Finding 947752 (2021-012)

Material Weakness
Requirement
AB
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2021
Accepted
2024-02-29
Audit: 292985
Organization: City of Bethel, Alaska (AK)
Auditor: Bdo USA PC

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: 17 out of 62 sampled transactions lacked proper management approval, indicating a material weakness in internal controls over compliance.
  • Impacted Requirements: Non-compliance with 2 CFR 200.303, which mandates that entities maintain internal controls to ensure compliance with federal award conditions.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Management should enhance policies to ensure all expenditures have documented approval and are reviewed in a timely manner.

Finding Text

Finding 2021-012 Expenditure Approval - Activities Allowed and Unallowed, Allowable Costs – Material Weakness in Internal Control Over Compliance Agency Department of the Treasury ALN 21.019 Program COVID-19 - Coronavirus Relief Fund Award Year FY 2021 Pass-Through Agency State of Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development Pass-Through Entity Identifying Number 20-CRF-024 Criteria 2 CFR 200.303 requires that non-federal entities receiving federal awards establish and maintain internal controls designed to reasonably ensure compliance with federal statues, regulations, and terms and conditions of the federal award. Condition During our testing of nonpayroll transactions, we noted the following exception: 17 out of 62 transactions sampled did not have documentation of approval by management. Cause Policies and procedures were not appropriately adhered to in certain instances to ensure that the appropriate level of review and approval was completed prior to charging costs to a federal program. Effect or potential effect Federal funds could be expended for unallowed activities and unallowed costs. Questioned costs None. Context We tested a sample of 62 nonpayroll transactions totaling to $947,814 from a population of 470 transactions totaling to $2,768,962. We noted 17 exceptions as noted in the condition. This is a condition identified per review of the City’s compliance with the specified requirements not using a statistically valid sample. Identification as a repeat finding Not a repeat finding. Recommendation Management should review policy and ensure documentation supporting each expenditure, as well as of timely review and approval, will be retained. Views of responsible officials Management concurs with the finding. Management will implement policies and procedures to ensure expenditures are reviewed timely and approved prior to posting.

Categories

Subrecipient Monitoring Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Material Weakness Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 371302 2021-005
    Material Weakness
  • 371303 2021-005
    Material Weakness
  • 371304 2021-006
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 371305 2021-007
    Significant Deficiency
  • 371306 2021-008
    Material Weakness
  • 371307 2021-009
    Material Weakness
  • 371308 2021-010
    Material Weakness
  • 371309 2021-011
    Material Weakness
  • 371310 2021-012
    Material Weakness
  • 371311 2021-013
    Material Weakness
  • 947744 2021-005
    Material Weakness
  • 947745 2021-005
    Material Weakness
  • 947746 2021-006
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 947747 2021-007
    Significant Deficiency
  • 947748 2021-008
    Material Weakness
  • 947749 2021-009
    Material Weakness
  • 947750 2021-010
    Material Weakness
  • 947751 2021-011
    Material Weakness
  • 947753 2021-013
    Material Weakness

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
21.019 Coronavirus Relief Fund $7.57M
66.202 Congressionally Mandated Projects $1.10M
66.458 Capitalization Grants for Clean Water State Revolving Funds $89,940
97.067 Homeland Security Grant Program $21,930