Finding Text
2022-002 Department of Health and Human Services Federal Assistance Listing #93.498 COVID-19 Provider Relief Fund and American Rescue Plan (ARP) Rural Distribution Applicable Federal Award Number and Year ? Period 4 TIN #411517351 Activities Allowed or Unallowed and Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance Criteria: 2 CFR 200.303(a) establishes that the auditee must establish and maintain effective internal control over the federal award that provides assurance that the entity is managing the federal award in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and conditions of the federal award. Condition: The Organization claimed a portion of expenses that benefited the period outside of the period of availability for period 4 which was January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2022. Cause: The Organization did not have an internal control process in place to ensure that allowable expenses excluded costs incurred near the end of the period of availability relating to the next fiscal year. Effect: The Organization incorrectly calculated the amount of certain expenses reported. Questioned Costs: There were no questioned costs in excess of $25,000 required to be reported. Context: A nonstatistical sample of 65 out of 344 ($167,277) direct program expenditures were tested for activities allowed or unallowed and allowable costs/cost principles. Of these 65 items, there was an error in one of the expenditures tested relating to $24,996 of costs benefiting 2023 and this error was determined to be isolated in nature. Repeat Finding from Prior Years: No Recommendation: We recommend that the Organization enhance internal control policies to ensure all cash disbursements are reviewed and approved prior to payment to ensure that all payments are necessary, correct, meet the requirements of the federal program including an assessment of the period of availability, and are properly recorded in the reports required to be submitted to the federal agency. Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding.