Finding 612901 (2022-001)

Material Weakness
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2023-03-20

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The School failed to comply with Davis-Bacon Wage Rate Requirements, lacking internal controls to ensure certified payrolls were obtained and reviewed weekly from contractors.
  • Impacted Requirements: The School did not include necessary wage clauses in contracts and did not secure signed payroll reports from contractors, violating federal regulations.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement internal controls to track certified payrolls and ensure compliance with wage requirements, including regular monitoring and review processes.

Finding Text

SECTION III - FEDERAL AWARD FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS Current Year Findings 2022-001: Material Weakness ? Davis-Bacon Wage Rate Requirements Federal Assistance Listing Number 84.425D/84.425U/84.425W ? COVID-19 Education Stabilization Fund Passed-through Tennessee Department of Education Award Number S425D210047/S425D200047/S425D2000047/S425U210047/S425W210044-21A Federal Assistance Listing Number 93.323 ? COVID-19 Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity Grant Passed-through Tennessee Department of Health Award Number N/A Criteria: All laborers and mechanics employed by contractors or subcontractors to work on construction contracts in excess of $2,000 financed by Federal assistance funds must be paid wages not less than those established for the locality of the project (prevailing wage rates) by the Department of Labor (DOL) (40 USC 3141?3144, 3146, and 3147). Non-Federal entities shall include in their construction contracts subject to the Wage Rate Requirements (which still may be referenced as the Davis-Bacon Act) a provision that the contractor or subcontractor comply with those requirements and the DOL regulations. This includes a requirement for the contractor or subcontractor to submit to the Non-Federal entity weekly, for each week in which any contract work is performed, a copy of the payroll and a statement of compliance (certified payrolls). (29 CFR sections 5.5 and 5.6; the A-102 Common Rule (section 36(i)(5)); OMB Circular A-110 (2 CFR Part 215, Appendix A, Contract Provisions); 2 CFR Part 176, Subpart C; and 2 CFR section 200.326). In addition, according to 2 CFR Part 200.303, the non-Federal entity must establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non- Federal entity is managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. Condition and Context: The School did not have internal controls in place to identify that certified payrolls were obtained from contractors on a weekly basis and reviewed in a timely manner. Education Stabilization Fund Cluster - the School did not obtain certified payrolls on a weekly basis for two out of two contractors selected for testing. Additionally, we noted one contractor did not sign the payroll reports, which is required to complete the certification, prior to the audit. Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity Grant - the School did not obtain certified payrolls on a weekly basis for three contractors under this grant. The School also did not include wage requirement clauses in the contract agreement (as specified in the above Criteria) for the one contract under this grant. Additionally, we noted two contractors did not sign the payroll reports, which is required to complete the certification, prior to the audit. Questioned Costs: Unknown. Effect: The School is not in compliance with Davis-Bacon requirements. Cause: The School was unaware of the requirements as it applied to the grants and as such, there was no assigned department or employee to monitor, review, and obtain certified payrolls and contracts during the year from contractors and subcontractors. Identification as a Repeat Finding: Not applicable. Recommendation: We recommend the School implement internal controls over wage rate requirements, including tracking certified payrolls or notification of no work performed and reviewing to help ensure wages are equal to or in excess of the prevailing wage rates. Views of Responsible Officials: Agree. See separate report for planned corrective actions. Prior Year Findings None reported

Categories

Material Weakness Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking Internal Control / Segregation of Duties Special Tests & Provisions

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 32856 2022-001
    Material Weakness
  • 36457 2022-001
    Material Weakness
  • 36458 2022-001
    Material Weakness
  • 36459 2022-001
    Material Weakness
  • 609298 2022-001
    Material Weakness
  • 612899 2022-001
    Material Weakness
  • 612900 2022-001
    Material Weakness

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
10.555 National School Lunch Program $1.61M
84.010 Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies $926,695
93.323 Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infectious Diseases (elc) $688,477
10.553 School Breakfast Program $540,158
12.000 Njrotc Instruction $103,637
84.041 Impact Aid $97,104
93.558 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families $91,709
84.367 Improving Teacher Quality State Grants $75,258
10.582 Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program $64,065
84.027 Special Education_grants to States $58,251
84.048 Career and Technical Education -- Basic Grants to States $50,550
84.365 English Language Acquisition State Grants $15,885
84.173 Special Education_preschool Grants $6,727
84.424 Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program $6,271
10.649 Pandemic Ebt Administrative Costs $3,063
84.425 Education Stabilization Fund $933