Finding 24066 (2022-003)

Material Weakness
Requirement
I
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2023-05-07

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Two loan agreements lacked confirmation that borrowers were not debarred or suspended, violating federal requirements.
  • Impacted Requirements: Non-federal entities must verify that parties involved in transactions are not suspended or debarred, as outlined in federal regulations.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement procedures to ensure all agreements include the necessary representation regarding debarment status.

Finding Text

Finding - Procurement, Suspension and Debarment, CDFI Rapid Response Program, Assistance Listing Number 21.024, 2021-2023 Award Years, U.S. Department of Treasury; Criteria or Specific Requirement Non-federal entities are prohibited from contracting with or making subawards under covered transactions to parties that are suspended or debarred. When a non-federal entity enters into a covered transaction with an entity at a lower tier, the non-federal entity must verify that the entity, as defined in 2 CFR section 180.995 and agency adopting regulations, is not suspended or debarred or otherwise excluded from participating in the transaction. (2 CFR sections 200.212 and 200.318(h); 2 CFR section 180.300; 48 CFR section 52.209-6) Condition Found Out of five loans selected for testing, two of the loan agreements did not include a representation that the borrower is not currently debarred, suspended, excluded or disqualified by any Federal department or agency, and no other procedures were performed by the Organization to determine if these two borrowers were debarred, suspended, excluded or disqualified. A subsequent review of the borrowers determined that neither was debarred, suspended, excluded or disqualified. Cause A loan template from an outside entity was used which did not contain a representation that borrower is not currently debarred, suspended, excluded or disqualified, and no other procedures to check for suspension or debarment were conducted. Effect Loans to recipient borrowers that are debarred, suspended, excluded or disqualified could occur. Identification as a Repeat Finding Not a repeat finding. Questioned Costs None. Recommendation The award agreement requires that the Organization shall include in all of its procurement and nonprocurement contracts and agreements, between the Organization and an individual or entity receiving any portion of the CDFI RRP Assistance, a representation that such individual or entity is not currently debarred, suspended, excluded or disqualified by any Federal department or agency. We recommend procedures be implemented to include the review of agreements to determine that this required representation is included. View of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Action See corrective action plan.

Corrective Action Plan

2022-003 Finding: Procurement, Suspension and Debarment Non-federal entities are prohibited from contracting with or making subawards under covered transactions to parties that are suspended or debarred. Out of five loans selected for testing, two of the loan agreements did not include a representation that the borrower is not currently debarred, suspended, excluded, or disqualified by any Federal department or agency, and no other procedures were performed by the Organization to determine if these two borrowers were debarred, suspended, excluded, or disqualified. A subsequent review of the borrowers determined that neither was debarred, suspended, excluded, or disqualified. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Management agrees with this finding. MCCD currently has a section in its loan documents for borrowers to certify that they, any coborrowers or principals, are not presently debarred, suspended, or proposed for debarment from transactions by any Federal department or agency. The two loans referenced in the finding are loans where MCCD was a participating lender; we used the lead lender?s loan documents. The lead lender?s loan documents did not have a section for the borrower to certify they are not debarred, suspended or are being proposed for debarment from transactions by Federal departments or agencies. MCCD will create and implement a policy to verify that borrowers are not debarred, suspended or are being proposed for debarment from transactions by Federal departments or agencies when making a participation loan. MCCD?s Loan Program staff will (1) check the suspension and debarment list through the federal government?s website, and (2) save a copy of the of the results to the borrower?s loan file. Responsible Official: Trish DeAnda, Chief Financial Officer Completion Date: April 21, 2023

Categories

Procurement, Suspension & Debarment Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 600508 2022-003
    Material Weakness

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
21.024 Community Development Financial Institutions Rapid Response Program (cdfi Rrp) $1.13M
93.U01 Unknown $113,176