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United States Patent and Trademark Office Performance and Accountability Report Fiscal Year 2003 Independent Auditors' Report |
Report of Independent Auditors - Cover Letter
I am pleased to provide you with the attached audit report which presents an unqualified opinion on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's FY 2003 financial statements. The audit results indicate that the USPTO has established an internal control structure that facilitates the preparation of reliable financial and performance information. We commend the USPTO for the noteworthy accomplishment of attaining an unqualified opinion for the 11th consecutive year. My office contracted with the independent certified public accounting firm of KPMG LLP (KPMG) to perform the audit of the USPTO's financial statements as of and for the year ended September 30, 2003. The contract required that the audit be done in accordance with U.S. generally accepted government auditing standards and OMB Bulletin 01-02, Audit Requirements for Federal Financial Statements. In its audit of the USPTO, KPMG found that:
My office defined the audit's scope and oversaw its performance and delivery. We reviewed KPMG's report and related documentation, and inquired of its representatives. Our review, as differentiated from an audit in accordance with U.S. generally accepted government auditing standards, was not intended to enable us to express, and we do not express, an opinion on the USPTO's financial statements, conclusions about the effectiveness of internal control, or conclusions on compliance with laws and regulations. KPMG is responsible for the attached auditor's report dated November 14, 2003, and the conclusions expressed in the report. However, our review disclosed no instances where KPMG did not comply, in all material respects, with Governement Auditing Standards. If you wish to discuss the contents of this report, please call me on (202) 482-4661, or Michael Sears, Assistant Inspector General for Auditing, on (202) 482-1934. We appreciated the cooperation and courtesies the USPTO extended to KPMG and my staff during the audit. Attachments
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