Finding Text
FINDING 2022-001 Subject: Special Education Cluster ? Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Federal Agency: Department of Education Federal Programs: Special Education Grants to States, Special Education Preschool Grants Assistance Listing Numbers: 84.027, 84.173 Federal Award Numbers and Years (or Other Identifying Numbers): 19611-049-PN01, 20611-047-PN01, 19619-49-PN01, 20619-047-PN01, 20611-049-PN01, 21611-047-PN01, 20619-49-PN01, 21619-047- PN01 Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of Education Compliance Requirement: Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Audit Finding: Material Weakness, Other Matters Criteria: 2 CFR 200.303 states in part: "The non-Federal entity must: (a) Establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-Federal entity is managing the Federal awards in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in 'Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government' issued by the Comptroller General of the United States or the 'Internal Control Integrated Framework', issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) " 2 CFR 200.303 states: ?When you enter into a covered transaction with another person at the next lower tier, you must verify that the person with whom you intend to do business is not excluded or disqualified. You do this by: 1. Checking SAM Exclusions; or 2. Collecting a certification from that person; or 3. Adding a clause or condition to the covered transaction with that person.? 2 CFR 200.320 states in part: "The non-Federal Entity must use one of the following methods of procurement? ?(c) Procurement by sealed bids (formal advertising). Bids are publicly solicited, and a firm fixed price contract (lump sum or unit price) is awarded to the responsible bidder whose bid, conforming with all the material terms and conditions of the invitation for bids, is the lowest in price. The sealed bid method is the preferred method for procuring construction, if the conditions in paragraph (c)(1) of this section apply " Condition: The School Corporation is a member of the Cooperative School Services (Cooperative). The Cooperative operated the special education programs on behalf of the School Corporation and managed the special education grant funds. As the grant agreement was between the Indiana Department of Education and the School Corporation, the School Corporation was responsible for compliance with the grant agreement and the Procurement and Suspension and Debarment compliance requirement. Procurement ? Simplified Acquisition The School Corporation did not have adequate internal controls in place to ensure the Cooperative complied with the procurement requirements for simplified acquisitions. The Cooperative did not have adequate procedures in place to ensure procurements for simplified acquisitions were properly advertised and bids accepted. There were two vendors who met the Simplified Acquisition threshold during the audit period; neither were properly procured. Suspension and Debarment The School Corporation did not have adequate internal controls in place to ensure the Cooperative complied with the Suspension and Debarment requirements. During school year 2020, the Cooperative did not have adequate procedures in place to ensure that applicable vendors who received federal funds were not suspended or debarred from participation in federal awards programs. There were three contracted vendors during the audit period; the unit did not perform procedures to ensure the vendors were not excluded or disqualified. During the 2021 school year, The School Corporation did not have adequate internal controls in place to ensure the Cooperative complied with the suspension and debarment requirements. The Special Education Director obtained suspension and debarment certifications for contracted vendors over $25,000 without an oversight or review process. The lack of controls and noncompliance related to procurement were isolated to school year 2020-2021. The lack of controls related to suspension and debarment were systemic throughout the audit period; however, the noncompliance was isolated to school year 2020-2021. Cause: Management had not developed a system of internal controls that would have ensured compliance with the grant agreement and the Procurement and Suspension and Debarment compliance requirement. Effect: The failure to establish an effective internal control system enabled material noncompliance to go undetected. Noncompliance with the grant agreement and the Procurement and Suspension and Debarment requirement could result in the loss of future federal funds to the School Corporation. Questioned Costs: There were no questioned costs identified. Context: The School Corporation did not have adequate internal controls in place to ensure the Cooperative complied with the procurement requirements for simplified acquisitions or suspension and debarment requirements for all contracts. Identification as a repeat finding, if applicable: No. Recommendation: We recommended that the School Corporation's management establish internal controls to ensure compliance and comply with the grant agreement and the Procurement and Suspension and Debarment compliance requirement. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Management agrees with the finding and has prepared a corrective action plan.