Finding 571120 (2024-003)

Significant Deficiency
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2025-07-11
Audit: 361997
Organization: City of Harahan (LA)
Auditor: Eisneramper LLP

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The City failed to finalize reconciliations for ARPA and FEMA expenditures, leading to inaccuracies in the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA).
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with Title I U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, which mandates timely and accurate reporting of federal expenditures.
  • Recommended Follow-up: Strengthen internal controls over federal program reconciliations to ensure accurate SEFA reporting, with new procedures to be implemented in 2024.

Finding Text

2024-003 PROCEDURES OVER PREPARATION OF THE SCHEDULE OF EXPENDITURES OF FEDERAL AWARDS Criteria: The City should have systems of internal accounting control which ensures the schedule of expenditures of federal awards (SEFA) is presented in accordance with Title I U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) on a timely basis. Universe/Population: Not applicable. Condition: The City did not perform final reconciliations of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) expenditures necessary to prepare an accurate and complete SEFA on a timely basis. Cause: Due to the complexity of the calculations for recognizing ARPA and FEMA expenditures on the SEFA, the City provided adjustments to the original SEFA provided to the auditors. Effect: The original SEFA required adjustments necessary to correct the balances reported as federal expenditures for ARPA and FEMA. Questioned Costs: For the purposes of this finding, there were no questioned costs. Recommendation: The City should strengthen its controls over the reconciliation of federal program expenditures and associated calculations to ensure the information and balances that are accumulated and reported on the SEFA are an accurate representation of federal expenditures and based on the reporting requirements provided in the federal award and the compliance supplement. Management’s Response: The City concurs with the observation and will implement procedures in 2024 as recommended.

Corrective Action Plan

The City concurs with the observation and will implement procedures in 2025 as recommended.

Categories

Reporting

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 571119 2024-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1147561 2024-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1147562 2024-003
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
21.027 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $2.60M
97.036 Disaster Grants - Public Assistance (presidentially Declared Disasters) $1.38M