The Role Of Contract Compliance Audit

By Alyssa McCall


A contract compliance audit involves a review of the original agreement to ensure that everything is being followed. This can be a time consuming process and lot of documents and reports will have to be prepared. There are many reasons why a company should conduct one, despite the large amount of effort involved.

Most projects do not go according to plan. Issues will always be encountered during various stages of project execution. This can cause an increase in expenses so that the original budget cannot be followed. By auditing, one will be able to understand what happened and what caused all of the additional fees.

The auditing may be conducted in various stages of the project. When this is done in the initial stages, you can learn how the contractor does his job and you can assess his system for any weaknesses. You can check how he will be delivering the goods and you can determine if the budget is being followed. If there are any issues found, then the auditor can give recommendations.

There are also companies who do the auditing towards the end of the project. This can determine if there have been any mistakes. On can check if the charges that were made are valid and accurate. The fees could have been duplicated or made in error. Eligibility for lowered rates can also be checked. The assessment is usually done when there is still time to collect from the vendor.

When one looks into the records, one will be able to spot anomalies. This makes it harder for someone to get funds for their own use and this makes you aware of any fraudulent actions that have occurred. This will be one way to ensure that the funds are being appropriated properly. Public contractors may also be assessed to ensure that they are treating the workers right.

Another reason why a review is important is because risks also have to be identified. You need to know if the processes being used are according to the required standards. Environmental standards for example also have to be considered. The need for permits, the presence of subcontractors, protection of existing assets are just some of the aspects that have to be reviewed.

When you take the time to assess the agreements, you can determine where it needs improvement. The process being followed between client and contractor may not be as efficient because there is a breakdown in communication at one point. There may be a problem with the delivery of goods. By addressing such issues, one increases efficiency and improves the relationships between these parties.

Any organization can initiate the process by working with its internal auditors. If there is none, then one can choose to hire another company to do so. Your records and plans have to be presented so as to be used as references. Then, your company will have to schedule the audit.

Though one may have entered into a legally binding agreement, there is no assurance that the other party will be compliant with the terms and conditions. To keep everyone in check, a contract compliance audit is performed. This reviews the expenses and the practices to ensure that everything is as it should be.




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