Press Release  Auditor’s Office Once Again Receives Highest Rating Possible in Peer Review

Boston — Citing the office’s adherence to quality standards that guide government auditing, state auditors representing the National State Auditors Association (NSAA) gave the Office of State Auditor Suzanne M. Bump (OSA) the highest rating possible in its peer review.

“Often we are asked, ‘Who audits the auditor’s office?’ Our work is evaluated by our peers from other states who conduct government auditing,” Bump said of the review. “This review is a recognition of our commitment to professionalism, innovative efforts to make government work better for its constituents, and standing as a national leader in government accountability.”

The announcement comes as a result of an independent review of the office’s quality control system. In the peer review process, six professional state auditors from across the country evaluated Massachusetts’ policies, procedures, and work product from April 1, 2016 through March 31, 2017. State audit organizations can receive a rating of pass, pass with deficiencies, or fail. The Office of the State Auditor (OSA) received a rating of pass.

Weeks after taking office in 2011, Bump commissioned the first peer review of the OSA in 15 years to guide her effort to professionalize the office. The OSA failed that peer review. Using those recommendations as a roadmap to achieve improvements, Bump implemented changes that enhanced the professionalism of the staff, expanded training opportunities, and strengthened quality standards. These changes helped the OSA pass its subsequent peer review in 2014.

Since that time, the Massachusetts State Auditor’s Office has become leader in the realm of government auditing and accountability. Bump’s office has developed sophisticated data analytics capabilities that allow staff to identify systemic deficiencies in state programs, and provide suggestions for addressing them. The OSA has received national awards for its audit work. In 2016, Bump was appointed to the U.S. Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) Domestic Working Group, which advises the Comptroller General on efforts to improve government accountability. Bump and her staff have been invited to present the office’s work and tools at numerous national trainings and conferences.    

Peer reviews performed through the National State Auditors Association are conducted on a three year interval. The team of professionals that conducted Massachusetts’ peer review was comprised of state auditors from New York, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Missouri, Nevada, and Kansas. The reviews are required as part of compliance with the Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards, promulgated by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.  The OSA is required by statute to comply with these standards in conducting its audit work.

The NSAA letter detailing the Peer Review is available here.

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