Many of the federal agencies that manage programs that fall outside the scope of the Single Audit Act and Circular A-133 (for example, federal funds that are provided to a for-profit organization) prepare federal audit guides that describe the scope of the compliance audit and the required reporting. In the majority of cases, these federal compliance audits are required to be performed under Government Auditing Standards and the provisions of a specific federal audit guide. Some of the more common audit guides in use for these types of audits are as follows:
· Consolidated Audit Guide for Audits of HUD Programs (HUD is in the process of updating the Audit Guide)
· Compliance Audits (Attestation Engagements) for Lenders and Lender Servicers Participating in the Federal Family Education Loan Program (Issued in December 1996)
· Agreed-Upon Procedures Guide (Attestation Engagement) Exceptional Performance Status For Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) at Participating Lenders and Lender Servicers (Issued in August 2003)
· Audits of Guaranty Agency Servicers Participating in the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program (Issued in March 2000)
· Audits of Federal Student Financial Assistance Programs at Participating Institutions and Institution Servicers (Issued in January 2000)
· Passenger Facility Charge Audit Guide for Public Agencies (Issued September 2000)
· Program-Specific Audit Guidelines for Advanced Technology Program (ATP) Cooperative Agreements with Single Companies (Issued September 1999)
· Audit Program, USDA Rural Rental Housing Program (Issued September 2004)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture also has several other audit guides for certain programs. Auditors should be cautioned that federal agencies do not always update their guides in a timely manner when compliance requirements related to a program are revised or when there are changes in authoritative auditing standards. When performing an audit under a federal agency audit guide, auditors should contact the related Office of Inspector General to determine whether a guide is current, and if not, the appropriate course of action for the auditor to take. If a guide is current with regard to a program’s compliance requirements but has not been updated to conform to current authoritative auditing standards and requirements (such as current revisions of generally accepted auditing standards or Government Auditing Standards), the auditor should follow current applicable professional standards and guidance in lieu of the outdated or inconsistent standards and guidance in a federal audit guide.