REETHS-PUFFER SCHOOLSLocal Government

U.S. Department of Agriculture Finding 2022-001: MATERIAL WEAKNESS?Recording of Food Service Claims Activity Pass-through entity: Michigan Department of Education Award Numbers: COVID-19 221971 and COVID-19 221961 Award Year End: September 30, 2022 Specific Requirement: Reporting Criteria: Under 7 CFR Sections 210.8?Claims for Reimbursement and 220.11?Reimbursement Procedures, an entity must submit monthly claims for reimbursement for meals and snacks served to eligible students within 60 days following the last day of the month covered by the claim. Additionally, under the modified accrual basis of accounting, revenues should be recognized in the accounting period in which they are both measurable and available. Revenues are considered to be available when they are collectible within the current period or soon enough thereafter to pay liabilities of the current period. Similarly, grant revenues should be recorded when the eligibility requirements imposed by the provider have been met, or unavailable revenues should be recorded if the revenues are not available within 60 days of year end. Questioned Costs: None. Condition: During the audit, it was noted that the activity from timely filed food service meal claims was not received and recorded for one month of the fiscal year. Context: During our testing of food service federal revenues, we noted that the revenue and related receivable were not recorded for the December 2021 food service claim that was submitted in January 2022. Prior to the audit process, the School District was not aware that the claim was still outstanding as of year end. The School District subsequently contacted the State of Michigan about the request, and the payment was received more than 60 days after year end, resulting in the recording of unavailable revenue. Effect: Accounts receivable and unavailable revenues were each understated by the amount of the December 2021 food service claim, which resulted in a material year-end audit adjustment to the financial statements and underlying accounting records. Cause: At the time of the claim submission, the School District?s policy was to record food service activity as the cash deposits were received, which typically occurred within the month subsequent to the claim submissions. In this instance, the cash deposit was not timely received by the School District due to an issue with the State of Michigan?s payment system, and the District was not aware of the claim?s outstanding status. Repeat Finding: This is not a repeat finding. Recommendation: The School District should recognize the monthly food service activity in the accounting records following the submission of the claims reports to the State of Michigan. Views of Responsible Officials: The School District agrees with this finding.