Finding Text
FINDING 2022-004 Information on the federal program: Subject: COVID-19 - Education Stabilization Fund - Special Tests and Provisions - Wage Rate Requirements Federal Agency: Department of Education Federal Program: COVID-19 - Education Stabilization Fund Assistance Listing Number: 84.425U Federal Award Number: S425U210013 Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of Education Compliance Requirement: Special Tests and Provisions - Wage Rate Requirements Audit Findings: Material Weakness, Modified Opinion Criteria: 2 CFR 200.303 states in part: "The non-Federal entity must: (a) Establish and maintain effective internal control over Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-Federal entity is managing the Federal awards 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)...." 29 CFR Part 5.5(a)(3) states in part: ?(a) The Agency head shall cause or require the contracting officer to insert in full in any contract in excess of $2,000 which is entered into for the actual construction, alteration and/or repair, including painting and decorating, of a public building or public work, or building or work financed in whole or in part from Federal funds or in accordance with guarantees of a Federal agency or financed from funds obtained by pledge of any contract of a Federal agency to make a loan, grant or annual contribution (except where a different meaning is expressly indicated), and which is subject to the labor standards provisions of any of the acts listed in ?5.1, the following clauses? (1) Minimum wages. (i) All laborers and mechanics employed or working upon the site of the work (or under the United States Housing Act of 1937 or under the Housing Act of 1949 in the construction or development of the project), will be paid unconditionally and not less often than once a week, and without subsequent deduction or rebate on any account (except such payroll deductions as are permitted by regulations issued by the Secretary of Labor under the Copeland Act (29 CFR part 3)), the full amount of wages and bona fide fringe benefits (or cash equivalents thereof) due at time of payment computed at rates not less than those contained in the wage determination of the Secretary of Labor which is attached hereto and made a part hereof, regardless of any contractual relationship which may be alleged to exist between the contractor and such laborers and mechanics? (3)(ii)(A) The contractor shall submit weekly for each week in which any contract work is performed a copy of all payrolls to the (write in name of appropriate federal agency) if the agency is a party to the contract, but if the agency is not such a party, the contractor will submit the payrolls to the applicant, sponsor, or owner, as the case may be, for transmission to the (write in name of agency). . . .? 2 CFR 200 Appendix II states in part: In addition to other provisions required by the Federal agency or non-Federal entity; all contracts made by the non-Federal entity under the Federal award must contain provisions covering the following, as applicable. . . . (D) Davis-Bacon Act, as amended (40 U.S.C. 3141-3148). When required by Federal program legislation, all prime construction contracts in excess of $2,000 awarded by non-Federal entities must include a provision for compliance with the Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. 3141-3144, and 3146-3148) as supplemented by Department of Labor regulations (29 CFR Part 5, ?Labor Standards Provisions Applicable to Contracts Covering Federally Financed and Assisted Construction?). In accordance with the statute, contractors must be required to pay wages to laborers and mechanics at a rate not less than the prevailing wages specified in a wage determination made by the Secretary of Labor. In addition, contractors must be required to pay wages not less than once a week.. . .? Condition: An effective internal control system was not in place at the School Corporation to ensure compliance with requirements related to the grant agreement and the Special Tests and Provisions Wage Rate Requirements compliance requirement. Construction contracts in excess of $2,000 financed by federal assistance funds must pay wages not less than those established for the locality of the project (prevailing wage rates) by the Department of Labor (DOL) to their laborers and mechanics. Nonfederal entities are to include in their construction contracts subject to the Wage Rate Requirements a provision that the contractor or subcontractor comply with these requirements and the DOL regulations. This would include a requirement to submit a copy of the payroll and statement of compliance to the entity for each week in which contract work was performed. The School Corporation did not have adequate policies or procedures to ensure that the one construction contract for an HVAC system in excess of $2,000 paid from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III) Fund award included in the contract a provision that the contractor will comply with the DOL regulations or submitted certified payrolls or a statement of compliance. As such neither the certified payrolls nor a statement of compliance were submitted for the project. The construction contract did not include the provision that the contractor will comply with the DOL regulations. The lack of internal controls and noncompliance were systemic issues throughout the audit period. Cause: Management had not established a system of internal controls that would have ensured compliance with the Special Tests and Provisions - Wage Rate Requirements compliance requirement. Effect: The failure to establish an effective internal control system enabled material noncompliance to go undetected. Noncompliance with the grant agreement and the Special Tests and Provisions - Wage Rate Requirements compliance requirement could result in the loss of future federal funds to the School Corporation. Questioned Costs: There were no questioned costs identified. Context: An effective internal control system was not in place at the School Corporation to ensure compliance with requirements related to the grant agreement and the Special Tests and Provisions Wage Rate Requirements compliance requirement. Identification as a repeat finding, if applicable: No. Recommendation: We recommended that the School Corporation's management establish a system of internal controls to ensure compliance and comply with the grant agreement and the Special Tests and Provisions - Wage Rate Requirements compliance requirement. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Management agrees with the finding and has prepared a corrective action plan.