Southeast Dubois County School Corporation

FINDING 2023-002 Subject: Child Nutrition Cluster - Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture Federal Programs: School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program Assistance Listings Numbers: 10.553, 10.555 Federal Award Numbers and Years (or Other Identifying Numbers): 2021-2022, 2022-2023 Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of Education Compliance Requirement: Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Audit Findings: Material Weakness, Other Matters Repeat Finding This is a repeat finding from the prior audit report. The prior audit finding number was 2021-003. Condition and Context An effective internal control system, which would include segregation of duties, was not in place at the School Corporation in order to ensure compliance with requirements related to the grant agreement and the Procurement and Suspension and Debarment compliance requirement. INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 17 SOUTHEAST DUBOIS COUNTY SCHOOL CORPORATION SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) Procurement Federal regulations allow for informal procurement methods when the value of the procurement for property or services does not exceed the simplified acquisition threshold, which is set at $250,000 unless a lower, more restrictive threshold is set by a non-federal entity. As Indiana Code has set a more restrictive threshold of $150,000, informal procurement methods are permitted when the value of the procurement does not exceed $150,000. This informal process allows for methods other than the formal bid process. The informal process is divided between two methods based on thresholds: micro-purchases, typically for those purchases $10,000 or under, and small purchase procedures for those purchases above the micro-purchase threshold, but below the simplified acquisition threshold. Micro-purchases may be awarded without soliciting competitive price rate quotations. If small purchase procedures are used, then price or rate quotations must be obtained from an adequate number of qualified sources. During the audit period, the School Corporation had purchases from three vendors, totaling $294,518, that were considered small purchases. All three vendors were selected for testing. For one vendor, in both fiscal years, the School Corporation procured more than $50,000 in like/kind services without obtaining a contract. The total dollar amount spent with this vendor was $190,425. The lack of internal controls and noncompliance were isolated to the one vendor noted above. Suspension and Debarment 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 nonprocurement 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 vendor, or adding a clause or condition to the covered transaction with that vendor. 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 disclosed that the Business Manager verified vendors were not suspended or debarred by reviewing the SAMs exclusions. The School Corporation's records only indicated one vendor, in both fiscal years, incurred more than $25,000 in covered transactions, totaling $190,425. The School Corporation did not have documentation to show that the vendor was verified for suspension and debarment status prior to payment. The lack of internal controls and noncompliance were isolated to the one vendor noted above. Criteria 2 CFR 200.303 states in part: "The non-Federal entity must: INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 18 SOUTHEAST DUBOIS COUNTY SCHOOL CORPORATION SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) (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 200.318 states in part: "(a) The non-Federal entity must have and use documented procurement procedures, consistent with State, local, and tribal laws and regulations and the standards of this section, for the acquisition of property or services required under a Federal award or subaward. The non-Federal entity's documented procurement procedures must conform to the procurement standards identified in §§ 200.317 through 200.327. . . . (i) The non-Federal entity must maintain records sufficient to detail the history of procurement. These records will include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following: Rationale for the method of procurement, selection of contract type, contractor selection or rejection, and the basis for the contract price. . . ." Indiana Code 5-22-8-3 states in part: "(a) This section applies only if the purchasing agency expects the purchase to be: (1) at least fifty thousand ($50,000); and (2) not more than one fifty thousand ($150,000). (b) A purchasing agent may purchase supplies under this section by inviting quotes from at least three (3) person known to deal in the lines or classes of supplies to be purchased. . . . (d) If the purchasing agency receives a satisfactory quote, the purchasing agent shall award a contract to the lowest responsible and responsive offeror for each line or class of supplies required. . . ." 2 CFR 180.300 states: "When you enter into a covered transaction with another person at 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 the SAM Exclusions; or (b) Collecting a certification from that person; or (c) Adding a clause or condition to the covered transaction with that person." INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 19 SOUTHEAST DUBOIS COUNTY SCHOOL CORPORATION SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) Cause A proper system of internal controls was not designed by management of the School Corporation. Embedded within a properly designed and implemented internal control system should be internal controls consisting of policies and procedures. Policies reflect the School Corporation's management statements of what should be done to effect internal controls, and procedures should consist of actions that would implement these policies. Effect Without the proper implementation of an effectively designed system of internal controls, the internal control system cannot be capable of effectively preventing, or detecting and correcting, material noncompliance. As a result, procurement procedures for goods and services were not adhered to for vendors that fell within the small purchase threshold and vendors to whom payments equal to or in excess of $25,000 were not verified to be not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded. Noncompliance with the provisions of federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the federal award could result in the loss of future federal funding to the School Corporation. Questioned Costs There were no questioned costs identified. Recommendation We recommended that management of the School Corporation establish a proper system of internal controls and develop policies and procedures to ensure there are appropriate procurement procedures for goods and services, and that contractors and subrecipients, as appropriate, are not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded prior to entering into any contracts or subawards. Views of Responsible Officials For the views of responsible officials, refer to the Corrective Action Plan that is part of this report.

FINDING 2023-002 Finding Subject: Child Nutrition Cluster -Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Summary of Finding: The School Corporation had not properly designed or implemented a system of internal controls, which would include appropriate segregation of duties, that would likely be effective in preventing, or detecting and correcting, noncompliance with Procurement, Suspension and Debarment. The School Corporation entered into more than $50,000 of like/kind transactions with a single vendor during FY2022 and FY2023 without entering into a contract or properly verifying that the vendor was not suspended or debarred. Contact Person Responsible for Corrective Action: Tracy Troesch Contact Phone Number and Email Address: 812-817-0900; tracy.troesch@sedubois.k12.in.us Views of Responsible Officials: We concur with the finding. Description of Corrective Action Plan: The Business Manager will review the vendors related to covered transactions and determine if like/kind transactions with any vendor are approaching or are expected to exceed $50,000. For vendors that meet the criteria of requiring a contract, the Business manager will obtain a contract, which will be reviewed and approved by the school board. The Business Manager will upload the purchase order and quote or other documentation of any purchase over $50,000 on Indiana Gateway for Government Units (Gateway) after board approval. Southeast Dubois County School Corporation followed the corrective action that was issued during the prior audit for Suspension and Debarment. During the current audit, the State Board of Accounts indicated that the corrective action and steps that were taken to verify compliance that the School Corporation was instructed to do were not adequate. Going forward, the Business Manager will run monthly vendor reports to determine if any vendors are close to the $25,000 to get a Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility, and Voluntary Exclusion form from the IN Department of Education needs to be issued to a vendor. If a vendor is close to the $25,000 mark, the Business Manager will send the Certification to be returned prior to future payment. Anticipated Completion Date: September 2024

2021-003

FINDING 2021-003 Subject: Child Nutrition Cluster - Suspension and Debarment Federal Agency: Department of Agriculture Federal Programs: School Breakfast Program, COVID-19 - School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program, COVID-19 - National School Lunch Program Assistance Listings Numbers: 10.553, 10.555 Federal Award Numbers and Years (or Other Identifying Numbers): FY2020, FY2021 Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of Education Compliance Requirement: Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Audit Findings: Material Weakness, Other Matters Condition and Context An effective internal control system was not in place at the School Corporation to ensure compliance with requirements related to the grant agreement and the Procurement and Suspension and Debarment compliance requirement. The School Corporation had not designed or implemented adequate internal controls to ensure that vendors were not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded from participation in federal award programs. The School Corporation entered into a contract but did not verify that the vendor was not suspended or debarred. The lack of internal controls and noncompliance was isolated to the one vendor. 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 in part: "When you enter into a covered transaction with another person at 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 the SAM Exclusions; or (b) Collecting a certification from that person; or (c) Adding a clause or condition to the covered transaction with that person." Cause The School Corporation's management had not developed a system of internal control that would have ensured compliance with the grant agreement and the Procurement and Suspension and Debarment compliance requirement. Effect The failure to establish an effective system of internal control enabled material noncompliance to go undetected. Noncompliance with the grant agreement and the compliance requirement could have resulted in the loss of federal funds to the School Corporation. Questioned Costs There were no questioned costs identified. Recommendation We recommend that the School Corporation's management establish a system of internal control to ensure compliance and comply with the grant agreement and the Procurement and Suspension and Debarment compliance requirement. Views of Responsible Officials For the views of responsible officials, refer to the Corrective Action Plan that is part of this report.

FINDING 2021-003 Contact Person Responsible for Corrective Action: Tracy Troesch Contact Phone Number: 812-817-0900 Views of Responsible Official: We concur with the finding. Description of Corrective Action Plan: The School Corporation will verify vendors are not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded from participation in federal award programs on the SAMS website on a yearly basis, as new vendors are obtained, and before contracts are entered. Anticipated Completion Date: July 2022