Finding 21218 (2022-001)

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Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
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Year
2022
Accepted
2022-11-21

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Two FFATA reports were submitted late, violating the requirement to report first-tier subawards over $30,000 within the specified timeframe.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 2 CFR 200.170, which mandates timely reporting to the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act Subaward Reporting System (FSRS).
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Reinforce the importance of timely submissions across all involved business units and continue monitoring compliance with FFATA reporting processes.

Finding Text

Finding 2022-001 Reporting ? Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) Assistance Listing Number: 98.007/98.008 Program Name: USAID Foreign Food Aid Donation Cluster Granting Agency: U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Federal Award Identification number and Award Year: 72DFFP19CA00004 ? 2019 - 2024 72DFFP20CA00007 ? 2020-2025 Criteria: As per 2 CFR 200.170, direct recipients of grants or cooperative agreements are required to report first-tier subawards of $30,000 or more to the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act Subaward Reporting System (FSRS). The subaward information should be reported no later than the end of the month following the month in which the obligation was made. Condition: During our testing of the FFATA reporting compliance, we tested a sample of seven (7) FFATA reports that were submitted to FSRS and found that two (2) reports from our sample were not submitted within the required time frame. Cause: The information needed for FFATA reporting is provided by the implementing partner and Country Office to CARE USA?s Shared Service Center (SSC) for submission. In these two instances, the information was not processed, and the reports were not prepared, on a timely basis. Effect or potential effect: The delay in submission of the reports resulted in CARE USA not reporting the required information in FSRS within the required time frame; thereby resulting in noncompliance with the reporting requirements. Although the two reports were not submitted within the required time frame, we noted that upon their eventual submission, the information submitted was complete and accurate and met all other compliance requirements. Questioned Costs: None. Context: Of the seven (7) FFATA reports tested, we noted delays in submission of two (2) reports. Identification as a repeat finding, if applicable: Not applicable Recommendation: We recommend CARE USA continue to reinforce the importance of timely submission of required documents to all business units involved in the FFATA reporting process and continue to monitor the appropriate compliance with timely reporting. Views of responsible officials: This finding was first noted in the fiscal 2021 audit. Shortly thereafter, CARE USA designed and implemented a corrective action plan which was in place by February 2022. The two FFATA reports noted during the 2022 audit relate to the period before the corrective actions were taken. These corrective actions included: ? CARE held refresher training and provided additional guidance to all business units involved with FFATA reporting. ? CARE implemented a preventative control to reduce future non-compliance, which includes working with partners to ensure information needed for FFATA reporting is provided prior to execution of the partner funding agreement (PFA) and inclusion of FFATA data collection during the award set up process. ? CARE established an escalation protocol to notify Country Directors of FFATA reporting non-compliance with a copy of the notification to relevant CARE senior management. ? CARE enhanced the monitoring controls of (i) first tier partner funding spending against obligation under USG awards to anticipate potential modifications, (ii) USG Awards spending and set up in the system, (iii) the completeness of USG Awards and PFA documents, and (iv) Shared Services Center in their monthly meetings with CARE country offices, will include a review of upcoming 1st tier subaward modifications for any obligation increases as these will trigger a FFATA reporting requirement.

Corrective Action Plan

Corrective Action Plan Finding no 2022-001 CARE USA Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) Compliance Background FFATA is a federal law intended to hold the government accountable and reduce wasteful spending. The law, codified under 2 CFR 170, requires that information on federal awards, including subaward activities, be made available to the public through a website maintained by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Application and Requirements FFATA applies to all US Government (USG) grants, cooperative agreements and contracts managed by CARE as the prime recipient. Under FFATA, CARE must report any subgrant greater than or equal to $30,000 and any subsequent obligation increase through the FSRS.gov website by the end of the month following the month of the subaward. Compliance Issues Identified as part of the FY2022 Audit Based on the finding in the FY21 Single Audit corrective actions were implemented in FY22. The delays identified in the FY22 Single Audit occurred in the first six months of the fiscal year, before planned FY22 corrective actions were fully implemented. Root Causes The root causes for the delay in reporting the partner organizations (i.e., subrecipients) information with whom CARE works with is as follows: ? Failure by the partner organization to timely adhere to the FFATA requirements delineated in the partner funding agreement (PFA). ? Delay in and confusion by the partner about registering the organization in SAM.gov (a USG database) and system difficulties in obtaining a Unique Entity Identifier Number (UEI), through SAM.gov. Recommended Solutions by CARE Management Team by June 30, 2023 1. Award Management Solutions (AMS) team will: a. Issue additional guidance and notification to all CARE business units involved with FFATA compliance. b. Deliver refresher training for all CARE country offices and HQ units involved with FFATA compliance. c. Complete the terms of reference and initiate the development of an award management platform for COs and HQ units to manage the donor compliance reporting and administration across the organization. 2. CARE will implement preventative controls to reduce the risk of future non-compliance, including: a. Ensure that partners are aware of SAM.gov registration at the proposal development stage; require partners to submit the completed FFATA form before full execution of the PFAs and PFA modifications; and include the completed FFATA form in the approval process. b. AMS will review the PFA templates to include partner DUNS/UEIN and assign a field for a PFA reference number. c. SSC to modify the Project ID (PID) set-up form to include a DUNS/UEIN. d. SSC will strictly enforce the submission of the FFATA collection form before setting up a new PID for USG PFAs and for PFA obligation increases. SSC will continuously monitor for compliance and notify the CARE Country Director of non-compliance instances, copying in the Regional Director (HQ Technical Director for non-CARE USA COs), VP IPO (or VP Program Strategy & Impact) the CFO and the AVP AMS. A Key Performance Indicator (KPI) on donor reporting timeliness will be included on the Country Director KPI dashboard. Repeated instances of non-compliance will be considered a personnel performance issue with the CARE Country Director or a contractual performance issue with the non-CARE USA CO. 3. SSC will monitor: (i) first tier partner funding spending against obligation under USG awards to anticipate potential modifications; (ii) USG awards spending and set-up in the system; and (iii) the completeness of USG awards and PFA documents. SSC will provide a monitoring report to AMS. AMS will spot check the report and provide a response to SSC on non-compliance issues identified and recommended corrective actions. AMS will escalate concerns on gaps identified to the CFO. Responsible Contact: ? Jason Zeno, CARE USA, AVP Grants, Contracts & Donor Compliance, email: jason.zeno@care.org

Categories

Subrecipient Monitoring Reporting

Other Findings in this Audit

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
98.007 Food for Peace Development Assistance Program (dap) $44.17M
98.001 Usaid Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas $24.31M
98.008 Food for Peace Emergency Program (ep) $24.02M
19.519 Overseas Refugee Assistance Program for Near East and South Asia $5.85M
10.608 Food for Education $5.78M
19.518 Overseas Refugee Assistance Programs for Western Hemisphere $5.64M
19.517 Overseas Refugee Assistance Programs for Africa $3.35M
19.522 Overseas Refugee Assistance Programs for Strategic Global Priorities $1.62M
17.401 International Labor Programs $1.48M
93.318 Covid-19 - Protecting and Improving Health Globally: Building and Strengthening Public Health Impact, Systems, Capacity and Security $1.24M
93.318 Protecting and Improving Health Globally: Building and Strengthening Public Health Impact, Systems, Capacity and Security $1.16M
19.801 Office of Global Women's Issues $626,997
19.345 International Programs to Support Democracy, Human Rights and Labor $395,316
19.750 Overseas Refugee Assistance Programs for Strategic Global Priorities $379,917
19.522 Covid-19 - Overseas Refugee Assistance Programs for Strategic Global Priorities $339,267
98.U01 Usaid Lowland Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Activity $266,110
17.401 Covid-19 - International Labor Programs $139,182
98.011 Global Development Alliance $48,279
19.345 Covid-19 - International Programs to Support Democracy, Human Rights and Labor $1,292