Government Accountability Office issues CPE guidance.

• Position: Continuing Professional Education

In Apr., the Government Accountability Office issued a CPE document titled, Government Auditing Standards: Guidance on GAGAS Requirements for Continuing Professional Education (GAO-05-568G). This document is a follow-up to a June 2003 revision the GAO made to Government Auditing Standards (also known as the "Yellow Book") that modified, among other things, its continuing professional education requirements.

The GAO document provides guidance to auditors and audit organizations in implementing the CPE requirements of Government Auditing Standards. The fundamental difference related to CPE in the 2003 Government Auditing Standards from the 1994 revision was that the 80 hours of CPE to be completed every 2 years should "directly enhance the auditor's professional proficiency to perform audits and/or attestation engagements." The 1994 revision called for training that "contributes to the auditor's professional proficiency." The new guidance document expands and modernizes the types of programs and the list of subjects and topics that could satisfy CPE requirements under Government Auditing Standards. It also replaces the Apr. 1991 document, entitled Interpretation of Continuing Education and Training Requirements. Concurrently with issuance of this document, the GAO issued a technical amendment to paragraph 3.45 and related footnotes of the CPE...