Finding 602104 (2022-002)

Significant Deficiency
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2023-09-25
Audit: 26280
Organization: Search for Common Ground (DC)
Auditor: Bdo USA LLP

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Internal controls for reviewing the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA) were ineffective, leading to incorrect assistance listing numbers for two awards.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with CFR Section 200.510(b) and accurate reporting of federal awards were not met, affecting major program selection.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Enhance training for SEFA preparers and reviewers to ensure adherence to policies and procedures for accurate reporting.

Finding Text

2022-002 Internal Control over Compliance and Compliance with Reporting (Preparation of the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards) Information on the Federal Program: United States Department of State Assistance Listing Number: 19.706 Assistance Listing Name: Partnership for Regional East Africa Counterterrorism Award Numbers: Direct Award Numbers Award Period SLMAQM20CA2264 September 28, 2020 through March 29, 2024 SLMAQM20GR2364 September 28, 2020 through September 30, 2024 Criteria: CFR Section ?200.510(b) states in part: ?The auditee must also prepare a schedule of expenditures of Federal awards for the period covered by the auditee?s financial statements which must include the total Federal awards expended as determined in accordance with CFR Section ?200.502 Basis for determining Federal awards expended.? The schedule must provide total Federal awards expended for each individual Federal program. In accordance with ?200.302 Financial Management, a non-federal entity?s financial management systems, including records documenting compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the federal award, must be sufficient to permit the preparation of reports required by general and program-specific terms and conditions; and the tracing of funds to a level of expenditures adequate to establish that such funds have been used according to the federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the federal award. The financial management system of each non-federal entity must provide for the following: (1) Identification, in its accounts, of all federal awards received and expended and the federal programs under which they were received. (2) Accurate, current, and complete disclosure of the financial results of each federal award or program in accordance with the reporting requirements set forth in ?200.327 Financial Reporting and ?200.328 Monitoring and Reporting Program Performance. (3) Records that identify adequately the source and application of funds for federally-funded activities. (4) Effective control over, and accountability for, all funds, property, and other assets. Condition: The internal controls established for the review and approval of the SEFA to ensure its completeness and accuracy did not operate as designed. During our testing of management?s preparation of the SEFA, BDO identified two awards whose assistance listing number was changed by the federal entity in award amendments issued prior to December 31, 2022. Management failed to update the assistance listing number for the awards within the SEFA to address the award modifications. Questioned Costs: None. Context: The nature of these findings is detailed in the condition section above. Cause: The internal controls established for the review and approval of the SEFA to ensure its completeness and accuracy did not fully operate as designed. The Organization did not adequately review award modifications for changes to existing awards. Effect: The SEFA initially provided to BDO resulted in incorrect major program selection as prescribed under the Unform Guidance. During the review of the award agreements, BDO identified the assistance listing numbers for the two awards had been modified. This issue resulted in a different major program selection once the SEFA was updated to reflect the correct assistance listing numbers. Repeat Finding: This finding is not a repeat finding from prior year. Recommendation: We recommend management to continue to focus on training for both preparer and reviewers of the SEFA to ensure the documented policies and procedures can be performed as prescribed to comply with Section ?200.510(b). This will ensure that the SEFA provides all relevant information as proscribed.

Categories

Reporting

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 25656 2022-003
    Significant Deficiency
  • 25657 2022-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 25658 2022-003
    Significant Deficiency
  • 25659 2022-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 25660 2022-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 25661 2022-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 25662 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 25663 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 602098 2022-003
    Significant Deficiency
  • 602099 2022-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 602100 2022-003
    Significant Deficiency
  • 602101 2022-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 602102 2022-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 602103 2022-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 602105 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
19.016 Iraq Assistance Program $778,436
19.801 Office of Global Women's Issues $698,805
19.415 Professional and Cultural Exchange Programs - Citizen Exchanges $584,817
98.001 Usaid Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas $467,383
97.132 Financial Assistance for Countering Violent Extremism $291,600
19.701 Global Counterterrorism Programs $247,605
19.700 General Department of State Assistance $203,559
19.222 Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership (tsctp) $173,064
19.517 Overseas Refugee Assistance Programs for Africa $172,424
19.225 Africa Regional Democracy Fund $167,482
19.501 Public Diplomacy Programs for Afghanistan and Pakistan $112,532
19.706 Partnership for Regional East Africa Counterterrorism $107,248
93.308 National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (nimhd) Extramural Loan Repayment Programs $60,350
19.021 Investing in People in the Middle East and North Africa $27,658
19.345 International Programs to Support Democracy, Human Rights and Labor $10,720
19.040 Public Diplomacy Programs $7,397