FAC Explorer

Finding 502209 (2021-003)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
P
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2021
Accepted
2024-10-10
Audit: 324370
Organization: American Association of Physics Teachers, Inc. (MD)
Auditor: Gary Staples Accounting LLC

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: There was a failure to reconcile year-end schedules for federal grants, leading to overdrawn accounts and inaccurate financial statements.
  • Impacted Requirements: Noncompliance with 2 CFR 200.508 and 2 CFR 200.510 regarding financial statement preparation and management of federal awards.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: AAPT staff should improve schedule preparation and review processes, with the CFO overseeing the updates and ensuring timely reimbursement of $80,978 by July 31, 2024.

Finding Text

Finding 2021-003: Reconciliation of AccountsFederal Program: Research and Development Cluster (Education and Human Resources) Assistance Listing Number and Title: 47.076 STEM Education Name of Federal Agency, Pass Through Entity (when applicable), Award Number and Year: National Science Foundation: 1524963 (11/1/2015 – 9/30/2021), 1812860 (9/1/2018 – 8/31/2020) Material Weakness in Internal Control over Compliance, Material Noncompliance Criteria or Specific Requirement (Including Statutory, Regulatory, or Other Citation): According to 2 CFR 200.508 "Auditee Responsibilities" the auditee must prepare appropriate financial statements, including the SEFA (as specifically defined under 2 CFR 200.510 "Financial statements"). Title 2 CFR 200.510 "financial statements" requires recipients of Federal funds to prepare a SEFA for the period covered by the auditee's financial statements, which must include the total Federal awards expended. In addition, as noted in 2 CFR 200.302 "Financial management", the financial management system of each non-Federal entity must provide for identification, in its accounts, of all Federal awards received and expended and the Federal programs under which they were received, and records that identify adequately the source and application of funds for federally-funded activities including expenditures. Condition: The year-end schedules for federal grants receivable, for net assets, and for vacation payable were not reconciled and needed to be revised and updated. Cause: Errors in transferring balances between years occurred, which impacted carry-over amounts and the ending balances as of 12/31/2021. Related to vacation payables, the schedule had not been properly adjusted to account for the number of days in the last pay period. Effect or Potential Effect: Three federal grant accounts were overdrawn as of 12/31/2021, creating a liability to the federal government. The related grant receivable and liability balances were not properly stated before adjustment as a result. Questioned Costs: $80,822 in total. Assistance listing number 47.076. Of this amount, $62,403 applies to award ID 1505278, which was closed before 1/1/2021 and did not have expenses or drawdowns in 2021 but by the end of 2018 had $138,034 in federal funding provided to AAPT and $75,631 of reimbursable expenses. AAPT had not refunded the overpayment, such as by applying this $62,403 as a reduction in federal reimbursements drawn during 2021. The remaining amounts of $10,112 and $8,307 relate to award IDs 1812860, and 1524963, respectively, and were calculated in the same manner. The period of performance for award ID 1812860 ended on 8/31/2020. The period of performance for award ID 1524963 ended on 9/30/2021. Identification as a Repeat Finding, if Applicable: 2020-003 Recommendation: We recommend AAPT staff prepare schedules used to prepare entries into the accounting information system or which the information in the schedules will otherwise be used to initiate financial transactions, and the transactions and schedules be reviewed by a supervisor. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: The outstanding liability due to NSF of $80,978 will be reimbursed when AAPT files the next drawn down request. Anticipated date of drawn down will be by July 31,2024. The senior accountant will be trained to prepare entries previously prepared by the CFO The senior accountant will reconcile accounts, and provide updated current schedules. The CFO will review and approve the entries and schedules prepared by the Senior accountant. Anticipated Completion Date: 10/15/2024 Responsible Official: Michael Brosnan, CFO

Corrective Action Plan

Finding 2021-003: Reconciliation of Accounts Federal Program: Research and Development Cluster (Education and Human Resources) Assistance Listing Number and Title: 47.076 STEM Education Name of Federal Agency, Pass Through Entity (when applicable), Award Number and Year: National Science Foundation: 1524963 (11/1/2015 – 9/30/2021), 1812860 (9/1/2018 – 8/31/2020) Condition: The year-end schedules for federal grants receivable, for net assets, and for vacation payable were not reconciled and needed to be revised and updated. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: The outstanding liability due to NSF of $80,978 will be reimbursed when AAPT files the next drawn down request. Anticipated date of drawn down will be by July 31,2024. The senior accountant will be trained to prepare entries previously prepared by the CFO The senior accountant will reconcile accounts, and provide updated current schedules. The CFO will review and approve the entries and schedules prepared by the Senior accountant. Anticipated Completion Date: 10/15/2024 Responsible Official: Michael Brosnan, CFO

Categories

Cash Management Material Weakness Period of Performance Reporting Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 502204 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502205 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 502206 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502207 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502208 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 502210 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502211 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502212 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 502213 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502214 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502215 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 502216 2021-004
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502217 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502218 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502219 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 502220 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502221 2021-006
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502222 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502223 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 502224 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502225 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502226 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 502227 2021-004
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502228 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502229 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502230 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 502231 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502232 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502233 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 502234 2021-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 502235 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502236 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502237 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 502238 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502239 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502240 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 502241 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502242 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502243 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 502244 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502245 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502246 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 502247 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502248 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502249 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 502250 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502251 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502252 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 502253 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502254 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502255 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 502256 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502257 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502258 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 502259 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078646 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078647 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1078648 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078649 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078650 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1078651 2021-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1078652 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078653 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078654 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1078655 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078656 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078657 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1078658 2021-004
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078659 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078660 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078661 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1078662 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078663 2021-006
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078664 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078665 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1078666 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078667 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078668 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1078669 2021-004
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078670 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078671 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078672 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1078673 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078674 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078675 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1078676 2021-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1078677 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078678 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078679 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1078680 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078681 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078682 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1078683 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078684 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078685 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1078686 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078687 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078688 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1078689 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078690 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078691 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1078692 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078693 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078694 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1078695 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078696 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078697 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1078698 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078699 2021-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1078700 2021-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1078701 2021-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
43.001 Science $41,592
47.049 Mathematical and Physical Sciences $23,501
47.076 Education and Human Resources $20,896