Finding 959274 (2022-003)

Material Weakness
Requirement
B
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2024-03-21
Audit: 296444
Auditor: Armanino

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: ABS Institute lacks documented policies for key financial processes, increasing the risk of noncompliance with allowable costs and grant management.
  • Impacted Requirements: This affects compliance with Part 6 of the Compliance Supplement, particularly in cost allocation, employee documentation, purchase approvals, and subrecipient monitoring.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: ABS Institute should prioritize creating and implementing comprehensive policies for the identified areas to mitigate risks and ensure compliance.

Finding Text

Finding number: 2022-003: Allowable Costs/Cost Principles, Period of Performance and Subreceipient Monitoring, Research & Development Cluster Criteria: Per Part 6 of the Compliance Supplement, controls need to be designed such that they would prevent or detect potential noncompliance. Management should implement control activities through policies. Condition: ABS Institute does not have documented policies regarding the process and controls in place surrounding the methodology utilized to allocate costs to grants. ABS Institute does not have documented policies regarding the process and controls in place surrounding documenting title, job description and pay rate for employees. ABS Institute does not have documented policies regarding the process and controls in place surrounding the review and approval of credit card purchases and any other purchases/payments made outside of bill.com system. ABS Institute does not have documented policies regarding the process and controls in place surrounding the review and approval of accrued expenses included in the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards. ABS Institute does not have documented policies regarding the process and controls in place surrounding subrecipient monitoring. Cause: ABS Institute was recently formed, so documentation and implementation of processes is still in process. Effect or potential effect: Possibility of unallowable costs allocated to grants. Possibility of grant funds drawn down without documentation to support costs incurred. Possibility of subrecipient expending federal funds for unallowable costs. Identification as a repeat finding: This is a repeat finding from the immediate previous audits, 2021-003 and 2020- 001. Recommendation: We recommend that ABS Institute document policies regarding the process and controls in place related to the areas as noted above. Views of responsible official: ABS Institute is in the process of putting in place the appropriate documentation with a proposed completion

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Subrecipient Monitoring

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 382832 2022-003
    Material Weakness
  • 382833 2022-004
    Material Weakness
  • 382834 2022-005
    Material Weakness
  • 959275 2022-004
    Material Weakness
  • 959276 2022-005
    Material Weakness

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
93.859 Biomedical Research and Research Training $135,670
93.865 Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research $74,703
93.855 Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation Research $31,837