Finding Text
FINDING 2024-001
Information on the federal program:
Subject: Impact Aid – Special Tests and Provisions - Wage Rate Requirements
Federal Agency: Department of Education
Federal Program: Impact Aid
Assistance Listing Number: 84.041
Federal Award Numbers and Years (or Other Identifying Numbers): S041A-2021-1617, S041A-2022-1617,
S041A-2023-1617, S041A-2024-1617, S041B-2021-1616, S041B-2022-1616, S041B-2023-1616, S041B-
2024-1616
Pass-Through Entity: Direct Grant
Compliance Requirement: Special Tests and Provisions - Wage Rate Requirements
Audit Findings: Material Weakness
Criteria: 2 CFR section 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 5.5 states in part:
(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). FINDING 2024-001 (Continued)
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 in order to
ensure compliance with requirements related to the grant agreement and the Special Tests and Provisions
– Wage Rate Requirements compliance requirements.
Cause: The School Corporation's management had not developed a system of internal controls to ensure
compliance with the compliance requirements listed above.
Effect: The failure to design and implement 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: The School Corporation had one project for a new fabrication lab for students was funded with
Impact Aid (84.041) grant awards. The School Corporation did not properly include Davis-Bacon wage rate
requirements in the vendor contract, and did not obtain the weekly payroll reports certifications from the
construction vendor to monitor compliance with Davis-Bacon wage rate requirements. Therefore, no review
was performed to ensure that pay rates complied with the federal wage rate requirements. The total project
cost disbursed during the audit period was $37,200 which included materials and labor.
Identification as a repeat finding: No.
Recommendation: We recommend the School Corporation implement a formal process to ensure the
required weekly payroll reports certifications are collected and reviewed for projects requiring labor
installation and funded by federal grants subject to Davis-Bacon wage rate requirements to ensure
compliance with federal regulations.
Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Management agrees with the finding
and has prepared a corrective action plan.