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Support Oversight Quality With Peer Review

Peer review designed to ensure that oversight standards and best practices are followed.

Overview

Independent Reviews For Quality & Accountability

AIG’s peer review program strengthens the operations of IG offices with confidential and objective evaluation.

Ensures Alignment with AIG Standards and Best Practices

Provides Professional, Objective Feedback and Guidance

Builds Credibility and Trust in Oversight Offices

Request A Review Volunteer To Serve

A Proven Model for Evaluating Oversight Offices

Peer reviews are structured, professional, and grounded in AIG’s standards of excellence.

The Process

01

Submit Request

Offices begin by submitting a formal request form to AIG’s review team.

Submit Here

02

Peer Review Scheduled and Reviewer Team Assigned

AIG appoints a team of certified reviewers based on experience and objectivity.

03

Review is Conducted

Reviewers assess documentation, processes, and compliance with standards.

04

Report is Delivered

The agency reviewed receives a detailed report with strengths, findings, and suggestions.

All reviews are conducted confidentially and with professionalism.

Lend Your Expertise to the Oversight Community

Support the IG profession by volunteering to review agencies and sharing your field experience.

Who Can Apply?

Experienced professionals with 5+ years in IG or auditing. Certification is preferred but not required.

Why It Matters

Give back to the oversight community and help strengthen accountability in public service.

What You’ll Gain

Collaborate with peers, refine your expertise, and contribute to national standards. Volunteers receive a maximum of 10 hours of Continuing Professional Education (CPE)
Credits in a two-year period.

Volunteering as a reviewer helped me grow as a professional.

AIG Peer Review

The AIG’s peer review program is intended to assist AIG member organizations (Join AIG) in their efforts to comply with statutes, local ordinances, charters, etc. requiring OIGs to follow one or more of the standards.

The Association of Inspectors General (AIG) encourages professional development; standardizing practices, policies, and ethics; and establishing professional qualifications, and certifications of Offices of Inspectors General (OIG).

A cornerstone is encouraging OIGs to adopt and comply with one or more of the following Standards:

The Association of Inspectors General, Principles and Standards for Offices of Inspector General (Green Book)

The Institute of Internal Auditors, International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing (Red Book) and/or

The United States Government Accountability Office, Government Auditing Standards (Yellow Book)

Objective

The Standards require OIGs to have external peer reviews to assess if their internal quality control system is suitably designed and operating effectively. The Yellow Book requires an external peer review at least once every three years, the Red Book once every five years, and the Green Book recommends periodic external reviews. The Peer Review provides assurance that an OIG is following its established policies and procedures and applicable standards.

Process

The first step in requesting a Peer Review is for the OIG agency to complete and submit the AIG Peer Review Online Application.

Upon request for a peer review, there are three major phases:

Planning/Preparation

Working with the Peer Review Team to schedule a mutually agreeable date for the Peer Review. Selection of Peer Review Team members (typically one Team Leader and one Team Member for each unit being reviewed), identifying agency liaison, scheduling of activities, and requests for documentation such as:

Organizational Chart
Organizational Policies & Procedures
Investigative/Audit/ Inspections & Evaluations Policies & Procedures
OIG Annual Report
OIG Annual Work/Audit Plan
OIG Work Products (Closed during Peer Review period)
OIG Complaints (Closed during Peer Review period
OIG Training Records

A “Records Request” link will be sent to the agency, and documents can be uploaded directly to the file.

Peer Review Team members review these documents prior to the site visits.

Site-Visit

On the first day, the Peer Review Team begins with an entrance conference with the Inspector General and the senior management team. To evaluate compliance with standards, the site visit will include internal and external interviews, and reviews of training files, staff qualifications, operational procedures, closed reports, and their associated files, etc. Confidential internal and external interviews are conducted in-person throughout the site visit. On the last day, an exit conference is conducted with the Inspector General and senior management to discuss the Peer Review Team’s conclusions, positive comments, and areas for consideration. Depending on the size of the OIG and which disciplines (audit, investigations, and inspections/evaluations/reviews) are under review, the site visit may last from 3-5 days.

Reporting

Within 30 days after completion of the Peer Review, an Opinion Letter is provided to the Inspector General stating the Peer Review Team’s professional opinion on whether the OIG operations comply with the agreed upon standards, a summary of exceptions (if any) and purpose, scope, and method of the review. At the discretion of the Peer Review Team Leader, a Management Letter may be written noting commendable areas and detailing the identified deficiencies and areas for consideration. The Management Letter is provided as a tool for the Inspector General and the management team detailing observations by the peer review team.

Who Can Request a Peer Review?

To participate in the AIG Peer Review Program, an OIG must:

Have, at least, one member of AIG in good standing (Become A Member)
Follow the Association of Inspectors General Principles and Standards for Offices of Inspector General (Green Book),
Provide volunteer staff to conduct similar peer reviews for other AIG member agencies at a later date.

Be responsible for all reasonable costs incurred by the peer review team members related to the review, which includes airfare and/or mileage for travel, hotel, and per-diem rates (based on the policies and procedures of the agency under review). (The Peer Review itself is of no cost to the OIG AIG member.)

Request an AIG Peer Review

Interested In Joining the AIG Peer Review Team?

If you have a working knowledge of the applicable Standards and would like to volunteer to participate in a Peer Review please contact us at projectcoordinator@inspectorsgeneral.org You do not need prior Peer Review experience. Training will be provided.