Finding 25260 (2022-001)

Material Weakness
Requirement
I
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2023-03-30
Audit: 21931
Organization: Collins Career Center (OH)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Center failed to provide evidence of competitive bidding and maintain contract documentation, raising compliance concerns.
  • Impacted Requirements: Non-Federal entities must adhere to procurement standards and prevailing wage requirements under 2 CFR 200 and related regulations.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement procedures for competitive bidding, maintain contract copies, and ensure monitoring of prevailing wage compliance through certified payrolls.

Finding Text

Non-Federal entities other than States, including those operating Federal programs as subrecipients of States, must follow the procurement standards set out at 2 CFR 200.317 through 200.327. They must use their own documented procurement procedures, which reflect applicable State and local laws and regulations, provided that the procurements conform to applicable Federal statutes and the procurement requirements identified in 2 CFR Part 200. For acquisitions exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, the non-Federal entity must use one of the following procurement methods: the sealed bid method if the acquisition meets the criteria in 2 CFR 200.320(b); the competitive proposals method under the conditions specified in 2 CFR 200.320(b)(2); or the noncompetitive proposals method (i.e., solicit a proposal from only one source) but only when one or more of four circumstances are met, in accordance with 2 CFR 200.320(c). All laborers and mechanics employed by contractors or subcontractors to work on construction contracts in excess of $2,000 financed by federal assistance funds must be paid wages not less than those established for the locality of the project (prevailing wage rates) by the Department of Labor (DOL) (40 USC 3141?3144, 3146, and 3147). Nonfederal entities shall include in their construction contracts subject to the Wage Rate Requirements (which still may be referenced as the Davis-Bacon Act) a provision that the contractor or subcontractor comply with those requirements and the DOL regulations (29 CFR Part 5, Labor Standards Provisions Applicable to Contacts Governing Federally Financed and Assisted Construction). This includes a requirement for the contractor or subcontractor to submit to the nonfederal entity weekly, for each week in which any contract work is performed, a copy of the payroll and a statement of compliance (certified payrolls) (29 CFR sections 5.5 and 5.6; the A-102 Common Rule (section 36(i)(5)); OMB Circular A-110 (2 CFR Part 215, Appendix A, Contract Provisions); 2 CFR Part 176, Subpart C; and 2 CFR section 200.326). During testing of federal compliance, the Center was unable to provide evidence of competitive bidding of a contract nor was a copy of the final contract maintained. As such, we were unable to determine whether the required prevailing wage rate clauses were included in the contract. Further, certified payrolls could not be provided for the projects subject to the contract to indicate that the Center was properly monitoring for prevailing wage requirements. The Center should implement additional procedures to ensure competitive bidding is undertaken when required and that documentation for such processes is maintained; copies of executed contracts are maintained; and documentation is received and reviewed to monitor compliance with prevailing wage rate requirements, when applicable.

Corrective Action Plan

The Center was unaware that, in accordance with the Department of Labor (DOL)(40 USC 3141-3144, 3146, and 3147), all laborers employed by contractors to work on construction contracts in excess of $2,000 financed by federal assistance funds must be paid wages not less than those established for prevailing wage rates. In the future, the Center will follow the guidance of the aforementioned section and adhere to this requirement.

Categories

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

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 25261 2022-001
    Material Weakness
  • 601702 2022-001
    Material Weakness
  • 601703 2022-001
    Material Weakness

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.268 Federal Direct Student Loans $2.16M
84.063 Federal Pell Grant Program $1.50M
84.048 Career and Technical Education -- Basic Grants to States $491,620
84.425 Education Stabilization Fund $285,868
84.002 Adult Education - Basic Grants to States $248,439
21.019 Coronavirus Relief Fund $151,000
10.553 School Breakfast Program $70,815
84.358 Rural Education $58,220
10.555 National School Lunch Program $10,272
10.649 Pandemic Ebt Administrative Costs $614