The International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB) has released a preliminary version of a Preface to its forthcoming Conceptual Framework for the public sector. The purpose of the Preface is to highlight characteristics of the public sector that underpin the development of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) and Recommended Practice Guidelines (RPGs), including the identification of areas where departures from private sector approaches to financial reporting are likely.