City of Missoula

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Direct Funding FFAL# 97.083 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Cash Management, Reporting Significant Deficiency in Internal Control Criteria: In accordance with 2 CFR 200.302, non-Federal entities must establish and maintain effective internal controls over Federal award compliance, including controls over cash management and Federal financial and performance reporting. Additionally, 2 CFR 200.327–200.329 require accurate, complete, and timely submission of performance and financial reports. Condition: The City did not have adequate internal controls to ensure the accuracy, completeness, and proper authorization of submissions to the Federal agency. Specifically: 1. Financial and performance reports submitted to the Federal agency did not undergo a secondary (independent) review prior to submission. 2. Reimbursement requests submitted to the Federal agency did not undergo a secondary (independent) review prior to submission. Cause: The City has not implemented or enforced a formalized review process that requires supervisory-level approval prior to the submission of reports or reimbursement requests. Effect: Without a secondary review, there is an increased risk that inaccurate, incomplete, or unsupported information may be submitted to the Federal agency. This could result in: • Reporting errors or omissions, • Noncompliance with Federal requirements, • Potential questioned costs, and • Increased risk of funding delays or corrective action requirements. Questioned Costs: None to report Context/Sampling: Out of a total population of three reports and reimbursement requests, three were selected for testing. Repeat Finding from Prior Years: No. Recommendation: We recommend that the City design and implement formal internal controls requiring documented secondary review and approval for all financial and performance reports, and all reimbursement requests submitted to Federal agencies. Views of Responsible Officials: Agree.

The City concurs with the finding. Audit testing identified no reporting errors, no noncompliance, and no questions costs; however, the City acknowledges that documentation of independent supervisory review was not formally required or retained prior to submission of federal reports and reimbursement requests. To strengthen documentation of internal control over compliance, the City will implement a formalized and documented secondary review process for all federal financial reports, performance reports, and reimbursement requests, to be retained in grant files in accordance with CFR §200.334 record retention requirements.