$$$$.gif (1535 bytes)

Budget Analyst -- Federal Agency Money Matters

Home
GUIDANCE
STRATEGY
REQUEST
DECISIONS
TO OMB
PASSBACK
APPEALS
TO CONGRESS
HEARINGS
Q&As
MARKUPS
VOTES
THE CR
CONFERENCE
ENACTED
OP PLAN
ALLOCATE
ACTION!
AUDITS
OVERSIGHT
FY2002 Process

AUDITS -- Review of Compliance With the Rules

What Happens

Auditors visit operating managers and their organizations and staff to determine whether or not money is used properly and for the purposes for which it was made available by Congress.  Agency heads also have an interest in proper internal management of their agencies.  There are two basic types of audits:

 

bulletAudits aimed at ascertaining compliance with the rules and regulations applicable to Federal procurements and the use of money, ranging from small purchases to very large contracts and grants as well as other uses, such as salaries.   These are carried out by agencies specializing in these matters, generally the Defense Audit Agency.  May also be carried out by the Inspector Generals of the agencies or GAO.

 

bulletAudits aimed at investigating any matter that may be of interest to Congress (for example, policy or management issues), in which case GAO is asked to initiate a study, investigation, or audit.  The head of an agency may also ask the IG to conduct a similar study.  IGs also initiative their own studies as well as carry out studies when requested by Congress.

 

Why

Congress and senior managers have a need to make sure that the taxpayers' money is used as Congress intended.

 

Agency and Operating Component Actions

Make sure that they spend the money and take other actions according to the rules and desires of Congress.

 

Timing

At any time, even years after the actions were taken.

Documents and Links

Audit agencies make reports available when they are completed.  GAO's web site has full reports on its activities.

 

Copyright © 1998-2007 by Laszlo Bockh and Mary Blakeslee. All rights reserved.  Last revised:  11/24/07 01:51 PM. All trademarks or product names mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.  The logo and BudCast™ images used herein were obtained from IMSI's MasterClips/MasterPhotos© Collection, 1895 Francisco Blvd. East, San Rafael, CA 94901-5506, USA