**PRESS RELEASE**
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 16, 2020
Auditor’s Office Receives Highest Possible Rating in Peer Review
Contact information: Brianna Ludwig, North Dakota State Auditor’s Office, 701-328-2453, bsludwig@nd.gov
Today, auditors representing the National State Auditors Association (NSAA) gave the North Dakota State Auditor’s Offices the highest possible rating in its third consecutive peer review, referencing the office’s adherence to government auditing standards.
“As auditors, we should exemplify the behaviors we expect of our clients,” said State Auditor Joshua Gallion. “The Peer Review acts as an external check on the Auditor’s Office to ensure we are adhering to the standards set by the Office of the United States Comptroller General.”
The announcement comes after an independent review of the office’s quality control system. In the peer-review process, six professional state auditors from across the country evaluated Gallion’s office’s policies, procedures, and work products issued from April 1, 2019, through March 31, 2020. This year, due to COVID-19, the Peer Review was done entirely virtual across four time zones. State audit organizations can receive a rating of pass, pass with deficiencies, or fail. The North Dakota State Auditor’s Office received a rating of pass.
Peer reviews performed through the NSAA are conducted on a three-year interval. The team of professionals that conducted North Dakotas’ peer review was comprised of state auditors from Illinois, Missouri, California, Alaska, Georgia, and Nevada. The reviews are required as part of compliance with the Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards, promulgated by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. The State Auditor’s Office is required by statute to comply with these standards in conducting its audit work.
“One of the more common questions we get is, ‘Who audits the Auditor?” said Gallion. “The Peer Review done by NSAA is one of three audits our office undergoes.” To learn more about our Peer Review or the other audits on our office, visit our transparency page at https://www.nd.gov/auditor/about-us/transparency.
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