Clinton County

FINDING 2023-003 Subject: COVID-19 - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds - Reporting Federal Agency: Department of the Treasury Federal Program: COVID-19 - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Assistance Listings Number: 21.027 Federal Award Number and Year (or Other Identifying Number): CY2022 Compliance Requirement: Reporting Audit Findings: Material Weakness, Modified Opinion Condition and Context Recipients are required to submit quarterly or annually Project and Expenditure (P&E) reports to the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury). The reporting periods, as well as the respective due dates, are based on the type of recipient and the recipient's population, as well as the recipient's allocation amount. Information to be reported includes projects funded, expenditures, and contracts for the appropriate reporting period. The County was classified as a metropolitan county with a population below 250,000 residents that received an allocation of less than $10 million in COVID-19 - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. As such, the initial P&E report, covering the period from March 3, 2021 to March 31, 2022, was required to be submitted to the Treasury by April 30, 2022. The subsequent annual reports are to cover one calendar year and must be submitted to the Treasury by April 30 each year. INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 18 CLINTON COUNTY SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) The County submitted one P&E report during the audit period, which was obtained from the Treasury's website. Although one employee prepared the P&E report and another reviewed the entries, the system of internal controls was not effective in preventing, detecting, or correcting errors. The data submitted included amounts which should not have been included and amounts which were not supported by the County's records. Errors identified included the following:  Total Cumulative Obligations were overstated by $907,630.  Total Cumulative Expenditures were overstated by $4,332,524. The lack of effective internal controls and noncompliance were isolated to the P&E report submitted during the audit period. 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). . . ." Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Compliance and Reporting Guidance, page 10, states in part: ". . . 10. Reporting. All recipients of federal funds must complete financial, performance, and compliance reporting as required and outlined in Part 2 of this guidance. Expenditures may be reported on a cash or accrual basis, as long as the methodology is disclosed and consistently applied. Reporting must be consistent with the definition of expenditures pursuant to 2 CFR 200.1. Your organization should appropriately maintain accounting records for compiling and reporting accurate, compliant financial data, in accordance with appropriate accounting standards and principles. . . ." 31 CFR 35.4(c) states in part: "Reporting and requests for other information. During the period of performance, recipients shall provide to the Secretary periodic reports providing detailed accounting of the uses of funds, . . ." Cause Although a system of internal controls over the P&E report was designed by management, which included segregation of duties, it did not ensure that the County provided the Treasury with complete and accurate information related to the SLFRF awards. Embedded within a properly designed and implemented internal control system should be internal controls consisting of policies and procedures. Policies reflect the County's management statements of what should be done to effect internal controls, and procedures should consist of actions that would implement these policies. INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 19 CLINTON COUNTY SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) 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. 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 County. In addition, not meeting the SLFRF reporting requirements, by reporting erroneous data, increases the likelihood that the public and the Treasury will not have access to transparent and accurate information regarding expenditures of federal awards. Questioned Costs There were no questioned costs identified. Recommendation We recommended that management of the County design and implement a proper system of internal controls that would ensure appropriate reviews, approvals and oversight are taking place. Additionally, management should develop policies and procedures to ensure that the County provides the Treasury with complete and accurate information for the P&E report. Views of Responsible Officials For the views of responsible officials, refer to the Corrective Action Plan that is part of this report.

FINDING 2023-004 Subject: COVID-19 - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds - Suspension and Debarment Federal Agency: Department of the Treasury Federal Program: COVID-19 - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Assistance Listings Number: 21.027 Federal Award Number and Year (or Other Identifying Number): CY2022 Compliance Requirement: Procurement and Suspension and Debarment Audit Findings: Material Weakness, Modified Opinion Condition and Context The County elected to receive the standard revenue loss allowance, allowing it to claim its total COVID-19 - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) allocation of $6,293,126 as revenue loss to use for government services. As such, all SLFRF program funds to date were expended under the revenue loss eligible use category. The U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) determined that there are no subawards under this eligible use category, and that recipients' use of revenue loss funds would not give rise to subrecipient relationships as there is no federal program or purpose to carry out in the case of the revenue loss portion of the award. INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 20 CLINTON COUNTY SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) 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 or services awarded under a nonprocurement transaction (i.e., grant agreement) that are expected to equal or exceed $25,000. Verification is to be done by checking the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS), collecting a certification from that person, or adding a clause or condition to the covered transaction with that person. Due to the Treasury's determination that the revenue loss eligible use category does not give rise to subawards, the County was only required to comply with suspension and debarment requirements related to covered transactions. Covered transactions in the amount of $1,730,492 were made during the audit period to three vendors. Of the three vendors used by the County, one vendor contract included a suspension and debarment clause. However, for the two remaining vendors, the County did not check the ELPS, nor was a certification collected from the vendors, nor was a clause in the agreements. Although the County had a policy to include a clause in vendor contracts related to covered transactions, the County did not have effective internal controls to ensure that the suspension and debarment clause was added to all the contracts. The lack of effective internal controls and noncompliance were isolated to the two vendors noted above. 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). . . ." 31 CFR 19.300 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 EPLS; or (b) Collecting a certification from that person if allowed by this rule; or (c) Adding a clause or condition to the covered transaction with that person." Cause The system of internal controls established by management of the County was not properly implemented to ensure that the policies and procedures in place related to suspension and debarment resulted in adequate supporting documentation being retained for audit. INDIANA STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS 21 CLINTON COUNTY SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS (Continued) Effect Without the proper implementation of an effectively designed system of internal controls, the internal control system is incapable of effectively preventing, or detecting and correcting, material noncompliance. As a result, no documentation was available for the status of two vendors to whom payment equal to or in excess of $25,000 was paid. Any program funds the County used to pay contractors that have been suspended or debarred would be unallowable, and the funding agency could potentially recover them. Questioned Costs There were no questioned costs identified. Recommendation We recommended that the County's management strengthen its system of internal controls to ensure that all contractors that are paid $25,000 or more, all or in part with federal funds, are not suspended or debarred from participating in federal programs before entering into any contracts. Views of Responsible Officials For the views of responsible officials, refer to the Corrective Action Plan that is part of this report.

FINDING 2021-002 Subject: Economic Development Cluster - Reporting, Special Tests and Provisions - Wage Rate Requirements Federal Agency: Department of Commerce Federal Program: Investments for Public Works and Economic Development Facilities Assistance Listings Number: 11.300 Federal Award Number and Year (or Other Identifying Number): 06-01-06184 Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Economic Development Council Compliance Requirements: Reporting, Special Tests and Provisions - Wage Rate Requirements Audit Finding: Material Weakness Condition and Context An effective internal control system, which would include segregation of duties, was not in place at the County to ensure compliance with requirements related to the grant agreement and the following compliance requirements: Reporting and Special Tests and Provisions - Wage Rate Requirements. Reporting The required Semi-Annual SF425 report was solely prepared and reviewed by the third-party grant specialist, with no evidence of oversight from the County. Additionally, the required Quarterly Performance Reports were prepared and reviewed by a single person, with no evidence of segregation of duties for these reports. Wage Rate Requirements There were no internal controls at the local level over wage rate requirements. Though the prime contractor included the wage rate stipulation in the contract signed by County officials, the County did not review any subcontracts to ensure the prevailing wage clauses were present. In addition, the County did not review or ensure that the proper payroll certifications were submitted. These items were solely reviewed by the third-party grant administrator. The lack of internal controls was a systemic issue that occurred throughout the audit period. 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). . . ." Cause Management had not developed a system of internal control that segregated key functions and would have ensured compliance with the Reporting and the Special Tests and Provisions - Wage Rate Requirements compliance requirements. Effect The failure to establish an effective internal control system placed the County at risk of noncompliance with the grant agreement and the Reporting and the Special Tests and Provisions - Wage Rate Requirements compliance requirements. Questioned Costs There were no questioned costs identified. Recommendation We recommended that the County's management establish a system of internal control, including segregation of duties, related to the grant agreement and the Reporting and the Special Tests and Provisions - Wage Rate Requirements compliance requirements. Views of Responsible Officials For the views of responsible officials, refer to the Corrective Action Plan that is part of this report.