§ 98.65 - Audits and financial reporting.

§ 98.65 Audits and financial reporting.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 89 FR 80071, Oct. 2, 2024.

(a) Each Lead Agency shall have an audit conducted after the close of each program period in accordance with 45 CFR part 75, subpart F, and the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996.

(b) Lead Agencies are responsible for ensuring that subgrantees are audited in accordance with appropriate audit requirements.

(c) Not later than 30 days after the completion of the audit, Lead Agencies shall submit a copy of their audit report to the legislature of the State or, if applicable, to the Tribal Council(s). Lead Agencies shall also submit a copy of their audit report to the HHS Inspector General for Audit Services, as well as to their cognizant agency, if applicable.

(d) Any amounts determined through an audit not to have been expended in accordance with these statutory or regulatory provisions, or with the Plan, and that are subsequently disallowed by the Department shall be repaid to the Federal government, or the Secretary will offset such amounts against any other CCDF funds to which the Lead Agency is or may be entitled.

(e) Lead Agencies shall provide access to appropriate books, documents, papers and records to allow the Secretary to verify that CCDF funds have been expended in accordance with the statutory and regulatory requirements of the program, and with the Plan.

(f) The audit required in paragraph (a) of this section shall be conducted by an agency that is independent of the State, Territory or Tribe as defined by generally accepted government auditing standards issued by the Comptroller General, or a public accountant who meets such independent standards.

(g) Lead Agencies shall submit financial reports, in a manner specified by ACF, quarterly for each fiscal year until funds are expended.

(h) At a minimum, a State or territorial Lead Agency's quarterly report shall include the following information on expenditures under CCDF grant funds, including Discretionary (which includes realloted funding and any funds transferred from the TANF block grant), Mandatory, and Matching Funds (which includes redistributed funding); and State Matching and Maintenance-of-Effort (MOE) Funds:

(1) Child care administration;

(2) Quality activities, including any sub-categories of quality activities as required by ACF;

(3) Direct services for both grant or contracted slots and certificates;

(4) Non-direct services, including:

(i) Establishment and maintenance of computerized child care information systems;

(ii) Certificate program cost/eligibility determination;

(iii) All other non-direct services; and

(5) Such other information as specified by the Secretary.

(i) Tribal Lead Agencies shall submit financial reports annually in a manner specified by ACF.

[63 FR 39981, July 24, 1998, as amended at 81 FR 67591, Sept. 30, 2016; 89 FR 15416, Mar. 1, 2024]