(a) Unless otherwise exempt, audits at the State and institution levels must be conducted in accordance with 2 CFR part 200, subpart F, Appendices X and XI, Data Collection Form and Compliance Supplement, respectively and USDA implementing regulations 2 CFR parts 400, 415 and 416. State agencies must establish audit policy for for-profit institutions. However, the audit policy established by the State agency must not conflict with the authority of the State agency or the Department to perform, or cause to be performed, audits, reviews, agreed-upon procedures engagements, or other monitoring activities.

(b) The funds provided to the State agency under §226.4(j) may be made available to institutions to fund a portion of organization-wide audits made in accordance with 2 CFR part 200, subpart F and USDA implementing regulations 2 CFR part 400 and part 415. The funds provided to an institution for an organization-wide audit must be determined in accordance with 2 CFR part 200, subpart F and USDA implementing regulations 2 CFR part 400 and part 415.

(c) Funds provided under §226.4(j) may be used by the State agency to conduct program-specific audits of institutions not subject to organization-wide audits, or for which the State agency considers program specific audits to be needed. The State agency may use any funds remaining after all required program-specific audits have been performed to conduct administrative reviews or agreed-upon procedures engagements of institutions.

(d) Funds provided under §226.4(j) may only be obligated during the fiscal year for which those funds are allocated. If funds provided under §226.4(i) are not sufficient to meet the requirements of this section, the State agency may then use available State administrative expense funds to conduct audits, provided that the State agency is arranging for the audits and has not passed the responsibility down to the institution.

(e) Full use of Federal funds. States and State agencies must support the full use of Federal funds provided to State agencies under 226.4(j) of this part to support State audit activities, and exclude such funds from State budget restrictions or limitations, including hiring freezes, work furloughs, and travel restrictions.

(f) In conducting management evaluations, reviews, or audits in a fiscal year, the State agency, FNS, or OIG may disregard an overpayment if the overpayment does not exceed $600. A State agency may establish, through State law, regulation or procedure, an alternate disregard threshold that does not exceed $600. This disregard may be made once per each management evaluation, review, or audit per Program within a fiscal year. However, no overpayment is to be disregarded where there is substantial evidence of violations of criminal law or civil fraud statutes.

(g) While OIG shall rely to the fullest extent feasible upon State sponsored audits, OIG may, whenever it considers necessary:

(1) Make audits on a statewide basis;

(2) Perform on-site test audits;

(3) Review audit reports and related working papers of audits performed by or for State agencies.

(h) State agencies are not required to provide a hearing to an institution for State actions taken on the basis of a Federal audit determination. If a State agency does not provide a hearing in such situations, FNS will provide a hearing, upon request, in accordance with procedures set forth in §226.6(k).

[47 FR 36527, Aug. 20, 1982, as amended at 50 FR 8580, Mar. 4, 1985; 51 FR 4295, Feb. 4, 1986; 52 FR 5526, Feb. 25, 1987; 53 FR 52590, Dec. 28, 1988; Amdt. 22, 55 FR 1378, Jan. 14, 1990; 67 FR 43490, June 27, 2002; 69 FR 53543, Sept. 1, 2004; 70 FR 43261, July 27, 2005; 71 FR 5, Jan. 3, 2006; 71 FR 30563, May 30, 2006; 72 FR 41607, July 31, 2007; 76 FR 37982, June 29, 2011; 81 FR 66493, Sept. 28, 2016]