reconciliation will be corrected promptly and documented. Kids Cove Community Outreach will retain documentation demonstrating completion of the mandatory supervisory review and reconciliation as part of its financial and grant records and will make such documentation available for audit and compliance monitoring.

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Material Weakness Reporting Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1228066 2024-002
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
10.558 CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM $721,909
10.559 SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN $112,341