Finding 79243 (2022-004)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
AB
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2023-03-24
Audit: 73864
Organization: Brevard Homeless Coalition (FL)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Reimbursement requests lacked proper support and review, leading to errors and unsupported expenses.
  • Impacted Requirements: Non-federal entities must maintain effective internal controls and ensure independent review of expense reports as per 2 CFR 200.303.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Document the review process for reimbursement requests and ensure all payroll and non-payroll expenses are verified for allowability.

Finding Text

MW 2022-004 Review of Reimbursement Requests and Expenses Federal Award: 14.231 Emergency Solutions Grant Program 2022 Funding Department of Housing and Urban Development Passed through the Florida Department of Children and Families Contract No. GPZ48 Criteria: 2 CFR 200.303 requires non-federal entities to establish and maintain effective internal controls. Reimbursement requests and monthly expense reports should be subject to independent review to verify the completeness and accuracy of the request and attached support. Condition: Detail attached to the reimbursement requests and monthly expense reports did not consistently support the amount requested for reimbursement. Detail attached to the reimbursement requests and monthly expense reports did not consistently support the amount requested for reimbursement. Individual payroll and non-payroll expenses were not consistently subject to review for allowability. Cause: Staff mistakenly omitted required support or input incorrect amounts. Staff mistakenly submitted a disallowed expense within a reimbursement request discovered by the pass through entity. Effect: A reimbursement request included errors and unsupported expenses. The grantor identified the errors and omissions and required the reimbursement request be resubmitted with the corrections and required support. The Organization did not have procedures to document the review of individual payroll and non-payroll expenses for allowability. Questioned Costs: None Perspective: The Executive Director has implemented procedures to organize reimbursement request and monthly expense documentation to make it easier to ensure the completeness and accuracy of the submissions to the grantor. However, these documents are often very long, and human error may not be completely avoidable through the current method of documentation. Recommendation: Review of reimbursement requests and monthly expense submissions should be documented and ensure the completeness and accuracy of the submission. Review of individual payroll and non-payroll expense allowability should be documented. Management Response: Since the prior audit, we implemented several changes which affect the repeated findings. We have already implemented the recommended process for the review of reimbursement requests and monthly expense submissions. These are documented to ensure the completeness and accuracy of the submission. We also implemented the documentation of the review of individual payroll and non-payroll expense allowability. The fiscal year 20-21 audit report was issued on June 30, 2022. The change in the fiscal year resulted in a 12-hour turnaround making it difficult to clear the findings and implement the recommended changes from last year's audit.

Corrective Action Plan

MW 2022-004 Review of Reimbursement Requests and Expenses Recommendation: Review of reimbursement requests and monthly expense submissions should be documented and ensure the completeness and accuracy of the submission. Review of individual payroll and non-payroll expense allowability should be documented. Management Response: Since the prior audit, we implemented several changes which affect the repeated findings. We have already implemented the recommended process for the review of reimbursement requests and monthly expense submissions. These are documented to ensure the completeness and accuracy of the submission. We also implemented the documentation of the review of individual payroll and non-payroll expense allowability. The fiscal year 20-21 audit report was issued on June 30, 2022. The change in the fiscal year resulted in a 12-hour turnaround making it difficult to clear the findings and implement the recommended changes from last year's audit. RESPONSIBLE PARTY - AMBER CARROLL

Categories

Cash Management Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 79244 2022-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 79245 2022-006
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 655685 2022-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 655686 2022-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 655687 2022-006
    Significant Deficiency Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
14.231 Covid-19 - Emergency Solutions Grant Program $2.15M
14.231 Emergency Solutions Grant Program $178,660
14.218 Covid-19 Community Development Block Grants/entitlement Grants $162,204
14.267 Continuum of Care Program $55,416
93.558 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families $19,939