Finding Text
FINDING 2022-005 Subject: Child Nutrition Cluster - Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture Federal Programs: School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program, Summer Food Service Program for Children, COVID-19 - Summer Food Service Program for Children Assistance Listings Numbers: 10.553, 10.555, 10.559 Federal Award Numbers and Years (or Other Identifying Numbers): FY 2020-2021, FY 2021-2022 Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of Education Compliance Requirements: Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Audit Findings: Material Weakness, Modified Opinion Repeat Finding This is a repeat finding from the immediately prior audit report. The prior audit finding number was 2020-002. Condition and Context An effective system of internal controls was not in place at the School Corporation to ensure compliance with requirements related to the grant agreement and the Activities Allowed or Unallowed and the Allowable Costs/Cost Principles compliance requirements. The School Corporation had not designed nor implemented adequate policies and procedures to ensure that program costs were supported by proper documentation, were allowable, and solely for the operation and improvement of the food service program. Out of 16 disbursements selected for testing, supporting documentation could not be provided for 3 of the disbursements totaling $23,438. These 3 disbursements were paid to the Food Service Management Company that the School Corporation had entered into a cost-reimbursement contract with to oversee the School Corporation's food service operations. Due to lack of sufficient documentation we were unable to determine if the disbursements were allowable for the federal program. The lack of internal controls, noncompliance, and failure to maintain adequate supporting documentation of program costs were systemic issues throughout the audit period. Criteria 2 CFR 200.303 states in part: "The non-Federal entity must: (a) 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). . . ." INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 24 CENTRAL NOBLE COMMUNITY SCHOOL CORPORATION SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) 7 CFR 210.21(f)(1) states in part: ". . . (ii) (A) The contractor must separately identify for each cost submitted for payment to the school food authority the amount of that cost that is allowable (can be paid from the nonprofit school food service account) and the amount that is unallowable (cannot be paid from the nonprofit school food service account); or (B) The contractor must exclude all unallowable costs from its billing documents and certify that only allowable costs are submitted for payment and records have been established that maintain the visibility of unallowable costs, including directly associated costs in a manner suitable for contract cost determination and verification; (ii) The contractor's determination of its allowable costs must be made in compliance with the applicable Departmental and Program regulations and Office of Management and Budget cost circulars; . . . (vi) The contractor must maintain documentation of costs and discounts, rebates and other applicable credits, and must furnish such documentation upon request to the school food authority, the State agency, or the Department." 7 CFR 220.7(e) states in part: "Each school food authority approved to participate in the program shall enter into a written agreement with the State agency or the Department through the FNSRO, as applicable, that may be amended as necessary. . . . Such agreements shall provide that the School Food Authority shall, with respect to participating schools under its jurisdiction: . . . (1) . . . (ii) In accordance with the financial management system established under ? 220.13(i) of this part, use all revenues received by such food service only for the operation or improvement of that food service . . . (12) Maintain a financial management system as prescribed by the State agency, or FNSRO where applicable; . . ." Cause Management had not developed a system of internal controls that would have ensured compliance with the grant agreement and the Activities Allowed or Unallowed and the Allowable Costs/Cost Principles compliance requirements. Effect The failure to establish an effective system of internal controls, as well as adequately document costs, prevented the determination of the School Corporation's compliance with the Activities Allowed or Unallowed and the Allowable Costs/Cost Principles compliance requirements. Questioned Costs Known questioned costs in the amount of $23,438 were identified as noted in the Condition and Context. INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 25 CENTRAL NOBLE COMMUNITY SCHOOL CORPORATION SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) Recommendation We recommended that the School Corporation's management establish a system of internal controls to ensure that documentation will be maintained and made available for audit and comply with the grant agreement and the Activities Allowed or Unallowed and the Allowable Costs/Cost Principles compliance requirements. Views of Responsible Officials For the views of responsible officials, refer to the Corrective Action Plan that is part of this report.