Finding 522510 (2024-002)

Material Weakness
Requirement
F
Questioned Costs
$1
Year
2024
Accepted
2025-02-10

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The district purchased 8 equipment items totaling $134,020 without obtaining required prior approval.
  • Impacted Requirements: Non-compliance with Texas Department of Agriculture rules for capital asset procurement.
  • Recommended Follow-up: Establish clear job duties for approval processes and provide training to staff on compliance requirements.

Finding Text

Criteria: Districts are required by the Texas Department of Agriculture to obtain prior approval for the purchase of capital assets (equipment) with a cost of $5,000 or greater. Condition: The district failed to obtain the prior approval for the purchase of 8 equipment items. As listed below for a total of $134,020. $7,522.00 HVAC 8,900.00 Humidified Holding Cabinet 26,241.50 Heat Pump System 26,241.50 Heat Pump System 26,241.50 Heat Pump System 26,241.50 Heat Pump System 6,301.00 Ice Machine 6,301.00 Ice Machine $134,020.00 Cause: Management did not have clear job duties established as to who was responsible for obtaining the approval. The staff of the District were not properly educated on the requirements of the program. The internal controls of the district were not effectively designed and implemented to mitigate the risk of non-compliance. Effect: The District is at risk of being required to cover the cost of assets purchased without approval from resources of the general fund or the capital projects fund. The District was not incompliance with the rules related to procurement for the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program as administered by the Texas Department of Agriculture. Questioned Cost Identified: $134,020

Corrective Action Plan

Action Taken: The district concurs with this finding. Management has clear job duties established and the CFO will be responsible for obtaining approval from TDA for capital asset purchases of $5000 or above.

Categories

Questioned Costs Procurement, Suspension & Debarment School Nutrition Programs

Other Findings in this Audit

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
10.555 National School Lunch Program $626,847
93.600 Head Start $200,531
10.553 School Breakfast Program $182,054
84.027 Special Education Grants to States $132,742
10.565 Commodity Supplemental Food Program $82,198
84.010 Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies $75,722
84.425 Education Stabilization Fund $53,579
84.424 Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program $53,094
84.048 Career and Technical Education -- Basic Grants to States $34,722
84.365 English Language Acquisition State Grants $6,036
84.367 Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (formerly Improving Teacher Quality State Grants) $5,738
84.173 Special Education Preschool Grants $3,009
84.369 Grants for State Assessments and Related Activities $1,469