Summary: Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Air Force Audit Agency's (AFAA): (1) allocation of audit resources; (2) use of military and civilian auditors; (3) audit quality; and (4) independence.
GAO found that: (1) AFAA provided audit coverage over all significant Air Force procurement areas and major weapons systems during fiscal years (FYs) 1986 through 1988; (2) AFAA recommendations led to $339 million in potential monetary benefits during FY 1988; (3) audits of major operations resulted in such significant management improvements as improved internal controls, contracting procedures, and financial management systems; and (4) AFAA operated independently in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. GAO also found that: (1) the Air Force could potentially save $2 million annually if AFAA replaced military auditor positions with civilian staff; (2) AFAA needs to consider mission criticality, financial integrity, and budget size when allocating audit resources; and (3) AFAA could improve its referencing policy by requiring that auditors reference written summaries to original working papers.
