Speaker Profile
DENISE CICCHELLA
Denise Cicchella is a Certified Internal Auditor, Certified Fraud Examiner, and Certified Construction Auditor. She holds an MBA in International Business and a BBA in Accounting. She is the owner of Auspicium and LG3 - consulting and audit services specializing in training, construction audit, and project audit. Denise has worked on multimillion $ projects and is familiar with all types of construction contracts - design build, fixed fee, cost plus, etc. She has worked in a range of industries: financial services, insurance, healthcare, university, oil and gas, retail and mining. She has authored 3 books on Construction Audit.
Denise Cicchella
May 15 2024
01 : 00 PM EST
60 Minutes
Construction Audit and Big Data
A construction audit is a review of various aspects of a project to ensure that payment are accurate, controls are in place and are performing appropriately and in keeping with the contract. Since construction projects typically involve several entities performing several concurrent tasks, a construction audit is a crucial tool for keeping everything on track and under budget. Using big data to analyze all ..
Denise Cicchella
June 21 2024
01 : 00 PM EST
60 Minutes
Construction audit and change orders – controlling the chaos
Change orders refer to modifications or amendments made to the scope of work, schedule, or contract terms of a construction project after the initial agreement has been established. These changes can arise due to various reasons such as design modifications, unforeseen site conditions, client requests, or changes in regulatory requirements.Change orders can have significant implications on project costs, ti..
Denise Cicchella
July 25 2024
01 : 00 PM EST
60 Minutes
Construction Fraud – Ripped from the Headlines
Construction fraud refers to any deceptive or dishonest activities that occur within the construction industry with the intention of gaining an unfair advantage, financial gain, or causing financial loss to others. It can involve various parties including contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, employees, or even project owners. Construction fraud can take many forms, including: Billing Schemes: This involv..
Denise Cicchella
August 20 2024
01 : 00 PM EST
60 Minutes
Managing a Construction Audit
Managing a construction audit requires a unique approach due to the complexities inherent in construction projects. Unlike other audits, such as financial audits or compliance audits, construction audits involve evaluating a wide range of factors specific to the construction industry, including project management, contractual agreements, change orders, materials management, and regulatory compliance. In thi..
Denise Cicchella
September 05 2024
01 : 00 PM EST
90 Minutes
Construction Audit – Vetting Your Vendors and Auditing the Procurement Function
Procurement Fraud and Construction Audits: Safeguarding Projects and FinancesProcurement fraud and construction audits are vital components of ensuring the integrity, transparency, and efficiency of construction projects and procurement processes. In today's complex business environment, where organizations engage in various construction activities and procure goods and services from numerous vendors, the r..
Denise Cicchella
October 29 2024
01 : 00 PM EST
90 Minutes
What Every Auditor Needs to Know About FCPA
The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) is a landmark piece of legislation enacted by the United States Congress in 1977. It was introduced to address concerns about the involvement of U.S. companies in corrupt practices overseas, particularly bribery of foreign officials to obtain or retain business. The FCPA has two main provisions: the anti-bribery provision and the accounting provision. Additionally, s..
Denise Cicchella
November 21 2024
01 : 00 PM EST
90 Minutes
Construction Audit – Using EVM in Monthly Progress Reports
Earned Value Management (EVM): Understanding and ImplementationEarned Value Management (EVM) is a powerful project management technique used to measure and track project performance against the planned schedule and budget. It integrates scope, schedule, and cost metrics to provide a comprehensive view of a project's health and progress. By analyzing key metrics such as Planned Value (PV), Earned Value (EV),..
Denise Cicchella
December 10 2024
01 : 00 PM EST
60 Minutes
How to Audit Construction Projects: Month by Month or Vendor by Vendor
Whether vendor audits should be done instead of construction project audits depends on various factors, including the organization's goals, risk factors, and resource availability. Both types of audits serve different purposes and address different aspects of business operations. Therefore, it may be more appropriate to conduct vendor audits alongside construction project audits rather than as a replacement..