(a) An audit conducted in accordance with this Part must be in lieu of any financial audit of DOE awards which a for-profit entity is required to undergo under any other Federal statute or regulation. To the extent that such audit provides DOE with the information it requires to carry out its responsibilities under Federal statute or regulation, DOE must rely upon and use that information.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this section, DOE, Inspectors General, or GAO may conduct or arrange for additional audits which are necessary to carry out its responsibilities under Federal statute or regulation. The provisions of this Part do not authorize any for-profit entity to constrain, in any manner, DOE from carrying out or arranging for such additional audits, except that DOE must plan such audits to not be duplicative of other audits of DOE. Any additional audits must be planned and performed in such a way as to build upon work performed, including the audit documentation, sampling, and testing already performed, by other auditors.

(c) The provisions of this Part do not limit the authority of DOE to conduct, or arrange for the conduct of, audits and evaluations of DOE awards, nor limit the authority of any Federal agency Inspector General or other Federal official.

(d) DOE to pay for additional audits. If DOE conducts or arranges for additional audits it must, consistent with other applicable Federal statutes and regulations, arrange for funding the full cost of such additional audits.

(e) Not applicable.