Western Farmers Electric Cooperative, Oklahoma, Has Adequate Policies, Procedures, and Business Practices to Manage its FEMA Grant

We determined that the Cooperative has an effective accounting system in place to ensure it accounts for disaster-related costs on a project-by-project basis and can properly support those expenditures.  As of June 2016, Cooperative officials had completed all disaster repairs using their own resources and contractors.  However, Cooperative officials said they do not intend to claim $4.1 million in contracting costs because they believe their contracting methodology did not fully comply with Federal requirements when hiring disaster contractors.  Therefore, we did not assess the Cooperative’s procurement policies and procedures, nor review its contract costs.  Because the audit did not identify any issues requiring further action from FEMA, we consider this audit closed.