3-26-071 Audit Services RFP.pdf

Request for Proposals Audit Services

Procurement Services PO Box 550

Raleigh, NC 27602-0550

RFP # 26-071

Proposals are due:

September 17, 2026, by 3:00 pm ET

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS # 26-071

Table of Contents 1 Introduction

1.1 Introduction

1.2 County Background

1.3 Scope of Services

1.4 Minimum Requirements

2 Detailed Submittal Requirements

2.1 Proposal Format

2.2 Section 1: Executive Summary

2.3 Section 2: Scope of Services

2.4 Section 3: Technical Proposal

2.5 Section 4: Background and Qualifications

2.6 Section 5: Client References

2.7 Section 6: Cost Proposal

2.8 Section 7: Attachment and Samples

3 Evaluation Criteria

3.1 Selection of Participants

3.2 Evaluation of Proposals

4 Attachment Listing

4.1 Technical Questionnaire

5 Tentative Schedule

1.1 Introduction

Wake County, North Carolina (“County”) is seeking proposals from qualified firms to provide business personal property and gross receipts audit services for Wake County Tax Administration. The purpose of this Request for Proposals (“RFP”) is to identify and select experienced audit professionals to supplement Tax Administration’s internal business auditors.

Throughout this RFP, the term “Proposer” refers to firms submitting proposals, and “Vendor” refers to the firm or firms selected to provide services under this solicitation.

2.1 Background

Wake County is the most populous county in North Carolina. It comprises 15 municipalities, including Raleigh, the county seat and the state capital. The County has a population of over 1.2 million residents. The County’s elected officials include seven County Commissioners, the Sheriff, and the Register of Deeds. Wake County currently has a General Fund budget of $2.2 billion. Wake County Tax Administration is responsible for appraising, assessing, and listing of all real estate and personal property within Wake County, its municipalities, and related service districts. The department also collects all current and delinquent taxes on such property, excluding registered motor vehicles. In addition, the department oversees the billing and collection of the Prepared Food and Beverage Tax, Hotel/Motel Room Occupancy Tax, Rental Vehicle Tax, Special Assessments, and various licensing and permits. The Department bills and collects property tax and/or gross receipts taxes from approximately 30,000 business personal property accounts and 3,000 gross receipts accounts.

2.2 Scope of Services

The selected Vendor shall provide business personal property and gross receipts audit services only. Real property audits, valuation services, or appraisal services are expressly excluded.

Audit services shall include, but are not limited to:

Conduct audits of accounts selected by Wake County Tax Administration.

Review taxpayer financial records, income tax filings, and supporting documentation.

Identify omitted or misclassified property or receipts.

Perform discovery assessments in accordance with statutes.

Prepare audit findings for County review.

Support appeals when directed.

Submit monthly audit status reports.

All determinations related to assessment, valuation, penalties, taxability, and audit disposition remain solely with Wake County Tax Administration. The Vendor shall not independently make determinations or issue audit correspondence without County authorization.

1 Introduction

No subcontracting will be permitted.

The selected vendor will be provided with a list of business personal property and/or gross receipts accounts of varying personal property value. The vendor will audit reported figures on these accounts for the most current year plus one prior year. If the results of the initial two (2) years audited identify a material discovery variance, then the vendor shall audit the most current year and all applicable prior years up to five (5) years as provided by North Carolina General Statute §105-312 which provides for Discovery Procedures and Limitations. The threshold to determine a material discovery variance is $5,000 of fair market value.

It is anticipated that the list of accounts provided will have assessed values below $5 million and will be between 75 – 150 accounts.

Upon execution of the contract, the vendor will be provided with the list of accounts to be audited. It is expected that the vendor will complete audits throughout the fiscal year, with all audits complete by May 15, 2027. The vendor will be required to provide the County with monthly status reports.

2.3 Minimum Requirements

Proposer must meet the following minimum qualifications:

Knowledge and expertise in auditing business personal property and gross receipts tax.

Experience auditing high value and multi-location accounts.

Strong collaboration and communication skills, including communicating effectively with diverse populations.

Ability to maintain strict confidentiality.

Compliance with North Carolina General Statutes, including G.S. 105-289.

Registration with the North Carolina Department of Revenue.

2.4 Proposal Format

Proposers shall prepare their proposals in accordance with the instructions outlined in this section. Each Proposer is required to submit the proposal through the WC Bonfire Portal.

Proposals should provide a straightforward, concise description of the Proposer’s capabilities to satisfy the requirements of the RFP. Utmost attention should be given to accuracy, completeness, and clarity of content.

The proposal should be organized into the following major sections:

Order Section Title 1 Title Page 2 Letter of Transmittal 3 Table of Contents

2 Detailed Submittal Requirements

4 Section 1: Executive Summary 5 Section 2: Scope of Services 6 Section 3: Technical Proposal 7 Section 4: Company Background 8 Section 5: Client References 9 Section 6: Cost Proposal 10 Section 7: Attachments

Instructions relating to each part of the response to this RFP are defined in the remainder of this section. Response information should be limited to pertinent information only. Marketing and sales type information is not to be included.

2.5 Section 1: Executive Summary

This section of the response should be limited to a brief narrative summarizing the Proposer’s proposal, including key strengths and what distinguishes the Proposer’s approach. The Proposer should also identify the proposed project team and the primary engagement contact, including their email address and telephone number.

2.6 Section 2: Scope of Services

This section should describe how the Proposer will perform the audit services outlined in this RFP. The Proposer should explain their approach to planning and conducting audits, reviewing and verifying taxpayer records, identifying discrepancies, and coordinating with County staff.

The response should demonstrate an understanding of the work to be performed and the Proposer’s ability to deliver accurate, timely, and compliant audit results. The County may, at its discretion, ask the Proposers to supply additional information that supports or clarifies the proposal.

2.7 Section 3: Technical Proposal

This section should include a proposed project timeline and key milestones. The Proposer should also describe the format and method for delivering audit documentation, findings, and supporting materials to the County for review, including any electronic file formats, reporting structures, or data organization standards to be used. The methodology should demonstrate the Proposer’s understanding of the project and ability to support the County with the scope of services outlined in Section 2.6 of this RFP.

2.8 Section 4: Background and Qualifications

Each proposal must provide the following information about the Proposer’s company so that the County can evaluate the Proposer’s stability and ability to support the commitments outlined in response to the RFP. The County, at its option, may require a Proposer to provide additional support or clarify requested information.

This response section should include:

2.8.1 Company Background

a) The length of time the company has been in business.

b) A brief description of the company’s size and organizational structure.

c) The length of time the company has been providing services to organizations like the County.

d) Any materials (including letters of support or client endorsements) that demonstrate the Proposer’s capabilities, including availability, collaboration, flexibility, responsiveness, and communication.

e) Disclosure of any pending litigation or governmental or regulatory actions that may impact the Proposer’s ability to provide services to the County.

f) A description of any contractual relationships with other organizations that will provide services described in the proposal.

2.8.2 Project Team Background

a) Identification of key personnel and their roles and responsibilities on the project.

b) Information demonstrating the technical knowledge and qualifications of key personnel, including relevant experience, training, and certifications.

c) Résumés for personnel who will be directly responsible for performing audit work.

2.9 Section 5: Client References

The County considers references to be important in its decision to award a contract. The results of the reference check will be provided to reviewers and used in scoring the written proposal. Failure to provide this information will result in the proposal being considered non-responsive.

Please provide three references who we may contact. The references should be clients similar in size and scope of services to those requested by the County. Please provide the contact information requested below. The County reserves the right to ask for additional references.

CLIENTS Reference #1 Reference #2 Reference #3

Jurisdiction

Contact Name

Contact Title

Contact Phone

Mailing Address

Email

Years Working with Client

2.10 Section 6: Cost Proposal

Proposers shall submit a cost proposal structured on a per-audit basis, with pricing tiers based on the assessed value of the account. The cost proposal should clearly identify all costs associated with performing audit services, including any assumptions used in developing the pricing.

The County reserves the right to request clarification of proposed costs and scope at any time during the evaluation and negotiation process. The County may award a contract based on initial proposals received; therefore, Proposers should submit their most favorable terms. The County may also conduct discussions with Proposers deemed to be within a competitive range, request revised pricing, and negotiate final terms prior to award.

It is anticipated that the contract awarded will be on an annual basis, covering fiscal years beginning July 1st and ending June 30th.

2.11 Section 7: Attachment and Samples

The Proposer must include any attachments and/or work samples that demonstrate relevant audit experience and capabilities. Examples may include sample audit reports, summaries of findings, or other materials that reflect the Proposer’s audit approach and documentation practices. All samples should be anonymized and must not include any confidential or identifying taxpayer information.

3 Evaluation Criteria

3.1 Selection of Participants

The County will establish an evaluation team to review and score proposals and may conduct interviews with selected Proposers.

3.2 Evaluation of Proposals

All proposals submitted in accordance with the terms of the RFP will be evaluated for fulfillment of the specifications and requirements for this RFP. Evaluation and selection of the Vendor will be based on information provided in the proposal, work samples and Attachment 4.1, references, interviews (if conducted), and any subsequent negotiations.

The contract will be awarded to Proposer or Proposers who best meet the needs of the County. The successful proposal will not necessarily be that with the lowest cost. A uniform selection process will be used by the County to evaluate all eligible proposals.

Responses will be evaluated based on the following criteria (not listed in rank or priority order) and any other criteria that the County feels necessary:

a) Audit Experience and Technical Expertise - Demonstrated knowledge and expertise in business personal property and gross receipts audits consistent with the scope of services in this RFP, and experience auditing high-value and complex accounts, including multi-location taxpayers.

b) Audit Approach and Methodology - Proposer’s plan and approach to performing audit services, including their understanding of the scope of services and ability to effectively conduct audits in accordance with applicable statutes and County expectations.

c) North Carolina Statutory Knowledge – Knowledge of and experience with North Carolina statutes and processes related to assessment, discovery, and appeals, including the ability to apply statutory requirements in audit work.

d) Project Team Qualifications – Qualifications and relevant experience of the proposed project team, including personnel responsible for performing audit work.

e) Client References and Past Performance – Quality and relevance of client references, including demonstrated performance on similar audit assignments.

f) Cost-Effectiveness and Value - Overall cost-effectiveness of the proposal in relation to the services provided and value to the County.

g) RFP Compliance & Completeness - Compliance with the RFP, including clarity, organization, and completeness of the proposal; including attachment 4.1 – Technical Questionnaire.

4.1 Technical Questionnaire

Attachment 4.1 – Proposers must respond to the questions in this attachment and submit it with their proposal in accordance with the instructions given in Submitting Requirements.

Date Event

August 20, 2026 Distribution of Request for Proposals

August 28, 2026 by 5:00 pm Clarifications and Questions Due in the WC Bonfire Portal

September 3, 2026 Addenda Issued (if necessary)

September 17, 2026 Proposals Due by 3:00 pm in the WC Bonfire Portal

September/October 2026 Finalist Interviews (if necessary)

October 2026 Selection and Notification of Vendor

4 Attachment Listing

5 Tentative Schedule