Finding 32412 (2022-001)

Material Weakness
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2023-03-12
Audit: 28398
Auditor: Forvis LLC

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The School failed to comply with Davis-Bacon Wage Rate Requirements, lacking internal controls to ensure certified payrolls were obtained and reviewed weekly.
  • Impacted Requirements: Non-Federal entities must ensure contractors pay prevailing wages and submit certified payrolls, as mandated by federal regulations.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement internal controls to track certified payrolls and ensure compliance with wage rate requirements to avoid future issues.

Finding Text

SECTION III - FEDERAL AWARD FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS Current Year Findings 2022-001: Material Weakness and Material Noncompliance ? Davis-Bacon Wage Rate Requirements Federal Assistance Listing Number 84.425D/84.425U/84.425W ? COVID-19 Education Stabilization Fund Passed-through Tennessee Department of Education Award Number S425D210047/S425D200047/S425U210047/S425W210044-21A Federal Assistance Listing Number 93.323 ? COVID-19 Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity Grant Passed-through Tennessee Department of Health Award Number N/A Criteria: 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). Non-Federal 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. This includes a requirement for the contractor or subcontractor to submit to the Non-Federal 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). In addition, according to 2 CFR Part 200.303, the non-Federal entity must establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-Federal entity is managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. Condition and Context: The School did not have internal controls in place to identify that certified payrolls were obtained from contractors on a weekly basis and reviewed in a timely manner. Education Stabilization Fund Cluster - the School did not obtain certified payrolls on a weekly basis for two out of five contractors selected for testing. Additionally, we noted one contractor did not sign the payroll reports which is required to complete the certification. The School also did not include wage requirement clauses in contract agreements (as specified in the above Criteria) for two out of the five contracts selected for testing. Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity Grant - the School did not obtain certified payrolls on a weekly basis for one contractor under this grant. The School also did not include wage requirement clauses in the contract agreement (as specified in the above Criteria) for the one contract under this grant. Questioned Costs: Unknown. Effect: The School is not in compliance with Davis-Bacon requirements. Cause: The School was unaware of the requirements as it applied to the grants and as such, there was no assigned department or employee to monitor, review, and obtain certified payrolls and contracts during the year from contractors and subcontractors. Identification as a Repeat Finding: Not applicable. Recommendation: We recommend the School implement internal controls over wage rate requirements, including tracking certified payrolls or notification of no work performed and reviewing to help ensure wages are equal to or in excess of the prevailing wage rates. Views of Responsible Officials: Agree. See separate report for planned corrective actions. Prior Year Findings None reported

Corrective Action Plan

2022-001: Material Weakness-Davis-Bacon Wage Rate Requirements Corrective Action: Corrective action has been taken. Management has started requiring weekly collection of payrolls from contractors for projects. These are reviewed on a weekly basis for compliance with Davis-Bacon requirements. Wage requirement clauses will be included in all contract agreements going forward. The responsibility for monitoring and reviewing certified payrolls and contracts has been assigned to the Chief of Operations or his designee. Contact Person: Anita Floyd Completion Date: December 2022

Categories

Material Weakness Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking Internal Control / Segregation of Duties Special Tests & Provisions

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 32413 2022-001
    Material Weakness
  • 32414 2022-001
    Material Weakness
  • 32415 2022-001
    Material Weakness
  • 608854 2022-001
    Material Weakness
  • 608855 2022-001
    Material Weakness
  • 608856 2022-001
    Material Weakness
  • 608857 2022-001
    Material Weakness

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
10.555 National School Lunch Program $3.62M
84.010 Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies $2.43M
93.323 Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infectious Diseases (elc) $867,992
10.553 School Breakfast Program $595,800
84.027 Special Education_grants to States $223,768
84.367 Improving Teacher Quality State Grants $206,931
84.424 Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program $162,315
84.048 Career and Technical Education -- Basic Grants to States $89,869
84.173 Special Education_preschool Grants $29,642
84.365 English Language Acquisition State Grants $13,244
84.425 Education Stabilization Fund $925