Finding 29708 (2022-001)

Material Weakness
Requirement
B
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2023-09-26

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The American Institute For Foreign Study Foundation, Inc. lacks adequate internal controls to ensure only allowable payroll costs are charged to the federal award.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 2 CFR Part 200 is necessary to ensure that costs charged align with actual salary expenses, not just budgeted amounts.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement a formal review process for payroll allocations to ensure they reflect actual time and effort spent on the award.

Finding Text

2022-001 Federal Agency U.S. Department of State Federal Program Name: Professional and Cultural Exchange Programs - Citizen Exchanges Assistance Listing Number: 19.415 Award Period: September 30, 2019 - September 30, 2023; April 9, 2019 ? August 31, 2022; July 26, 2022 ? September 30, 2025 Type of Finding: * Material Weakness in Internal Control over Compliance * Material Noncompliance (Modified Opinion) Criteria: 2 CFR Part 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Award requires compliance with the provisions of allowable costs. American Institute For Foreign Study Foundation, Inc. should have internal controls designed to ensure compliance with those provisions. Condition: During our testing of payroll expenditures, we noted American Institute For Foreign Study Foundation, Inc. did not have adequate internal controls designed to ensure only allowable costs were charged to the award. Questioned costs: Unknown Context: American Institute For Foreign Study Foundation, Inc. is charging to the award based on the budgeted payroll expenses which does not correspond with the actual salary expense that should have been allocated to the award. Cause: Management believed that they should charge the award based on budget. Effect: The effect is that salaries charged may not represent the award's allocable share. Repeat Finding: No Recommendation: American Institute For Foreign Study Foundation, Inc. should formalize review over allocations to the award to ensure that allocations are based on actual time and effort. Views of Responsible Officials: Management concurs with the finding. See separate corrective action plan.

Corrective Action Plan

Finding 2022-001 U.S Department of State Professional and Cultural Exchange Programs - Citizen Exchanges ? Assistance Listing No. 19.415 Recommendation: American Institute For Foreign Study Foundation, Inc. should formalize review over allocations to the award to ensure that allocations are based on actual time and effort. Explanation of disagreement with audit finding: There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Action taken in response to finding: Management will ensure only actual salary is charged to the awards. Name of the contact person responsible for corrective action: James Mahoney, CFO Planned completion date for corrective action plan: September 15, 2023

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 29709 2022-002
    Material Weakness
  • 606150 2022-001
    Material Weakness
  • 606151 2022-002
    Material Weakness

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
19.415 Professional and Cultural Exchange Programs - Citizen Exchanges $951,907