Finding Text
Federal Program Name and Year: Child Nutrition Cluster - 2022 Project No.: 21 & 22-4210, 4220, 4225 AL No.: 10.553, 10.555, 10.559 Passed Through: Illinois State Board of Education Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Education Criteria or specific requirement (including statutory, regulatory, or other citation): The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 2, part 180.220 states that non-Federal entities are prohibited from contracting with or making sub-awards under covered transactions to parties that are suspended or debarred. Condition: The District did not obtain debarment certification or document their vendor search in the System for Award Management website for vendors contracted in excess of $25,000 related to the grant program. Upon further review, it was determined that the vendors were not suspended or debarred. Questioned Costs: None Context: The District did not document their verification that selected vendors were not suspended or debarred. Effect: Noncompliance with the federal award program's suspension and debarment compliance requirements could occur and not be detected and corrected timely. Cause: Written procedures are not in place to verify if vendors contracted in excess of $25,000 related to the Child Nutrition Cluster program are not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded from doing business. Recommendation: Procedures need to be implemented to ensure all vendors contracted with have not been suspended or debarred or otherwise excluded from doing business, prior to procuring their services. Management's response: The District did verify vendors on the System for Award Management website, but lack written documentation. In the future, ISBE Form 85-34 will be completed in all future bid packets.