Engagement Memo—New Acela Program Delivery

We are initiating an audit of Amtrak’s (the company) New Acela program. This will be our fifth review in a series on the New Acela program. Our objective will be to reassess the company’s management and oversight of the New Acela program, including the high-speed trainset acquisition and other program components necessary for launching revenue service. We may expand our scope or modify our objective during the audit. Our work will include, but not be limited to, interviewing company officials, reviewing available documentation, attending status meetings, and performing site visits. We will work to minimize disruptions to the company by coordinating meetings with staff in advance.

We will perform our work in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. Our interactions with the company will be consistent with P/I 2.1.4, which sets forth the relationship between our office and the company. In particular, section 7.0 of the policy discusses coordination between company officials and our Office of Audits.

We request that your office arrange an entrance conference for us with the appropriate company officials at the earliest possible date. We will keep you advised of the status of our work and any material changes in our objective, should they occur.

If you have any questions, please call (202) 906-4600.