Taking the Mystery Out of Counting CPE. Opening Remarks

Transcription

1 Taking the Mystery Out of Counting CPE Kristen Kociolek Assistant Director U.S. Government Accountability Office Harriet Richardson City Auditor Palo Alto, CA Opening Remarks MODERATOR R. Kinney Poynter Executive Director, NASACT SPEAKER Kristen Kociolek Assistant Director, Financial Management and Assurance Team, Government Accountability Office SPEAKER Harriett Richardson City Auditor Palo Alto, CA ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10,

2 THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK. ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10, Learning Objectives Familiarize participants with the GAO guidance on CPE Understand the purpose of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Understand the CPE requirements and how to measure them Understand how to determine if CPE meets Yellow Book CPE requirements Understand CPE administration requirements Identify resources for obtaining CPE ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10,

3 GAO Guidance Competency Standard: GAGAS Specifically, GAGAS GAO Supplemental Guidance: Available at assets/80/76894.pdf ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10, Purpose of CPE To enhance the auditor s professional proficiency to perform audits - GAGAS 3.76 Structured educational activities with learning objectives designed to maintain or enhance participants knowledge, skills, and abilities in areas applicable to performing audits - GAGAS 3.77 ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10,

4 Minimum Requirements 80 hours every two years Must directly enhance professional proficiency Fixed or rolling two-year period Minimum of 20 hours each year Minimum of 24 hours in subjects directly related to: Government auditing Government environment Unique environment of the audited entity Up to two months for deficiency make up No carry over of excess hours ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10, Who Is Subject to CPE Requirements External auditors (e.g., public accounting firms) External auditors working for the government entity Internal auditors working for the government entity All of the above auditors who perform GAGAS audits: Regardless of position title Whether full-time or part-time Whether employed by the audit organization, a public accounting or professional services firm, or self-employed ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10,

5 Who Is Exempt From CPE Requirements Auditors involved only in field work: If not involved in planning, directing, or reporting, and Spend less than 20 percent of their time on audits and attestation engagements Must still meet 24-hour government CPE requirement External consultants and internal specialists providing consultation on an audit Support staff College and university students temporarily employed ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10, Prorated CPE Extended absences or extenuating circumstances: Medical/family medical leave Sabbaticals Leave without pay Military service Disasters Newly assigned auditors Temporarily employed college and university students Prorated based on 6-month intervals ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10,

6 Measuring CPE Hours One CPE hour for each 50 minutes of clock time One-half CPE hour for each 25 minutes of clock time, after earning one CPE hour: Round down fractional hours that are less than 0.5 CPE, e.g., 15 minutes = 0 CPE 40 minutes = 0.5 CPE For conferences with individual presentations, divide total hours by 50, e.g., 400 minutes 50 minutes = 8 CPE 360 minutes 50 minutes = 7.2, rounded down to 7 CPE ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10, Measuring CPE Hours College/university courses: One semester unit = 15 CPE hours One quarter unit = 10 CPE hours Speakers, instructors, and discussion leaders: One CPE hour for each 50 minutes of presentation time Two additional CPE hours for each 50 minutes of presentation time for developing/preparing the training Articles, books, and other written materials: One CPE hour for each hour spent writing Material must be published Total may not exceed 20 hours for any two-year period Example writing an article for the ALGA Quarterly ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10,

7 Acceptable CPE Training Method Group programs, such as: Internal training (courses, seminars, workshops) Conferences, seminars, and workshops of professional organizations Web-based seminars and audio conferences Accredited college and university courses (whether for credit or not) Structured educational program with learning objectives at audit organization staff meetings ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10, THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10,

8 Acceptable CPE Training Method Individual study programs, such as: Web-based and correspondence courses Individual self-study guides CD, DVD, audio cassette tape, video tape Professional activities related to qualified CPE programs: Speaker, panelist, instructor, or discussion leader Developing courses/course materials Publishing articles/books that contribute directly to the author s professional proficiency ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10, Acceptable CPE Programs/activities that qualify are based on content: Not the presenting organization Not the presenter Not necessarily the title of the program Not necessarily how the presenting organization or presenter has classified the training Not necessarily training approved by the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) Not necessarily CPE that meets licensing, certification, or other professional organization requirements ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10,

9 Acceptable CPE Based on professional judgment, consider: Auditor s experience Auditor s responsibilities when performing GAGAS audits or attestation engagements The operating environment of the audited entity Audit organization responsible for determining if a subject qualifies as acceptable ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10, Acceptable CPE: Subjects/Topics Paragraph 19 of Guidance document: Accounting principles and standards/audit standards Actuarial techniques and analysis Audit documentation preparation and review techniques Audit methodologies Audit risk and materiality Computer security, including general and application controls Data analysis Ethics and independence Finance and finance-related topics Fraud, waste, and abuse ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10,

10 Acceptable CPE: Government Subjects/Topics Internal control and internal control assessment Interviewing techniques Management, supervision, leadership Performance measurement and management Program evaluation Research methods Statistical techniques and analysis, including sampling methods Writing Applicable sections of a professional certification review course Sections of meetings of an accounting or auditing standardsetting organization or professional organization devoted to audits and attestation engagements ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10, Acceptable CPE: Government Subjects/Topics Paragraph 18 of Guidance document: Accounting, budgeting, financial management, procurement, contracting, and financial reporting in government Government ethics and independence Government program management Legislative policies and procures Fraud, waste, abuse, or improper payments affecting government entities Measuring and reporting the results of government programs Risk assessment and risk management for the government entity ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10,

11 Acceptable CPE: Government Subjects/Topics Information technology applications that affect or could affect the government entity or program Government transformation issues Subjects and topics directly related to standards used in government auditing Topics in relevant accounting standards, such as the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Subjects/topics directly related to the entity under audit Training that would satisfy the 80-hour requirement but is specifically tailored to the government environment Sections of meetings of an accounting or auditing standard-setting organization or professional organization devoted to the government environment ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10, Subjects/Topics That Do Not Qualify Paragraph 24 of Guidance document: On-the job training Basic courses in which the auditor already has knowledge/skills Personal development courses, such as resumé writing, personal investments, money management, retirement planning Programs that demonstrate office equipment or software not used in conducting audits or attestation engagements Business sessions at professional organization conferences or meetings Conducting external quality control reviews Entity-required courses such as harassment prevention Sitting for professional certification exams ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10,

12 Relationship Between GAGAS and Other CPE Requirements CPE that counts for other professional CPE requirements may not count as GAGAS CPE: Sitting for professional certification exams NASBA-approved courses Participation in business meetings of professional organizations ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10, Training Resources (Partial List) Association of Local Government Auditors (ALGA) Bay Area Local Government Auditors Virginia Local Government Auditors Association Washington State Local Government Auditors Association Association of Government Accountants (AGA - National Organization and Local Chapters) Association of Airport Internal Auditors (AAIA) Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) Association of Public Pension Fund Auditors (APPFA) American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) State CPA Societies ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10,

13 Training Resources (Partial List) California Association of State Auditors (CASA) Graduate School USA Government Audit Training Institute (GATI) Intergovernmental Audit Forums National Forum Regional Forums ISACA (National Organization and Local Chapters) National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers, and Treasurers (NASACT) The Institute of Internal Auditors (The IIA National Organization and Local Chapters) American Center for Government Auditing (ACGA) ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10, Taking the Mystery Out of Counting CPE Yellow Book available at: Guidance on GAGAS Requirements for Continuing Professional Education available at: ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10,

14 Contact Information GAO Technical Assistance Kristen Kociolek Harriet Richardson ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10, Question & Answer Session MODERATOR R. Kinney Poynter Executive Director, NASACT SPEAKER Kristen Kociolek Assistant Director, Financial Management and Assurance Team, Government Accountability Office SPEAKER Harriett Richardson City Auditor Palo Alto, CA ALGA WEBINAR, MARCH 10,

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