Grant Audit Services

CAL has been delivering grant audit services to numerous clients throughout the UK and the Republic of Ireland since 2001. For UK clients, CAL currently issues around 160 audit certificates and reports each year for projects attracting approximately €12M per annum in funding. In Ireland, CAL has undertaken various reviews of individual funding programmes valued up to €1.04bn. The many types of grants examined include:-

  • Commission of the European Communities:
    • The sixth and seventh EU framework programmes (FP6 and FP7) for research and technological development;
    • Information Technology and Communications for Asia;
    • Asia Link;
    • EuropeAid;
    • Economic and Social Infrastructure Operational Programme (ESIOP);
    • European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) – Productive Sector Operational Programme (PSOP) & Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG).
  • DTI Technological Programme funded by the Department of Trade and Industry /Technology Strategy Board;
  • Higher Education Funding Council England (HEFCE):
    • Science, Research and Investment Fund (SRIF) programmes 1, 2 and 3;
    • Disability Capital: Disability Discrimination Act Compliance;
    • Learning & Teaching Capital.
  • European Regional Development Fund (ERDF):
    • Franco-British Interreg IIA [2000-06] via Government Office of the South East;
    • Research, technological development and innovation (RTDI) projects via the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in the Republic of Ireland.
  • Projects funded by the East of England Development Agency,
  • Roads, public transport, waste water and sustainable energy projects under the Economic & Social Infrastructure programme (ESIOP) in the Republic of Ireland;
  • Projects funded by the Productive Sector Operational Programme (PSOP) within the National Development Plan / Community Support Framework (NDP/CSF) for Ireland;
  • Transport 21 funding of national roads, public transport and regional airports in Ireland (2006 – 2015).
  • Saving Newborn Lives programme funded by the Save the Children Federation, Washington USA.

CAL’s grant audit services in the UK are personally managed by Jill Elliott who has been with CAL for ten years during which time she has maintained a strong working relationship with Bluebell Research. She firmly believes that staff continuity is the foundation for a successful service delivery and takes pride in the close working relationships she has developed with service managers at CAL’s various clients.

Jill has ensured that CAL has a successful track record of forging good working relationships with clients. This has resulted in the development of working practises and methodologies that really work.

Through the investment of the necessary time and effort at the outset of each new commission, she ensures day-to-day working practices are as efficient and effective as possible, so minimising the associated administration costs incurred by CAL’s clients. As part of this process, Jill is happy to facilitate workshops for PIs, Research Administrators and other interested parties to discuss the audit approach and address any issues connected with the auditing of grant funded projects.

Consequently, CAL guarantees ‘less stress’ for its’ clients, by establishing long-term and truly ‘one to one’ relationships which, it believes, is often lacking with the larger accountancy practices. The directors of CAL are passionate about quality and committed to fully delivering client expectations. As a result, CAL offers:-

  • Comfort. Audit work undertaken by suitably experienced personnel (not trainees);
  • Familiarity. Specific staff dedicated to each client (the same faces on each audit review);
  • Confidence. The completion of audit work on time, every time; and
  • Value. A quality service at a highly competitive rate.

CAL has a quality management arrangement that requires all grant audit work to be undertaken personally by one of its’ experienced and qualified directors. They are individually responsible for ensuring that all work is undertaken in accordance with best practice and in compliance with the auditing guidelines issued by the Auditing Practices Board as well as any relevant EC requirements.

Where necessary, peer reviews are incorporated into the work in order to provide additional assurance on more complex assignments. In addition, independent quality control checks are undertaken (post-event) by GKP Chartered Accountants, who closely inspect the audit files for every grant audit project.

Consequently, CAL undertakes to correct any errors and, if necessary, issue revised certificate at no additional cost to clients. For additional piece of mind, CAL has professional indemnity insurance in place to a value of £1M (approx €1.1M).

Audit certificates are issued electronically, as well as in hard copy, and working papers are retained for a period of six years or, if requested, are forwarded to clients for retention. The working papers detail the level of testing undertaken; highlight any ineligible costs that have been removed and any other audit issues for the client to note. Following completion, it is normal practice for CAL to assist clients in the investigation and resolution of any queries raised by the client’s or EC’s Auditors.