Finding 540538 (2024-007)

-
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2025-03-28

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Department failed to comply with FEMA's requirements for accounting eligible costs on large disaster projects.
  • Impacted Requirements: Inadequate documentation for $4,340 of costs out of $11,269,633 total expenditures, violating compliance standards.
  • Recommended Follow-up: Implement stronger internal controls to ensure accurate cost accounting and compliance with FEMA guidelines.

Finding Text

2024-007 SPECIAL TESTS - DISASTER GRANT PROJECTS Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Homeland Security/FEMA Federal Program Title & Assistance Listing Number: Disaster Grants - Public Assistance (Presidentially Declared Disasters) - 97.036 Award Period: 2023 Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance Other Non-compliance Questioned Costs: Unknown Condition We noted the Department was not in compliance with requirements related to accounting to FEMA of eligible costs for large, completed projects: ALN 97.036 We reviewed cost documentation support for 13 completed projects with $11,269,633 in total expenditures, and noted $4,340 in costs that were unsupported. Criteria For large projects, the subrecipient must make an accounting to the recipient. In submitting the accounting, the entity is required to certify that reported costs were incurred in performance of eligible work, that the approved work was completed, that the project was in compliance with the provisions of FEMA-State agreement, all grant conditions were met, and that payments were made in accordance with the applicable payment provisions. Effect The Department was not in compliance with the requirement to account for total costs as allowable. Cause The Department did not have adequate controls in place to monitor this compliance requirement.

Corrective Action Plan

Recommendation We recommend that the Department enhance its process for auditing packets submitted by subrecipients to ensure that all invoices are provided to support total costs. Management Response Corrective Action: We concur with this finding and the auditor's recommendation. The Department is working on obtaining the accounting, where an entity is required to certify that reported costs were incurred in performance of eligible work, that the approved work was completed, that the project was in compliance with the provisions of FEMA-State agreement The proper closing of the grants will be the focus of the Grants Unit to make sure the Department communicates and obtains the needed information from the recipients. Due Date of Completion: June 30, 2025 Responsible Party: Deputy Cabinet Secretary, Grants Unit Manager

Categories

Special Tests & Provisions Subrecipient Monitoring Significant Deficiency Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 540529 2024-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 540530 2024-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 540531 2024-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 540532 2024-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 540533 2024-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 540534 2024-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 540535 2024-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 540536 2024-006
    Significant Deficiency
  • 540537 2024-006
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1116971 2024-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1116972 2024-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1116973 2024-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1116974 2024-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1116975 2024-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1116976 2024-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1116977 2024-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1116978 2024-006
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1116979 2024-006
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1116980 2024-007
    -

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
97.036 Disaster Grants - Public Assistance (presidentially Declared Disasters) $149.18M
97.039 Hazard Mitigation Grant $58.14M
97.067 Homeland Security Grant Program $6.23M
97.042 Emergency Management Performance Grants $5.22M
97.008 Non-Profit Security Program $630,343
97.047 Bric: Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities $440,909
20.703 Interagency Hazardous Materials Public Sector Training and Planning Grants $111,785
97.023 Community Assistance Program State Support Services Element (cap-Ssse) $65,001
14.218 Community Development Block Grants/entitlement Grants $38,841