Page 616 - Auditing Standards
P. 616

As of December 15, 2017

       Engagements.


       .06        The required elements of the representation letter from a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary,

       or of other requesting parties described in paragraphs .03 and .05, are as follows:


                The letter should be addressed to the accountants.


                The letter should contain the following:
                "This review process, applied to the information relating to the issuer, is (will be) substantially
                           4
                consistent  with the due diligence review process that we would perform if this placement of
                securities (or issuance of securities in an acquisition transaction) were being registered pursuant to
                the Securities Act of 1933 (the Act). We are knowledgeable with respect to the due diligence review
                process that would be performed if this placement of securities were being registered pursuant to the
                Act."  5



                The letter should be signed by the requesting party.



       .07        An example of a letter, setting forth the required elements specified in paragraph .06, from a party
       requesting a comfort letter follows:





          [Date]





          Dear ABC Accountants:


          [Name of financial intermediary], as principal or agent, in the placement of [identify securities] to be issued

          by [name of issuer], will be reviewing certain information relating to [issuer] that will be included
          (incorporated by reference) in the document [if appropriate, the document should be identified], which may
          be delivered to investors and utilized by them as a basis for their investment decision. This review process,

          applied to the information relating to the issuer, is (will be) substantially consistent with the due diligence
                                                                               6
          review process that we would perform if this placement of securities  were being registered pursuant to
          the Securities Act of 1933 (the Act). We are knowledgeable with respect to the due diligence review
          process that would be performed if this placement of securities were being registered pursuant to the Act.

          We hereby request that you deliver to us a "comfort" letter concerning the financial statements of the
          issuer and certain statistical and other data included in the offering document. We will contact you to

          identify the procedures we wish you to follow and the form we wish the comfort letter to take.


          Very truly yours,




                                                            613
   611   612   613   614   615   616   617   618   619   620   621