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FINDING 2022-001 Subject: COVID-19 - Education Stabilization Fund - Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Federal Agency: Department of Education Federal Program: COVID-19 - Education Stabilization Fund Assistance Listings Number: 84.425U Federal Award Number and Year (or Other Identifying Number): S425U200013 Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of Education Compliance Requirements: Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Audit Findings: Material Weakness, Modified Opinion Condition and Context The School Corporation was a participating member in the Central Nine Career Center (Center). As a member, the School Corporation was responsible for providing financial contributions to support the Center's operations. In 2019, the Center's Executive Director commissioned a facilities study for purposes of addressing the increase in enrollment at the Center. Based on the results of the study, the Center's Governing Board approved an expansion project in May of 2021, with the construction costs to be split between the member schools based upon each member school's student enrollment at the Center. As a result of that calculation, the School Corporation's contribution to the Center for the construction costs was $472,963. The School Corporation elected to use the American Rescue Plan - Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) funds awarded under the COVID-19 - Education Stabilization Fund to pay this obligation to the Center in December 2021. Although the School Corporation incurred the financial obligation within the grant's period of performance, the origins of the project predated the COVID-19 pandemic. The project's stated purpose did not provide any evidence that it was to prevent, prepare for, or respond to COVID-19. Additionally, the payment was made without proper supporting documentation. The claim for payment was prepared based upon an invoice submitted to the School Corporation from the Center that listed the amount due on a single line item without a breakdown or itemized detail to support the expense from the federal award. We consider the total payment of $472,963 to be questioned costs. The lack of internal controls and noncompliance was isolated to this single payment. 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). . . ." American Rescue Plan Act section 2001(e) states in part: "Uses of Funds. - A local education agency that receives funds under this section - . . . (2) shall use the remaining funds for any of the following: . . . (E) Coordination of preparedness and response efforts of local education agencies with State, local, Tribal, and territorial public health departments, and other relevant agencies, to improve coordinated responses among such entities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. . . . (G) Developing and implementing procedures and systems to improve the preparedness and response efforts of local educational agencies. . . ." 2 CFR 200.302(b) states in part: "The financial management system of each non-Federal entity must provide for the following . . . (3) Records that identify adequately the source and application of funds for federallyfunded activities. These records must contain information pertaining to Federal awards, authorizations, financial obligations, unobligated balances, assets, expenditures, income and interest and be supported by source documentation. . . ." 2 CFR 200.403 states in part: "Except where otherwise authorized by statute, costs must meet the following general criteria in order to be allowable under Federal awards: (a) Be necessary and reasonable for the performance of the Federal award and be allocable thereto under these principles. . . . (g) be adequately documented. . . ." Cause The system of internal controls over the review of federal award expenditures developed by management of the School Corporation was not properly implemented, nor was it operating effectively to ensure expenditures were in compliance with the terms and conditions of the federal award, as well as the Activities Allowed or Unallowed and the Allowable Costs/Cost Principles compliance requirements. Effect Without a proper system of internal controls in place that operated effectively, material noncompliance remained undetected. Noncompliance with the provisions of federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the federal award could result in the loss of future federal funds to the School Corporation. Questioned Costs Questioned costs in the amount of $472,963, were identified as noted in the Condition and Context. Recommendation We recommended that the School Corporation's management establish a proper system of internal controls to ensure expenditures made from federal awards are in compliance with the terms and conditions of the federal award, as well as 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.