Finding 626693 (2022-002)

Significant Deficiency
Requirement
AB
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2022-12-18
Audit: 51046
Organization: Town of Hingham, Massachusetts (MA)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Payroll costs charged to the COVID-19 grant lacked accurate supporting documentation, leading to potential unallowable costs.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with CFR Title 2 Part 200.430, which mandates that salary charges must reflect actual work performed.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Enhance procedures and controls to ensure all payroll costs are properly documented before charging to the grant.

Finding Text

2022 ? 002 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Program Name: COVID-19 - Disaster Grants ? Public Assistance (Presidentially Declared Disasters) Assistance Listing Number: 97.036 Federal Award Identification Number and Year: FEMA-4496-DR (1/20/2020 and continuing) Pass-Through Agency: Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency Pass-Through Number(s): CT CDA CTFEMA4496HINGH00XXX Award Period: February 2021 ? June 2021 Compliance Requirement: Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control Over Compliance, Other Matters Criteria or specific requirement: The United States Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 2 Part 200.430 indicates charges to federal awards for salaries and wages must be based on records that accurately reflect the work performed. Such records should support the distribution of the employee?s salary or wages among specific activities or cost objectives if the employee works on a federal award and a non-federal award. Condition: We noted that for a sample of payroll disbursements the total amount charged to the grant was not supported by accurate documentation. Questioned costs: Below the reportable limit Context: Sixty payroll transactions were selected for testing in our statistically valid sample and the following exceptions were noted: ? For 3 of 60 disbursements, the Town requested reimbursement for certain overtime hours for one employee which were supported by records of time worked by a different employee. ? For 1 of 60 disbursements, the Town disbursed reimbursable expenses for hours reported as overtime which were documented as regular time in the supporting records ? For 2 of 60 disbursements, the employee?s base rate of pay used to calculate the reimbursement request was incorrect. Cause: Policies and procedures were not implemented to ensure that costs charged to the program were based on adequate supporting documentation. Effect: Unallowable costs were charged to the program. Repeat Finding: No. Recommendation: We recommend the Town enhance procedures and controls to ensure that payroll costs charged to the grant are adequately documented. Views of responsible officials: Management agrees with the finding. Please refer to the Corrective Action Plan.

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 50249 2022-001
    Significant Deficiency
  • 50250 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 50251 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 626691 2022-001
    Significant Deficiency
  • 626692 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
21.027 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $1.20M
21.019 Coronavirus Relief Fund $529,048
97.036 Disaster Grants - Public Assistance (presidentially Declared Disasters) $431,447
93.778 Medical Assistance Program $278,340
84.425 Education Stabilization Fund $201,550
10.555 National School Lunch Program $158,372
84.027 Special Education_grants to States $84,043
97.044 Assistance to Firefighters Grant $61,061
10.553 School Breakfast Program $57,099
84.010 Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies $48,985
45.310 Grants to States $37,335
15.616 Clean Vessel Act Program $18,233
84.367 Improving Teacher Quality State Grants $17,415
84.173 Special Education_preschool Grants $12,028
84.424 Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program $10,000
20.610 State Traffic Safety Information System Improvement Grants $5,429
97.042 Emergency Management Performance Grants $5,100