To address an accounting firm’s costly errors, the Department of Administration imposed requirements on state agencies contracting accounting firms that restrict trade and do not address the issue of competency

The objective of this review was to determine if the Purchasing Division made changes to the minimum requirements for audits of public agencies in an objective and transparent manner to ensure minimal impact to West Virginia based accounting firms and state agencies impacted by the new requirements. The new procurement requirements are bias towards large audit firms being eligible. Rather than establishing subjective qualifications that penalize many accounting firms, the Purchasing Division could have addressed the vendor in question, and future problematic audit firms, by using the suspension or debarment process.