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Governmental audit quality center is open for business: new AICPA center delivers tools and resources for CPA firms through a centralized Web site, www.aicpa.org/qagc.


The latest step in the Institute's commitment to protecting the public interest is the Governmental Audit Quality Center (GAQC). It is designed to help CPA (Computer Press Association, Landing, NJ) An earlier membership organization founded in 1983 that promoted excellence in computer journalism. Its annual awards honored outstanding examples in print, broadcast and electronic media. The CPA disbanded in 2000.  firms achieve the highest professional standards in performing quality governmental audits. Further, by joining the center, firms demonstrate their commitment to quality in the performance of these audits.

Governmental audits include a wide variety of engagements, including audits of federal, state and local governments; not-for-profit organizations such as colleges and universities, hospitals and charitable organizations This article is about charitable organizations. For other uses of the word charity, see Charity.
A charitable organization (also known as a charity) is an organization with charitable purposes only.
; and certain for-profit entities such as housing projects that participate in government programs or receive government financial assistance.

Single Point of Access

In keeping with its mission to serve as a comprehensive resource for member firms, the GAQC Web site offers relevant technical and practice management information through a convenient online source. CPAs will find the following areas on the site:

Resources. The center provides information resources (1) The data and information assets of an organization, department or unit. See data administration.

(2) Another name for the Information Systems (IS) or Information Technology (IT) department. See IT.
, research tools and practice aids in specific areas relating to relating to relate prepconcernant

relating to relate prepbezüglich +gen, mit Bezug auf +acc 
 governmental audits. In addition, the, latest breaking news affecting governmental audits is spotlighted and new requirements, announcements and revisions are covered.

Community. A discussion forum offers center members the opportunity to join a community of peers committed to the furtherance fur·ther·ance  
n.
The act of furthering, advancing, or helping forward: "Pakistan does not aspire to any . . . role in furtherance of the strategies of other powers" Ismail Patel.
 of high-quality governmental auditing. CPAs can network, exchange information, share best practices and discuss issues with other member firms.

Events. Members can learn about various upcoming events, conferences and meetings in the governmental audit area.

Products. Member firms that perform governmental audits are required to follow a number of complex standards and regulations. The AICPA AICPA

See American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).
 offers various publications and CPE (Customer Premises Equipment) Communications equipment that resides on the customer's premises.

CPE - Customer Premises Equipment
 courses to provide the guidance and educational information.

WHAT IT IS

The GAQC brings together CPA firms committed to performing quality governmental audits by providing them with a community of like-minded firms and offering them a comprehensive, centralized cen·tral·ize  
v. cen·tral·ized, cen·tral·iz·ing, cen·tral·iz·es

v.tr.
1. To draw into or toward a center; consolidate.

2.
 resource point to ensure they have the support and information needed to perform quality audits.

WHAT IT OFFERS

The firm-based, voluntary membership center is designed to help CPAs meet the challenges of performing quality audits. The objectives of the GAQC are to

* Raise awareness of the importance of governmental audits.

* Serve as a comprehensive resource provider for member firms.

* Create a community of firms committed to audit quality.

* Support an online forum for sharing best practices.

* List member firms to enable purchasers of governmental audit services to identify audit providers that are committed to quality.

* Furnish fur·nish  
tr.v. fur·nished, fur·nish·ing, fur·nish·es
1. To equip with what is needed, especially to provide furniture for.

2.
 information about the center's activities to other governmental audit stakeholders Stakeholders

All parties that have an interest, financial or otherwise, in a firm-stockholders, creditors, bondholders, employees, customers, management, the community, and the government.
.

* Report the latest developments in related standards and regulations.

* Provide updates on issues through news alerts and Webcasts.

WHO CAN JOIN

Membership is open to CPA firms that agree to meet certain eligibility requirements. For more information or to join, go to the center's Web site at www.aicpa.org/gaqc.

The GAQC is the third audit quality center to launch this year that focuses on audits of critical importance to the public interest. Earlier the AICPA launched the Center for Public Company Audit Firms (www.aicpa.org/cpcaf) and the Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality Center (www.aicpa.org/ebpaqc) as part of its broader initiative to help CPA firms demonstrate their commitment to audit quality and to deliver resources to members to further improve audit performance.
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Title Annotation:Quality Center
Publication:Journal of Accountancy
Date:Dec 1, 2004
Words:529
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