FY 2019 Department of State Agency Financial Report: Section II: Financial Section

It is an honor to present the Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Financial Statements on behalf of the Department of State. As noted in the Secretary’s message, the FY 2019 Agency Financial Report (AFR) is our key accountability document and principal publication and report to the President, Congress, and the American people to disclose our financial status over the assets and resources entrusted to us. It illustrates our firm commitment, resolve, and rigor in delivering the highest standard of financial accountability and transparency to the American public. The AFR provides a comprehensive view of the Department’s financial activities set against the backdrop of the global issues and engagements we face as an institution and as a country. Notably, it represents the diligence and dedication demonstrated daily by the Department’s professionals – One Team – around the world in some of the most difficult operating environments.

The Department’s financial operating context is complex. We operate in over 270 embassies and consulates, located in more than 180 countries around the world. We conduct business on a 24/7 basis in over 135 currencies through 224 bank accounts around the world; account for more than $108 billion in assets in over 500 separate fiscal accounts; and manage real and personal property assets with historical costs of more than $38 billion. We provide the shared administrative operating platform for more than 45 other U.S. Government entities overseas; and pay more than 100,000 Foreign and Civil Service, Locally Employed Staff, and Foreign Service annuitants. These financial activities support and further our ability to advance America’s interests on a broad range of foreign policy challenges and engagements that demand our attention.

For the Department’s financial management platform and programs, we strive to prioritize, manage, and implement vital investments in modern, transformative financial systems and operations that improve our global financial operations, reporting, and compliance. These investments provide a standardized and economical enterprise-wide financial business framework for accurate and timely financial data. Further automation and the use of data as a resource will be central to the Department’s ongoing transformational efforts and our ability to improve accountability, measure performance and enhance data-informed decision making. Our support of these efforts, together with our need to be responsible stewards of data, requires that we continuously assess and enhance our financial systems and data. To that end, as required by the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014 (DATA Act), the Department reports financial and payment information on the Department’s spending to the public using USASpending.gov , and continues to work to achieve 100 percent accuracy of this data submitted from all around the world. We are dedicated to delivering quality financial services, backed by our ISO-9001 certified operations and Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) standard for financial systems development. These quality management programs allow us to continuously improve our services and drive new automation and efficiencies into mission furthering support services.

We fully understand and embrace our leadership role in promoting strong and effective internal controls. This commitment is fundamental to our business and success. The Department maintains a robust system of internal controls that are validated by senior leadership. For 2019, no material weaknesses in internal controls were identified by senior leadership and no material weaknesses in internal controls over financial reporting were identified by the Senior Assessment Team or the Management Control Steering Committee. As a result, the Secretary was able to provide reasonable assurance on the effectiveness of the Department’s overall internal controls and the internal controls over financial reporting in accordance with the Federal Managers’ Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA). As highlighted in the AFR, the Department does not have any programs at risk for making significant improper payments. We continuously conduct payment risk assessments and recapture audits, as well as verifications against Treasury’s Do Not Pay databases. In their annual assessment, the OIG found the Department’s improper payments program to be in compliance with the Improper Payments Information Act (IPIA), as amended. Finally, I am pleased to report that last year, in recognition of the exceptional quality of our AFR, the Association of Government Accountants awarded the Department the prestigious Certificate of Excellence in Accountability Reporting.

The independent external annual audit process is another essential part of our commitment to strong corporate governance and effective internal controls. The audited Financial Statements in the AFR represent the culmination of a rigorous process with our partners, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and the Independent Auditor, Kearney & Company. Given the financial complexities and unpredictability of the global operating environment of the Department, there are always opportunities and challenges to address and issues that require further clarification as we meet Government-wide compliance and accounting standards. This year was no different. As communicated to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in August, a transition of independent financial auditors late in the fiscal year required the OIG and the Department to jointly request a 60-day extension to January 18, 2020, to fully complete the audit work on the Department’s financial statements. We appreciate the thoughtful consideration of all parties to ensure a comprehensive result was reached. I would like to thank all involved for their collaborative and professional efforts throughout the audit process.

For the year in which the Department celebrated its 230th anniversary, I am pleased to report the Department has received an unmodified (“clean”) audit opinion on its 2019 Financial Statements, with no material weaknesses in internal controls over financial reporting identified by the Independent Auditor.

While we are pleased with what was accomplished this year, we recognize there are several items noted in the AFR and the Independent Auditor’s Report that will require our continued attention and new focus. I also know the Department’s outstanding team of financial professionals around the world and in the Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services, of which I am extremely privileged to be a part, are up to the task. As champions of American Diplomacy, we are committed to be efficient and effective stewards of the Department’s limited resources to further its vital mission.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey C. Mounts
Acting Comptroller
January 17, 2020

OIG Transmittal

January 17, 2020

UNCLASSIFIED

INFORMATION MEMO FOR THE SECRETARY

FROM:	OIG – Steve A. Linick
SUBJECT:	Independent Auditor’s Report on the U.S. Department of State 2019 and 2018 Consolidated Financial Statements (AUD-FM-20-18)

An independent external auditor, Kearney & Company, P.C., was engaged to audit the consolidated financial statements of the U.S. Department of State (Department) as of September 30, 2019 and 2018, and for the years then ended; to provide a report on internal control over financial reporting; to report on whether the Department’s financial management systems substantially complied with the requirements of the Federal Financial Management Improvement Act of 1996 (FFMIA); and to report any reportable noncompliance with laws, regulations, contracts, and grant agreements it tested. The contract required that the audit be performed in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America and Office of Management and Budget audit guidance.

In its audit of the Department’s FY 2019 and FY 2018 financial statements, Kearney & Company found

• the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Department as of September 30, 2019 and 2018, and its net cost of operations, changes in net position, and budgetary resources for the years then ended, in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America;
• no material weaknesses¹ in internal control over financial reporting;
• six significant deficiencies² in internal control, specifically in the areas of property and equipment, budgetary accounting, validity and accuracy of unliquidated obligations, intragovernmental revenue, financial reporting, and information technology; and
• three instances of reportable noncompliance with laws, regulations, contracts, and grant agreements tested, specifically the Antideficiency Act, the Prompt Payment Act, and FFMIA.

Kearney & Company is responsible for the attached auditor’s report, which includes the Independent Auditor’s Report, the Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting, and the Report on Compliance With Laws, Regulations, Contracts, and Grant Agreements, dated January 17, 2020, and the conclusions expressed in the report. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) does not express an opinion on the Department’s financial statements or conclusions on internal control over financial reporting and compliance with laws, regulations, contracts, and grant agreements, including whether the Department’s financial management systems substantially complied with FFMIA.

The Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services response is reprinted in its entirety as an appendix to the auditor’s report.

OIG appreciates the cooperation extended to it and Kearney & Company by Department managers and staff during the conduct of this audit.

Attachment: As stated

¹ A material weakness is a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the entity’s financial statements will not be prevented, or detected and corrected, on a timely basis. (back to text)

² A significant deficiency is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control that is less severe than a material weakness, yet important enough to merit attention by those charged with governance. (back to text)

Office of Inspector General | U.S. Department of State | 1700 North Moore Street | Arlington, Virginia 22209

www.stateoig.gov

UNCLASSIFIED

Report of Independent Auditors

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT
AUD-FM-20-18

To the Secretary of the U.S. Department of State and the Inspector General

Report on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated financial statements of the U.S. Department of State (Department), which comprise the consolidated balance sheets as of September 30, 2019 and 2018; the related consolidated statements of net cost and changes in net position and the combined statements of budgetary resources for the years then ended; and the related notes to the consolidated financial statements.

Management’s Responsibility for the Financial Statements

Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of these consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America; this includes the design, implementation, and maintenance of internal control relevant to the preparation and fair presentation of consolidated financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

Auditor’s Responsibility

Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America; the standards applicable to financial audits contained in Government Auditing Standards, issued by the Comptroller General of the United States; and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Bulletin No. 19-03, “Audit Requirements for Federal Financial Statements.” Those standards and OMB Bulletin No. 19-03 require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free from material misstatement.

An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. The procedures selected depend on the auditor’s judgment, including the assessment of the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control relevant to the entity’s preparation and fair presentation of the consolidated financial statements in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate under the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the entity’s internal control. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of significant accounting estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements.

We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion.

Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Department as of September 30, 2019 and 2018, and its net cost of operations, changes in net position, and budgetary resources for the years then ended, in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Other Matters

Required Supplementary Information

Accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America require that the Management’s Discussion and Analysis, Combining Statement of Budgetary Resources, Condition of Heritage Assets, and Deferred Maintenance and Repairs (hereinafter referred to as “required supplementary information”) be presented to supplement the consolidated financial statements. Such information, although not a part of the consolidated financial statements, is required by OMB Circular A-136, “Financial Reporting Requirements,” and the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board, which consider the information to be an essential part of financial reporting for placing the consolidated financial statements in an appropriate operational, economic, or historical context. We have applied certain limited procedures to the required supplementary information in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America, which consisted of making inquiries of management about the methods of preparing the information and comparing the information for consistency with management’s responses to our inquiries, the consolidated financial statements, and other knowledge we obtained during our audits of the consolidated financial statements. We do not express an opinion or provide any assurance on the information because the limited procedures do not provide us with sufficient evidence to express an opinion or provide any assurance.

Other Information

Our audits were conducted for the purpose of forming an opinion on the consolidated financial statements as a whole. The information in the Introduction, Message from the Secretary, Message from the Comptroller, Section III: Other Information, and Appendices as listed in the Table of Contents of the Department’s Agency Financial Report, is presented for purposes of additional analysis and is not a required part of the consolidated financial statements. Such information has not been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in the audits of the consolidated financial statements, and accordingly, we do not express an opinion or provide any assurance on the information.

Other Reporting Required by Government Auditing Standards

In accordance with Government Auditing Standards and OMB Bulletin No. 19-03, we have also issued reports, dated January 17, 2020, on our consideration of the Department’s internal control over financial reporting and on our tests of the Department’s compliance with certain provisions of applicable laws, regulations, contracts, and grant agreements for the year ended September 30, 2019. The purpose of those reports is to describe the scope of our testing of internal control over financial reporting and compliance and the results of that testing and not to provide an opinion on internal control over financial reporting or on compliance. Those reports are an integral part of an audit performed in accordance with Government Auditing Standards and OMB Bulletin No. 19-03 and should be considered in assessing the results of our audits.

Alexandria, Virginia
January 17, 2020

Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER
FINANCIAL REPORTING

To the Secretary of the U.S. Department of State and the Inspector General

We have audited the consolidated financial statements of the U.S. Department of State (Department) as of and for the year ended September 30, 2018, and have issued our report thereon dated November 15, 2018. We conducted our audit in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America; the standards applicable to financial audits contained in Government Auditing Standards, issued by the Comptroller General of the United States; and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Bulletin No. 19-01, “Audit Requirements for Federal Financial Statements.”

Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

In planning and performing our audit of the consolidated financial statements, we considered the Department’s internal control over financial reporting (internal control) to determine the audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances for the purpose of expressing our opinions on the consolidated financial statements, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Department’s internal control. Accordingly, we do not express an opinion on the effectiveness of the Department’s internal control. We limited our internal control testing to those controls necessary to achieve the objectives described in OMB Bulletin No. 19‑03. We did not test all internal controls relevant to operating objectives as broadly defined by the Federal Managers’ Financial Integrity Act of 1982,¹ such as those controls relevant to ensuring efficient operations.

A deficiency in internal control exists when the design or operation of a control does not allow management or employees, in the normal course of performing their assigned functions, to prevent, or detect and correct, misstatements on a timely basis. A material weakness is a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the entity’s financial statements will not be prevented or detected and corrected on a timely basis. A significant deficiency is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control that is less severe than a material weakness, yet important enough to merit attention by those charged with governance.

Our consideration of internal control was for the limited purpose described in the first paragraph of this section and was not designed to identify all deficiencies in internal control that might be material weaknesses or significant deficiencies and therefore, material weaknesses or significant deficiencies may exist that have not been identified. Given these limitations, during our audit we did not identify any deficiencies in internal control that we consider to be material weaknesses. We identified certain deficiencies in internal control, described below, as items that we consider to be significant deficiencies.

Significant Deficiencies

I. Property and Equipment

The Department reported more than $26 billion in net property and equipment on its FY 2019 consolidated balance sheet. Real and leased property consisted primarily of residential and functional facilities and capital improvements to these facilities. Personal property consisted of several asset categories, including aircraft, vehicles, security equipment, communication equipment, and software. Weaknesses in property and equipment were initially reported in the audit of the Department’s FY 2005 consolidated financial statements and subsequent audits. In FY 2019, the Department’s internal control structure continued to exhibit several deficiencies that negatively affected the Department’s ability to account for real and personal property in a complete, accurate, and timely manner. We concluded that the combination of property-related control deficiencies was a significant deficiency. The individual deficiencies we identified are summarized as follows:

• Accounting for Overseas Real Property – The Department operates at more than 270 posts in more than 180 countries around the world and is primarily responsible for acquiring and managing real property in foreign countries on behalf of the U.S. Government. We found several real property disposals overseas that were not recorded by the Department in a timely manner. In addition, we tested real property acquisitions overseas and identified deposits (i.e., payments made prior to closing on the purchase of real property) made by the Department in prior years that were not recorded as prepaid assets, as required. Although the Department implemented certain controls, such as the use of project codes, to identify disposals and prepayments related to overseas real property, the controls did not ensure that all real property transactions were recorded in the proper fiscal year. The untimely processing of property disposals and the unrecorded acquisition prepayments resulted in misstatements in the Department’s asset balances.
• Accounting for Domestic Real Property – The acquisition, renovation, or construction of domestic real property used by the Department is funded and managed using a variety of methods. The General Services Administration (GSA) is usually the custodian of domestic real property that it acquires on behalf of other Federal agencies, and when that is the case, the property is included in GSA’s real property inventory. However, depending on certain factors, the property may be more appropriately accounted for as part of the funding agency’s real property inventory. We found instances where the Department had not correctly accounted for domestic real property transactions and other instances where the Department was unable to provide documentation to determine the proper accounting treatment for domestic real property transactions. For example, we found a construction project that was not transferred to a capital asset account upon substantial completion of the project. In addition, we found that construction costs for some projects were being accounted for as expenses even though the proper accounting treatment for those transactions may have been to record the costs to an asset account. The Department does not have a process in place to effectively track or monitor significant domestic real property purchases, renovations, or construction projects. The Department adjusted its consolidated financial statements to correct the amount of known errors. However, because the Department did not provide sufficient supporting documentation for all projects, we were unable to determine whether other misstatements existed. Without a formal process to determine the proper accounting treatment of domestic real property acquisitions, the Department may not appropriately and consistently account for those transactions.
• Accounting for Leases – The Department manages approximately 17,800 real property leases throughout the world. The majority of the Department’s leases are short-term operating leases. The Department must disclose the future minimum lease payments (FMLP) related to the Department’s operating lease obligations in the notes related to the consolidated financial statements. We found numerous recorded lease terms that did not agree with supporting documentation and errors in the Department’s FMLP calculations. The Department’s processes to record lease information and to ensure the accuracy of FMLP calculations were not always effective. The errors resulted in misstatements in the Department’s notes related to the consolidated financial statements.
• Accounting for Personal Property – The Department uses several non-integrated systems to track, manage, and record personal property transactions, which are periodically merged or reconciled with the financial management system to centrally account for the acquisition, disposal, and transfer of personal property. We identified a significant number of personal property transactions from prior years that were not recorded in the correct fiscal year. In addition, we found that the acquisition value for numerous tested items could not be supported or was incorrect. Furthermore, we found that the gain or loss recorded for some personal property disposals was not recorded properly. The Department’s internal control structure did not ensure that personal property acquisitions, disposals, and transfers were recorded in a complete, timely, and accurate manner. In addition, the Department’s monitoring activities were not effective to ensure proper financial reporting for personal property. The errors resulted in misstatements to the Department’s consolidated financial statements. The lack of effective control may result in the loss of accountability for asset custodianship, which could lead to undetected theft or waste.
• Accounting for Vehicles Owned by Other Agencies – The Department may acquire property on behalf of other agencies operating at an overseas post and manage the property inventory for those agencies. However, only assets owned by the Department should be reported in the Department’s consolidated financial statements. We found some vehicles included in the Department’s property records that were owned by other agencies. Because the Department acquired these vehicles on behalf of another agency, the property records reflected a Department funding code. The costs were therefore incorrectly merged into the Department’s accounting records as an asset. The Department adjusted its consolidated financial statements to correct the error. However, without an effective process to accurately identify assets owned by other agencies, there is a risk of errors in the Department’s future consolidated financial statements.
• Accounting for Software – Federal agencies use various types of software applications, called internal use software, to conduct business. Applications in the development phase are considered software in development (SID). Agencies are required to report software as property in their consolidated financial statements. We identified numerous instances in which the data recorded for SID were inaccurate or unsupported. Although the Department performs a quarterly data call to obtain software costs from bureau project managers, this process was not sufficient because it relied on the responsiveness and understanding of individual project managers, not all of whom understood the accounting requirements for reporting SID. Additionally, the Department did not have an effective process to confirm that information provided by project managers was complete or accurate. The errors resulted in misstatements to the Department’s consolidated financial statements. Without an effective process to obtain complete and accurate information pertaining to software applications, the Department may continue to misstate its consolidated financial statements.

II. Budgetary Accounting

The Department lacked sufficient reliable funds control over its accounting and business processes to ensure budgetary transactions were properly recorded, monitored, and reported. Beginning in our report on the Department’s FY 2010 consolidated financial statements, we identified budgetary accounting as a significant deficiency. During FY 2019, the audit continued to identify control limitations, and we concluded that the combination of control deficiencies remained a significant deficiency. The individual deficiencies we identified are summarized as follows:

• Support of Obligations – Obligations are definite commitments that create a legal liability of the Government for payment. The Department should record only legitimate obligations, which include a reasonable estimate of potential future outlays. We identified a large number of low-value obligations (i.e., obligations that are $5 or less) for which the Department could not provide evidence of a binding agreement. The Department’s financial system was designed to reject payments for invoices without established obligations. Because allotment holders did not always record valid and accurate obligations prior to the receipt of goods and services, the Department established low-value obligations, which allowed invoices to be paid in compliance with the Prompt Payment Act;² however, this process effectively bypassed the controls in the financial system. The continued use of this practice could lead to a violation of the Antideficiency Act³ and increases the risk of fraud, misuse, and waste.
• Timeliness of Obligations – The Department should record an obligation in its financial management system when it enters into an agreement, such as a contract or a purchase order, to purchase goods and services. During our testing, we identified numerous obligations that were not recorded within the requisite 15 days of execution of the obligating document and obligations that were recorded in the financial management system prior to the formal execution of a contract. The Department did not have processes to ensure the accurate and timely creation and recording of obligations. Without an effective obligation process, controls to monitor funds and make timely payments may be compromised, which may lead to violations of the Antideficiency Act⁴ and the Prompt Payment Act.⁵
• Capital Lease Obligations – Department must obligate funds to cover the net present value of the Government’s total estimated legal obligation over the life of a capital lease contract. However, the Department annually obligates funds equal to 1 year of the capital lease cost rather than the entire amount of the lease agreement. The Department obligates leases on an annual basis rather than for the entire lease agreement period because that is the manner in which funds are budgeted and appropriated. Because of the unrecorded obligation, the Department’s consolidated financial statements were misstated.
• Effectiveness of Allotment Controls – Federal agencies use allotments to allocate funds in accordance with statutory authority. Allotments provide authority to agency officials to incur obligations as long as those obligations are within the scope and terms of the allotment authority. We identified systemic issues in the Department’s use of overrides that allowed officials to exceed allotments. The Department did not have an automated control to prevent users from recording obligations that exceeded allotment amounts. Department management stated that such an automated control is not reasonable because of instances in which an allotment may need to be exceeded; however, the Department has not formally identified, documented, and communicated the circumstances under which an allotment override is acceptable. Overriding allotment controls could lead to a violation of the Antideficiency Act⁶ and increases the risk of fraud, misuse, and waste.

III. Validity and Accuracy of Unliquidated Obligations

Unliquidated obligations (ULO) represent the cumulative amount of orders, contracts, and other binding agreements for which the goods and services that were ordered have not been received or the goods and services have been received but for which payment has not yet been made. The Department’s policies and procedures provide guidance that requires allotment holders to perform at least monthly reviews, analyses, and validation of ULOs. Weaknesses in controls over ULOs were initially reported in the audit of the Department’s FY 1997 consolidated financial statements. During FY 2019, we found that the Department took steps to improve its ULO validation and reporting efforts. For example, the Department focused its reviews on programs and ULOs with a greater risk of invalidity and required allotment holders to certify and support that ULOs were valid. The Department also recorded an adjustment to its consolidated financial statements based on its review of targeted ULOs.

However, we continued to identify a significant number of invalid ULOs based on expired periods of performance, inactivity, lack of supporting documentation, or inability to support bona fide need. The Department’s internal control structure did not always ensure that invalid ULOs were identified and deobligated in a timely manner. As a result of invalid ULOs identified by our audit, the Department adjusted its consolidated financial statements. In addition, funds that could have been used for other purposes may have remained in unneeded obligations, and the risk of duplicate or fraudulent payments because of the large number of invalid ULOs is increased.

IV. Intragovernmental Review

In FY 2019, the Department’s internal control structure was not sufficient to ensure that revenue relating to transactions with other Federal agencies were recorded accurately and in a timely manner. We concluded that the combination of revenue-related control deficiencies was a significant deficiency. The individual deficiencies we identified are summarized as follows:

• Revenue Recognition for Reimbursable Agreements – The Department routinely enters into reimbursable agreements when it provides services to other Federal agencies. A reimbursable agreement is used to define the terms, conditions, and costs for the services to be provided. As required, the Department recognizes revenue in its financial system as it provides the agreed-upon services. We found some reimbursable agreement revenue recorded in FY 2019 that should have been recorded as revenue in FY 2018. Although the Department implemented a control to periodically monitor reimbursable agreements revenue for financial statement reporting purposes, it did not have a process to periodically coordinate with bureaus that had active reimbursable agreements to ensure that revenue was reported in a timely manner. Because of the exceptions identified, the revenue amount reported in the Department’s FY 2018 and FY 2019 consolidated financial statements was misstated. Without effective controls to recognize revenue in a timely manner, the Department is at risk of misstating revenue in future periods.
• Recognition of Deferred Revenue – Federal law⁷ authorizes U.S. Government employees to receive cost-of-living allowances to cover certain costs incurred when stationed in foreign areas. The allowances include an education allowance to assist Federal employees stationed overseas in meeting the extraordinary and necessary expenses incurred in providing adequate elementary and secondary education for dependent children at overseas posts. We found that the Department did not recognize advance funding received from other agencies related to the education allowance as deferred revenue, which is a liability, as required. Instead, the Department recorded the entire amount of advance funding as a revenue when the funds were received. Although Department officials were generally aware of the accounting requirements related to recording advance payments from other organizations as deferred revenue, the Department had not considered applying these criteria to advance education reimbursements received from other agencies. The Department adjusted its consolidated financial statements to correct the error. However, without an effective process to accurately identify deferred revenue, there is a risk of errors in the Department’s future consolidated financial statements.

V. Financial Reporting

In FY 2019, the Department’s internal control structure was not sufficient to ensure that financial statement balances were consolidated and classified accurately. We concluded that the combination of financial reporting-related control deficiencies was a significant deficiency. The individual deficiencies we identified are summarized as follows:

• Classification of Funds from Dedicated Collections – One component of the consolidated financial statements, the Statement of Changes in Net Position, presents the total financing sources available to, or used by, a Federal agency to support its net cost of operations and the net change in its financial position. Agencies are required to disclose “Funds from Dedicated Collections” separately from “All Other Funds” in the Statement of Changes in Net Position. We identified a new fund that should have been reported as Funds from Dedicated Collections but was instead classified as All Other Funds. Department officials stated that they were generally aware of the new fund and indicated that they had performed a review of all new funding sources to determine the most appropriate accounting classification. However, this review did not correctly identify the new fund as Funds from Dedicated Collections due to an incomplete understanding of the requirements of the law⁸ that established the fund. Although the Department reclassified the fund in the consolidated financial statements, ineffective reviews of new funding sources may lead to future misclassifications.

• Monitoring Allocation Transfers – In some cases, appropriated funds are required to be transferred to another agency for programmatic execution (referred to as “child funds”). Despite transferring these funds to another agency, the Department is required to report on the use and status of child funds in its consolidated financial statements. During FY 2019, the Department made significant child fund transfers to three other agencies. To obtain audit coverage of the Department’s most significant child funds, we requested that the financial statements auditors of two of the three agencies perform certain audit steps. Those auditors identified several invalid ULOs. We also requested detailed financial information from the third agency, which received a less significant amount of child funds from the Department. The third agency provided only partial responses to our requests, and we were unable to fully validate the information provided. The Department did not have an effective routine process to ensure that amounts reported by agencies receiving child funds were accurate. For example, the Department did not communicate effectively with child fund agencies to ensure that the validity of ULOs was reviewed periodically. In addition, the Department did not have a routine process to ensure that transaction-level details were readily available from the other agencies and were auditable. The Department adjusted its consolidated financial statements to correct the errors identified with the ULOs. However, without an effective process to accurately monitor child funds, there is a risk of errors in the Department’s future consolidated financial statements.

IV. Information Technology

The Department’s information systems and electronic data depend on the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the Department’s comprehensive and interconnected IT infrastructure using various technologies around the globe. Therefore, it is critical that the Department manage information security risks effectively throughout the organization. The Department uses several financial management systems to compile information for financial reporting purposes. The Department’s general support system, a component of its information security program, is the gateway for all the Department’s systems, including its financial management systems. Generally, control deficiencies noted in the information security program are inherited by the systems that reside in it.

In accordance with the Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 (FISMA),⁹ the Office of Inspector General (OIG) is responsible for the audit of the Department’s information security program. In the FY 2019 FISMA report,¹⁰ OIG reported security weaknesses that significantly impacted the Department’s information security program. Specifically, OIG reported weaknesses in all eight FY 2019 Inspector General FISMA metric domains: risk management, configuration management, identity and access management, data protection and privacy, security training, information security continuous monitoring, incident response, and contingency planning. OIG reported:

The deficiencies identified within the information security program occurred for several reasons. For example, the Department has not completed the development and implementation of an information security risk management strategy and filled allocated resource positions to support the implementation of a Department‑wide information security risk management strategy. Furthermore, the Department has not fully maintained a complete and accurate organization‑wide information system inventory.

Without an effective information security program, the Department remains vulnerable to IT‑centered attacks and threats to its critical mission-related functions. Information security program weaknesses can affect the integrity of financial applications, which increases the risk that sensitive financial information could be accessed by unauthorized individuals or that financial transactions could be altered, either accidentally or intentionally. Information security program weaknesses increase the risk that the Department will be unable to report financial data accurately.

The weaknesses reported by OIG as a result of the FISMA audit are considered to be a significant deficiency within the scope of our financial statement audit. We have reported weaknesses in IT security controls as a significant deficiency in each audit since our audit of the Department’s FY 2009 consolidated financial statements.

During the audit, we noted certain additional matters involving internal control over financial reporting that we will report to Department management in a separate letter.

Status of Prior Year Findings

In the Independent Auditor’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting included in the audit report on the Department’s FY 2018 consolidated financial statements,¹¹ we noted several issues that were related to internal control over financial reporting. The status of the FY 2018 internal control findings is summarized in Table 1.

Department’s Response to Findings

Department management has provided its response to our findings in a separate letter included in this report as Appendix A. We did not audit management’s response, and accordingly, we express no opinion on it.

Purpose of This Report

The purpose of this report is solely to describe the scope of our testing of internal control over financial reporting and the results of that testing and not to provide an opinion on the effectiveness of the Department’s internal control. This report is an integral part of an audit performed in accordance with Government Auditing Standards and OMB Bulletin No. 19-03 in considering the entity’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, this report is not suitable for any other purpose.

Alexandria, Virginia
January 17, 2020

¹ Federal Managers’ Financial Integrity Act of 1982, Pub. L. No. 97-255, 96 STAT 814 (September 8, 1982). (back to text)

² 31 U.S.C. § 39, “Prompt Payment.” (back to text)

³ Antideficiency Act, Pub. L. No. 97-258, 96 STAT. 923 (September 13, 1982). (back to text)

⁴ Ibid. (back to text)

⁵ 31 U.S.C. § 39. (back to text)

⁶ Pub. L. No. 97-258 (1982). (back to text)

⁷ 5 U.S.C. § 5924, “Cost-of-living allowances.” (back to text)

⁸ 8 U.S.C. § 1715, “Consular and Border Security Programs.” (back to text)

⁹ Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014, Public L. No. 113-283, 128 STAT. 3079-3080 (December 18, 2014). (back to text)

¹⁰ OIG, Audit of the Department of State Information Security Program (AUD-IT-20-04, October 2019). (back to text)

¹¹ OIG, Independent Auditor’s Report on the U.S. Department of State 2018 and 2017 Financial Statements (AUD-FM-19-03, November 2018). (back to text)

Report on Compliance With Laws, Regulations, Contracts, and Grant Agreements

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT ON COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS,
REGULATIONS, CONTRACTS, AND GRANT AGREEMENTS

To the Secretary of the U.S. Department of State and the Inspector General

We have audited, in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America; the standards applicable to financial audits contained in Government Auditing Standards, issued by the Comptroller General of the United States; and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Bulletin No. 19-03, “Audit Requirements for Federal Financial Statements,” the consolidated financial statements, and the related notes to the consolidated financial statements, of the U.S. Department of State (Department) as of and for the year ended September 30, 2019, and we have issued our report thereon dated January 17, 2020.

Compliance

As part of obtaining reasonable assurance about whether the Department’s consolidated financial statements are free from material misstatement, we performed tests of the Department’s compliance with certain provisions of laws, regulations, contracts, and grant agreements, noncompliance with which could have a direct and material effect on the determination of financial statement amounts, including the provisions referred to in Section 803(a) of the Federal Financial Management Improvement Act of 1996 (FFMIA),¹ that we determined were applicable. We limited our tests of compliance to these provisions and did not test compliance with all laws, regulations, contracts, and grant agreements applicable to the Department. However, providing an opinion on compliance with those provisions was not an objective of our audit, and accordingly, we do not express such an opinion.

The results of our tests, exclusive of those related to FFMIA, disclosed instances of noncompliance or potential noncompliance that are required to be reported under Government Auditing Standards and OMB Bulletin No. 19-03 and which are summarized as follows:

• Antideficiency Act.² This act prohibits the Department from (1) making or authorizing an expenditure from, or creating or authorizing an obligation under, any appropriation or fund in excess of the amount available in the appropriation or fund unless authorized by law; (2) involving the Government in any obligation to pay money before funds have been appropriated for that purpose, unless otherwise allowed by law; or (3) making obligations or expenditures in excess of an apportionment or reapportionment, or in excess of the amount permitted by agency regulations. Our audit procedures identified Department of the Treasury account fund symbols with negative balances that were potentially in violation of the Antideficiency Act. We also identified systemic issues in the Department’s use of allotment overrides to exceed available allotment authority. Establishing obligations that exceed available allotment authority increases the risk of noncompliance with the Antideficiency Act. Conditions impacting the Department’s compliance with the Antideficiency Act have been reported annually since our FY 2009 audit.
• Prompt Payment Act.³ This act requires Federal agencies to make payments in a timely manner, pay interest penalties when payments are late, and take discounts only when payments are made within the discount period. We found that the Department did not consistently calculate or pay interest penalties for overdue payments to utility vendors, overseas vendors, or international organizations. The Department was unable to provide legal justification exempting the Department from paying interest penalties for payments to these types of entities. Conditions impacting the Department’s compliance with the Prompt Payment Act have been reported annually since our FY 2009 audit.

Under FFMIA,⁴ we are required to report whether the Department’s financial management systems substantially comply with Federal financial management systems requirements, applicable Federal accounting standards, and the U.S. Standard General Ledger (USSGL) at the transaction level. Although we did not identify any instances of substantial noncompliance with Federal accounting standards or with the application of the USSGL at the transaction level, we identified instances, when combined, in which the Department’s financial management systems and related controls did not comply substantially with certain Federal financial management system requirements.

Federal Financial Management Systems Requirements

• The Department has long-standing weaknesses in its financial management systems regarding its capacity to account for and record financial information. For instance, the Department has significant deficiencies relating to property and equipment, budgetary accounting, unliquidated obligations, intragovernmental revenue, and financial reporting.
• During its annual evaluation of the Department’s information security program, as required by the Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA),⁵ the Department’s Office of Inspector General reported control weaknesses in all eight FY 2019 Inspector General FISMA metric domains.⁶
• The Department did not maintain effective administrative control of funds. Specifically, obligations were not created in a timely manner or were recorded in advance of an executed obligating document. In addition, there were systemic issues identified in the Department’s use of allotment overrides that allowed officials to exceed allotments.
• The Department did not always minimize waste, loss, unauthorized use, or misappropriation of Federal funds. For example, the Office of Inspector General reported a significant amount of questioned costs and funds that could be put to better use during FY 2019.
• In addition, the previously reported matters related to the Antideficiency Act and the Prompt Payment Act impact the Department’s compliance with FFMIA.

The Department has not implemented and enforced systematic financial management controls to ensure substantial compliance with FFMIA.⁷ Although the Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services (CGFS) performed an analysis to assess the Department’s compliance with FFMIA, CGFS has not developed remediation plans to address instances of noncompliance. The Department’s ability to meet Federal financial management system requirements was hindered by limitations in systems and processes. Since our FY 2009 audit, we have reported annually that the Department did not substantially comply with all requirements of FFMIA; however, this year the Department’s substantial compliance improved in two of three requirements.

During the audit, we noted certain additional matters involving compliance that we will report to Department management in a separate letter.

Department’s Response to Findings

Department management has provided its response to our findings in a separate letter included in this report as Appendix A. We did not audit management’s response, and accordingly, we express no opinion on it.

Purpose of This Report

The purpose of this report is solely to describe the scope of our testing of compliance and the results of that testing and not to provide an opinion on the effectiveness of the entity’s compliance. This report is an integral part of an audit performed in accordance with Government Auditing Standards and OMB Bulletin No. 19-03 in considering the entity’s compliance. Accordingly, this report is not suitable for any other purpose.

Alexandria, Virginia
January 17, 2020

¹ Federal Financial Management Improvement Act of 1996, Pub. L. No. 104-208, 110 STAT. 3009 (September 30, 1996). (back to text)

² Antideficiency Act, Pub. L. No. 97-258, 96 STAT. 923 (September 13, 1982). (back to text)

³ 31 U.S.C. § 39, “Prompt Payment.” (back to text)

⁴ Pub. L. No. 104-208 (1996). (back to text)

⁵ Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014, Public L. No. 113-283, 128 STAT. 3079-3080 (December 18, 2014). (back to text)

⁶ OIG, Audit of the Department of State Information Security Program (AUD-IT-20-04, October 2019). (back to text)

⁷ Ibid. (back to text)

Comptroller Response to the OIG

Appendix A

UNCLASSIFIED
MEMORANDUM

To:	OIG – Steve A. Linick
FROM:	CGFS – Jeffery C. Mounts, Acting
SUBJECT:	Draft Report on the Department of State’s Fiscal Year 2019 Financial Statements

This memo is in response to your request for comments on the Draft Report of the Independent Auditor’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting, and Report on Compliance With Applicable Provisions of Laws, Regulations, Contracts, and Grant Agreements.

As the OIG is aware, the Department operates in over 270 locations and 180 countries in some of the most challenging environments. The scale and complexity of Department activities and corresponding financial management operations and requirements are immense. We understand and take this dynamic into account as we pursue an efficient, accountable, and transparent financial management platform that supports the Department’s and broader U.S. Government’s foreign affairs mission. Part of our accountability is the essential discipline of the annual external audit process and the issuance of the Department’s annual audited financial statements. Few outside the financial community likely realize the time and effort that go into producing the audit and the Agency Financial Report (AFR), as we all work to demonstrate our commitment to strong financial management and to producing meaningful financial statements. It is a rigorous process, and this year was no exception. It has been a concerted and dedicated effort this year by all stakeholders involved.

While we may not agree on every aspect of the process and findings, we certainly appreciate and extend our sincere thanks for the professionalism and commitment by all parties, including the Office of the Inspector General and Kearney & Company, to work together in a constructive manner, in a concentrated timeframe, to complete the comprehensive audit process. We know there will always be new challenges and concerns given our global operating environment and scope of compliance requirements. Nonetheless, we believe the overall results of the audit reflect the continuous improvement we strive to achieve in the Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services and across the Department’s financial management community.

As expressed in the Independent Auditor’s Report, we are pleased that the Department has received an unmodified (“clean”) audit opinion on its FY 2018 and FY 2019 principal financial statements; with no material weaknesses reported by the Independent Auditor.

We remain committed to strong corporate governance and internal controls as demonstrated by our robust system of internal controls overseen by our Senior Assessment Team (SAT), Management Control Steering Committee (MCSC), and validated by senior leadership. We appreciate the OIG’s participation in both the SAT and MCSC forums. For FY 2019, no material management control issues or material weaknesses in internal controls over financial reporting were identified by senior leadership. As a result, the Secretary was able to provide an unqualified Statement of Assurance for the Department’s overall internal controls and internal controls over financial reporting in accordance with the Federal Managers’ Financial Integrity Act. We fully recognize that there is more to be done and that the items identified in the Draft Report will require our continued attention, action, and improvement. We look forward to working with you, Kearney & Company, and other stakeholders on addressing these issues in the coming year.

Introducing the Principal Financial Statements

The Principal Financial Statements (Statements) have been prepared to report the financial position and results of operations of the U.S. Department of State (Department). The Statements have been prepared from the books and records of the Department in accordance with formats prescribed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in OMB Circular A-136, Financial Reporting Requirements, revised. The Statements are in addition to financial reports prepared by the Department in accordance with OMB and U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) directives to monitor and control the status and use of budgetary resources, which are prepared from the same books and records. The Statements should be read with the understanding that they are for a component of the U.S. Government, a sovereign entity. The Department has no authority to pay liabilities not covered by budgetary resources. Liquidation of such liabilities requires enactment of an appropriation. Comparative data for 2018 are included.

Unless otherwise designated all use of a year indicates fiscal year, e.g., 2019 equals Fiscal Year 2019.

The Consolidated Balance Sheet provides information on assets, liabilities, and net position similar to balance sheets reported in the private sector. Intra-departmental balances have been eliminated from the amounts presented.

The Consolidated Statement of Net Cost reports the components of the net costs of the Department’s operations for the period. The net cost of operations consists of the gross cost incurred by the Department less any exchange (i.e., earned) revenue from our activities. Intra-departmental balances have been eliminated from the amounts presented.

The Consolidated Statement of Changes in Net Position reports the beginning net position, the transactions that affect net position for the period, and the ending net position. The presentation of the Statement of Changes in Net Position was updated in 2019. The intra-departmental transactions are eliminated from the combined total amounts presented.

The Combined Statement of Budgetary Resources provides information on how budgetary resources were made available and their status at the end of the year. Information in this statement is reported on the budgetary basis of accounting. Intra-departmental transactions have not been eliminated from the amounts presented.

Required Supplementary Information contains a Combining Statement of Budgetary Resources, the condition of heritage assets held by the Department, and information on deferred maintenance and repairs. The Combining Statement of Budgetary Resources provides additional information on amounts presented in the Combined Statement of Budgetary Resources.

Principal Financial Statements

The accompanying notes are an integral part of this financial statement.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of this financial statement.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of this financial statement.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of this financial statement.

Notes to Principal Financial Statements

Organization

Congress established the U.S. Department of State (Department of State or Department), the senior Executive Branch department of the United States Government in 1789. The Department advises the President in the formulation and execution of U.S. foreign policy. The head of the Department, the Secretary of State, is the President’s principal advisor on foreign affairs.

View the 19 notes to the principal financial statements.

Required Supplementary Information

Heritage Assets

The condition of the Department’s heritage assets is based on professional conservation standards. The Department performs periodic condition surveys to ensure heritage assets are documented and preserved for future generations. Once these objects are conserved, regular follow-up inspections and periodic maintenance treatments are essential for their preservation. The categories of condition are Poor, Good, and Excellent.

Deferred Maintenance and Repairs

Deferred Maintenance and Repairs (DM&R) are maintenance and repairs that were not performed when they should have been, that were scheduled and not performed, or that were delayed for a future period. Maintenance and repairs are activities directed towards keeping Property, Plant, and Equipment (PP&E) in acceptable operating condition. These activities include preventive maintenance, normal repairs, replacement of parts and structural components, and other activities needed to preserve the asset so that it can deliver acceptable performance and achieve its expected life. Maintenance and repairs exclude activities aimed at expanding the capacity of an asset or otherwise upgrading it to serve needs different from, or significantly greater, than those originally intended.

The Department occupies more than 3,000 government-owned or long-term leased real properties at more than 270 overseas locations, numerous domestic locations, and at the IBWC.

Deferred Maintenance and Repairs Policy – Measuring, Ranking and Prioritizing

The Department’s process to identify deferred maintenance for Overseas Real Property begins with an Annual Facility Condition Survey (AFCS) of all properties whether capitalized or not or fully depreciated. The facility manager at each post conducts the AFCS, examining all facilities, building systems, and equipment to determine if their current condition and capacity achieves their intended function. Deficient facilities or systems are identified, specifics about the deficiencies are documented, and recommendations for addressing the deficiencies and corresponding cost estimates for labor and materials are included in the survey. The facility manager obtains cost estimates of the maintenance.

These repair and improvement requests submitted by posts are reviewed by Area Management Officers and then evaluated using 14 factors to prioritize and assign the items a score based on life safety, security, functionality and business sense. An ensuing review is conducted by subject matter experts before they are included in the Repair & Improvement (R&I) spending plan, which is the first piece of the overall deferred maintenance calculation. If a requirement is not funded in the fiscal year in which it was originally scheduled, it becomes a “deferred maintenance requirement” and is rescheduled for remediation in a future year. Posts are also able to send maintenance requests at any point during the year in case of an emergency.

In addition to funding repair projects from the R&I account, the Department allots each post an amount of “routine maintenance and repair” funding each year. This is to accomplish preventive maintenance activities, repairs due to normal wear and tear, and recurring maintenance (e.g., painting and weather stripping) for work that does not require a review and which is exempt from permitting requirements. These are bulk allotments for routine maintenance activities described above that are not considered “projects” and therefore do not go through the prioritization process. These funds are adjusted for type of space (e.g., office vs. residential), condition of the facility (using the annual Facility Condition Index as the baseline), and overseas location.

The sum of each post’s calculated allocation is the total worldwide routine maintenance requirement. The difference between this global routine maintenance and repair funding requirement and the amount of the routine maintenance funding available in a given year is considered deferred maintenance.

Factors Considered in Determining Acceptable Condition

The Department’s PP&E mission is to provide secure, safe, functional, and sustainable facilities that represent the U.S. Government and provide the physical platform for U.S. Government employees at our embassies, consulates and domestic locations as they work to achieve U.S. foreign policy objectives. Domestic real property and equipment are maintained and managed in a safe and effective manner and required maintenance and repairs are adequately funded such that DM&R is insignificant.

Due to the widely varying conditions and strategic objectives of U.S. missions overseas, each post is essentially unique. The facility management of U.S. diplomatic and consular facilities overseas is a complex endeavor, in which the impact of the failure of facilities and infrastructure on human life, welfare, morale, safety, and the provision of essential operations and services is widely recognized. Also, facilities conditions have a large impact on the environment and on budgets, requiring a facility management approach that is neither reactive nor passive, but results in buildings and infrastructure that are efficient, reliable, cost effective, and sustainable over their life cycle. This occurs at facilities of varying age, configuration, and construction quality in every climate and culture in the world. Some posts have the task of keeping an aging or historic facility in good working order; others must operate a complex new building that may be the most technologically advanced in the country.

Fundamentally, the Department considers all of its overseas facilities to be in an “acceptable condition” in that they serve their required mission. Adopting standard criteria for a classification of acceptable condition is difficult due to the complex environment in which the Department operates.