Finding Text
SECTION III ? FEDERAL AWARD FINDINGS Finding 2022-003 ? Procurement ? Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund ? Assistance Listing Number 21.027 (Material Weakness) Condition: The City did not materially comply with the requirements set forth in the Uniform Guidance as it relates to procurement (2 CFR 200 Subpart D ? Section 200.317-319) for the City?s Water Tank Repair Project. Significant items of noncompliance include: 1. The City did not conduct the procurement of this project that allowed for full and open competition despite being in excess of the simplified acquisition threshold. 2. Lack of documented procurement procedures which reflect applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. 3. No written standards of conduct for employees involved in contracting. 4. Lack of records maintained for awarding of procurement contracts, including the basis for emergency declarations and cost/price analyses performed. 5. Did not determine if the awarded party was suspended or debarred. Criteria: Local Governments are required to use procurement procedures that conform to applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, including those identified in the Uniform Guidance. Those standards require specific methods of procuring services at various dollar thresholds for the City to follow. Significant requirements of the Uniform Guidance include: 1. A non-federal entity must use their own documented procurement procedures which reflect applicable state and local laws and regulations, provided that the procurements conform to applicable federal statues and the procurement requirements identified in 2 CFR Part 200. 2. Maintain written standards of conduct for employees involved in contracting, awarding contracts only to responsible contractors, and maintaining records to document history of procurements. 3. Conduct all procurement transactions in a manner providing full and open competition, in accordance with 2 CFR section 200.319. 4. Perform a cost or price analysis in connection with every procurement action in excess of the simplified acquisition threshold, including contract modifications (2 CFR Section 200.323(a)). 5. Ensure subawards of covered transactions are NOT awarded to parties that are suspended or debarred. Cause: The City does not have their own written procurement policy in accordance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations. In addition, the city understood the repair project to be an emergency and outside of the requirements of federal procurement. Effect: The City did not maintain compliance with federal procurement requirements as promulgated by the Uniform Guidance. Questioned Costs: There are no identifiable questioned costs as a result of this finding. Recommendation: We recommend that the City create and implement their own written procurement policy that is in compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations. In addition, for future emergency designations of projects funded with federal funds, management should consider whether or not the emergency meets the requirements as noted in the Uniform Guidance, and document the basis for those decisions. Management?s Response: See Corrective Action Plan.