Legislative auditors flag inconsistent scoring, sparse documentation in Base 1 ARPA grant awards

Legislative Post Audit staff reported that the Kansas Department of Commerce did not consistently follow its scoring procedures for the Base 1 grant program and did not document the secretary’s final award deliberations, potentially limiting transparency over about $99 million in awards.

Kristen, a Legislative Post Audit auditor, presented the report and told the committee the Base 1 program awarded “almost a hundred million dollars in federal ARPA funds to Kansas entities for infrastructure development associated with economic development projects.” She said Commerce accepted applications during a roughly one‑month window in early 2022 and made awards in mid‑April of that year.

The auditors reviewed Commerce’s three‑step process: an eligibility review performed by a third‑party vendor, a two‑reviewer scoring step using a 55‑point rubric, and a final decision by the secretary of commerce. Of 445 applications…