2025-2026 RFP Audit TOP.pdf

Town of Orange Park, Florida

Financial Auditing Services

Request for Proposal September 23, 2026

TOWN OF ORANGE PARK, FLORIDA

REQUEST FOR FINANCIAL AUDIT SERVICES

The Town of Orange Park, Florida is requesting proposals from qualified firms of Certified Public Accountants to audit its financial statements for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and the next two subsequent fiscal years. These audits shall be performed in accordance with the Performance Specifications listed in Section B of this Request for Proposal.

The Town desires the auditor to express an opinion on the fair presentation of its General Purpose Financial Statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.

The firm selected will be retained for a period of three years, beginning with the audit report for Fiscal Year 2025-26 and ending with Fiscal Year 2028-

29. Each year of the engagement will be dependent upon a satisfactory completion of the annual audit. Copies of previous annual reports of the Town are on file in the Finance Department. Questions concerning this Request for Proposal should be directed to Courtney Russo, Town Clerk at crusso@townop.com.

Town of Orange Park Request for Proposals for Audit Services September 23, 2026

A. General Information

The Town of Orange Park is a municipal corporation of the State of Florida.

The Town has 95 full-time and 17 part-time positions.

Any funds established or deleted during the time period covered by this request for proposals are also to be included in the scope of audit services to be provided. The most recent audit of the Town of Orange Park was for the period October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025. A copy of the auditor's report as well as the budget for the current fiscal year is available from the Town Clerk, 2042 Park Avenue, Orange Park, Florida 32073, (904) 278-3011 or crusso@townop.com.

B. Scope of Services

1. Indicate in your proposal if you agree to meet or exceed the following performance specifications. Explain any exceptions you have regarding them.

The audit shall be performed in compliance with the requirements of the following:

a. Section 218.39, Florida Statutes, and any other applicable Florida Statutes.

b. Rules of the Florida Department of Financial Services.

c. Rules of the Auditor General, State of Florida, Chapter 10.550.

d. Audits of State and Local Governmental Units, issued by the

American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

e. Codification of Governmental Accounting and Financial Reporting

Standards - Governmental Accounting Standards Board.

f. Government Auditing Standards issued by the Comptroller General of the United States.

g. Circular A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-

Profit Organizations, Office of Management and Budget.

h. Federal Single Audit Act of 1984 and amendments of 1996.

i. Florida Single Audit Act (Section 215.97, Florida Statutes).

j. Statements on Auditing Standards (GAAS). Any other applicable federal, state, local regulations or professional guidance not specifically listed above, as well as any additional requirements, which may be adopted by these organizations in the future.

B. Scope of Services-Continued

k. Section 216.349, Florida Statues - Compliance with laws, regulations, contracts, grants related to State grants or grants-in-aid.

2. The audit report shall contain the opinion of the auditor on the financial statements and an opinion on compliance with applicable legal provisions.

3. The auditor shall be required to make an immediate written report of irregularities, illegal acts or indications of illegal acts, if any, and immediately make the Town Manager aware of same.

4. The partner-in-charge of the audit and the audit manager shall be available to attend up to two public meetings annually for discussion. If asked the Firm also agrees to meet individually with Council members after the annual audits are completed and prior to the presenting of the audit report at a council meeting.

5. The auditors shall, without additional charge, make available their work papers to subsequent auditors or to any federal or state agency upon request and in accordance with federal and state law regulations.

6. The reports on the internal control structure and compliance, schedules of federal financial assistance and related auditor's report, and other reports that are or may be required pursuant to the performance specifications listed in B.1. above, are to be included in the AFR. The U. S. Department of Environmental Protection Agency will act as the cognizant agency in accordance with the provisions of the Single Audit Act of 1984 and amendments adopted in 1996, and U. S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-128, Audits of State and Local Governments.

7. Depending on the availability of Town’s employees, the firm may utilize the Town’s staff to perform work of an assisting nature consistent with Generally Accepted Auditing Standards. However, it is not the Town’s intent for its staff to prepare the auditor's work papers. The Town expects that the auditor will provide the Town technical advice and recommendations as to current GASB requirements and assure the Town’s compliance with such.

September 23, 2026

B. Scope of Services-Continued

8. If selected, the Auditor agrees to negotiate and execute an audit agreement, hereafter referred to as “contract”, with the Town. This contract is in addition to an annual or multi-year engagement letter required by the Auditor.

9. The Auditor will designate two (2) “key” members of the audit team. The

Auditor may not substitute engagement partners or managers who are assigned to the audit without the prior written consent of the Director of Finance. Engagement partners, managers, other supervisory staff, and specialists may be changed if those personnel leave the firm, are promoted, or are assigned to another office. These personnel may also be changed for other reasons with the express prior written permission of the Town. The reason for substitution, along with resumes describing the roles and experience of replacements, must be provided to the Director of Finance. Substitution will not be unreasonably denied; however, in either case, the Town retains the right to approve or reject replacements. The Town reserves the right to request the Auditor replace assigned staff that are disruptive or that do not appear to be conducting themselves in a professional manner or are unfamiliar with Governmental Accounting.

10. The Town expects the Auditor to express an opinion on the fair presentation of its basic financial statements in conformity with applicable generally accepted accounting principles. The Auditor is also to provide an opinion on the combining and individual non-major fund statements and schedules in relation to the basic fund statements taken as a whole.

11. The Auditor will prepare all adjusting journal entries converting data reported in governmental funds for presentation as governmental activities in the government-wide financial statements. The entries will be prepared on a conversion worksheet in an electronic format mutually agreed to by the Auditor and the Town. All entries will be reviewed with the Director of Finance prior to the issuance of the financial statement draft, and a copy of the electronic worksheet will be provided to the Town.

September 23, 2026

B. Scope of Services-Continued

12. The Auditor shall report to the Town, at least weekly, the status of any potential audit adjustments, so that the Town may have adequate opportunity to investigate, gather information and respond if necessary.

Final audit adjustments shall be submitted to the Town of Orange Park following the end of the fiscal year under audit. All adjustments posted to the financial statements must be agreed to by the Town of Orange Park and reconciled to the Town’s accounting records by Town staff, prior to release of the final audit report.

13. The Town of Orange Park will prepare the Management Discussion and

Analysis (MD&A), and the Town shall retain ultimate responsibility for the preparation and content of this document. However, the auditor shall provide the assistance in proof reading the entire MD&A, performing an overall review, and suggesting improvements to the MD&A.

14. The Auditor will prepare and print all financial statements, footnotes, schedules, including client-requested schedules to meet bond requirements, etc., and required reports during the contract period. The Auditor will bind all into a single document. Twelve (12) copies of the final report and one (1) copy on a flash drive, in either Microsoft Word (.DOC) format or Adobe Acrobat (.PDF) format, shall be delivered to the Finance Director.

15. The Auditor shall prepare the Annual Financial Report to be provided to the Department of Financial Services, to assure consistency with the Town’s financial statements.

16. The Auditor shall provide technical advice, as requested, for accounting and tax issues that may arise during the contract period at no additional charge if extensive research is not needed.

17. Auditor shall provide the Town of Orange Park with a copy of each external quality control review (peer review) conducted during the time period engaged by the Town of Orange Park.

September 23, 2026

B. Scope of Services-Continued

18. The Auditor agrees to notify the Town immediately should any disciplinary actions be taken or complaints filed with any regulatory bodies against any of the Auditor’s staff or the Auditor itself.

C. Instructions for Proposals

Seven (7) copies of the proposal shall be filed with Courtney Russo, Town Clerk, 2042 Park Avenue, Orange Park, Florida 32073 not later than 2:00 P.M. on October 12, 2026. Joint proposals from more than one firm or those that include subcontracting any part of the audit engagement to other firms or individual auditors will not be accepted for consideration by the Town.

Proposals must include the following:

TAB 1

Manditory Element

1. The Audit firm must be independent, have a license to practice in Florida and performed continuous governmental auditing services in accordance with standards set by the Florida Board of Accountancy for a minimum of seven years.

TAB 2

Expertise and Experience of the Audit Firm:

1. Description and history of the audit firm. Please include size of firm and size of governmental staff.

2. List at least three governmental audits with utilities that were performed by the firm in the last two years including the staff members who work on the audits. Please include a contact reference and phone number for each of the audits listed.

3. Please include resumes of partner, manager and senior staff who will be assigned to this audit.

September 23, 2026

Expertise and Experience of the Audit Firm (continued):

4. Discuss the firms process of ensuring that all individuals who will be performing audit work have received adequate continuing professional education within the two preceding years.

5. Please include results of the firm’s recent external quality control review reports, regulatory action taken by an oversight body and any disciplinary actions that have been brought against the firm. Please indicate whether that peer review included a review of a local government client.

TAB 3

Technical Approach:

1. Clearly describe the scope of the required services to be provided, including a full discussion of your firm’s auditing techniques and procedures to be used for both financial and compliance aspect of the engagement.

2. Clearly describe the procedures used by your firm to become familiar with a new client’s operations.

3. Discuss the firm’s approach and level of client staff support necessary to complete the work as outlined in the proposal.

4. Please provide a tentative schedule for performing the key phases of the audit.

5. Please provide an express agreement to meet or exceed the performance specification stated in Section “B”.

TAB 4

Cost of Service:

1. The firm shall submit along with its proposal, the basis of the fees for the three years of audit services. The basis of fees should include a “not to exceed” total fee for each year of audit services. Please also include hourly rates for the various position levels that would be assigned to perform additional services.

D. Evaluation Procedure

The Request for Proposals submitted will be evaluated in accordance with Section 218.391, Florida Statutes, as amended by Chapter 2005-32, Laws of Florida. During the evaluation process, the Town reserves the right to request additional information or clarifications from proposers or to allow corrections of errors or omissions. At the discretion of the Town, firms submitting proposals may be requested to make oral presentations as part of the evaluation process.

The Audit Committee will review all proposals to make a determination as to which firm is the most qualified to perform the audit. The basis of fees submitted with the proposals will also be considered as one of the factors in the evaluation process, but price should not be construed as the overriding criteria for awarding the contract for audit services. Proposers will be ranked based on their qualifications. The determination of "most qualified" will be at the sole discretion of the Town.

The Town reserves the right to negotiate modifications to proposals that it deems acceptable, reject any and all proposals, and waive minor irregularities with the proposals.

E. Contract, Billing and Payment

The Town Council expects to sign a contract with the successful proposer for three years. Progress payments up to 80% may be billed monthly for work accomplished in the previous month. Final payment will be made upon receipt and acceptance of final audit reports.

This Request for Proposal does not commit the Town of Orange Park to award a contract, nor to pay any cost incurred in the preparation of a response. The Town reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal received by reason of this request or to negotiate with any other qualified source.

F. Anti-Collusion Clause

Under no circumstances should any prospective proposer or any person or persons acting for or on the behalf of the said proposer, seek to influence or gain the support of the Town Council or Town Staff against the interest of any prospective proposer. Any such activities shall result in the exclusion of the prospective proposer from consideration by the Town.