5170.  (a) The board may enter into a contract with a nonprofit
organization controlled by licensees to provide volunteer accounting
services within the state.  The contract shall not exceed fifty
thousand dollars ($50,000) per year.
   (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the board provide
funding to the contractor only to the extent that this funding does
not adversely affect the board's ability to meet its consumer
protection mandates.
   (c) The board shall follow the contracting procedure set forth in
the State Administrative Manual.  The contract shall emphasize a
capacity and commitment to provide a structure for the provision of a
volunteer community assistance program within the accounting
profession.  These services shall be available throughout the state
and shall provide the assistance of volunteers to serve nonprofit
organizations that are unable to afford to pay professional
accounting fees.  Volunteer assistance shall include, but need not be
limited to, both of the following:
   (1) Installation, evaluation, or revision of accounting systems,
preparation of tax returns, financial reports, budgets, and
applications for tax exemption, projection of cash flows, review of
internal control and reporting systems, training on accounting
systems operation, and evaluation of computer needs.
   (2) Matching accountants willing to serve on the board of
directors or trustees of a nonprofit organization with those groups
in need of those persons.
   (d) The contractor shall report program results to the board
quarterly and to the Legislature annually.
   (e) The board may use funds in the Accountancy Fund to pay the
costs of the contract authorized pursuant to this section upon
appropriation in the Budget Act.
   (f) Payments under any contract shall be made on a quarterly basis
in advance.



5171.  (a) An audit of the contract authorized pursuant to Section
5170 shall be performed annually by an independent auditor in
accordance with generally accepted auditing standards.
   (b) The cost of the audit shall be paid from funds appropriated by
the board as part of the contract authorized pursuant to Section
5170.
   (c) An audit report shall be prepared upon completion of the audit
and shall be submitted to the board within 120 days after the close
of the fiscal year.



5172.  This article shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2004, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, which becomes effective on or before January 1, 2004,
deletes or extends that date.