TITLE 7 - AGRICULTURE

SUBTITLE B - REGULATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

CHAPTER II - FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

SUBCHAPTER C - FOOD STAMP AND FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM

PART 277 - PAYMENTS OF CERTAIN ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS OF STATE AGENCIES

277.6 - Standards for financial management systems.

  (a) General. This section prescribes standards for financial management systems in administering program funds by the State agency and its subagencies or contractors.

  (b) Responsibilities. Financial management systems for program funds in the State agency shall provide for: (1) Accurate, current, and complete disclosure of the financial results of program activities in accordance with Federal reporting requirements.

  (2) Records which identify the source and application of funds for FNS or State agency activities supporting the administration of the Program.

These records shall show authorizations, obligations, unobligated balances, assets, liabilities, outlays and income of the State agency, its sub- agencies and agents.

  (3) Records which identify unallowable costs and offsets resulting from FNS or other determinations as specified in 277.16 and the disposition of these amounts. Accounting procedures must be in effect to prevent a State agency from claiming these costs under ongoing program administrative cost reports.

  (4) Effective control and accountability by the State agency for all program funds, property, and other assets acquired with program funds.

State agencies shall adequately safeguard all such assets and shall assure that they are used solely for program authorized purposes unless disposition has been made in accordance with 277.13.

  (5) Controls which minimize the time between the receipt of Federal funds from the United States Treasury and their disbursement for program costs. In the Letter of Credit system, the State agency shall make drawdowns from the U.S. Treasury through a U.S. Treasury Regional Disbursing Office as nearly as possible to the time of making the disbursements.

  (6) Procedures to determine the reasonableness, allowability, and allocability of costs in accordance with the applicable provisions prescribed in appendix A to this part.

  (7) Support and source documents for costs.

  (8) An audit trail including identification of time periods, initial and summary accounts, cost determination and allocation procedures, cost centers or other accounting procedures to support any costs claimed for program administration.

  (9) Periodic audits by qualified individuals who are independent of those who maintain Federal program funds as prescribed in 277.17.

  (10) Methods to resolve audit findings and recommendations and to follow up on corrective or preventive actions.

  (c) The standards in 277.6(b) apply to subagencies or contractors involved with program funding.