§ 1273.9 Audit Committee. ( a ) *Composition.* The Independent Directors shall serve as the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee shall elect its chairperson from among its members. The Chairperson of the OF may also serve as chairperson of the Audit Committee, if the Audit Committee members so decide.
( b ) *Responsibilities.* ( 1 ) The Audit Committee shall be responsible for overseeing the audit function of the OF and the preparation and the accurate and meaningful combination of information submitted by the Banks in the Bank System's combined financial reports.
( 2 ) For purposes of the combined financial reports, the Audit Committee shall ensure that the Banks adopt consistent accounting policies and procedures to the extent necessary for information submitted by the Banks to the OF to be combined to create accurate and meaningful combined financial reports.
( 3 ) The Audit Committee, in consultation with FHFA, may establish common accounting policies and procedures for the information submitted by the Banks to the OF for the combined financial reports where the Committee determines such information provided by the several Banks is inconsistent and that consistent policies and procedures regarding that information are necessary to create accurate and meaningful combined financial reports.
( 4 ) To the extent possible the Audit Committee shall operate consistent with the requirements pertaining to audit committee reports set forth in Item 407(d)(3) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
( 5 ) The Audit Committee shall oversee internal audit activities, including the selection, evaluation, compensation, and, where appropriate, replacement of the internal auditor. The internal auditor shall report directly to the Audit Committee on substantive matters, and is ultimately accountable to the Audit Committee and the board of directors.
( 6 ) The Audit Committee shall have the exclusive authority to employ and contract for the services of an independent, external auditor for the Banks' annual and quarterly combined financial statements and of an independent, external auditor for OF.
( 7 ) The Audit Committee shall direct senior management to maintain the reliability and integrity of the accounting policies and financial reporting of the OF.
( 8 ) The Audit Committee shall review the basis for the OF's financial statements and the external auditor's opinion rendered with respect to such financial statements.
( 9 ) The Audit Committee shall ensure that senior management has established and is maintaining an adequate internal control system within the OF by: ( i ) Reviewing the OF's internal control system and the resolution of identified material weaknesses and reportable conditions in the internal control system, including the prevention or detection of management override or compromise of the internal control system; and
( ii ) Reviewing the programs and policies of the OF designed to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and policies and monitoring the results of these compliance efforts.
( 10 ) The Audit Committee shall review the policies and procedures established by senior management to assess and monitor implementation of the OF strategic business plan and the operating goals and objectives contained therein.
( 11 ) The Audit Committee shall provide an independent, direct channel of communication between the OF's board of directors and the internal and external auditors.
( 12 ) The Audit Committee shall conduct or authorize investigations into any matters within the Audit Committee's scope of responsibilities.
( 13 ) The Audit Committee shall report periodically its findings to the OF's board of directors.
( 14 ) The Audit Committee shall prepare written minutes of each Audit Committee meeting.
( c ) *Charter.* ( 1 ) The Audit Committee shall adopt, and the OF board of directors shall approve, a formal written charter, consistent with the duties and authority set forth in this section, that specifies the scope of the Audit Committee's powers and responsibilities. The Audit Committee and the OF board of directors shall: ( i ) Review, and assess the adequacy of and, where appropriate, amend the Audit Committee charter on an annual basis; and
( ii ) Re-adopt and re-approve, respectively, the Audit Committee charter not less often than every three years.
( 2 ) The charter of the Audit Committee shall be subject to review and approval by FHFA.
( d ) *No delegation.* The Audit Committee may not delegate the responsibilities assigned to it under this section to any person, or to any other committee or sub-committee of the OF board of directors.
[75 FR 23161, May 3, 2010, as amended at 81 FR 76299, Nov. 2, 2016]