Clark County Fire & Rescue found itself in a little bit of trouble with the State Auditor’s Office this week.
The agency released a report on Thursday from an audit finding that CCF&R failed to abide by federal procurement requirements and bid laws before purchasing new videoconferencing equipment and software last year. The purchase came at a cost of $49,601 in Homeland Security grant funds.
The audit found that the district never provided proper documentation to show that it evaluated proposals before awarding the contract to a bidder. According to the report, the district also failed to obtain verification that the bidder had not been suspended or debarred, a requirement for the grant funding.
No fines will be issued, and instead, the state recommended the district shore up its internal controls. Officials with CCF&R responded to the report saying they disagree with the findings and they were careful to select the most qualified vendor.
The state tied the incident to staff turnover in the district, particularly with the person responsible for ensuring compliance with federal procurement laws. Last year, CCF&R absorbed the Woodland Fire Department in a step toward creating a regional fire authority.
