Finding 1238616 (2025-002)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-09-30
Audit: 413535
Organization: Texas Heart Institute (TX)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA) for 2024 was understated by $33,459 due to misreported expenditures.
  • Impacted Requirements: Effective internal controls over financial reporting were not in place, leading to noncompliance with federal reporting standards.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Strengthen year-end grant reporting procedures to ensure all allowable expenditures are accurately identified and reported.

Finding Text

Finding #2025-002 – Reporting – Significant Deficiency and Other Noncompliance. Applicable federal program: U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Direct Funding, Assistance Listing #: 93.837 – Cardiovascular Diseases Research, Contract Number: 5R01HL153538-04, Contract Year: 07/01/23 – 06/30/25. Criteria: Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining effective internal controls over the preparation of the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA). Condition and context: In testing 40 transactions for allowable costs, we identified an allowable program expenditure of $33,459 that was for goods and services received in fiscal year 2024. It was billed to the program in fiscal year 2025 and is reported on the 2025 SEFA. 2024 federal expenditures reported in the SEFA were understated by $33,459. Cause: THI’s controls for reconciling project expenditures to information used in preparing the SEFA were not operating effectively to ensure all allowable grant expenditures incurred during the reporting period were included in the project statements and ultimately reported in the SEFA. Effect: The 2024 SEFA was understated for the program by $33,459. Recommendation: Reemphasize the need for year-end grant reporting procedures sufficient to ensure all allowable federal expenditures incurred during the reporting period are identified and reported completely and accurately. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions: Management agrees with the finding. See Corrective Action Plan.

Corrective Action Plan

Finding #2025-002 – Reporting – Significant Deficiency and Other Noncompliance. Applicable federal program: U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Direct Funding, Assistance Listing #: 93.837 – Cardiovascular Diseases Research, Contract Number: 5R01HL153538-04, Contract Year: 07/01/23 – 06/30/25. Condition and context: In testing 40 transactions for allowable costs, we identified an allowable program expenditure of $33,459 that was for goods and services received in fiscal year 2024. It was billed to the program in fiscal year 2025 and is reported on the 2025 SEFA. 2024 federal expenditures reported in the SEFA were understated by $33,459. Recommendation: Reemphasize the need for year-end grant reporting procedures sufficient to ensure all allowable federal expenditures incurred during the reporting period are identified and reported completely and accurately. Planned corrective action: Management agrees with the finding. Management will re-emphasize THI’s year-end grant reporting policies and procedures with the personnel responsible for them. Responsible officer: Darin Maxwell. Estimated completion date: October 31, 2026.

Categories

Reporting

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
93.847 DIABETES, DIGESTIVE, AND KIDNEY DISEASES EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH $141,572
12.420 MILITARY MEDICAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT $56,148
93.837 CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES RESEARCH $4,025