Finding 400319 (2023-001)

Criteria or specific requirement: Part 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Sections 200.317 through 200.326 describe specific federal requirements related to procurement actions and documented procurement policies for federal award recipients. These standards require various elements, such as addressing conflicts of interests, avoiding acquisition of unnecessary or duplicative items, maintaining records sufficient to detail the history of the procurement, and conducting procurement in a manner that provides full and open competition, and adherence to the required methods of procurement for the acquisition of property and services. These Uniform Guidance standards have been updated several times in the past few years. Part 2 CFR, Section 180.300 describes federal requirements related to suspension and debarment for federal award recipients. The standards require that a federal award recipient verify that an entity with which it plans to enter into a covered transaction is not suspended and debarred. Procedures for satisfying such requirements should be documented, and evidence of such procedures should be maintained. Condition: The Organization’s procurement policy does not address all federally required elements of procurement policies under 2 CFR 200.317 through 200.326. Specifically, some of the items absent from the Organization’s procurement policy include: certain federally defined methods of procurement, open-competition clauses, and clauses related to acquisition of unnecessary and duplicative items. The Organization also does not have a written policy that specifies its suspension and debarment procedures. As a result, the Organization was not able to provide evidence that it verified a vendor with which it entered into a cover transaction was not suspended and debarred before the date it entered into the transaction with such vendor. During our audit procedures, we noted that the vendor was not suspended and debarred. Questioned costs: None Context: Based on our review of the Organization's procurement policy, we noted that several federally required elements were absent from the policy. We also noted that the Organization did not have a documented suspension and debarment policy, and as a result the Organization was not able to provide evidence that it verified a vendor with which it entered into a cover transaction was not suspended and debarred before the date it entered into the transaction with such vendor. Cause: The Organization’s procurement policy has not been revised to address all federally required elements specified in the Uniform Guidance. The Organization also does not have a documented suspension and debarment policy. Effect: The Organization is not in compliance with federal requirements related to a documented procurement policy, and documented suspension and debarment procedures. Repeat Finding: This is not a repeat finding. Recommendation: We recommend that the Organization update its procurement policy to include all federally required elements of such policies for federal award recipients under the Uniform Guidance. We also recommend that the Organization document and maintain evidence of its suspension and debarment procedures to be in compliance with requirements specified in the Uniform Guidance. Views of responsible officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding.