Finding 3576 (2022-003)

Significant Deficiency
Requirement
B
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2023-12-06

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Personnel costs charged to the federal award did not match time and effort reports, leading to discrepancies in salary allocations.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 2 CFR 200.430(i) is necessary for proper internal controls over personnel expense allocations.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement a reconciliation process between payroll and time and effort reports as part of the semimonthly payroll cycle.

Finding Text

Identification of federal program: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 84.425D Education Stabilization Fund COVID-19 Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER I and II) passed through the Indiana Department of Education.Criteria: 2 CFR 200.430(i) requires the auditee to establish and maintain effective internal control over the allocation of personnel expenses whereby charges to Federal awards for personnel-related expenditures are supported by official records of the distribution of the employee's salary or wages among specific activities or cost objectives if the employee works on more than one Federal award; a Federal award and non-Federal award; an indirect cost activity and a direct cost activity; two or more indirect activities which are allocated using different allocation bases; or an unallowable activity and a direct or indirect cost activity. Budget estimates alone do not qualify as support for charges to Federal awards, but may be used for interim accounting purposes, provided that: The non-federal entity's system of internal controls includes processes to review after-the-fact interim charges made to a Federal award based on budget estimates. All necessary adjustment must be made such that the final amount charged to the Federal award is accurate, allowable and properly allocated.Condition: Personnel costs allocated to the award did not agree to time and effort reports maintained for those employees charged to the award.Cause: PPHS does not have a process whereby time and effort reports are reconciled to payroll allocated to federal awards.Effect: Time and effort reports documented that 100% of employee time should have been allocated to the award. However, some employees wages were only partially allocated to the award.Questioned costs: NoneContext: Six (6) out of seven (7) employees tested had time and effort reports noting that 100% of their time were to be allocated to the award. However, less than 100% of their wages were allocated to the award.Recommendation: We recommend that PPHS implement a process to reconcile personnel costs allocated to federal awards with time and effort reports. We further recommend this process be implemented as a part of the semimonthly payroll process.Views of Responsible Officials: See attached Corrective Action Plan.

Corrective Action Plan

Criteria - 2 CFR 200.430(i) requires the auditee to establish and maintain effective internal control over the allocation of personnel expenses whereby charges to Federal awards for personnel-related expenditures are supported by official records of the distribution of the employee's salary or wages among specific activities or cost objectives if the employee works on more than one Federal award; a Federal award and non-Federal award; an indirect cost activity and a direct cost activity; two or more indirect activities which are allocated using different allocation bases; or an unallowable activity and a direct or indirect cost activity. Budget estimates alone do not qualify as support for charges to Federal awards, but may be used for interim accounting purposes, provided that: The non-federal entity's system of internal controls includes processes to review after-the-fact interim charges made to a Federal award based on budget estimates. All necessary adjustments must be made such that the final amount charged to the Federal award is accurate. Condition – Personnel costs allocated to the award did not agree to time and effort reports maintained for those employees charged to the award. Cause – PPHS does not have a process whereby time and effort reports are reconciled to payroll allocated to federal awards. Effect – Time and effort reports documented that 100% of employee time should have been allocated to the award. However, some employees wages were only partially allocated to the award. Corrective Action Plan – PPHS had significant turnover in finance personnel during the 22-23 school year. For FY23, we contracted with accounting consultants to assist with financial management and reporting and with improving processes and procedures, including reconciling personnel costs with grant claims. We will continue to improve our process for reconciling personnel costs allocated to federal awards with time and effort reports. Contact Person(s) Responsible for CAP – Todd Burleson, Financial Controller. Anticipated completion date – Processes were improved in FY23 through assistance from accounting consultants. Policies and procedures updates will be implemented in FY24.

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 3577 2022-002
    Material Weakness
  • 580018 2022-003
    Significant Deficiency
  • 580019 2022-002
    Material Weakness

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.425 Education Stabilization Fund $520,235
84.010 Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies $444,616
10.555 National School Lunch Program $302,815
32.009 Emergency Connectivity Fund Program $81,750
84.367 Improving Teacher Quality State Grants $9,202