Federal Reports

What We Looked AtWe contracted with the independent public accounting firm Leon Snead & Company, P.C., to audit the Surface Transportation Board's (STB) financial statements as of and for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2019, and September 30, 2018, and to report on internal control over financial reporting and compliance with laws and other matters. The contract requires the audit to be performed in accordance with U.S. generally accepted Government auditing standards, Office of Management and Budget audit guidance, and the Governmental Accountability Office's and Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency's Financial Audit Manual. In connection with the contract, we performed a quality control review of Leon Snead's report dated November 12, 2019, and related documentation, and inquired of its representatives.What We FoundOur quality control review disclosed no instances in which Leon Snead did not comply, in all material respects, with U.S. generally accepted Government auditing standards.RecommendationsSTB concurred with Leon Snead's three recommendations. We agree with Leon Snead's recommendations and are not making any additional recommendations.

Audit of Fiscal Year 2019 Financial Statement

Compliance with Laws and Regulations

Report on Internal Control

The audit of an AmeriCorps grant awarded directly from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to the St. Bernard Project (SBP) identified questioned Federal costs of $53,490, questioned match costs of $51,246, and compliance findings. These costs were incurred between April 1, 2016, and March 31, 2018. Most of the questioned costs were due to (1) inadequate payroll records, (2) untimely National Service Criminal History Checks (NSCHCs), and (3) an unallowable fine. SBP concurred with most of the findings and questioned costs and began taking corrective actions. SBP implemented the CNCS’s approved vendor, Truescreen, to perform it NSCHCs. CNCS management concurred with the recommendations and stated it will resolve the questioned costs during audit resolution.

NASA receives "clean" (or unmodified) audit opinion on its Fiscal Year 2019 financial statements.

The independent auditors opined that the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the United States Department of Education as of September 30, 2019 and 2018, and its net costs, changes in net position, and budgetary resources for the years then ended in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. The report identified material weaknesses in controls over the reliability of information used in modeling activities and significant deficiencies regarding information technology controls and monitoring of service organizations.

The independent auditors opined that the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Federal Student Aid as of September 30, 2019 and 2018, and its net costs, changes in net position, and budgetary resources for the years then ended in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. The report identified material weaknesses in controls over the reliability of information used in modeling activities and significant deficiencies regarding information technology controls and monitoring of service organizations.