Finding 946949 (2023-003)

FINDING 2023-003 Subject: Emergency Connectivity Fund Program - Suspension and Debarment Federal Agency: Federal Communications Commission Federal Program: Emergency Connectivity Fund Program Assistance Listings Number: 32.009 Federal Award Number and Year (or Other Identifying Number): ECF 222119178 Compliance Requirement: Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Audit Findings: Material Weakness, Modified Opinion Condition and Context Prior to entering into subawards and covered transactions with federal award funds, recipients are required to verify that such contractors and subrecipients are not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded. "Covered transactions" include, but are not limited to, contracts for goods and services awarded under a non-procurement transaction (i.e., grant agreement) that are expected to equal or exceed $25,000. The verification is to be done by checking the SAMs exclusions, collecting a certification from that person, or adding a clause or condition to the covered transaction with that person. Upon inquiry of the School Corporation in order to review the procedures in place for verifying that a vendor with which it plans to enter into a covered transaction is not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded, the School Corporation noted no one was designated to run a SAMs search or verify in any other way that the vendor was not suspended or debarred. Two covered transactions that equaled or exceeded $25,000 were identified. The two transactions, totaling $1,570,000, were with the same vendor. The School Corporation did not verify the vendor's suspension and debarment status prior to payment. The lack of internal controls and noncompliance were systemic issues throughout the audit period. INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 20 METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT OF DECATUR TOWNSHIP SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) 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 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). . . ." 2 CFR 180.300 states: "When you enter into a covered transaction with another person as 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: (a) Checking SAM Exclusions; or (b) Collecting a certification from that person; or (c) Adding a clause or condition to the covered transaction with that person." 47 CFR 54.8(d) states in part: "Effect of suspension and debarment. Unless otherwise ordered, any persons suspended or debarred shall be excluded from activities associated with or related to the schools and libraries support mechanism, . . ." Cause Management had not designed or implemented a system of internal controls that would have ensured procedures were in place that would comply with the provisions of federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the federal award in relation to the suspension and debarment requirements of the Procurement and Suspension and Debarment compliance requirement. Effect The failure to design and implement an effective internal control system enabled material noncompliance to remain undetected. Noncompliance with the provisions of federal statutes, regulations, and terms and conditions of the federal award could result in the reduction of future federal funding to the School Corporation. Questioned Costs There were no questioned costs identified. INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 21 METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT OF DECATUR TOWNSHIP SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) Recommendation We recommended that the School Corporation's management design and implement a system of internal controls related to suspension and debarment procedures to ensure entities are neither suspended nor debarred, or otherwise excluded or disqualified prior to entering into any covered transactions. Views of Responsible Officials For the views of responsible officials, refer to the Corrective Action Plan that is part of this report.