Finding 524111 (2023-001)

Material Weakness
Requirement
P
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2023
Accepted
2025-02-20

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Material audit adjustments were needed to align financial statements with accepted accounting principles.
  • Impacted Requirements: Internal controls were ineffective, failing to prevent and detect misstatements in a timely manner.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Review and enhance policies to ensure regular reconciliation of account balances and transactions.

Finding Text

Condition: Several material audit adjustments were required to present the financial statements and schedule of expenditures of federal awards in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Criteria: An effective system of intenal controls allows management or employees, in the normal course of performing their assigned functions, to prevent, detect and correct misstatements on a timely basis. Effect: Significant adjustments that were material in the aggregate in relation to the financial statements were not detected and recorded on a timely basis. Cause: Timely reconciliation of certain general ledger accounts was not performed by management. As a result, material adjustments were required to be made to the Organization's financial statement accounts. Recommendation: We recommend the Organization review its policies and procedures to ensure that all account balances and transactions are periodically reviewed for proper treatment in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. View of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: See management's attached corrective action plan.

Corrective Action Plan

Corrective Action Planned: 1. Replacement of the general ledger maintenance owner. 2. Engagement of CrossCountry Consulting’s Risk & Compliance department to assess and assist the organization with the implementation of additional internal controls which will specifically address the material weakness identified. 3. Addition of a robust general ledger review and reconciliation on a timely basis as part of the month-end closing process. 4. Addition of quarterly reviews of general ledger activity and procedures with an external Accounting Advisory firm. Detailed review of annual results will take place prior to commencement of annual external audit. Anticipated Completion Date: 1. The Interim Financial Controller will work with the current general ledger owner for a period of eight weeks to assume ownership until a full-time replacement can be hired. The transition is underway and will be completed by January 15th, 2025, with a goal of having a full-time replacement in place by end of March 2025. 2. This agreement is being drafted and work will begin by December 6th, 2024. The assessment and implementation of additional controls will be completed by end of March 2025. 3. This will begin immediately and will be an ongoing requirement for BioMADE’s finance department. All monthly close activity for FY 2024 will be completed by end of January 2025 and monthly close for FY 2025 will commence immediately and be completed on a monthly cycle through the remainder of FY 2025. 4. This will begin immediately and will be an ongoing requirement through the completion of the FY24 and FY25 external audits.

Categories

Reporting

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 524112 2023-001
    Material Weakness
  • 524113 2023-001
    Material Weakness
  • 1100553 2023-001
    Material Weakness
  • 1100554 2023-001
    Material Weakness
  • 1100555 2023-001
    Material Weakness

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
12.800 Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program $35.61M
11.619 Arrangements for Interdisciplinary Research Infrastructure $4.77M
47.076 Stem Education (formerly Education and Human Resources) $228,045