USAID Agency Contracted Audit Process

The process begins with the approval of an Audit Statement of Work by the RIG/Pretoria office, which can be found on the USAID Office of Inspector General website. The USAID Mission then sends out a Request for Quotation (RFQ) to independent auditors, including Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs), from the RIG/Pretoria-approved list. The quotations received are evaluated by a USAID Mission panel, and a firm is selected. The selected auditor submits an Audit Plan or Audit Program to the RIG/Pretoria office for approval, which is then reviewed and approved. The auditors conduct an Entrance Conference with the recipient, which is typically held virtually over the phone, and begin their audit fieldwork. During this phase, matters or issues identified are discussed with management and staff of the recipient, and the RIG/Pretoria office may conduct a review of the auditor's working papers. The auditors hold an end-of-field work meeting with the recipient to summarize open findings that may be included in the draft report and provide management with the opportunity to provide any missing documentation or support. The draft audit report is then prepared and submitted to the RIG/Pretoria office for review. The RIG/Pretoria office performs a desk review of the draft audit report and submits comments to the auditors to correct or revise the report if necessary. The revised draft report is then submitted to the RIG/Pretoria office for approval. Once approved, the draft report is distributed to the USAID Mission and recipient, and an Exit Conference is held to discuss the ACA process. The recipient is given a reasonable time to provide written comments or responses to each of the findings in the draft report, which are then evaluated and incorporated verbatim into the draft report. The draft report is then submitted to the RIG/Pretoria office for approval, and once approved, the auditors finalize the report and submit copies to the USAID Mission. The USAID Mission then submits the signed electronic or hard copies of the finalized report to the RIG/Pretoria office for issuance. The RIG/Pretoria office issues the final report, which marks the completion of the ACA process. This process is designed to ensure the integrity and transparency of the audit process, and it involves close collaboration between the RIG office, USAID Mission staff, and the auditors.