CPAG News
Research Program Update
AGA’s
CPAG Research Program creates research projects of value to governments,
industry and the AGA membership. Two major types of research are
conducted under the program: sponsored and cooperative, with cooperative
tending to have a shorter (90-day) timeframe, and sponsored being of a
longer, continuing nature.
Here’s
an update:
Completed Projects
Kearney & Company
Audit Federal Financial Controls: Sooner Rather than Later—Would
Sarbanes-Oxley Benefit Federal Financial Management?
This
first completed research report assesses current internal control
procedures and reporting in the federal community, and the resulting
potential impact of Sarbanes-Oxley on the government community. The
research included identifying existing standards, guidance, current
practices and internal control reporting alternatives. The report
provides recommendations on internal control reports, their timing and
applicable standards.
The
Winter 2004 issue of AGA’s Journal of Government Financial Management
highlighted the research and subsequently earned the AGA Author Award
for best article. The report has been published and distributed to AGA
leaders, CPAG members and federal and state and local executives. The
report was also distributed to attendees of PDC2005.
IBM
Financial Management Shared Services: Guide for Federal Users—Landmark
Research Report Solely Devoted to Melding Best Practices of Private
Sector with Federal Agency Experiences
This
second completed research report is the first document of its kind to
focus solely on federal users of financial management shared services.
Shared services and the use of centers of excellence is an approach that
strives to maximize the benefits of centralization while providing
excellent service to agencies using the centers. The research identified
a number of best practices, worse practices and lessons learned for
users and potential users of financial management shared services in the
federal government.
The
research was conducted by Irwin T. (Ted) David, CGFM. The Winter 2005
issue of AGA’s Journal of Government Financial Management
highlights the research. The report has been published and distributed
to AGA leaders, CPAG members and federal and state and local executives.
The report was also distributed to attendees of PDC2005.
Computer Sciences Corporation
Information Technology Trends in Functional Management
This
project, sponsored by CSC, focuses on the technology trends forecasted
for government and industry and the associated impact on government
accountability and functional management. Building on the white paper
released in July 2003 addressing IT and IT Management Trends, the
objective of this project was to provide an assessment of the emerging
or existing information technology that will prove critical to federal
management. In addition to exploring general technology trends, the 2005
report highlights specific emerging and existing technologies that will
impact financial and supply chain management.
The
report has recently been published and distributed to AGA leaders, CPAG
members and federal and state and local executives.
Accounting Education (ACCOUNTINGEDUCATION.COM) picked
up our news release and has a link to the report, publicizing it as
follows: AGA CPAG RESEARCH STUDY POINTS TO THE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT
TECHNOLOGY MAKES TOWARDS ACCOUNTABILITY IN GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONAL
MANAGEMENT. Also the Institute of Internal Auditors is going to
highlight it in the Feb/ 1, 2006 of its GAP News.
Grant
Thornton LLP
Annual CFO Survey
Each year
Grant Thornton conducts a series of meetings with federal CFOs to
identify and then refine the focus of a survey. GT staff then develops
the survey, conducts interviews, and develops a report on the issues of
most concern to the CFO community. The meetings start in December and
continue through early 2006. The survey will be completed in time for
the report to be distributed at the 2006 PDC to all attendees. Last
year’s report, on performance management and internal controls, is
available in hard copy by request.
(This effort predates the
AGA CPAG Research Program and continues.)
Grant
Thornton LLP
Annual CFO Survey
Each year
Grant Thornton conducts a series of meetings with federal CFOs to
identify and then refine the focus of a survey. GT staff then develops
the survey, conducts interviews, and develops a report on the issues of
most concern to the CFO community. The meetings start in December and
continue through early 2006. The survey will be completed in time for
the report to be distributed at the 2006 PDC to all attendees. Last
year’s report, on performance management and internal controls, is
available in hard copy by request.
(This effort predates the
AGA CPAG Research Program and continues.)
Additional Sponsored
Projects in Progress
KPMG
Evaluation of the Current State of Internal Control and Management’s
Related Responsibilities in State and Local Governments
The
objective of this study is to assess current practice in state and local
governments concerning audit and internal control practices. The study
focuses on what states, cities, counties and other organizations are
planning to do and have already done to strengthen their internal
control framework. The study will compare these results to what is
required of private sector companies by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The
report is being developed and will be sent out to the Advisory Group in
early January for review. The final report will include recommendations
to ensure that any new requirements the federal government may consider
imposing on the states are well planned, carefully considered and
necessary to ensure accountability and good management control. An AGA
audio conference, Implications of Sarbanes-Oxley for the Future of
the Auditing Profession, in early March will discuss the draft
results. A presentation of the final results is set for the 2006 PDC in
San Diego in June, and the final report will be distributed to all
attendees.
American Appraisal Associates
Best Practices in Federal Real Property Management
This
research study surveys federal agencies, states and major private sector
organizations with significant real property holdings. The research
seeks to identify best practices and relevant performance measures
related to the real property management process. Stakeholders who will
be consulted include OMB, GSA, the Federal Real Property Council and
others who have an interest in the work. The survey has been developed
and sent to federal and state executives, and will soon be sent to
selected private sector companies, and interviews with federal subject
matter experts have taken place. The report will focus on those best
practices of federal agencies, states and private sector companies that
can be adapted for use throughout the federal government. The results
will be presented at the 2006 PDC and the report will be distributed.
Visa
USA, Inc.
ProCard Phase 1: Project to Evaluate Federal, State & Local Government
Use of Purchase and Travel Cards
This
project is to evaluate the use by federal, state and local entities of
charge cards (purchase and travel) for procurement. These can include
streamlining of purchasing processes, elimination of paperwork, and
utilization of third-party record keeping and built-in audit trails. It
will assess whether agencies have realized benefits such as reduced
insurance costs, improved cycle time for service delivery, better
controls to prevent or detect waste, fraud and abuse, and greater
effectiveness as well as greater efficiency of mission accomplishment.
Merl M. Hackbart, Ph.D., University of Kentucky, is conducting the
research.
The draft
report on Phase 1, on federal agency use of purchase cards, has been
written and will be printed early next year. Phases 2 and 3, focusing on
state and local government entities’ use of purchase and travel cards,
and Phase 4, on federal agency use of travel cards, have begun. The
Advisory Group for the combined Phases 2 and 3 has been set up and has
had several meetings to discuss the design of the surveys. They will be
sent out to targeted respondents in the comptroller and procurement
communities early next year. The Advisory Group for Phase 4 is being set
up and we will have its first meeting the third week of January to start
the survey design process. A presentation is planned for the PDC and
completed reports will be distributed.
Grant
Thornton LLP
Annual CFO Survey
Each year
Grant Thornton conducts a series of meetings with federal CFOs to
identify and then refine the focus of a survey. GT staff then develops
the survey, conducts interviews, and develops a report on the issues of
most concern to the CFO community. The meetings start in December and
continue through early 2006. The survey will be completed in time for
the report to be distributed at the 2006 PDC to all attendees. Last
year’s report, on performance management and internal controls, is
available in hard copy by request.
(This effort predates the
AGA CPAG Research Program and continues.)
Cooperative Research Projects
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Evaluating the Usefulness of Federal Performance and Accountability
Reports
This
research study focuses on the audience and usefulness of federal agency
Performance and Accountability Reports (PARs). It is a cooperative
project, with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) taking the lead and other
CPAG partners volunteering staff time. CPAG members who have helped
include AOC Solutions, Booz Allen Hamilton, Grant Thornton and IBM. On
March 21, 2004, the National Academy for Public Administration (NAPA)
hosted a special discussion forum (sponsored jointly by NAPA, AGA and
PwC) on The Performance Accountability Report: How Can We Make It
Better? Speakers included Robert Shea, counselor to the Deputy OMB
Director for Management; preparers such as agency executives and GAO;
users such as Mike Hettinger, staff director, Subcommittee on Government
Management, Finance and Accountability; and representatives from the
Office of the Under Secretary, Department of Education and OMB’s Office
of Federal Financial Management. The research has been completed and the
report is being written. A presentation of the results is planned for
the PDC and the report will be distributed.
Potential Future Projects
Other
CPAG partners have expressed interest in conducting new sponsored and
cooperative research projects. One is on surveying the education and
skills set needed for mid-level government managers, that is, for people
who enter government services having had some years of experience,
sometimes in very different disciplines. Another is on how certain
advanced technologies, like RFID, have the potential to completely
transform inventory and asset management. If you would like to sponsor a
research project and have a good idea, we would love to hear from you.
Please
contact Anna Miller, AGA’s Director of Research, if you would like more
information about any of the projects listed above at
amiller@agacgfm.org.