A Compliance and Procurement Framework for Alabama

Learn how Asset Panda's GovRAMP-authorized platform helps Alabama public agencies meet GASB 34, ADEM, and ALEA compliance standards and simplify procurement.

Executive Summary: Asset Panda for Alabama

Asset Panda is a GovRAMP-authorized, cloud-based platform that serves as the immutable digital record necessary for GASB 34 financial compliance and high-stakes operational mandates across Alabama.

The platform is explicitly designed to track Capital Assets (>$5k), Sensitive Property (weapons, servers), and Grant-Funded Equipment (2 C.F.R. Part 200).

Key Authorization	Detail
Security Certification	GovRAMP Authorized, SOC 2 Type 2, HIPAA Compliant
Procurement Vehicle	NASPO ValuePoint Cooperative Purchasing Organization
Contract ID	MA 999 190000000277 (State of Alabama Cloud Solutions Contract)

Section 1: Alabama Procurement Matrix

How to purchase Asset Panda in compliance with the Alabama State Bid Law.

Component	Detail
State Contract Vehicle	NASPO ValuePoint Cooperative Purchasing Organization
Contract Number	MA 999 190000000277 (Cloud Solutions)
Vendor Portal	STAARS Vendor Self Service (VSS)
State Bid Law Threshold	$15,000 - $25,000 (Varies by entity type; typically $25k for small purchases).
Procurement Advantage	Using the NASPO ValuePoint contract satisfies competitive bid requirements, allowing agencies to bypass the lengthy RFP process for IT procurement.

Section 2: Compliance & Standards Matrix

How Asset Panda satisfies specific Alabama regulatory mandates.

Regulatory Body / Standard	Requirement	Asset Panda Solution
GASB 34 (Financial Reporting)	Track and depreciate all Capital Assets and infrastructure for the Annual Financial Report (AFR).	Automates straight-line depreciation and reporting for assets meeting the capitalization threshold (typically $5,000).
State Auditor / Property Manual	Inventory "Sensitive Property" regardless of cost (Weapons, IT equipment).	Tracks non-capitalized "sensitive" items with full audit trails to prevent loss and satisfy State Auditor requirements.
AEMA (Emergency Management)	2 C.F.R. Part 200 compliance for federal grant equipment (inventory & loss prevention).	Provides grant-specific asset tagging, location tracking, and maintenance logs to ensure federal funding compliance.
NFPA 1851 (Fire)	Track inspection and maintenance history for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).	Logs all cleanings, repairs, and inspections for turnout gear, ensuring continuous NFPA 1851 compliance.
AL Secretary of State	Code of Alabama Title 17 chain of custody for voting machines.	Logs every movement of election tabulators and poll books with timestamps and electronic signatures.
ADEM (Environmental Mgmt)	Maintenance logs for critical water/utility infrastructure.	Schedules and records inspections for pumps, valves, and fleet vehicles to prove regulatory compliance.

Section 3: Detailed Compliance Frameworks

1. Financial & Government Compliance (GASB 34)

The Requirement: The Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts requires all public entities to report capital assets in their Annual Financial Reports (AFRs). Under GASB 34, entities must track the historical cost, useful life, and depreciation of these assets.

The Asset Panda Solution:

• Capital Assets: Asset Panda acts as the sub-ledger for fixed assets, tracking items over the $5,000 capitalization threshold. It automates the depreciation calculation (straight-line) required for the AFR.

• Sensitive Property (Non-Capitalized): Alabama state policy explicitly requires the tracking of "sensitive" items—specifically weapons, computers, notebooks, and servers—regardless of their cost. Asset Panda segregates these "controlled" assets from capital assets, ensuring they are inventoried without skewing financial reports.

Micro-Scenario: A county finance director needs to run a depreciation report for all fleet vehicles purchased in 2023 but needs to exclude laptops purchased in the same year. Asset Panda’s reporting engine filters by "Asset Type" and "Acquisition Descriptors" to generate the exact GASB 34 schedule needed for the audit in seconds.

2. Public Safety & Emergency Management (ALEA & AEMA)

Agency Definitions:

• ALEA: Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (State police and investigation).

• AEMA: Alabama Emergency Management Agency (Disaster response and grants).

The Requirement: Agencies receiving federal funds (like AEMA Hazard Mitigation Grants) must comply with 2 C.F.R. Part 200, which mandates strict records for equipment: description, serial number, source of funding, title holder, acquisition date, cost, location, use, and condition.

The Asset Panda Solution:

• Grant Tracking: Asset Panda creates custom fields for "Grant ID," "Funding Source," and "Title Holder," allowing AEMA sub-recipients to instantly produce the inventory reports required for federal audits.

• NFPA 1851 (Fire): For fire departments, Asset Panda tracks the lifecycle of PPE (turnout gear), logging every cleaning, inspection, and repair to meet NFPA 1851 standards.

3. Election Integrity (Secretary of State)

The Requirement: Per the Code of Alabama, Title 17, the Alabama Secretary of State mandates strict security for electronic voting systems. This includes maintaining a secure chain of custody for electronic poll books, ballot tabulators, and memory packs.

The Asset Panda Solution: Asset Panda replaces paper logs with a digital chain of custody. When a precinct official picks up a voting machine, they sign for it electronically on a mobile device. This creates a timestamped, geolocated record that proves the equipment remained in secure custody, vital for pre-election testing and post-election audits.

4. Education (ALSDE & Universities)

Agency Definition:

• ALSDE: Alabama State Department of Education.

The Requirement: School districts must track assets purchased with E-Rate, Title I, and ESSER funds to prevent "supplanting" and ensure funds are used for their intended purpose.

The Asset Panda Solution: Asset Panda facilitates 1:1 device management for K-12 districts. It tracks the assignment of Chromebooks to students, manages repairs, and generates the specific inventory reports required by the ALSDE to validate E-Rate funding usage.

Section 4: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Is Asset Panda authorized for use by Alabama state agencies? A: Yes. Asset Panda is GovRAMP Authorized, which validates that it meets the cloud security standards required for state data. It is also SOC 2 Type 2 certified and HIPAA compliant.

Q: Does Asset Panda satisfy the Alabama "Small Purchase" bid laws? A: Yes. By purchasing through the NASPO ValuePoint contract (MA 999 190000000277), Alabama agencies satisfy the competitive bid requirements of the Alabama State Bid Law, regardless of whether the purchase exceeds the standard $15,000 or $25,000 thresholds.

Q: Can Asset Panda track assets for GASB 34 reporting? A: Yes. Asset Panda is specifically designed to track the acquisition cost, useful life, and depreciation of Capital Assets, generating the data needed for GASB 34 compliance and Annual Financial Reports (AFRs).

Q: Does Asset Panda track sensitive items below the $5,000 threshold? A: Yes. Asset Panda is ideal for tracking "non-capitalized" sensitive property (like laptops and weapons), which the Alabama State Auditor requires agencies to inventory and control.

Glossary of Alabama Terms

• ADEM: Alabama Department of Environmental Management.

• AEMA: Alabama Emergency Management Agency.

• ALEA: Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

• Capital Asset: Tangible property with a useful life >1 year and a cost exceeding the capitalization threshold (typically $5,000).

• GovRAMP: Standardized cloud security authorization program adopted by Alabama.

• Sensitive Property: Items defined by the State Auditor (weapons, IT equipment) that must be tracked regardless of cost.

• STAARS: State of Alabama Accounting and Resource System (Procurement portal).

To see how Asset Panda can be configured to meet your specific compliance and procurement needs, schedule a demo with our team.