Firms may apply for appointment to the Audit and Technical Services (the Panel) at any time. Applicants should complete the Application Form referring to the Guide to Applying.

When the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) assesses applications to join the Panel, the following factors are considered:

• the capacity of the firm to resource audits
• quality assurance and review processes
• the experience of the firm (in addition to that of personnel)
• demonstrable experience in undertaking audits, particularly compliance and record keeping audits and
• knowledge and experience using the Australian Auditing Standards or ISAE3000 (all GGAS audits must be performed using these standards).

The Audit Guideline is the comprehensive ‘rule book’ for audits conducted under GGAS. All applicants should be familiar with this document prior to applying to join the Panel.

The Panel Agreement

If IPART approves your application to be on the panel, you will be required to sign the Panel Agreement. The Panel Agreement is the contract between IPART and the Panel member, and describes a range of obligations that the Panel member has to IPART as well as the range of powers that IPART has the discretion to exercise. These powers and obligations include (but are not limited to) that the Panel member must:

• use suitably qualified personnel and devote sufficient resources to ensure that the services are completed as required
• comply with any guidelines or policies notified to the panel member by IPART
• ensure that all of its lead auditors and key personnel undertake any training reasonably required by IPART, and complete that training to IPART’s satisfaction
• hold public liability insurance of $5 million for any one or more claims arising out of the same set of circumstances and a policy of professional indemnity insurance with a reputable insurer
• ensure that a lead auditor directs, supervises and leads the undertaking of the audit services and signs all written reports or opinions provided by the panel member, and that the audit services are undertaken by the key personnel
• ensure that each lead auditor and each of the key personnel has agreed to be bound by the confidentiality obligations, and
• not enter into any agreement, arrangement or understanding or participate in any activity which amounts to a conflict of interest without IPART’s prior written consent.

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