Finding Text
FINDING 22-2: PROCUREMENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Condition The Institution?s procurement policies and procedures did not include certain aspects of the applicable federal regulations and other procurement requirements specific to the HEERF program, including the various thresholds for vendor selection and purchases (micro - purchase, small purchase, sealed bid, and simplified acquisition methods) and conflict of interest policies related to procurement. Criteria Institutions must follow the procurement standards set out at 2 C.F.R. ?? 200.318 through 200.326. They must use their own documented procurement procedures, which reflect applicable state and local laws and regulations, provided that the procurements conform to applicable federal statutes and the procurement requirements identified in 2 C.F.R. part 200. 2 C.F.R. ? 200.318 through 200.326 Cause The Institution used its current policy for procurement that required various levels of internal management approval for purchases and didn?t have specific policies under 2 CFR 200. The institution did not verify that vendors were not disbarred prior to purchasing or making drawdowns. Effect There were no questioned costs associated with this finding as the Institution?s purchases claimed using HEERF were for allowable costs. Over $280,000 of the expenditures claimed would have been applicable for the small purchase method while all other purchases would have been applicable for the micro-purchase method. In certain instances, the Institution received approval from ED approving expenditures to be claimed using HEERF. In some cases, the Institution did receive bids from multiple vendors and researched what vendors were able to supply their needs. The individual responsible for overseeing the purchases determined that the price was fair and reasonable. Recommendation The Institution should update its procurement policies and procedures to ensure that all applicable aspects of the federal guidelines are documented and in accordance with the federal regulations. Views of Responsible Officials The Institution has reviewed the finding and concurs with the recommendation. As outlined in the Corrective Action Plan, the Institution has procedures in place to ensure compliance with the requirements.