Finding 50660 (2022-002)

Material Weakness
Requirement
Allowable Costs/Cost Principles
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2023-09-28

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Foundation requested reimbursement for $216,667 for assessments that were not fully completed by year-end, leading to a significant misstatement in financial reporting.
  • Impacted Requirements: This situation violates GAAP, which requires expenses to be recorded when incurred, not when billed.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Management should adjust their accounting practices to record costs only when assessments are completed, as tracked, to ensure compliance moving forward.

Finding Text

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, pass-through State of Tennessee Department of Health - Immunization Cooperative Agreements (ALN COVID-93.268) Federal Award Identification Number Year 34349-31823 2022 Criteria: Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting so that financial statements are complete, accurate, and presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (?GAAP?). Management is responsible for only charging allowable costs to the federal award. In accordance with cash management requirements for cost-reimbursed contracts, the Foundation is required to request reimbursement for (a) only allocable, allowable, and reasonable contract costs that have already been paid or (b) if the non-federal entity is not delinquent in paying costs of contract performance in the ordinary course of business, costs incurred, but not necessarily paid. Condition: In December 2022, the Foundation expensed and requested reimbursement for $216,667 for 5,000 assessments completed. However, as of December 31, 2022, only 696 assessments were completed. The other 4,304 assessments were completed in January 2023 and February 2023. In accordance with GAAP, expenses should be recorded when incurred. Since these assessments weren?t completed until 2023, there was a $186,492 audit adjustment to reduce expenditures for the assessments along with $18,649 in related indirect costs. This expenditure is not included in the schedule of federal and state awards for the year ended December 31, 2022. Cause: The Foundation is using a contractor to complete the assessments. The vendor billed for the assessments in December 2022. Management is maintaining a tracker of assessments billed compared to assessments completed. However, the expenditure was recorded based on assessments billed. Effect or potential effect: The financial statements required a material adjustment to be in accordance with GAAP. The federal award was charged $186,492 in advance of when the expense was incurred. Recommendation: We recommend that management record the cost of the assessments in the period the assessment is completed, as documented in the tracker of assessments. Views of responsible officers: Management acknowledges this finding and will address remediation in the accompanying management?s corrective action plan in appendix A.

Corrective Action Plan

2022-002: Internal Control Over Financial Reporting and Compliance with Allowable Costs and Cash Management U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, pass-through State of Tennessee Department of Health - Immunization Cooperative Agreements (ALN COVID-93.268) Management?s Response: We concur. View of Responsible Officials and Corrective Action: The CEO and the Project Manager have created a tracking document to closely monitor the assessment completed and accounted for within the requested reimbursement. The Controller will review the assessment tracker to account for only those completed assessments in 2022-year end financials. Remaining assessments will be accounted for 2023 financials. Anticipated Completion Date: With new accounting software being implemented on October 1, 2023, the correction to this accounting of assessments will be correctly attributed by November 1, 2023.

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Cash Management Reporting Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 42668 2022-003
    Material Weakness
  • 42669 2022-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 619110 2022-003
    Material Weakness
  • 619111 2022-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 627102 2022-002
    Material Weakness

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
93.268 Immunization Cooperative Agreements $627,540
93.426 Improving the Health of Americans Through Prevention and Management of Diabetes and Heart Disease and Stroke $259,853