Entities that receive federal funds are subject to audit requirements that are commonly referred to as single audits. Among other things, the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996 are intended to promote sound financial management, including effective internal control, with respect to federal awards administered by state and local governments and not-for-profit organizations. Links on this page will take you to important information about Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations, as well as Circular A-133 resources offered by the GAQC.

NEW OMB Proposes Sweeping Revisions to Circular A-133 and Other Grants Management Requirements

As noted in GAQC Alert #211, on January 31, 2013, OMB issued for comment, Proposed Guidance titled, Proposed OMB Uniform Guidance: Cost Principles, Audit, and Administrative Requirements for Federal Awards.  The proposal recommends broad revisions to Circular A-133 as well as a number of other key grant reforms. This proposal, which is a follow-up to a previous 2012 OMB Advance Notice (see below), is the next step in the OMB's federal grants improvement initiative.  GAQC Alert #211 provides more information about the Proposed Guidance and describes how you can access the guidance, as well as other related documents such as the Federal Notice, a side-by-side comparison of the changes to Circular A-133 and more.  Members should send any comments they have on the Proposed Guidance to gaqc@aicpa.org by March 8, 2013, so that they can be considered for the AICPA comment letter.   Access the OMB Web page that contains all relevant documents. 

As noted in GAQC Alert #211, OMB hosted a one-hour Webcast on Friday, February 8, 2013, to discuss recently issued proposed changes to the requirements for single audits, as well as other key grant-related documents. If you were unable to attend the live event, it is archived on the U.S. Chief Financial Officers Council Web site. Access an archive of the Webcast. 

2012  OMB Advance Notice Discussing  Reforms to Circular A-133

In early 2012 OMB issued for comment an Advance Notice of Proposed Guidance titled, Reform of Federal Policies Relating to Grants and Cooperative Agreements; cost principles and administrative requirements (including Single Audit Act) (Advance Notice). GAQC Alert #189 described the Advance Notice in more detail.  Read the AICPA’s comment letter on OMB Advance Notice of Proposed Reforms to A-133, dated April 30, 2012.

Single Audit Practice Aids

Click here to access a collection of Practice Aids developed by several GAQC task forces in response to deficiencies noted in a federal study on the quality of single audits. The report titled, Report on National Single Audit Sampling Project (the PCIE report), was issued by the President’s Council on Integrity and Efficiency (PCIE) and can be accessed in its entirety by clicking here.