Finding 1236676 (2025-003)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
I
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-09-25
Audit: 412224
Organization: Town of York (ME)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Town failed to verify that a contractor was not suspended or debarred before awarding a grant-funded project.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with procurement rules that prohibit contracting with excluded parties and the need for robust internal controls.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Establish annual checks on active vendors to ensure they are eligible to work on federally funded projects.

Finding Text

Finding Number: 2025-003 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Treasury Cluster/Program(s): Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Assistance Listing Number(s): 21.027 Compliance Requirement: Procurement, Suspension and Debarment Type of Finding: Compliance Finding and Significant Deficiency Criteria: Non-federal entities are prohibited from contracting with or making subawards under covered transactions to parties that are suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded from participating in the transaction. In addition, under the requirements of fiscal management, grant recipients are required to design and implement internal controls to ensure compliance with grant requirements and their own policies and procedures. Condition: The Town contracted with a construction company to do work under a grant-funded project and did not document that the contractor was not suspended or debarred. Cause: Although the Town maintains a list of approved contractors and vendors, according to the Town’s purchasing policy, the Town is prohibited from contracting with another party that is suspended or debarred. Therefore, the Town should have obtained proof that the company in question was not suspended or debarred. Effect: The Town runs the risk of performing projects with parties who have been suspended or debarred, which could result in the loss of federal funding. Known Questioned Costs: None identified Likely Questioned Costs: None identified Recommendations: We recommend that the Town implement procedures to annually check active vendors and contractors and document that they are not suspended, debarred, or in some way prohibited from working on Town projects, especially those working on federally funded projects.

Corrective Action Plan

Management’s response/corrective action plan: The Town will be engaging in training as we have in the past to educate departments of the requirements of accepting federal funds, including checking for suspension and debarment. In addition, all department heads have been informed of the findings and reminded to check vendors.

Categories

Procurement, Suspension & Debarment

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1236677 2025-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1236678 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1236679 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
21.027 COVID - Coronavirus Sate and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (ARPA) $554,241
84.027 Special Education Grants to States $446,738
10.555 National School Lunch Program $152,806
97.036 Disaster Grants - Public Assistance - 4764 $84,591
10.555 National School Lunch Program - Donated Commodities $84,024
97.036 Disaster Grants - Public Assistance - 4785 $79,245
84.367 Title IIA - Supporting Effective Instruction $68,093
84.425 COVID - Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund 3 $60,801
84.010 Title IA - Basic Disadvantaged Program $55,904
10.553 National School Breakfast Program $47,571
15.962 National Wild and Scenic River System $21,832
84.002 Adult Education Family Literacy Grant $11,629
84.424 Title V - Student Support Grant $8,747
84.173 Preschool $5,580
20.616 Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) $5,233
20.616 State and Community Highway Safety (Distracted Driving) $4,671
20.600 State and Community Highway Safety (e-Citation) $3,600
20.616 State and Community Highway Safety (Click It or Ticket) $1,895
20.600 State and Community Highway Safety (Data Driven Speed Enforcement) $1,637
20.616 State and Community Highway Safety (Evidence Based Impaired Driving) $1,359