Finding 485010 (2023-004)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding

Requirement

I

Questioned Costs

-

Year

2023

Accepted

2024-08-23

Audit: 317801

Organization: Town of Elkton, Maryland (MD)

Auditor: Cla (cliftonlarsonallen)

AI Summary

Core Issue: The Town did not follow proper procurement processes for purchases over $10,000, lacking documentation for vendor selection and competition.
Impacted Requirements: This finding violates federal procurement standards and the Town’s own purchasing policy, leading to potential noncompliance.
Recommended Follow-Up: The Town should strengthen its internal controls and procedures to ensure compliance with procurement policies across all departments.

Finding Text

Finding Number: 2023-004 Prior Year Finding: 2022-004 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Treasury Federal Program: COVID 19 – Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Relief Fund Assistance Listing: 21.027 Pass-Through Entity: Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Pass-Through Award Number and Period: (7/1/2022 – 6/30/2023) Compliance Requirement: Procurement Type of Finding: Material Weakness in Internal Control over Compliance, Material Noncompliance Criteria or Specific Requirement: Control: Per 2 CFR Section 200.303(a), a non-Federal entity must: 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 comply 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). Compliance: Per 2 CFR section 200.318, a non-Federal entity must have and use documented procurement procedures, consistent with State, local, and tribal laws and regulations and the standards of this section, for the acquisition of property or services required under a Federal award or subaward. Per 2 CFR section 200.319, all procurement transactions for the acquisition of property or services required under a Federal award must be conducted in a manner providing full and open competition consistent with the standards of this section and § 200.320. Per the Town’s purchasing policy, goods or services costing $10,000 or more must be purchased from the lowest responsive bidder meeting specifications after advertising for bids. Condition/Context: The Town failed to provide documentation supporting compliance with required procurement processes for goods or services exceeding $10,000 for four out of six vendors tested. This includes a lack of evidence on how these vendors were selected and whether the procurement process ensured full and open competition. Additionally, two vendors utilized by the police department did not undergo the general bidding process. Questioned Costs: Unknown. Cause: The Town’s internal controls were not sufficient to ensure that procurement policies were followed for purchases made for the program. Effect: Failure to adhere to procurement policies and procedures may result in obtaining goods or services under terms that are not in the best interest of the federal program. Repeat Finding: The finding is a repeat of a finding in the immediately prior year. Prior year finding number was 2022-04. Recommendation: The Town should review and enhance controls and procedures to ensure that it follows procurement policy for all goods and services charged to the program and should ensure that all departments are subject to applicable controls, policies and procedures. Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding.

Corrective Action Plan

Current plan & Actions being taken and developed. 1. Develop and Update Procurement Policies Create Comprehensive Policies: Ensure that the procurement policy covers all aspects of the procurement process, including vendor selection, bidding, contract management, and expenditure approvals. Regular Reviews: Periodically review and update the policies to reflect changes in laws, regulations, or best practices. 2. Establish Clear Procedures Document Procedures: Develop detailed procedures for each step of the procurement process, from requisition to payment. Create a procurement checklist. Standardize Processes: Ensure consistency across departments by standardizing procedures for procurement activities. Provide each department with the procurement check list. 3. Training and Awareness Conduct Training: Provide regular training for all staff involved in procurement to ensure they understand the policies and procedures. Promote Awareness: Increase awareness about the importance of compliance with procurement policies. 4. Implement Controls and Checks Segregation of Duties: Divide procurement responsibilities among different staff to reduce the risk of errors or fraud. Approval Processes: Establish clear approval hierarchies and limits for procurement activities and expenditures. Audit Trails: Maintain detailed records and documentation for all procurement transactions. 5. Monitor and Review Compliance Regular Audits: Conduct regular internal and external audits of procurement activities to ensure adherence to policies. Performance Metrics: Develop metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of procurement processes and identify areas for improvement. 6. Enforce Accountability Responsibility Assignments: Assign clear responsibilities for monitoring and enforcing procurement policies. 7. Utilize Technology Data Analysis: Use data analytics to track spending patterns, vendor performance, and policy compliance. 8. Encourage Transparency Open Bidding Processes: Ensure that procurement opportunities are advertised openly and fairly. 9. Feedback and Continuous Improvement Solicit Feedback: Gather feedback from staff and vendors on the procurement process to identify areas for improvement. Continuous Improvement: Regularly update procedures and policies based on feedback and audit findings. 10. Departmental Integration Cross-Department Coordination: Ensure that all departments are aligned with procurement policies and procedures. Provide each department with the procurement check list. Name(s) of the contact person(s) responsible for corrective action: All Department Directors, in conjunction with the Finance Department, are collectively accountable for the implementation and oversight of this corrective action plan. Requests for Proposals (RFPs) will be reviewed and approved in an open Town Meeting, with decisions made by the Mayor and Commissioners. Planned completion date for corrective action plan: Implementation commenced around June 1, 2024 and is projected to be fully operational within a year June 1, 2025.

Programs in Audit

ALN	Program Name	Expenditures
21.027	Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds	$4.83M
93.499	Low Income Household Water Assistance Program	$40,822
16.738	Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program	$25,200
20.600	State and Community Highway Safety	$1,994
20.616	National Priority Safety Programs	$997

Finding 485010 (2023-004)

AI Summary

Finding Text

Corrective Action Plan

Categories

Other Findings in this Audit

Programs in Audit