Finding 574458 (2024-001)

Significant Deficiency
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2025-08-22
Audit: 364795
Organization: Intertribal Agriculture Council (MS)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Organization failed to segregate advance federal payments into required interest-bearing accounts.
  • Impacted Requirements: This violates 2 CFR §200.305(b), which mandates proper cash management for federal funds.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement new policies for account segregation, track interest earned, and ensure timely remittance to federal agencies.

Finding Text

Criteria: According to 2 CFR §200.305(b), when a non-federal entity receives advance payments of federal funds, it must deposit those funds in interest-bearing accounts, unless certain exceptions apply, and must remit any interest earned on advances in excess of $500 per year to the federal agency. Furthermore, advance payments should be segregated to ensure proper tracking and safeguarding of federal funds. Condition: During our audit of the Organization’s federal awards, we identified deficiencies in the grantee’s cash management procedures related to advance payments received from federal awarding agencies. Specifically, the grantee did not segregate advance payments into separate insured interestbearing accounts as required by the Uniform Guidance. Cause: The Organization did not have adequate policies and procedures or internal controls in place to ensure compliance with the cash management requirements related to advance payments. Effect: The federal awarding agency did not receive interest that could have been earned on the advances. All advances received during 2024 were expended by December 31, 2024. There was no loss from uninsured funds or from lack of segregating funds into separate accounts. Recommendation: We recommend that the Organization implement policies and procedures to ensure that all advance payments are deposited into separate, insured, interest-bearing accounts as required. The Organization should also establish controls to track interest earned on these accounts and remit amounts due to the federal awarding agencies in a timely manner. Training should be provided to staff responsible for cash management to ensure ongoing compliance with federal requirements. Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding and procedures have been implemented to address the related issues.

Corrective Action Plan

Effect: The federal awarding agency did not receive interest that could have been earned on the advances. All advances received during 2024 were expended by December 31, 2024. There was no loss from uninsured funds or from lack of segregating funds into separate accounts. Recommendation: The auditor recommends that the Organization implement policies and procedures to ensure that all advance payments are deposited into separate, insured, interest-bearing accounts as required. The grantee should also establish controls to track interest earned on these accounts and remit amounts due to the federal awarding agencies in a timely manner. Training should be provided to staff responsible for cash management to ensure ongoing compliance with federal requirements. 1. Explanation of Disagreement with Audit Findings: There is no disagreement with the audit findings. 2. Action Planned in Response to Finding: The Organization has implemented procedures to deposit the advance funds into separate, insured, interest-bearing accounts as required. The Organization has also established controls to track interest earned on the accounts and credit the interest back to the grant. 3. Official Responsible for Ensuring CAP: Kari Jo Lawrence, Chief Executive Officer and Jernon Kelly, Chief Financial Officer are responsible for ensuring corrective action of this deficiency. 4. Planned Completion Date for CAP: December 31, 2025.

Categories

Cash Management

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 574459 2024-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 574460 2024-001
    Significant Deficiency
  • 574461 2024-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1150900 2024-001
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1150901 2024-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1150902 2024-001
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1150903 2024-002
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
10.234 American Rescue Plan Technical Assistance Investment Program $2.43M
10.186 Regional Food Business Centers $1.61M
10.184 Pandemic Relief Activities: Meat and Poultry Processing Capacity - Technical Assistance Grants $914,651
10.601 Market Access Program $627,472
10.460 Risk Management Education Partnerships $444,897
10.968 Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program $392,555
10.069 Conservation Reserve Program $382,563
10.048 Tribal Agriculture Technical Assistance $316,440
10.U01 Intertribal Agriculture Council American Indian Foods Program Domestic Market Ffy 2023 $110,698
10.975 Emergency Relief Program Outreach Education and Technical Assistance $104,649
10.618 Regional Agricultural Promotion Program $100,285
10.531 State Agency: Farm to School Program Training and Curricula $76,345
10.U02 Otr Native Youth (nyta 23-24) $60,338
93.103 Food and Drug Administration Research $44,866
10.147 Outreach Education and Technical Assistance $40,584
10.937 Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities $19,470
10.902 Soil and Water Conservation $14,876
10.912 Environmental Quality Incentives Program $9,218