Auditor 8.2.1 The Department (in accordance with Post-16 audit code of practice - ▇▇▇.▇▇ (▇▇▇.▇▇▇.▇▇)), the European Commission, the European Court of Auditors and/or a Crown Body may at any time conduct (whether itself or by its agents, consultants or advisers) audits for the following purposes:-
(a) to establish that the Provider has used the Funding (and proposed or actual variations to the Funding in accordance with this Agreement) in the delivery of the Services and/or the costs of all suppliers (including Subcontractors) of the Services;
(b) to verify the Provider’s claims for Funding;
(c) to review the integrity, confidentiality and security of the Department Data as well as the Department’s access to the Department Data;
(d) to review the Provider's and/or a Provider Related Party's compliance with the DPA 2018, the FOIA and EIR in accordance with Clauses 23 (Department Data) and 26 (Freedom of Information and Confidentiality) and any other Law applicable to the Services;
(e) to carry out the audit and certification of the Department’s accounts;
(f) to verify the accuracy and completeness of any management information delivered or required by this Agreement;
(g) to ensure that the Provider and/or a Provider Related Party is complying with the Department Policies and any British or equivalent European standards and any other audit that may be required by any Relevant Authority, such audits may be based on current or preceding years or preceding agreements.
8.2.2 The Department will use its reasonable endeavours to ensure that the conduct of each audit does not unreasonably disrupt the Provider or delay the provision of the Services.
8.2.3 Subject to the Department’s obligations of confidentiality, the Provider and/or a Provider Related Party must on demand provide the Department (and/or its agents or representatives) with all reasonable co-operation and assistance in relation to each audit, including:-
(a) all information requested by the Department within the permitted scope of the audit;
(b) reasonable access to any Premises and any equipment used (whether exclusively or non-exclusively) in the performance of the Services;
(c) access to the Provider's and/or a Provider Related Party's systems; and
(d) access to Provider Personnel; and
(e) provision of any accounting records as referred to in Section 386 of the Companies Act 2006 and/or financial records as the Department may require which if the Provider is not a company may include similar accounting records as are referred to in Section 386 of the Companies Act 2006.
8.2.4 The Provider will implement all measurement and monitoring tools and procedures necessary to measure and report on the Provider's (including for the avoidance of doubt a Provider Related Party's) performance of the Services.
8.2.5 The Department will endeavour to (but is not obliged to) provide at least ten (10) Working Days' notice of its intention to conduct an audit. The Department may carry out audit visits with or without prior notice at its discretion.
8.2.6 The Parties agree that they will bear their own respective costs and expenses incurred in respect of compliance with their obligations under this clause, unless the audit identifies a material breach or malpractice by the Provider and/or a Provider Related Party in which case the Provider will reimburse the Department for all the Department’s reasonable costs incurred in the course of the audit.
8.2.7 If the findings of an audit conducted pursuant to this Clause 8 results in the requirement for ILR Data to be corrected and re- submitted the Provider must re-submit the data to the Department, as set out in Clause 5 (Submission of Learner Data), within two months. Failure to do so will be a breach of agreement.
8.2.8 If the Department identifies that:-
(a) the Provider has failed to perform its obligations under this Agreement in any material manner, without prejudice to any other remedy that the Department has, the Parties will agree and the Provider will implement and comply with a remedial plan. If the Provider's failure relates to a failure to provide any information to the Department about the Funding, proposed Funding or the Provider's costs, then the remedial plan will include a requirement for the provision by the Provider of all such information;
(b) there has been any under or over payment it will be dealt with in accordance with Clause 4.1 (Payment, Funding and Audit provisions).
8.2.9 The Provider must permit records referred to in this Clause 8 to be examined and copied from time to time by the Department’s auditor and inspectors and their representatives and other representatives of the Department.
Independent Public Accountant The Company’s accountants, whose report on the financial statements of the Company is filed with the Commission as part of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, are and, during the periods covered by their report, were an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). To the Company’s knowledge, the Company’s accountants are not in violation of the auditor independence requirements of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act of 2002 (the “▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act”) with respect to the Company.
Accountant A person engaged in the practice of accounting who (except when this Agreement provides that an Accountant must be Independent) may be employed by or affiliated with the Depositor or an Affiliate of the Depositor.
Annual Independent Certified Public Accountants' Reports (a) Not later than February 28 following the end of each calendar year commencing with 2006, the Servicer, at its expense, shall cause a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants to furnish to the Securities Administrator a report stating that (i) it has obtained a letter of representation regarding certain matters from the management of the Servicer which includes an assertion that the Servicer has complied with certain minimum residential mortgage loan servicing standards, identified in either the Uniform Single Attestation Program for Mortgage Bankers established by the Mortgage Bankers Association of America or the Audit Program for Mortgages serviced by FHLMC, with respect to the servicing of residential mortgage loans during the most recently completed fiscal year and (ii) on the basis of an examination conducted by such firm in accordance with standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, such representation is fairly stated in all material respects, subject to such exceptions and other qualifications that may be appropriate. The Securities Administrator shall furnish a copy of such report to the Trustee, the Depositor and each Rating Agency immediately upon receipt. Copies of such statement shall be provided by the Trustee to any Certificateholder upon request, provided that such statement has been delivered by the Servicer to the Trustee.
(b) Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee and the Securities Administrator is for informational purposes only and the Trustee's and Securities Administrator's receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable, from information contained therein, including the Servicer's compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee and the Securities Administrator are entitled to rely exclusively on Officers' Certificates).
Annual Independent Public Accountants’ Reports (a) The Servicer shall cause Independent Accountants, who may also render other services to the Servicer or its Affiliates, to deliver to the Backup Servicer, the Owner Trustee and the Indenture Trustee, on or before March 31 (or 90 days after the end of the Issuer’s fiscal year, if other than December 31) of each year, beginning in March 31, 2025, a report, dated as of December 31 of the preceding calendar year, addressed to the board of directors of the Servicer, providing its attestation report on the servicing assessment delivered pursuant to Section 4.10(c), including disclosure of any material instance of non-compliance, as required by Rule 13a-18 and 15d-18 of the Exchange Act and Item 1122(b) of Regulation AB. Such attestation will be in accordance with Rules 1-02(a)(3) and 2-02(g) of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
(b) Each party required to deliver an assessment of compliance described in Section 4.10(d) shall cause Independent Accountants, who may also render other services to such party or its Affiliates, to deliver to the Backup Servicer, the Owner Trustee, the Indenture Trustee and the Servicer, on or before March 31 (or 90 days after the end of the Issuer’s fiscal year, if other than December 31) of each year, beginning in March 31, 2025, a report, dated as of December 31 of the preceding calendar year, addressed to the board of directors of such party, providing its attestation report on the servicing assessment delivered pursuant to Section 4.10(d), including disclosure of any material instance of non-compliance, as required by Rule 13a-18 and 15d-18 of the Exchange Act and Item 1122(b) of Regulation AB. Such attestation will be in accordance with Rules 1-02(a)(3) and 2-02(g) of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
(c) The Servicer shall cause a firm of Independent Accountants, who may also render other services to the Servicer or to the Seller, (1) to deliver to the Backup Servicer, the Owner Trustee and the Indenture Trustee on or before April 30 (or 120 days after the end of the Servicer’s fiscal year, if other than December 31) of each year, beginning on April 30, 2025, with respect to the twelve months ended the immediately preceding December 31 (or other applicable date) (or such other period as shall have elapsed from the Closing Date to the date of such certificate (which period shall not be less than six months)), a copy of the Form 10-K filed with the United States Commission for Exeter Finance Corp., which filing includes a statement that such audit was made in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, and accordingly included such tests of the accounting records and such other auditing procedures as such firm considered necessary in the circumstances; and (2) upon request of the Backup Servicer, the Owner Trustee or the Indenture Trustee, to issue an acknowledgement to the effect that such firm has audited the books and records of Exeter Finance Corp., in which the Servicer is included as a consolidated subsidiary, and issued its report pursuant to item (1) of this section and that the accounting firm is independent of the Seller and the Servicer within the meaning of the Code of Professional Ethics of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
(d) Neither the Indenture Trustee nor the Backup Servicer shall be liable for any claims, liabilities or expenses relating to such accountants’ engagement or any report issued in connection with such engagement, and the dissemination of any such report other than pursuant to the Basic Documents or applicable law is subject to the written consent of such accountants.
