Finding 50435 (2022-002)

Significant Deficiency
Requirement
AB
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2023-08-14
Audit: 43533
Organization: American Physical Society (MD)
Auditor: Bdo USA P A

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: APS failed to charge $81,916 in indirect costs for May to July 2022, violating internal control policies.
  • Impacted Requirements: Non-compliance with Uniform Guidance in 2 CFR Sections 200.303 and 200.403, affecting the accuracy of the SEFA.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: APS should enhance policies and procedures to ensure SEFA completeness and accuracy.

Finding Text

Criteria - The Uniform Guidance in 2 CFR Section 200.303 requires that non-Federal entities receiving Federal awards (i.e., auditee management) establish and maintain internal control designed to reasonably ensure compliance with Federal statues, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. In addition, per 2 CFR Section 200.403, ?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 allocablethereto under these principles. (b)Conform to any limitations or exclusions set forth in these principles or in the Federal awardas to types or amount of cost items. (c)Be consistent with policies and procedures that apply uniformly to both federally-financedand other activities of the non-Federal entity. (d)Be accorded consistent treatment. A cost may not be assigned to a Federal award as a directcost if any other cost incurred for the same purpose in like circumstances has been allocatedto the Federal award as an indirect cost. (e)Be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), except,for state and local governments and Indian tribes only, as otherwise provided for in this part. (f)Not be included as a cost or used to meet cost sharing or matching requirements of any otherfederally-financed program in either the current or a prior period. (g)Be adequately documented.? Condition ? In our examination of the program?s indirect cost charges, we noted that APS did not charge the appropriate indirect cost of $81,916 for the months of May through July 2022 to the program. Consequently, an adjustment was recorded to correct the SEFA. Cause ? Management did not adhere to their internal policies and procedures to ensure that all federal transactions are charged to the programs and that the SEFA is complete and accurate. Effect or potential effect ? The SEFA may not be fairly presented, in all material respects, in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole. In addition, the lack of adherence to the established internal controls policies and procedures can lead to noncompliance with federal statutes, regulations, and provisions of grant agreements. Questioned Costs ? None. Context ? This is a condition identified per review of APS? compliance with specified requirements using a statistically valid sample. Recommendation ? We recommend that APS strengthen their policies and procedures to ensure the completeness and accuracy of the SEFA. Views of Responsible Officials - APS concurs with this finding. APS?s corrective action is described in the Management?s Corrective Action Plan included below.

Categories

Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 50427 2022-001
    Significant Deficiency
  • 50428 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 50429 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 50430 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 50431 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 50432 2022-001
    Significant Deficiency
  • 50433 2022-001
    Significant Deficiency
  • 50434 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 51930 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 626869 2022-001
    Significant Deficiency
  • 626870 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 626871 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 626872 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 626873 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 626874 2022-001
    Significant Deficiency
  • 626875 2022-001
    Significant Deficiency
  • 626876 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 626877 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 628372 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
47.076 Inclusion Across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science $868,599
47.076 Changing the Culture: Developing A Guide of Effective Practices to Improve, Assess, and Review Undergraduate Physics Programs $552,139
47.049 Phystec: Building A Solution to the National Physics Teacher Shortage $386,790
47.049 Aps Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics (cuwip3) $213,066
47.076 Changing Physics and Astronomy Education Culture: A Reflective Practice Model of Faculty Development to Support Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Excellence $72,101
47.049 National Physics Reu Leadership Group Workshop and Community- Building $47,451
47.076 Collaborative Research: Get the Facts Out: Changing the Conversation Around Stem Teacher Recruitment $33,370
81.049 Workshop on Energy Research $25,530
81.049 Conference of Undergraduate Women in Physics $15,418
47.076 Collaboration Research: Mobilizing Teachers $4,644