Finding 622286 (2022-002)

Significant Deficiency
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2023-03-23

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Colfax County lacks proper procedures to ensure the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA) is accurate, resulting in missed reporting of $27,831 in federal expenditures.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with Title 2 CFR 200.510(b) and 200.303, which mandate accurate reporting and effective internal controls over federal awards.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Establish written procedures for SEFA preparation, appoint a knowledgeable individual to oversee federal reporting, and ensure all county offices report their expenditures accurately.

Finding Text

Program - Various, including AL 97.036 ? Disaster Grants - Public Assistance (Presidentially Declared Disasters); AL 10.923 ? Emergency Watershed Protection Program; and AL 93.563 ? Child Support Enforcement - Reporting Grant Number & Year - Various Federal Grantor Agency -Various, including U.S. Department of Homeland Security; U.S. Department of Agriculture; and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Pass-Through Entity -Various, including Nebraska Military Department and Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Criteria - Title 2 CFR ? 200.510(b) (January 1, 2022) states, in part, the following: 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 ?200.502. Title 2 CFR ? 200.303 (January 1, 2022) states the following, in relevant 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 award 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). A good internal control plan requires adequate procedures to ensure the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA) is properly presented and includes all Federal expenditures made by the County during the fiscal year. Condition - Colfax County does not have adequate procedures in place to ensure the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA) is completed accurately, and includes all Federal expenditures paid by the County. Specifically, we noted that expenditures of $27,831 for Assistance Listing # 10.923 were omitted from the County's fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, SEFA. This was not considered a material error, and it would not have impacted major program determination for the fiscal year 2021 audit. Repeat Finding - No Questioned Costs - None Statistical Sample - No Cause - Administration of Federal awards is decentralized with each County office operating independently without any centralized reporting procedures in place to ensure all Federal expenditures of the County are accurately reported on the SEFA. Additionally, there is an overall lack of knowledge by County personnel related to Federal reporting and compliance requirements. Effect -Increased risk for the SEFA to be inaccurate, which could lead to Federal sanctions or failure to audit programs that should be audited. Recommendation -We recommend the County establish written procedures to ensure the SEFA is complete and accurate. Such procedures may include, among other things, a requirement that all offices in the County responsible for administering a Federal grant report their grant expenditures, and related information, to a single individual in the County with overall responsibility for Federal reporting requirements. That individual should be knowledgeable of Federal reporting and compliance requirements, and review expenditures provided by each office to ensure all amounts are accurate and include all Federal expenditures of the County. View of Officials -The County will develop a Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA) chart and designate the County Clerk to coordinate the collection of information from individual county offices on Federal awards expenditures.

Categories

Reporting

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 45844 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
10.923 Emergency Watershed Protection Program $246,755
97.042 Emergency Management Performance Grants $29,838
93.563 Child Support Enforcement $22,008
97.036 Disaster Grants - Public Assistance (presidentially Declared Disasters) $9,849
20.600 State and Community Highway Safety $2,167