Training for Reviews of Certain Must-Select Engagements

To maintain the qualifications of a peer reviewer reviewing certain^A must-select engagements, you should participate in one of the following peer review training options within one year prior to the commencement of a review for which you intend to review an engagement in the must-select industry. Peer review training options include:

1. Participating in the relevant session of the Annual Peer Review Conference. Save the date: The 2024 Peer Review Conference will be held in Denver, Colorado at the Grand Hyatt Denver from August 5-7, 2024 and online. Please check back in 2024 for registration.
   
   
2. Completing the relevant Peer Review Industry Update course.  These courses are advanced reviewer training courses that explicitly focus on the challenges in peer reviewing engagements in these industries and how changes in these specific industries impact any given peer review.  Example topics could include common findings in peer reviews specific to these industries or how recent developments in these industries impact peer reviews.  These courses will meet the NASBA CPE Standards.
   
        a.  Must-Select Update Course - Governmental
   
        b.  Must-Select Update Course - Employee Benefit Plan
   
   
3. Completing an alternative course or conference session that has been approved by the Peer Review Board.
   
        a. For purposes of the must-select training requirement, Reviewers seeking approval for an alternative course will submit their course (for example, the power point slides to be presented or a recording of the course) or a detailed summary of their course to  prptechnical@aicpa.org. Reviewers should provide a detailed, thorough description of how the course is as comprehensive as and where the course contains the required elements of the courses offered by the AICPA.
   
        b. The required elements for each must-select course are listed below.
   
        c. For purposes of the ongoing training requirement, a listing of conference sessions that meet this requirement will be maintained on this webpage.

^A – At this time, the must-select training requirement only applies to engagements subject to Government Auditing Standards and employee benefit plan engagements.
 

Alternative Conference Sessions

At this time, reviewers of certain must-select engagements can meet the training requirements for reviewing certain must-select engagements by attending the following sessions at upcoming AICPA conferences:

Employee Benefit Plan Audit Engagements

• Conference – AICPA Employee Benefit Plans Conference
• Date – May 8-10, 2023    
• Sessions – Please check back for the specific date and time.

Required Elements for Alternative Courses:

1. Any alternative course for the Must Select Industry Update – Governmental Auditing Standards or Must Select Industry Update – Employee Benefit Plans should meet NASBA CPE Standards.  
   
   
2. After completing any alternative course for the Must Select Industry Update – Governmental Auditing Standards, participants should be able to:
   
        a. Apply concepts from recent accounting and auditing guidance changes for governmental engagements.
   
        b. Identify common findings from enhanced oversights of governmental audits.
   
        c. Identify key indicators of non-conforming governmental engagements.
   
   
3. After completing any alternative course for the Must Select Industry Update – Employee Benefit Plans, participants should be able to:
   
        a. Apply concepts from recent accounting and auditing guidance changes for employee benefit plan audit engagements.
   
        b. Identify common findings from enhanced oversights of employee benefit plan audit engagements.
   
        c. Identify key indicators of non-conforming employee benefit plan engagements.