Finding 503563 (2022-006)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
I
Questioned Costs
$1
Year
2022
Accepted
2024-10-23

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: KCHC failed to meet procurement standards, leading to questioned costs of $126,567.
  • Impacted Requirements: Lack of adequate documentation for price quotes, missing contracts, and absence of purchase orders violate 2 CFR procurement standards.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement a robust recordkeeping system to ensure compliance and timely documentation for all procurement activities.

Finding Text

Finding No. 2022-006 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services AL Program: 93.224 Health Center Program (Community Health Centers, Migrant Health Centers, Health Care for the Homeless, and Public Housing Primary Care) Federal Award No.: H8031624, H8F41048, H8D36529 Area: Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Questioned Costs: $126,567 Criteria: Non-federal entities other than states must follow the procurement standards set out at 2 CFR sections 200.318 through 200.326. They may use their own documented procedures, which reflect applicable state and local laws and regulations, provided that the procurements confirm to applicable federal statutes and the procurement requirements identified in 2 CFR Part 200. Further, KCHC’s procurement policy requires the following: • For small purchases between $10,001 to $250,000, price or rate quotes must be obtained from an adequate number of sources (at least two) and all quotes, including phone calls, web searches, etc., must be documented and kept on file. • To be allowable under a federal award, costs must be reasonable, allocable, and adequately documented and consistent with federal cost principles. Condition: Of forty non-payroll expenditures tested, aggregating $234,183 of a total population of $770,029, the following were noted: 1. For six (or 15%), supporting procurement package was not sufficient to demonstrate price or rate quotes had been obtained from an adequate number of sources. Finding No. 2022-006, continued Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services AL Program: 93.224 Health Center Program (Community Health Centers, Migrant Health Centers, Health Care for the Homeless, and Public Housing Primary Care) Federal Award No.: H8031624, H8F41048, H8D36529 Area: Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Questioned Costs: $126,567 Condition, continued: 2. For one (or 3%), no contractual agreement between KCHC and the vendor was provided to the audit team (invoice nos. 1235 and 1351 totaling $3,000 and $1,200, respectively). 3. For one (or 3%), supporting procurement package was not sufficient to support open and fair competition for document no. 2834 totaling $1,215. 4. For 11 (or 28%), no purchase order was provided. Cause: KCHC did not enforce recordkeeping and monitoring controls over compliance with applicable procurement and suspension and debarment requirements. Effect: KCHC is in noncompliance with applicable procurement requirements and questioned costs of $126,567 result.   Finding No. 2022-006, continued Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services AL Program: 93.224 Health Center Program (Community Health Centers, Migrant Health Centers, Health Care for the Homeless, and Public Housing Primary Care) Federal Award No.: H8031624, H8F41048, H8D36529 Area: Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Questioned Costs: $126,567 Effect, continued: Identification as a Repeat Finding: Finding No. 2021-006 Recommendation: Responsible personnel should establish a recordkeeping system whereby underlying support for each transaction is processed timely and is filed to facilitate easy retrieval substantiating procurement compliance. In addition, responsible personnel should enforce compliance with procurement regulations. Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding and has developed a plan to correct the finding. Refer to separate Corrective Action Plan.

Corrective Action Plan

Finding No. 2022-006 KCHC agrees and acknowledges the findings related to procurement and suspension and debarment compliance. Since the hiring of new procurement personnel in September 2024, the Finance head has been actively providing regular training to procurement and finance staff, ensuring they are well-versed in federal regulations. Additionally, KCHC has implemented enhanced systems for procurement management and documentation. 1. Onboarding and Training for New Procurement Personnel: The new procurement personnel will undergo comprehensive training on KCHC's procurement policies, federal regulations (2 CFR Part 200), and the use of ProcurementExpress and DocuSign systems. This training ensures the new staff member adheres to procurement procedures, including proper documentation. 2. Ongoing Training for Procurement and Finance Staff: Regular training sessions are conducted to reinforce awareness of federal procurement regulations and KCHC’s internal policies. The focus will be on maintaining adequate documentation, ensuring open competition in procurement processes, and complying with suspension and debarment regulations. 3. Strengthening Monitoring and Internal Audits: KCHC will continue to enhance internal monitoring and audit activities. The Finance department will collaborate with procurement personnel to review all transactions, ensuring that procurement packages include price quotes, purchase orders, and contracts as required. Internal audits will be performed regularly to identify and rectify any documentation gaps. 4. Optimizing Existing Systems: The integration of ProcurementExpress with the accounting system and the use of DocuSign for approval routing will be fully utilized to ensure that all procurement steps are documented and compliant with federal standards. These systems will also ensure that records are readily available during audits. 5. Addressing Repeat Findings: To address the repeat nature of this finding, KCHC will closely monitor the implementation of corrective actions. The accountant will lead efforts to track procurement documentation compliance, providing regular reports to CFO to ensure that procurement activities align with both federal and internal requirements. Implementation Timeline: Completed as of September 30, 2024 with continued updates and monitoring. Responsible person: Arlene Deleon Guerrero, CFO

Categories

Questioned Costs Procurement, Suspension & Debarment

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 503560 2022-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 503561 2022-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 503562 2022-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 503564 2022-007
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 503565 2022-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 503566 2022-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 503567 2022-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 503568 2022-006
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 503569 2022-007
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 503570 2022-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 503571 2022-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 503572 2022-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 503573 2022-006
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 503574 2022-007
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1080002 2022-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1080003 2022-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1080004 2022-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1080005 2022-006
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1080006 2022-007
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1080007 2022-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1080008 2022-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1080009 2022-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1080010 2022-006
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1080011 2022-007
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1080012 2022-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1080013 2022-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1080014 2022-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1080015 2022-006
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1080016 2022-007
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
93.498 Provider Relief Fund $100,511
93.224 Consolidated Health Centers (community Health Centers, Migrant Health Centers, Health Care for the Homeless, and Public Housing Primary Care) $85,996