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• <br />to their independence. In addition, the internal <br />audit function must be organized in such a way <br />as to maximize the independence of the internal <br />auditors. Specifically, internal auditors must be <br />accountable to and report the results of their <br />work to the head or deputy head of the entity <br />under audit. In addition, they must be located <br />organizationally outside the staff or line manage- <br />ment function of the unit under audit. Some in- <br />ternal auditors maintain their independence by <br />reporting organizationally to the government's <br />elected governing body or its audit committee. <br />6 AN ELECTED OFFICIAL'S GUIDE <br />Third, the principal factor in selecting an auditor <br />should be the auditor's technical qualifications. <br />While fees are an important consideration, they <br />should not be allowed to dominate the auditor <br />selection process. A poor quality audit is no bar- <br />gain at any price. <br />Finally, it is essential that a government enter <br />into a written agreement with its auditor that <br />outlines the rights and responsibilities of both <br />parties. Often such contracts incorporate the <br />terms of the RFP by reference. Governments <br />should not rely solely on engagement letters fur- <br />nished by their auditors. <br />The GFOA offers a model RFP for the procure- <br />ment of audit services on computer diskette. <br />TO AUDITING 43 <br />