Audit Policy/Program FAQ's

Q: When can I expect payment and recap letter for a monthly progress payment submission?

A: Upon receiving a request for reimbursement, the MSBA will process the request for reimbursement within fifteen calendar days. After the MSBA reviews the request for reimbursement, the MSBA sends a recap letter to the community that states the reimbursement amount, amounts paid to date, and a detail of eligible/ineligible costs.

Q: How are eligible or ineligible costs determined for projects that were approved by the DOE?

A: The MSBA’s eligibility guidelines can be found in the attached link (link to MSBA audit guidelines).

Q: How does the audit acceptance/ non-acceptance process work?

AUDIT ACCEPTANCE PROCESS

A community has 10 business days from the date it receives the draft audit report by e-mail to accept or not accept the draft audit report by filling out the Acceptance/Non-acceptance form.

If a community accepts the draft audit report, the community must submit the acceptance form within 10 business days. The draft audit report will then be submitted to the Board of the Authority for their consideration and approval. There is no appeal if the community accepts the report, and the audit results will be considered final upon the vote of the Board, and the revised payment schedule reflecting the audit results will be implemented. Failure to submit an acceptance form within the 10-day business day deadline may result in payment delays.

If the community chooses NOT to accept the draft report, the community must submit the non-acceptance form within 10 business days of receiving the draft audit report by certified mail and state its intention to appeal.  All appeals, along with new documentation and a summary of the appeal issues, must be filed in writing within 20 business days from the date the community receives the draft audit report, by certified mail to Joanna Aalto, Director of Audit Policy. The Authority will reconsider audit results only if these deadlines are met. Each community that appeals timely will have the opportunity to meet with certain staff members of the Authority and a sub-committee of the Board of the Authority before the audit results and the appeal are submitted to the Board of the Authority for their consideration. Once the Board has voted on the audit results, the results will be considered final, and the Authority will implement a revised payment schedule based on the audit results.

If the Authority does not receive the required appeal materials within the above-specified time frame, the draft audit report will be submitted to the Authority’s Board for their consideration and approval. The audit results will be considered final upon the vote of the Board, and the revised payment schedule reflecting the audit results will be implemented.