Governments frequently establish governmental audit requirements for entities to undergo an audit of their compliance with applicable compliance requirements. To address such governmental audit requirements, the Auditing Standards Board has issued Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS) No. 117, Compliance Audits, which supersedes SAS No. 74, Compliance Auditing Considerations in Audits of Governmental Entities and Recipients of Governmental Financial Assistance. SAS No. 117 was primarily developed in response to the results of a federal study on the quality of audits performed under Office of Management and Budget Circular A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments and Non-Profit Organizations (also referred to as single audits), which showed that improvements were needed in many areas.
SAS No. 117 establishes standards and provides guidance on performing and reporting (in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States, Government Auditing Standards, and a governmental audit requirement that requires an auditor to express an opinion on compliance) on an audit of an entity’s compliance with applicable compliance requirements of a governmental audit requirement. Examples of such engagements include single audits and audits performed under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Consolidated Audit Guide for Audits of HUD Programs. SAS No. 117 updates SAS No. 74 to reflect changes in the compliance audit environment and incorporates the risk assessment standards. It also requires the auditor to adapt and apply the AU sections of AICPA Professional Standards to a compliance audit and provides guidance on how to do so. The SAS is effective for compliance audits for fiscal periods ending on or after June 15, 2010 with earlier application permitted. |
