2020 was anything but normal, and we can look at the annual reports that Washington's cities and towns recently submitted to see how the COVID-19 pandemic affected their operations. How did the pandemic affect sales tax collections? How did federal funding support our cities and towns as they navigated the economic challenges of the pandemic?
With new annual report filings from nearly 200 governments across the state since June 30, we're excited to share our first quarterly update of the 2020 fiscal year financial data in the Financial Intelligence Tool (FIT).
This is the fourth article of our seven-part K&P leadership series. Missed the previous article on challenging the process? Read it here.
Smaller governments frequently procure goods and services without a procurement manager. While smaller governments can get by without designated procurement managers for their daily operations, they occasionally take on larger projects like new building construction that can strain their limited resources. The burden of managing these projects often falls to managers who have several other duties or lack procurement expertise. Whether you have small or large procurements, here are five survival tips to help you navigate the procurement process:
Looking for a way to improve your game when it comes to cash receipting internal controls? Add the double count to your arsenal. The double count is as easy as the name suggestions: money should never transfer from one employee to another without being counted and documented first.
Though it's simple, the double count is a necessary addition to your internal control processes for minimizing the risk of loss . Let's walk through a few scenarios to illustrate the concept and its importance.
Scenario 1: Fundraising in a school
This is the third article of our seven-part K&P leadership series. Missed the previous article on inspiring a shared vision? Read it here.
With the school district year-end financial report deadline just around the corner, we've updated our Preparation and Review Checklist for School District Financial Statements.
The updated checklist will help school districts using the F-196 reporting model, modified accrual or cash basis. The checklist covers important questions for school districts as they prepare and review their financial statements, note disclosures, the Schedule of Long-Term Liabilities, and the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (if applicable).
The Center for Government Innovation, a service of the Office of the Washington State Auditor, has been working hard to provide local governments the tools they need.
Just released: Payroll Guide and Internal Controls Checklist
This new Payroll Guide includes a suite of short, one-to-two-page resources for different roles and topics. This guide has something for you, whether you are:
This is the second article of our seven-part K&P leadership series. Missed the introductory article? Read it here.
Originally Published: August 24, 2021
As you enter into new federally funded contracts this year, you need to know if your contractor has been banned from doing business with the federal government. Commonly referred to as suspension and debarment, these requirements are fairly easy to comply with, yet they are one of SAO's most common audit findings. We first ran this article in August 2021, and due to its importance, we're republishing it as a reminder.