Finding Text
2022-001 Procurement, Suspension and Debarment Federal Program Information Funding Agency: U.S. Department of the Treasury Federal ALN: 21.027 Criteria Per OMB guidance, non-federal entities are prohibited from contracting with parties that are suspended or debarred, or whose principals are suspended or debarred. The guidance also requires the entities to follow documented procurement procedures. Condition There is no policy in place for procurement procedures to determine whether vendors are suspended or debarred. Context Per our review of vendors over the applicable threshold, there was no documentation of having been reviewed for procurement, suspension or debarment. Cause Staff were not aware of the specific compliance requirements and procedures for procurement, suspension and debarment status. Effect Purchases may occur that do not follow the policy, and contracts to vendors that had been suspended or debarred could be awarded and not detected. Auditor's Recommendations Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce should include a provision in contracts with respect to suspension and debarment, communicate all requirements for procurement to staff and establish procedures to verify vendors are not suspended or debarred.