HomeMy WebLinkAboutAudit Reports - Public - Salt River Irrigation Contract Audit - 8/18/2017
_____________________________________________________________________________________
1 SRI Contract Audit
Date: August 18, 2017
To: Kevin R. Phelps, City Manager
From: Candace MacLeod, City Auditor
Subject: Salt River Irrigation Contract Audit
At the request of the Mayor, the City Auditor’s Office conducted an audit of the Salt
River Irrigation (SRI) contract for urban irrigation services for the period April 12, 2016 to
June 30, 2017. The audit was conducted to ensure the terms and conditions of the
contract were being complied with by the City and SRI.
Background
The City has been managing the urban irrigation program since 1912. In 2016, the City
issued RFP 16-29 for urban irrigation, residential repair, and parks irrigation services. The
City received three responses which were evaluated by a panel, under the guidance
of the Procurement Division. SRI was the successful vendor and the City entered into
C-10784 (Contract) for a one-year period beginning on April 12, 2016. The terms of the
Contract included four one-year renewal options and the City extended the Contract
for one year to April 2018, along with a 3.5% price adjustment to the urban irrigation
services rate. The maximum annual cost of the Contract was $230,000 per year or $1.15
million over the full five-year term. Table 1 summarizes the current rates paid for services
under the Contract.
Table 1 – Contract Rates
Task Description Current Rate
Urban Irrigation Services Rate per customer, per delivery $24.84
Customer Service Rate per man-hour $48.00
Residential Repair Services Rate per man-hour of repair $122.52
Parks Irrigation Services Rate per man-hour $19.22
Urban irrigation services are budgeted by the Water Services and Public Facilities,
Recreation and Special Events (PFRSE) Departments. Table 2 summarizes the services
provided under the Contract and the associated annual costs.
Table 2 – Summary of Contract Expenditures
Water Services - Irrigation (2400-17220)
Service Description FY2016 Expenditures
(3 months)
FY2017 Expenditures
Irrigation Services $37,248 $103,340
Customer Service $18,264 $16,740
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2 SRI Contract Audit
Service Repairs and Parts $38,382 $109,797
Total Expenditures - Water Services $93,894 $229,877
Public Facilities, Recreation and Special Events - Parks Maintenance
Irrigation Services $13,935 $39,305
Service Repairs and Parts $3,430 $4,648
Total Expenditures – Parks $17,365 $43,953
Total Citywide Expenditures $111,259 $273,830
Observations
After review of documentation and discussion with staff from Budget and Finance,
PFRSE, and Water Services, the following observations were noted:
1. The Initial Year Contract Threshold Reported to Council Was Overspent
Although the terms of the Contract state that compensation will not exceed $230,000
annually or a total value of $1.15 million for the entire term of the Contract, the April
2016 Council Report stated that the expenditure of funds for the initial year of the
Contract would not exceed $230,000. Contract expenditures are independently
monitored by staff in Water Services and PFRSE. However, controls were not in place to
monitor Contract expenditures city-wide to ensure the maximum threshold reported to
Council was not exceeded. In FY17, Water Services and PFRSE expended a combined
$273,830. In calendar year 2016, Water Services and PFRSE expended a combined
$253,486, exceeding the annual Contract maximum reported to Council by $23,486.
Recommendations
Budget and Finance should develop controls to ensure annual maximum dollar
thresholds are not exceeded for contracts utilized by multiple departments.
Management’s Response
Concur. Effective September 1, 2017, the Water Services department and the PFRSE
department will conduct monthly meetings to review expenditures so that they do not
exceed the annual Contract amount (the Contract as stated above will not exceed
$230,000 annually or a total value of $1,150,000 for the entire term of the contact). In
addition, the City is implementing a new ERP system, Tyler Munis, which has functionality
to track spending by vendor or contract. The expected go-live date of Financials is July
1, 2018.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
3 SRI Contract Audit
2. The City Was Overcharged $7,717 for Parks Irrigation Services
SRI is required to provide flood irrigation to 18 City parks between April and October.
The billable rate and hours for each park’s irrigation delivery are designated in the
Contract. The irrigation delivery dates are recorded in the Parks Maintenance service
calendar. Auditors reviewed 10 invoices, comparing the billed amount for each park to
the allowable amount in the Contract, and identified 71 instances of overbilling and 12
instances of underbilling, for a total net overbilling of $7,717. Auditors also noted three
instances totaling $730 whereby the City was billed for irrigation delivery that was not
recorded in the service calendar. Furthermore, the auditors identified 14 instances of
dates on the service calendar that were not billed for and four instances of service
dates on invoices that differed from the service calendar. The City also receives bills
from SRP that detail the dates and times water was provided to City parks; however, this
information is not compared to SRI invoices for verification purposes.
Recommendations
PFRSE should develop controls to ensure payments for parks irrigation services are
verified, made in accordance with the Contract, and examine any payment
discrepancies in coordination with the Procurement Division.
Management’s Response
Concur. The contract manager for the PFRSE department has developed a new
spreadsheet tracking system that lists: the contracted amounts of water delivery;
delivery dates; SRI invoiced hours; and SRP confirmed water delivery dates and hours.
Effective August 1, 2017, these figures will be verified monthly in accordance with the
Contract to identify any discrepancies of over or under billing. The contract manager
will also require all future invoices have detailed line-items for each Park/Facility
including dates of delivery and cost per delivery hours. Any corrections to SRI invoiced
amounts will be corrected prior to submitting payment. These will also be reviewed by
the Parks Superintendent. Any performance issues or discrepancies will be shared with
the Procurement Division within 30 days of being noted.
3. The City Paid $5,560 For Materials and Services Not Included In the Contract and
Was Overcharged $4,379 for Parks Irrigation Repairs
Water Services
SRI is required to provide patch materials, such as concrete, as part of performing
residential repair services. However, 16 of 18 repair invoices reviewed included $836 in
charges for patch materials.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
4 SRI Contract Audit
SRI is also required to conduct physical site inspections and prepare written reports.
However, a review of five customer service invoices indicated the City was billed $4,416
for customer service activities not included in the Contract, including phone calls and
preparing service maps.
Public Facilities, Recreation and Special Events
SRI separately billed the City for parks irrigation repair and maintenance costs that
should have been included in the billed rate of $19.22 for parks irrigation. The hourly
rates charged by SRI on six parks irrigation services invoices ranged from $105.00/hour to
$122.52/hour, resulting in a total overbilling of $4,379 for repairs. Additionally, the City
was incorrectly billed $308 for patch materials on four invoices.
Recommendations
Water Services should develop controls to ensure payments for materials and services
are made in accordance with the Contract and examine any payment discrepancies
in coordination with the Procurement Division.
PFRSE should develop controls to ensure payments for parks repair and maintenance
services and materials are made in accordance with the Contract and examine any
payment discrepancies in coordination with the Procurement Division.
Management’s Response
Water Services: Concur with recommendation. Department staff will verify line item
charges to contract terms and pricing. During the procurement discussion with the
vendor, it was the intent that customer service related activity would be compensated
under the contract Task 1 - section 1.3.1.2. The department will coordinate with the
Procurement Division to revise customer service task language and pricing in the next
contract renewal.
PFRSE: Concur. The current Contract C–10784 does not include an hourly rate for
anything other than minor repairs to the parks irrigation delivery system. The hourly rate
of $19.22 is the calculated rate for water delivery and minor repairs. Staff will work with
Procurement to further clarify minor and major repairs. SRI will continue to submit an
estimate with the cost of labor and materials obtaining approval prior to any repairs. By
October 1, 2017, the department will endeavor to amend its existing Contract with SRI
to establish an hourly rate for repairs. By September 15, 2017, the PFRSE department will
also work with the Procurement Division to obtain a credit for the patch materials that
should have been included as part of the repair as stated in the current Contract.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
5 SRI Contract Audit
4. Invoices Were Paid Without Supporting Documentation or Required Quotes
Water Services
SRI is required to provide residential irrigation delivery between the months of April and
October, up to a maximum of 15 times per year. Water Services is billed monthly based
on a Contract rate multiplied by the number of customers receiving delivery. The
invoices for 17 residential irrigation deliveries were reviewed, for which none had
customer lists attached. Furthermore, there were no controls in place to ensure the
number of customers receiving irrigation services, as reported by SRI, was accurate.
In accordance with the Contract, the City will provide or reimburse for components
such as gates, valves, pipes, equipment, and other materials. A review of 18 residential
repair invoices included parts and supplies totaling $18,811 that were not supported by
a receipt or other documentation.
SRI is required to provide quotations to the City’s program manager for major repairs
expected to require more than six man-hours to complete. However, auditors identified
17 major residential repairs totaling $29,589 for which a quote was not provided.
Public Facilities, Recreation and Special Events
The City was billed for parks irrigation parts and supplies on six invoices totaling $3,392
that were not supported by a receipt or other documentation.
SRI is required to provide the City’s parks program manager with estimates for minor
repairs. However, estimates were not provided to the City for four of the six invoices
reviewed by the auditors. Additionally, invoices are not recalculated to ensure
accuracy.
Recommendations
Water Services should ensure adequate backup is obtained and reviewed for Contract
invoices including customer counts, parts, supplies, and quotes for major repairs.
PFRSE should ensure adequate backup is obtained and reviewed for Contract parts,
supplies reimbursements, and estimates for minor repairs. Additionally, invoices should
be recalculated for accuracy.
Management’s Response
Water Services: Concur with recommendation. Department will revise the payment
control procedures to add clerical staff validation of charges with independent
_____________________________________________________________________________________
6 SRI Contract Audit
documentation and to reconcile difference between the two. Documentation to
include customer lists, vendor parts invoices, and repair quotes.
PFRSE: Concur. Effective August 1, 2017, the PFRSE Contract manager has
implemented the following procedure to ensure adequate back up documentation is
received prior to any invoice submitted for payment. In addition to recalculating the
invoices, the following items are now required from SRI: (a) estimates for repairs listing
hourly rate and materials; (b) detailed invoice once repair has been completed; (c)
supporting documentation for materials supplied; and (d) digital photographs of work
completed as verification that work has been completed.
5. A Contract Manager Did Not Have the Current Contract and Checks Were Not
Conducted to Verify Work Performed
Water Services
Water Services maintained a contract file; however, is was not organized and did not
include all supporting documentation to indicate compliance with the terms and
conditions of the Contract including: monthly reports from SRI with current customer lists,
customer complaints and the contractor’s response, changes in customers, lot
inspections, and service calls. According to staff, a Water Services employee was
typically on-site to supervise repairs. However, there was limited documentation on file
for 2016 repairs to verify that inspections or approval of the repair work was performed.
Water Services implemented procedures to document inspections in 2017.
Public Facilities, Recreation and Special Events
PFRSE also maintained a contract file; however, the contract manager did not have a
copy of the current Contract and was unable to explain the pricing schedule for
irrigation services in the Contract. Furthermore, staff indicated that there is no
verification of SRI ’s work to ensure it is performed in accordance with the Contract,
Recommendations
Water Services should ensure Contract terms and conditions are adequately monitored
and supporting documentation is maintained in an organized manner.
PFRSE should ensure a current copy of the Contract is retained and perform checks on
work performed under the Contract.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
7 SRI Contract Audit
Management’s Response
Water Services: Concur with recommendation. Department will add clerical resources
to obtain supporting documentation and retain it in an organized manner for Contract
Administrator to monitor.
PFRSE: Concur. The PFRSE department has a current copy of the SRI Contract C–10784
on its department shared computer drive. Effective August 1, 2017, the program
manager will review it on a quarterly basis to ensure compliance.
6. Invoices Are Not Billed or Paid in Accordance With the Contract
Under the Contract, SRI is required to submit monthly invoices covering the period of a
calendar month and the City is required to remit payment within 30 days of the receipt
of the invoices. However, SRI is routinely submitting invoices to the City more frequently
than monthly. Based on a review of 26 Contract invoices from Water Services, two
invoices were paid late, between 31 and 40 days after the invoice date. A review of 14
Contract invoices from PFRSE identified 11 invoices that were paid late, between 31
and 143 days after the invoice date.
Recommendations
Water Services should develop controls to ensure invoices are paid in accordance with
the Contract.
PFRSE should develop controls to ensure invoices are paid in accordance with the
Contract.
Management’s Response
Water Services: Concur with recommendation. The Department makes every attempt
to pay every invoice in accordance with the contract terms. The two invoices paid 10
days late were late due to additional research and documentation from the vendor
required to validate the charges. As to multiple invoices during the month, multiple
payments during the month provides this small business better cash flow with only
nominal additional work for the City. Revising the terms of the contract will be made at
the next renewal.
PFRSE: Concur. Effective August 1, 2017, all invoices received by SRI will also be sent to
an alternate department contact to ensure timely payment. This will provide a second
level of review to monitor that all invoices will be reviewed for accuracy and processed
in a timely fashion.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
8 SRI Contract Audit
7. Procurement Files Were Missing Dates and Signatures on the Register of Proposals
and A Current Insurance Certificate
Finance Administrative Policy (FAP) No. 1 states that each proposal received shall be
time stamped and retained in a secure place until the closing date and time for receipt
of proposals. A register of proposals shall be prepared and shall set forth the name of
each offeror and the identity of the Request for Proposals for which the proposal was
submitted. FAP No. 1 also states that proposals shall be opened in the presence of two
or more procurement officials.
A review of the procurement file maintained by the Procurement Division for the
Contract was conducted. The Contract file was missing the following:
• Dates and signatures on the register of proposals to indicate whether proposals
were received prior to the close of the solicitation and opened in the presence of
two or more procurement officials.
• A current insurance certificate (the certificate on hand had expiration dates of May
23, 2017, June 1, 2017, and July 1, 2017).
Recommendations
Budget and Finance should review controls to ensure that registers of proposals are
signed by at least two officials, indicate whether the proposals were received on time,
and current insurance certificates are on file for solicitations managed by the
Procurement Division.
Management’s Response
Concur. Budget and Finance will review controls on bid opening logs to ensure that
registers of proposals are signed by at least two officials and are received on time and
update procedures as needed by September 30, 2017. The current certificate of
liability of insurance was received on July 13, 2017.
cc: Michael D. Bailey, City Attorney
Lisette Camacho, Assistant Director Budget and Finance
Craig Johnson, Director Water Services
Vicki Rios, Director Budget and Finance
Erik Strunk, Director Public Facilities, Recreation and Special Events