BRACKETT ELLIS, P.C. ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELORS LYNN SCOTT 100 Main Street Direct Dial and E-mail: Fort Worth, Texas 76102-3090 817.339.2464 Telephone: 817.338.1700 lscott@belaw.com Facsimile: 817.870.2265 May 25, 2018 Board of Trustees Via Electronic Delivery and Grand Prairie Independent School District US. First Class Mail 2602 S. Belt Line Road Grand Prairie, TX 75052 Re: Carrier Property/ Purchase Order Investigation AY 2 9 2018 Attorney Client Communication and Draft Confidentiality Su . . Waived by the Board Only as to Contents of this Letter DGTIMendems Of?ce Dear Board Members: new Brackett Ellis, P.C. was contacted by in~house counsel for the District on June 7, 2017, to assist the School Board (?Board?) with their questions and concerns regarding certain purchases of Grand Prairie Independent School District or the ?District?) including the purchase and renovation of 4750 S. Carrier Parkway; in?house counsel then facilitated Board member contact with outside counsel. Board member representatives requested an investigation of the purchase and renovation of 4750 S. Carrier Parkway as well as allegations of what were called ?split invoices.? Subsequently, Brackett Ellis, P.C. engaged an accounting firm on June 26, 2017, to assist in conducting a forensic accounting examination to address these concerns. The Board representatives requested that we review the purchasing policies and procedures and provide a report on the adherence to said policies as well as the detailed information regarding a number of speci?ed purchases made to acquire and renovate a residence now occupied by the Superintendent. The purpose of the draft report was to outline the facts discovered during our investigation as well as to make recommendations to the Board for improvement of the policies, procedures, and other guidance in regard to the District?s overall purchasing process as they related to the scope of this investigation. As stated repeatedly by legal counsel, this was not an investigation of personnel; it was an investigation of processes. Likewise, all recommendations relate to processes, not people. This document is not intended to be interpreted as a recommendation related to or support for any Board of Trustees May 25, 2018 Page 2 personnel action. In this intensive investigation, we did not become aware of any District employee who took any action harmful to the District or attempted any harm to the District. District employees overall were cooperative and dedicated to proper performance of their responsibilities on behalf of the District. Background and Scope of Services We attended an initial meeting with two Board representatives on June 22, 2017, to gain a general understanding of the Board?s needs and requests. We were asked to conduct a detailed examination of all documents supporting the purchase and renovation of the preperty at 4750 S. Carrier Parkway in Grand Prairie, TX (?Carrier?, ?Carrier House?, or ?Carrier Property?). Furthermore, the Board representatives requested that we focus our investigation on purchasing practices throughout the District, speci?cally determining whether it is common practice for District personnel to split POs over the $50,000 Board approval limit into multiple PCs with smaller dollar amounts which results in purchases not being presented to the Board. Our investigation was to cover the period November 2015 through June 2017. Our scope included a review of Board policies, District procedures, accounting records, and supporting documentation related to the purchase and renovations of the Carrier House, as well as other purchases made during the period noted above. Our review was also to include conducting interviews with various District employees and other third parties. The goal of our review was to determine whether Board Policy CH (Local) was being followed, and whether purchases were properly supported and approved. The Board requested that our deliverable include a statement of facts, a timeline of events related to the Carrier Property, and recommendations for improvement. Documents Requested and Received On June 27, 2017, we met with District representatives at the central administration of?ce; during this meeting, we requested a number of documents and" records as part of our analysis. Our request included such items as purchase orders, invoices, accounting system exports, bids, Board meeting minutes, and other documents. After an initial extensive review of the documents, as described below in Procedures Performed, we then interviewed 28 witnesses through a series of 41 investigative interviews which resulted in an additional 86 documents requested, received, and reviewed. Before the interviews, witnesses received, reviewed, and signed a con?dentiality notice and non-retaliation assurance. Witness interview length ranged from a couple hours to several days. Though we requested and received approximately 3,001 documents, including many voluminous documents, not all documents received were relevant to the sc0pe of our investigation and therefore, were not examined. In addition, we requested and received several thousand emails from individuals involved in the purchasing process. Procedures Performed The accountants began the investigation with a review of the Board?s policies and the District?s practices and procedures related to the purchasing process. The accountants conducted a detailed examination of relevant documents related to purchasing practices and actual purchases Board of Trustees May 25, 2018 Page 3 made by the District as well as information contained in the District?s accounting records. The accountants conducted a comprehensive analysis of all payments to vendors who received total payments in excess of $50,000 during the period speci?ed above. Our procedures also included developing a timeline of events on the purchase and renovations of the Carrier Property. In addition, we conducted investigative interviews to understand processes and procedures, timing of events, and obtain explanations to clarify documents reviewed. Carrier Property Budget vs Actual Costs for Renovations, Repairs, and Additions The accountant?s ?rst step in the examination of the purchase and renovation of the Carrier House was to review the original budget created by Greg Gammill, President of Lincoln Builders, whose company completed the majority of the renovations. The accountants then conducted a budget-to-actual analysis in order to compare actual costs to the budget. The original budget for renovations of the Carrier House was $79,836 as submitted by Lincoln on June 1, 2016. The accountants performed a detailed review of the Job Cost Report maintained by Lincoln during the renovations, including all copies of the receipts and invoices submitted by subcontractors. Using Lincoln Builder?s Job Cost Report and supporting documentation, Lincoln?s budget to actual spreadsheet, and check register, the accountants determined total spent on the renovations with Lincoln Builders was $80,035. The accountants also determined that the total spent on improved fencing, landscaping, and maintenance and repairs with other contractors or vendors through August 2, 2017, was $80,390.60. A thorough review of the Board meeting minutes and the information we gathered during our investigative interviews con?rmed that none of the costs related to the renovation of the property were presented to the Board for approval. Carrier Property Timeline The witnesses did not agree on how the decision was made to renovate the house on the property, what projects would be included in the renovations, or who assigned the job to the Bond Program Manager. There is also a dispute as to how the job got assigned to Lincoln Builders. However, it is undisputed that the renovations were managed by the Bond Program Manager for the?District, and non-fence?related renovations were completed by Lincoln Builders. The scope of renovations was not presented to the Board. The then-Board President who inquired about renovations was told the renovations involved paint and carpeting. Greg Gammill of Lincoln Builders recalls walking the property with the Bond Program Manager and creating a list of the projects to be completed. Note that it remains unclear as to the exact start date of the renovations on the Carrier House. However, a proposal was emailed to the Bond Program Manager from Advanced Paving on May 5, 2016, and support provided by Lincoln Builders with the Job Cost Report shows paving work was purportedly completed between May 13th and May which is prior to the approval of the GMP. This time period is corroborated by the email request sent to Lincoln Builders by the Bond Program Manager asking them to issue a contract with Advanced Paving on May 9, 2016. Board of Trustees May 25, 20 IS Page 4 Under a typical Construction Manager at Risk arrangement, the Construction Manager at Risk chooses its subcontractors and presents them to the school district for approval. Furthermore, emails re?ect that Witness 5 reviewed samples for paint, tile, etc. at the Carrier Property on May 19, 2016, which is not unusual prior to the establishment of a GMP. On June 1, 2016, Greg Gammill of Lincoln Builders sent an email to the Bond Program Manager asking him ?how to structure the amendments? with an attached schedule detailing the full cost estimate of $79,836 for the Carrier House renovations. ?Amendments? in this case refer to changes to the Guaranteed Maximum Price under the Master Contract that Lincoln Builders entered into with the District for multiple construction projects under the 2016 series bond issuance approved December 17, 2015. The Bond Program Manager responded to the email "Please prepare a draft of the First Amendment for this project to include: Tree Trimming, Paving, Painting. Project name will be: Garner FAA: Maintenance and Repairs to property Adjacent to FAA. Once the work is complete we will issue the second amendment with the remainder of the actual costs rather than budgets. Let me know if you have any questions.? As a result of that conversation, two draft Guaranteed Maximum Price Amendments Amendment?) were sent to the Bond Program Manager on June 1, 2016, from Lincoln Builders. On June 2, 2016, Lincoln Builders signed a final (3MP Amendment in the amount of $45,090 for tree trimming, paving, and painting only Amendment and forwarded it to the Bond Program Manager. Subsequently, four days later, on June 6, 2016, Lincoln Builders signed a ?nal GMP Amendment in the amount of $34,945 for ?maintenance and repairs to property adjacent to FAA (excluding tree trimming, paving, and painting)? Amendment FAA refers to Garner Fine Arts Academy which was part of the construction projects under the 2016 series bond. Witness 8 signed both GMP Amendments when presented by the Bond Program Manager. The exact date W8 signed the GMP Amendments is unknown, however we determined it to be between June 2nd and June because on June 8, 2016, Witness 6 emailed both signed GMP Amendments to the Bond Program Manager. One day prior to the invoice date, on June 14, 2016, the Purchasing Department created a purchase order for work covered under GMP Amendment 2. This purchase order was not presented to the Board. On June 15, 2016, Lincoln Builders submitted their ?rst invoice in the amount of $45,090 for work covered under GMP Amendment 1 which included tree trimming, paving, and painting. The following day, on June 16, 2016, Lincoln submitted a second invoice in the amount of $34,945 for work covered under GMP Amendment 2 which included tile, countertops, ceiling fans, can light replacement, electrical and plumbing work. Then on June 22, 2016, the Purchasing Department created a purchase order for work covered under GMP Amendment 1, the same work that was invoiced on June 15, 2016. This purchase order was not presented to the Board. The following day, on June 23?, W6 initialed and marked both POs as ?rec?d and pd in full.? W6 told us that W6 initials all original POs that W6 ?receives? in Skyward once they are approved for payment. Also on June 23, 2016, the Finance Department stamped both invoices indicating receipt in the Finance of?ce. The Bond Program Manager initialed both invoices on June 24, 2016. Sometime between June 24th and June W6 initialed W8?s initials on both invoices, which appeared to indicate W8?s approval of the invoices. However, W6 and W8 agree that W8 did not Board of Trustees May 25, 2018 Page 5 see the invoices and did not approve them. Check number 151602329 was issued to Lincoln Builders on June 29, 2016, in the amount of $80,035.00 and covered payment for both invoices per the District?s Check Register. Both invoices were paid before the work was completed per the ?nal punch list completion email dated August 1, 2016. Under a Construction Manager at Risk contract, a school district only pays for work completed as identi?ed in payment applications. No payment applications were created by Lincoln Builders or required by the Bond Program Manager for the Carrier renovations. Rather, Lincoln sent invoices. However, according to the District?s procedures, invoices are also only supposed to be submitted or paid after goods or services are received or work is performed. The Bond Program Manager stated that the fence work completed at the Carrier Property was not included in Lincoln?s sc0pe of work and that W5 was handling the fence work. W5 coordinated the fence work, which was completed in a series of installments. In July 2016, the removal of chain link fence and installation of the automatic swing gate along the front of the property and entrance to the driveway was completed at a cost of $11,385. Next, in August 2016, the eight-foot cedar fence separating the property from Garner Fine Arts Academy and the six- foot cedar fence along the driveway was completed at a cost of $23,588. Then, in December 2016, a portion of the six-foot cedar fence was replaced with a taller ten-foot fence to provide additional protection at a cost of $10,012. Finally, in May 2017, Custom Fence repaired storm damage by completing some tree trimming work and adding fencing around a tree on the corner of the property at a cost of $9,550. W5 stated that the work completed by Custom Fence at the Carrier Property should have gone to the Board for approval but did not go to the Board. Total paid to Custom Fence for work completed at the Carrier Property was $54,535. According to W4, sometime between November and December 2016, W4 asked W6 if renovation work had been completed. W6 responded that W6 believed that it had been and that W6 would provide paperwork to W4. Eventually, W4 received PCs for the renovations from W6, but the POs only mentioned work completed at the property adjacent to Garner Fine Arts Academy and did not speci?cally reference the house. At that point, W4 noticed that the renovation work was coded to the Bond Fund when it should have been coded to the 199 General Fund. W4 then showed the P03 to W10. W4 told us W10 responded that W10 would verify the POs were related to the house. W4 made the correcting entry to change the account coding from the Bond Fund to the General Fund on June 2, 2017, a few days after W10 con?rmed that the POs were for the house renovations and provided W4 with the correct account code. The Board was not made aware of this miscoding or of the correction at that time because it was considered a mere clerical error. Purchasing Process Procedures Performed To ensure we had a complete understanding of the District?s purchasing process, during our investigative interviews, we asked a number of witnesses to describe for us, in detail, the purchasing process from beginning to end. The following details our ?ndings. The purchasing process begins when someone at the District decides they need goods or services, and that person obtains quotes from vendors for the items they need. The quote from the chosen vendor is then Board of Trustees May 25, 2018 Page 6 given to the administrative assistant for their department who then uses the information from the quote to create a Requisition in Skyward. The Requisition then goes through a series of electronic approvals in Skyward. There are three levels of approvers. First, the budget manager for the requesting department must approve the requisition. Then, the Finance Department must approve the requisition. Finally, the level three approver typically the Purchasing Director approves the requisition, which changes the requisition to an approved purchase order. If the purchase is such that Board approval is required, then the Purchasing Director adds the purchase to the Bids/Professional Services for Approval schedule to present to the Board. After Board approval, the Purchasing Director approves the requisition, which then changes to an approved PO. Once approved, the PO is sent to the vendor, either automatically by Skyward, if elected, or emailed by the original requester. At that point, the vendor provides the goods or services in accordance with what was approved on the purchase order. After goods or services are provided, the vendor submits an invoice to the Accounts Payable department. At that time, the original requestor must also indicate in Skyward that goods and services have actually been delivered by ?receiving? the invoice in the system. The AP clerks then check Skyward to ensure each invoice has a correSponding PO number and has been ?received? in the system indicating merchandise was delivered or services performed. AP should not process payment until the invoice is ?received? in Skyward, however, clerks do have the ability to force payments for items that have not been ?received.? AP clerks process payments throughout the week and create a check run on Thursdays for all invoices received prior to their Thursday morning submission deadline. Once payments are processed, AP clerks use copies of the checks, called vouchers, to check each other?s work. They match the invoice to the voucher and check for sales tax, sometimes questioning tips. If the clerks are satis?ed with each other?s work, then payment is remitted to the vendors. They do not check for Board approvals or ensure that items were originally competitively purchased. Further, nothing in Skyward ?ags when a purchase must be presented to the Board. According to FASRG, Texas Education Agency?s Financial Accountability System Resource Guide, a requisition is an internal document by which a campus or department requests the purchasing department to initiate a purchase order. Requisitions should be initiated by the appropriate person with authority and must not exceed the budget. FASRG, page 28, Section 3.2.5.1. According to FASRG, a purchase order is the district?s formal order for goods or services from a vendor. It is described as a binding commitment to remit payment to a vendor after the items and invoice are received by the district. A purchase order is also described as an important accounting document which encumbers funds, contains information on the item purchased and the account code charged, and documents that an order has been received and accepted. FASRG, page 28, Section 3.2.4. Purchasing Analysis Part of our scope was to conduct a review of the purchasing process to determine whether or not the District?s policies and procedures were being followed and to identify any potential split POs. Purchase orders could either be split or appear to be split in a number of ways. First, multiple Board of Trustees May 25, 2018 Page 7 requisitions for purchase orders to a single vendor could occur over time or be split over time, keeping each PO under $50,000. Second, requisitions or purchase orders for the same or similar goods or services could be split between multiple vendors such that no one vendor receives $50,000. Third, multiple employees on multiple campuses could enter requisitions for similar items or initiate purchases from the same vendor, and when the check is cut at the end of the month or week, the amount exceeds $50,000 either for that week or that month. Fourth, projects could be split overtime. As part of this review, the accountants performed a detailed examination of the District?s Check Register which listed all payments made by the District from November 1, 2015 through June 29, 2017. Using the Check Register, they isolated all vendors with total receipts in excess of $50,000 which totaled 245 vendors. They then determined how many individual payments comprised the total spent with the vendors receiving more than $50,000. By assessing both the total spent and the total number of payments, they determined the possibility of splitting payments into increments under $50,000. If the total amount and volume of payments was such that payments could not be split into increments less than $50,000, then the accountants did not examine the vendor further. The accountants? detailed analysis covered a total of 65 vendors. Analysis of these 65 vendors included a thorough examination of each payment, PO numbers, PO dates, check dates, invoice dates, and descriptions included for goods or services provided. They then reviewed Board meeting agendas and minutes to determine whether or not purchases went to the Board for approval. They also con?rmed Board approvals with the Purchasing Department. Of the 65 vendors studied, 15 vendors required no further investigation due to various purchase parameters such as PO timing, item description, or invoice timing which indicated there was no potential for splitting. Of the remaining that were examined, two submitted invoices for payment before a P0 was approved; 24 did not go to the Board for approval, and 24 both submitted invoices prior to an approved PO and did not go to the Board for approval. Indicators of Potential Split PCs The accountants examined a number of factors in order to determine the potential for a single purchase to be Split into multiple The main source of data for this analysis was the Check Register listing all payments made by the District during the speci?ed time period. For purposes of their analysis related to the CH (Local) policy, they examined purchases for similar goods or services made within a calendar month and budget year. Analyzing the ?Description? ?eld in the Check Register allowed them to see whether multiple purchase orders covered what appeared to be the same job, project, goods, or services for the month and also for the year. All instances when there were multiple purchase orders for the same transaction description were included in their list of potential split purchase orders. From that list, the accountants further examined, with the assistance of the Purchasing Director, whether purchases were Board approved or if the District was invoiced before a P0 was approved. Board of Trustees May 25, 2018 Page 8 Another way the accountants tested the check register data for indicators of potential split POs was to test for multiple POs to the same vendor for similar goods or services in the same budget year. By ?ltering the data by transaction description, they found many indicators of potential Split PCs. The accountants did not examine the potential for Split POs across multiple vendors for the same goods or services during the year, except for a limited sample. Multiple vendors used for the same work or job in the same month could also indicate potential split purchase orders and were examined. Policy Issues Board delegation is found in Board policy CH (Local). It states that the Board delegates to the superintendent or designee the authority to make budgeted purchases for goods or services; however, any single, budgeted purchase of goods or services that costs $50,000 or more, regardless of whether or not the goods or services were competitively purchased, requires Board approval before the transaction may take place. The policy does not de?ne ?single, budgeted purchase.? The Board also delegates to the Superintendent or designee the responsibility to determine the method of purchasing, i.e. whether to use competitive sealed proposals, bids, interlocal agreements, or requests for proposals, etc. All other decisions and actions are the Board?s duty and responsibility. Interpretation One of our objectives during the investigative interview phase was to gain an understanding of how GPISD employees interpret the purchasing policy. We asked each of the interviewees to review the Purchasing Authority paragraph of CH (Local) and provide their understanding of that policy. We received varying responses ranging from ?any single purchase made at any point in time over $50,000 needs Board approval? to ?aggregate purchases exceeding $5 0,000 with a single vendor for the year should go to the Board for approval.? Because there is not a de?nition of a ?single, budgeted purchase of goods or services that costs $50,000 or more,? we noticed consistently that employees at all levels do not understand the Board?s intent related to the policy. We received many different answers during our investigative interviews when we inquired as to the period covered by the $50,000 limit in the policy. Answers ranged from one single point in time to the entire budget year. Furthermore, many employees were unable to articulate whether the policy applies to single vendors, single projects, purchase type, multiple vendors on the same type of project, etc. Pertinent Recommendations Policy Clari?cation It is our recommendation that Board Policy CH (Local) be revised to more clearly outline the Board?s expectations related to transparency and Board oversight. We recommend this revision be drafted using input from Board members and staff who perform the purchasing procedures and