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FINDING 2022-004 Subject: Special Education Cluster (IDEA) - Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Federal Agency: Department of Education Federal Programs: Special Education Grants to States, Special Education Preschool Grants Assistance Listings Numbers: 84.027, 84.173 Federal Award Numbers and Years (or Other Identifying Numbers): 19611-112-PN01, 20611-112-PN01, 21611-112-PN01, 19619-112-PN01, 20619-112-PN01 Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of Education Compliance Requirement: Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Audit Findings: Material Weakness, Modified Opinion Condition and Context An effective internal control system was not in place at the School Corporation in order to ensure compliance with the grant agreement and the Allowable Costs/Cost Principles compliance requirement. Payroll disbursements for three of six employees tested were not supported by the School Corporation's records. The hourly rate for one employee tested did not agree to the rate stated in the School Board approved salary schedule. The rate paid was more than the amount stated in the School Board approved salary schedule. In addition, the School Corporation could not provide a contract for two of the employees tested. The total amount paid in unsupported salaries, $86,043, was considered questioned costs. The lack of internal controls and noncompliance were systemic issues throughout the audit period. INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 18 ROCHESTER COMMUNITY SCHOOL CORPORATION SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) 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). . . ." 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. (b) Conform to any limitations or exclusions set forth in these principles or in the Federal award as to types or amount of cost items. . . . (g) Be adequately documented. . . ." 2 CFR 200.430(i) states in part: "(1) Charges to Federal awards for salaries and wages must be based on records that accurately reflect the work performed. These records must: (i) Be supported by a system of internal control which provides reasonable assurance that the charges are accurate, allowable, and properly allocated; (ii) Be incorporated into the official records of the non-Federal entity; (iii) Reasonably reflect the total activity for which the employee is compensated by the non-Federal entity, not exceeding 100% of compensated activities (for IHE, this per the IHE's definition of IBS) . . . (vii) Support 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. . . ." Cause Management had not developed an effective system of internal controls that would have ensured compliance with the grant agreement and the Allowable Costs/Cost Principles compliance requirement. INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 19 ROCHESTER COMMUNITY SCHOOL CORPORATION SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) Effect The failure to establish an effective system of internal controls, as well as adequately document costs of federal awards, prevented the determination of the School Corporation's compliance with the Allowable Costs/Cost Principles compliance requirement. Questioned Costs Known questioned costs of $86,043 were identified as noted in the Condition and Context. Recommendation We recommended that the School Corporation's management establish a system of internal controls, as well as to appropriately maintain documentation supporting costs, to ensure compliance with the grant agreement and the Allowable Costs/Cost Principles compliance requirement. Views of Responsible Officials For the views of responsible officials, refer to the Corrective Action Plan that is part of this report.