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2022-001 COVID 19 - EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND ? INTERNAL CONTROLS AND WAGE RATE REQUIREMENTS ? ALN 84.425D ? MATERIAL WEAKNESS AND MATERIAL NONCOMPLIANCE FINDING TYPE: Material Weakness ? Material Noncompliance Finding 2022-001 Federal Program: COVID 19 - Education Stabilization Fund ALN: 84.425D Federal Award Number(s) and Year(s): S425U210007, 2022 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Education Pass Through Agency: North Dakota Department of Public Instruction Questioned Cost: $0 Condition Devils Lake Public School District did not comply with the wage rate requirements applicable to the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) funding received for the renovation of a current building into a childcare and preschool center. Further, Devils Lake Public School District did not establish and maintain effective internal controls to ensure certified payrolls are received from the contractors. Context Devils Lake Public School District completed one construction project during fiscal year 2022 that was subject to the wage rate requirements. The approved project cost was $60,000. Where sampling was performed, the audit used a non-statistical sampling method. Effect Devils Lake Public School District was not in compliance with the wage rate requirements for the ESSER program. In addition, laborers may not have been paid the prevailing wage rates. Cause Devils Lake Public School District may not have been aware of the wage rate requirements applicable to construction contracts in excess of $2,000 financed by federal assistance funds. Devils Lake Public School District may not have been aware of the requirement to document and develop internal controls related to the federal programs. 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 no less than those established for the locality of the project (prevailing wage rates) by the Department of Labor - 40 USC 3141-3144, 3146, and 3147. "Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government" (Green Book) requires management to design, implement, and operate internal controls to achieve its objectives related to operations, reporting, and compliance. Management is to design appropriate types of control activities for the entity's internal control system. Control activities help management fulfill responsibilities and address identified risk responses in the internal control system. Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200.303(a) states ?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. These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in "Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government" issued by the Comptroller General of the United States or the "Internal Control Integrated Framework", issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).? Questioned Costs None. Prior Recommendation No. Recommendation We recommend Devils Lake Public School District implement procedures to ensure compliance with the wage rate requirements of 40 USC 3141-3144, 3146, and 3147. We also recommend they establish and maintain internal controls over Federal awards in compliance with the Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200.303(a) and the Green Book. Devils Lake Public School District No. 1?s Response See Corrective Action Plan