CALIFORNIA SCHOOL FINANCE AUTHORITY

300 S. Spring Street, Suite 8500 Los Angeles, CA 90013 p (213) 620-4608

915 Capitol Mall, Suite 220 Sacramento, CA 95814 p (916) 651-7710 f (916) 651-7709 csfa@treasurer.ca.gov www.treasurer.ca.gov/csfa

CALIFORNIA SCHOOL FINANCE AUTHORITY

Request for Proposals No. CSFA01-26

AUDITING SERVICES

Notice to Prospective Proposers

MEMBERS

FIONA MA, CPA, CHAIR

State Treasurer

TONY THURMOND

State Superintendent of

Public Instruction

JOE STEPHENSHAW

Director of Finance

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Katrina M. Johantgen

May 29, 2026

You are invited to review and respond to this Request for Proposals (RFP) No. CSFA01-26, entitled Auditing Services for the California School Finance Authority (CSFA or the Authority).

The RFP seeks auditing services to fulfill CSFA’s obligations pursuant to Government Code sections 5871 and 5872 and meet the Office of the State Controller’s minimum auditing requirements. The firm will also perform an audit of CSFA’s federal programs for compliance with, and submission to, the Office of Management and Budget. The audit must comply with all minimum standards for conducting audits established by the U.S. Government Accountability Office and the Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards. In submitting your proposal, you must comply with these instructions.

Proposals for these services must comply with the instructions included in the RFP. The RFP includes the Sample Standard Agreement the selected contractor will be expected to execute.

The agreement that will be entered into with the State of California (State) will include by reference the General Terms and Conditions and Contractor Certification Clauses which may be viewed and downloaded online at https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language The General Terms and Conditions and all Exhibits that are a part of the Sample Standard Agreement are not negotiable. By submitting a proposal, your firm agrees to the terms and conditions stated in this

RFP.

Proposals must be submitted on or before June 30, 2026, 5:00 pm Pacific Time, to the address below.

Katrina Johantgen California School Finance Authority

915 Capitol Mall, Suite 220 Sacramento, CA 95814

Emailed or faxed submissions will not be accepted. Please submit all questions regarding the RFP to kjohantgen@treasurer.ca.gov.

Sincerely, Katrina Johantgen, Executive Director mailto:csfa@treasurer.ca.gov http://www.treasurer.ca.gov/csfa mailto:csfa@treasurer.ca.gov https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language mailto:kjohantgen@treasurer.ca.gov

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES .......................................................... Page 1

1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................... Page 1

2. Program Descriptions........................................................................................................ Page 1

3. Scope of Work................................................................................................................... Page 3

4. Term of Agreement ........................................................................................................... Page 6

B. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR PROPOSERS ....................................................... Page 6

C. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS AND INFORMATION .................................................. Page 7

1. Key Action Dates .............................................................................................................. Page 7

2. Questions and Answers .................................................................................................... Page 7

3. Content and Format of Proposals ..................................................................................... Page 8

4. Submission of Proposals .................................................................................................. Page 9

5. Evaluation Process ......................................................................................................... Page 11

6. Award and Protest .......................................................................................................... Page 13

7. Disposition of Proposals ................................................................................................. Page 14

8. Agreement Execution and Performance ......................................................................... Page 14

D. PREFERENCE AND INCENTIVE PROGRAMS ......................................................... Page 14

1. Small Business or Microbusiness Preference................................................................. Page 14

2. Non-Small Business or Microbusiness Preference ......................................................... Page 14

3. California Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Incentive Program ............................. Page 15

4. Target Area Contract Preference Act (TACPA) .............................................................. Page 16

E. REQUIRED ATTACHMENTS ..................................................................................... Page 16

1. Required Attachment Checklist

2. Proposal/Proposer Certification Sheet

3. Cost Proposal Worksheet

4. Proposer References

5. Payee Data Record (Std. 204)

6. Contractor Certification Clauses (CCC 04/2017)

7. Darfur Contracting Act Certification

8. Bidder Declaration (GSPD-05-105)

9. California Civil Rights Laws Certification

10. Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Notification

11. Minimum Qualifications Certification

12. Small Business or Microbusiness Preference

13. Non-Small Business or Microbusiness Preference

14. California Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Incentive Program

15. Target Area Contract Preference Act (TACPA) Program

F. SAMPLE STANDARD AGREEMENT (Std. 213)

1. Exhibit A – Scope of Work

2. Exhibit B – Budget Detail and Payment Provisions

3. Exhibit B, Attachment 1 – Cost Proposal

4. Exhibit C – General Terms and Conditions (GTC 02/2025)

5. Exhibit D – Special Terms and Conditions

6. Exhibit E – Additional Provisions

7. Attachment A – Senate Bill (SB 99)

8. Attachment B – Minimum Audit Requirements and Reporting Guidelines for Special Districts

9. Attachment C – Special Districts Financial Transactions Report

10. Attachment D – Summary of Borrowers for FY 2025/26

California School Finance Authority RFP No. CSFA01-26

A. PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES

1. Introduction

The auditing services requested for this Request for Proposal (RFP) are specialized and relevant to the California School Finance Authority’s (Authority) existing and new programs. Such programs include: 1) the Charter School Facilities Program, 2) Charter School Facility Grant Program (SB 740), 3) Charter School Facilities Credit Enhancement Grant Program, 4) State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants Program, 5) Charter School Revolving Loan Program, 6) Conduit Bond Financing Program, 7) Project Acceleration Notes and Credit Enhancement Alternatives (PANACEA), 8) Charter Access Bank Loan Enhancement Program (ABLE), 9) Charter School Facilities Credit Enhancement Grant Program, and 10) State Charter School Facilities Incentives Grants Program. The Authority manages loan and grant programs totaling over $7 billion for California charter schools, school and community college districts and county offices of education.

The Authority requests that proposals be submitted for the following purpose and in accordance with each of the terms and conditions in this RFP. The purpose of this RFP is to solicit proposals from qualified accounting firms to audit the financial statements and internal controls of the Authority’s operations, relevant to all programs that exist within the Authority. The audit will include a complete operating and financial statement audit of the books and accounts, as well as an independent assessment of the internal control and performance of Authority’s programs. All proposals submitted to perform these services must explain the experience and qualifications that demonstrate the firm’s ability to provide these services. Failure to provide the entire required format may result in disqualification.

The selected firm must be technically and professionally capable of providing the services in all subject areas described in Section A, Item 3, Scope of Work and meet the Minimum Qualifications for Proposers in Section B. The firm scoring the highest points following the evaluation process as outlined in Proposal Requirements and Information in the section below will be awarded the audit contract. Upon contract award, and annually thereafter throughout the term of the contract, the selected firm will be required to comply with the Political Reform Act and the principals assigned to this contract will be required to file a Statement of Economic Interest (Form 700, Fair Political Practices Commission).

The Authority anticipates entering into a two (2) year contract with a one (1) year option to renew for the described services. The audit periods shall be for each of the two (2) fiscal years ending June 30, 2026 and 2027. The Authority anticipates a start date of October 1, 2026 and the awarded firm must be available to initiate services at that time.

2. Program Descriptions

The Authority administers a number of state- and federally- funded programs. Below is a description of each program.

Charter School Facilities Program (CSFP): Through the passage of Propositions 47, 55, and 1D, and most recently, Proposition 51, $1.4 billion has been made available to charter schools for construction of new facilities or rehabilitation of existing school district facilities. The state-funded Charter School Facilities Program (CSFP) is jointly administered by the Authority and the Office of Public School Construction (OPSC). The Authority directs the financial soundness review process for the CSFP and provides certification of financial soundness for purposes of Preliminary, Advance, and Final Apportionments. The Authority is responsible for: 1) making a financially sound determination for all Program applicants at the time of preliminary, advance and final apportionment, 2) conducting on-going monitoring and due diligence of recipients’ financial soundness before and after final apportionment, 3) carrying out the due diligence on guarantors or related organizations, when applicable, 4) developing, negotiating, and maintaining Program agreements on behalf of the State, and 5) integrating Program funding into the Authority’s existing financing programs. This program is accounted for in the Charter School Facilities Account Fund.

Charter School Facility Grant Program (Senate Bill (SB) 740): The SB 740 program provides annual assistance with facilities rent and lease expenditures to charter schools that meet eligibility criteria. Charter schools are awarded a dollar amount per unit of classroom-based Average Daily Attendance (ADA), up to 75% of their annual facilities rent and lease costs for the school. The dollar amount is determined annually based on the Cost of Living Allocation metric provided by the California Department of Finance.

The amount for the 2025-26 funding round was $1,469.00 per unit of ADA. This program, previously administered by the California Department of Education, was transferred to the Authority in 2013-14. This program is accounted for in the Charter School Facility Grant Program Fund.

State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants Program (Incentives): The Incentives program is a federal grant program designed to assist high-performing charter schools with rent, lease, debt service, and Proposition 39 pro-rata payments or costs related to purchase, acquisition, design, new construction, and renovation. CSFA was awarded this $30 million federal grant in 2024.

Charter School Revolving Loan Fund Program (CSRLFP): The CSRLFP provides low-interest loans of up to $250,000 to new charter schools to assist them with meeting the purposes of the school’s approved charter. The program is available to any charter school that is not a conversion of an existing public school, and that has not yet completed the full term of its initial charter. This program is accounted for in the Charter School Revolving Loan Fund.

Conduit Bond and Note Financing Program: The Authority serves as a conduit issuer on behalf of nonprofit charter schools to provide access to the capital markets. The Authority’s low-cost fee structure, its intercept mechanism, and its no-cost, state-level Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act (TEFRA) hearing process has made the Authority the issuer of choice for creditworthy charter schools throughout the state. To date, the Authority has issued more than $3.8 billion in bonds, notes, and loans to provide low-cost, fixed rate financing to California’s charter schools. This program is accounted for in the California School Finance Authority Fund.

Charter School Facilities Credit Enhancement Grant Program (Credit Enhancement):

The Credit Enhancement program is an $8.3 million program, awarded by the U.S.

Department of Education, serves to fund debt service reserves for the financing of acquisition, renovation, or construction of charter school facilities, or the refinancing of the existing charter school facility debt. This program is accounted for in the Federal Trust Fund (ALN: 84.354A).

Project Acceleration Notes and Credit Enhancement Alternatives (PANACEA):

PANACEA Program supports short-term interim financing to charter schools that have received a reservation of funds through the Charter School Facilities Program or are awaiting the issuance of long-term debt through the Authority’s Conduit Bond and Note Financing Program. The $8 million dollar grant was secured through the federal “Expanding Quality Charter Schools Program – Grants for Credit Enhancement for Charter School Facilities” (ALN #84.354A) grant competition.

Charter Access Bank Loan Enhancement Program (ABLE): Charter ABLE (ALN: 84.354A) is a Program to provide credit enhancement by way of an individual Loan Loss Reserve obligation on bank loans either made for Charter School facility project capital costs or made to fund up to fifteen months of facility operating costs including maintenance, financing and lease expenses. Due to cash flow short falls that many charter schools experienced in fiscal years 2020-21 and 2021-22, this program was temporarily altered to allow the funds be used for short-term working capital. A $20 million federal Grant award was secured and the Authority with existing Charter School Bank Loan Program (CSBLP) and Conduit Issuance Program when issuing credit enhancements.

Charter Finance Enhancement Program (FINE): CSFA has been awarded $10,000,000 for the newest Department of Education credit enhancement grant. The proposed structure for the award will focus on enhancing pooled loans rather than standalone financings.

3. Scope of Work

Pursuant to the passage of Senate Bill 99 (SB 99) (Refer to Attachment A within the Sample Standard Agreement), the auditor will be expected to comply with the minimum standards for conducting audits (Refer to Attachment B within the Sample Standard Agreement) set forth by the State Controller’s Office (SCO). In addition, the firm will be expected to complete SCO’s Special Districts Financial Transactions Report on behalf of Authority (Refer to Attachment C within the Sample Standard Agreement). The SCO’s audit and reporting requirements may be subject to change. As a result, the firm must be prepared to incorporate any additional legal or industry requirements for the performance of audits as may be required by the SCO subsequent to the initial circulation of this RFP. (Refer to Attachments A, B & C within the Sample Standard Agreement).

a) Audit and Examination

The audit and examination will include such tests of the accounting records and procedures as necessary for the expression of the firm’s opinion, in compliance with Rule 58 of the State Board of Accountancy on the financial statements taken as a whole, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles as promulgated by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB), and general provisions of State law. Contractor shall:

i. Confirm assets held by CSFA for each program fund.

ii. Verify the bonds outstanding for each tax-exempt financing program.

iii. Treat all information in a confidential manner with all recommendations to be stated only in the audit reports provided to CSFA for appropriate release by CSFA as required by law.

In addition to any other requirements, perform an audit and examination of the financial statements of the Authority’s accounts and records as required by law and include the following:

1) A disclosure of fees imposed on borrowers by, or on behalf of, the Authority’s bond program.

2) A disclosure of expenditures related to those fees made by or on behalf of the Authority’s Bond program.

3) The dollar amount and nature of these fees and expenses.

4) A disclosure of the amount of bonds authorized but unsold at the end of the period covered by the audit.

5) A disclosure of the amount of bonds the Authority has issued during the period covered by the audit and the amount of debt still outstanding at the end of the period covered by the audit. Attached is a summary of applicants and borrowers for the audit period (Refer to Attachment D within the Sample Standard Agreement).

6) Adhere to the Authority adopted accounting guidance - Governmental Accounting

Standards Board (GASB), Statement No. 68, Accounting and Financial Reporting for Pensions and GASB Statement No. 71, Pension Transition for Contributions Made Subsequent to the Measure Date.

7) Perform procedures to obtain audit evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements.

8) Consider internal control relevant to the entity’s preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements.

9) Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of significant accounting estimates made by management.

10) Evaluate the overall presentation of the financial statements.

b) Audit Report and Findings

The audit will include an evaluation of the Authority’s internal control in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards as set forth in Statements on Auditing Standards, published by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the SCO’s Minimum Audit Requirements for California Special Districts. Upon release by the Authority, report results of the audit, complete and file necessary forms, including requirements for conduit issuers to the SCO.

1) The report shall be prepared in the format as outlined in the Minimum Audit Requirements and Reporting Guidelines of the SCO.

2) The report shall include a statement of the scope of the audit and examination for each Bond Program Fund and other program funds; the period covered by the audit and examination; and a list of the financial statements included in the report.

3) The report and findings shall include a statement of material audit findings and recommendations regarding the financial statements, internal control and accounting systems, and legality of actions for each Bond Program Fund and other program funds.

4) Audited financial statements in the report shall include:

i. Government-wide Financial Statements

a. Statement of Net Position

b. Statement of Activities

ii. Fund Financial Statements

a. Government Funds

1. Balance Sheets

2. Reconciliation of the Governmental Funds Balance Sheets to the

Government-wide Statement of Net Position- Governmental Activities

3. Statement of Revenues, Expenditures, and Changes in Fund

Balances

4. Reconciliation of the Governmental Fund Statements of Revenues, Expenditures, and Changes in Fund Balances to the Government-wide Statement of Activities-Governmental Activities

b. Enterprise Funds

1. Statement of Fund Net Position

2. Statement of Revenues, Expenses, and Changes in Net Position

3. Statement of Cash Flows

c. Fiduciary Funds

1. Statement of Fiduciary Net Position

2. Statement of Changes in Fiduciary Net Position

iii. Notes to the Financial Statements

5) The audit report shall include any other material information.

6) The audit periods shall be for each of the two (2) fiscal years ending June

7) 30, 2026 and 2027, with a one (1) year option to renew for the services described.

8) The firm shall review the proposed report with the Authority staff prior to finalizing and reporting results of the audit to the SCO.

9) The audit must meet the reporting period requirements of the SCO http://www.sco.ca.gov/aud_reporting_package_due_date.html. Currently, it is anticipated the audit should be conducted and completed by mid-March of each fiscal year. The audit submission period is subject to change upon further direction from the SCO.

10) One (1) original and twenty (20) copies of the report shall be prepared with the provision for additional copies upon request, and an electronic version in PDF shall be provided.

11) In all respects, represent the best interests of the Authority and the State of California in all transactions and proceedings.

c) Special Districts Financial Transactions Report

When preparing the Special Districts Financial Transactions Report, it must be prepared in the exact same format as the SCO’s Special Districts Financial Transactions Report (refer to example and use format of Attachment C within the Sample Standard Agreement). In conjunction with conducting the financial audit as described above, the firm will be expected to complete the report on the Authority’s behalf by mid-January. The audit submittal period is subject to change upon further direction from the SCO and the firm will need to be able to meet any timeframe changes as necessary.

The Authority will work with the firm to obtain all available accounting records and data necessary for the performance of the work described herein, and will provide office workspace and furnishings adjacent to the Authority’s Office at 915 Capitol Mall, Suite 220, Sacramento, CA 95814. All other equipment or material is to be provided by the Contractor.

d) The firm will also perform an audit of the Authority’s federal programs for compliance with, and submission to, the Office of Management and Budget. The audit must comply with all minimum standards for conducting audits established by the U.S.

Government Accountability Office and the Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards.

4. Term of Agreement

The term of the agreement will be a two-year period beginning October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2028. The Agreement may be extended for one additional year at the option of the State. All rates will remain the same for the entire term of the agreement, including all optional extensions.

B. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR PROPOSERS

Failure to meet the minimum qualifications will cause your proposal to be considered unresponsive and the proposal will be disqualified.

http://www.sco.ca.gov/aud_reporting_package_due_date.html

The firm must have, at minimum, the following qualifications and experience:

• An office established in the State of California.

• Be qualified to do business in the State of California.

• Be a professional certified public accounting firm, not in public employment, that has been in business for at least three (3) years.

• Be a publicly traded corporation or subsidiary there of this is principally marketed for public trading in the US (not incorporated offshore).

• Have conducted within the last five (5) years, at least three (3) audits of State/ governmental agencies, preferably agencies engaged in bond financing and program outcomes.

• Have sufficient resources to provide auditing services to the Authority to meet the deadlines outlined in the Scope of Work in Section A, Item 3.

C. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS AND INFORMATION

1. Key Action Dates

It is recognized that time is of the essence. All firms are hereby advised of the following schedule and will be expected to adhere to the required dates and times:

Due Date Event May 29, 2026 RFP available to Prospective Proposers June 10, 2026, 5:00 p.m. PT Deadline to Submit any Written Questions June 12, 2026 Answers to Written Questions Distributed

June 30, 2026, 5:00 p.m. PT Deadline for submission of proposals, must be received at the Authority’s office at 915 Capitol Mall, Suite 220, Sacramento, CA 95814

July 1 – July 7, 2026 Evaluation of Proposals

July 8, 2026 Notice of Intent to Award Released

October 1, 2026 Anticipated Contract Commencement Date (or upon approval of Department of General Services, whichever is later)

2. Questions and Answers

In the opinion of CSFA, this RFP is complete and without need of explanation. However, if you have questions, or should you require any clarifying information, please email Katrina Johantgen at kjohantgen@treasurer.ca.gov. Questions regarding this RFP must be submitted in writing no later than June 10, 2026, at 5:00 pm PT. Responses to questions will be provided on June 12, 2026, and will be made available in the California State Contracts Register located at https://caleprocure.ca.gov/ and the CSFA website.

3. Content and Format of Proposals

a) Cover Letter https://caleprocure.ca.gov/

Include the name, address, telephone and email of the principal contact responsible for the oversight of the contract. Indicate the availability of this person for meetings with the Authority, and the Authority’s Executive Director.

b) Firm Experience, Personnel, and References

The Authority expects to have a close working relationship with the firm as evidenced by the scope of work listed above, and requires the demonstration of a high degree of experience, training and proficiency in the conduct of the various functions performed. The firm should have extensive background in both accounting/auditing of conduit financing and issuance of conduit revenue bonds. In addition, the Authority expects the firm will comply with current accounting/auditing standards and financing trends and will maintain appropriate expertise at the firm’s own expense.

This section is intended for the firm to demonstrate its qualifications. Firms will provide the following information to be used in the evaluation process.

1) Qualifications and Experience of Accounting/Auditing Firm - Discuss the overall experience of your firm that demonstrates your ability to successfully complete Purpose and Description of Services in Section A, Item 3, Scope of Work.

Experience should include recent services provided to other conduit issuers of taxable and tax-exempt bonds, as well as services provided directly to such borrowers. Provide a detailed list of accounting/auditing services by client or transaction for the past three years as an attachment. Indicate if the accounting/auditing service provided was transaction specific or for a contracted period.

2) Qualifications and Experience of Accounting/Auditing Firm to State or Governmental Agency – Discuss your firm’s experience as an accounting/auditing firm to state or local governments for the issuance of bonds other than for education. Indicate if the accounting/auditing service provided was transaction specific or for a contracted period.

3) Qualification of Personnel - Identify the personnel who will be providing the services required by the proposal, including years and type of experience for each person. Experience should include number of years at current firm as well as all prior service. Experience in financing should be detailed. The lead personnel in charge of the Authority account must have at least five (5) years of experience in public accounting and audits of State governmental agencies, or services as an accounting or financial consultant to a State agency. The firm must ensure that the quality and availability of its personnel assigned to this agreement will be maintained over the term of the agreement. Any changes in assigned personnel are at the discretion of the firm, provided that any replacements have substantially the same as or better qualifications and experience than the original personnel. Include staff of subcontractors (if any).

4) References - Submit a list of at least three (3) references (clients) to which the firm has provided similar accounting/auditing services within the past five (5) years and contact numbers for each (Refer to Attachment 4 in Section E).

c) Cost Detail Format and Requirements

The anticipated contract for accounting/auditing services will establish a maximum amount per year. The vendor will be compensated using an invoice procedure upon completion of each audit. The Authority expects the total amount not to exceed $115,500, or a maximum $57,750 per year, for the initial term of the agreement. The maximum amount for the optional extension shall not exceed $57,750 for a total of $173,250 over the entire term of the agreement. All rates will remain the same for the entire term of the agreement, including all optional extensions.

The proposed work should be broken down into a work plan and work schedule. Use the Cost Proposal Worksheet (Refer to Attachment 3 in Section E) as a guide in preparing the cost. The work plan must identify lead personnel, include anticipated employee hours, reflect the cost for preparation of reports, analysis, charts and other printed materials, anticipated travel, and other direct cost expenses. The proposal must include the rate per year. The proposed fee schedule will be the basis for the scoring of the cost portion of the evaluation and must include the maximum cost per year for a total of three (3) years (Refer to Attachment 3 in Section E). Proposals submitted with a fee schedule not in compliance with these requirements will be rejected.

4. Submission of Proposals

a) Proposals should provide straightforward and concise descriptions of the firm’s ability to satisfy the requirements of this RFP. The proposal must be complete and accurate. Omissions, inaccuracies or misstatements may be cause for rejection of a proposal.

b) The proposal package should be prepared in the least expensive method.

c) All proposals must be submitted under sealed cover and sent to the Authority by dates and times shown in the Key Action Dates in Section C, Item 1. Proposals received after this date and time will not be considered.

d) A minimum of one (1) original and four (4) copies of the proposal must be submitted.

e) The original proposal must be marked "ORIGINAL COPY". All documents contained in the original proposal package must have original signatures and must be signed by a person who is authorized to bind the firm. All additional proposal sets may contain photocopies of the original package.

f) The proposal envelopes must be plainly marked with the RFP number and title, the firm name and address, and must be marked with “DO NOT OPEN”, as shown in the following example:

Request for Proposals No. CSFA01-26

Audit Services Firm Name

Firm Address Contact Person

Telephone Number

DO NOT OPEN

If the proposal is made under a fictitious name or business title, the actual legal name of firm must be provided. Proposals not submitted under sealed cover and marked as indicated may be rejected.

g) All proposals shall include the documents identified in the Required Attachment Check

List, Attachment 1 in Section E.

h) Proposals not including the proper required attachments shall be deemed non-responsive. A non-responsive proposal is one that does not meet the basic proposal requirements.

i) Mail or deliver proposals to the following address:

Katrina Johantgen, Executive Director

915 Capitol Mall, Suite 220 Sacramento, CA 95814

j) Proposals must be submitted for the performance of all the services described herein.

Any deviation from the work specifications will not be considered and will cause a proposal to be rejected.

k) A proposal may be rejected if it is conditional or incomplete, or if it contains any alterations of form or other irregularities of any kind. The Authority may reject any or all proposals and may waive any immaterial deviation in a proposal. The Authority’s waiver of an immaterial deviation shall in no way modify the RFP document or excuse the proposer from full compliance with all requirements if awarded the agreement.

l) Costs (for developing proposals in anticipation of award of the agreement) is entirely the responsibility of the proposer and shall not be charged to the Authority, or the State of California.

m) An individual who is authorized to bind the proposing firm contractually shall sign the

Proposal/Proposer Certification Sheet, Attachment 2 in Section E. The signature must indicate the title or position that the individual holds in the firm. An unsigned proposal may be rejected.

n) A firm may modify a proposal after its submission by withdrawing its original proposal and resubmitting a new proposal prior to the proposal submission deadline as set forth in the Key Action Dates in Section C, Item 1. The submission of a new proposal must comply with requirements of this section. Proposal modifications offered in any other manner, oral or written, will not be considered.

o) A firm may withdraw its proposal by submitting a written withdrawal request to the

Authority, signed by the proposer or an authorized agent in accordance with m) above.

A firm may thereafter submit a new proposal prior to the proposal submission deadline.

Proposals may not be withdrawn without cause subsequent to proposal submission deadline.

p) The Authority may modify the RFP prior to the date fixed for submission of proposals by the issuance of an addendum to all parties who received a proposal package.

q) The Authority reserves the right to reject all proposals. The agency is not required to award an agreement.

r) Before submitting a response to this solicitation, firms should review, correct all errors and confirm compliance with the RFP requirements.

s) Where applicable, the firm should carefully examine work sites and specifications. No additions or increases to the agreement amount will be made due to a lack of careful examination of work sites and specifications.

t) More than one proposal from an individual, firm, partnership, corporation or association under the same or different names, will not be considered.

u) The Authority will not accept alternate contract language from the firm. A proposal with such language will be considered a counter proposal and will be rejected. The General Terms and Conditions (GTC 02/2025) are not negotiable.

v) No oral understanding or agreement shall be binding on either party.

5. Evaluation Process

a) An evaluation committee comprised of at least three individuals will review all proposals. At the time of proposal opening, each proposal will be checked for the presence or absence of required information in conformance with the submission requirements of this RFP. The absence of required information will cause a proposal to be deemed unresponsive and will result in the proposal’s disqualification.

b) Proposals that contain false or misleading statements, or which provide references, which do not support an attribute or condition claimed by the proposer, may be rejected.

c) Award, if made, will be to the responsible proposer with the highest scored proposal.

d) Proposal Evaluation - Proposals that meet the Minimum Qualifications outlined in

Section B and the Proposal Requirements and Information outlined in Section C. will be evaluated and scored according to the criteria indicated below. The selection will be made on the basis of the following weighted factors. (Maximum points available for each criterion are noted).

Rating/Scoring Criteria

Maximum Possible Points

Qualification of personnel: The Authority will evaluate the individuals to be assigned to the contract on the basis of background and experience in related work.

20 Points

Experience as an accounting/auditing firm: The Authority will evaluate the firm on the basis of the firm’s overall experience demonstrating its ability to successfully complete the requirements

30 Points identified in the Scope of Work in Section A, Item 3.

Experience as an accounting/auditing firm to state/or governmental agency: The Authority will evaluate the firm on the firm’s experience with State Accounting procedures specifically and experience to other state or local government agencies.

15 Points

Cost: The Authority will score the cost proposal based upon the Cost Detail Format and Requirements. 35 Points

Maximum Total Possible Points 100 Points

e) Scoring Scale:

Points Awarded

Interpretation

General Basis for Point Assignment

100% Exceptional Category is addressed with the highest degree of confidence.

Response exceeds the needs, requirements, and/or expectations with superior background, experience, and expertise.

80% Excellent Response fully meets the needs, requirements, and/or expectations with a high degree of confidence. Proposal offers one or more enhancing feature, method, or approach exceeding basic

60% Good Response addresses the category being scored. Good degree of confidence with minimal weaknesses.

40% Adequate Response is adequate to meet the needs, requirements, and/or expectations. Any omissions, flaws, or defects, are inconsequential and acceptable.

20% Minimally Adequate

Minimally addresses the category being scored, but one or more major considerations of the category are not addressed or are addressed in such a limited way that it results in a low degree of

0% Inadequate Fails to address any portion of the category being scored. The omissions, flaws, or defects are significant and considered

f) The following formula will be used for the award of cost points:

Lowest cost proposal is awarded the maximum cost points for thirty-five (35) points.

Other proposals are awarded cost points based on the following calculation:

Lowest Cost Proposal / Other Cost Proposal = Factor Cost Points for Other Cost = Factor × Maximum Cost Points

g) In the event two (2) or more responsive and responsible proposals earn the highest score, the contract will be awarded to the responsive and responsible proposal earning the higher score in Experience as an accounting/auditing firm. If the scores for Experience as an accounting/auditing firm are the same, the contract will be awarded to the responsive and responsible proposal earning the higher score in the Qualification of Personnel. If the scores in the Qualification of Personnel are the same, the contract will be awarded to the responsive and responsible proposal earning the higher score for the Cost.

6. Award and Protest

a) Notice of the proposed award(s) shall be posted in a public place in the office of the

Authority, 915 Capitol Mall, Suite 220, Sacramento, CA 95814 and on the following Internet site for five (5) working days prior to awarding the agreement(s):

http://www.treasurer.ca.gov/CSFA.

b) If any firm, prior to the award of agreement, files a protest with the Authority and the Department of General Services, Office of Legal Services, 707 Third Street, 7th Floor, West Sacramento, CA 95605, on the grounds that the (protesting) firm would have been awarded a contract had the Authority correctly applied the evaluation standard in the RFP, or if the Authority followed the evaluation and scoring methods in the RFP, the agreement(s) shall not be awarded until either the protest has been withdrawn or the Department of General Services (DGS) has decided the matter.

c) An initial written statement of protest, including the RFP Number, the name of the

State Agency, and the contact person listed within the RFP, should be submitted to:

California School Finance Authority DGS, Office of Legal Services Attention:

Attention: Katrina Johantgen Attention: Protest Coordinator 915 Capitol Mall, Suite 220 707 Third Street, Suite 7-330, MS-102 Sacramento, CA 95814 West Sacramento, CA 95605 kjohantgen@treasurer.ca.gov OLSProtests@dgs.ca.gov

d) If submitting the initial written statement of protest via mail, it is suggested that the firm do so via certified or registered mail.

e) Within five (5) days after filing the initial protest, the protesting firm shall file with the DGS, Office of Legal Services and the Authority a full and complete written statement specifying the grounds for the protest. It is suggested that the firm submit this complete written statement by certified or registered mail.

EXAMPLE: A maximum of thirty-five (35) points is available

Lowest Cost Proposal = $43,315 Other Cost Proposal = $57,750

($43,315 ÷ $57,750) = 0.75

Points Awarded to Other Bidder: 26.25 points http://www.treasurer.ca.gov/CSFA mailto:OLSProtests@dgs.ca.gov

7. Disposition of Proposals

a) Upon proposal opening, all documents submitted in response to this RFP will become the property of the Authority and the State of California and will be regarded as public records under the California Public Records Act (Government Code Section 6250 et seq.) and subject to review by the public.

b) Proposal packages may be returned only at the firm's expense unless such expense is waived by the Authority.

8. Agreement Execution and Performance

a) Performance shall start on the express date set by the Authority and the selected firm, after all approvals have been obtained and the agreement is fully executed.

Should the firm fail to commence work at the agreed upon time, the Authority, upon five (5) days written notice to the firm, reserves the right to terminate the agreement.

In addition, the firm shall be liable to the Authority for the difference between the firm's proposal price and the actual cost of performing work by another contractor.

b) All performance under the agreement shall be completed on or before the termination date of the agreement.

D. PREFERENCE AND INCENTIVE PROGRAMS

1. Small Business or Microbusiness Preference https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Services/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Services-List- Folder/Apply-for-or-Re-apply-as-Small-Business-Disabled-Veteran-Business-Enterprise

Reference Attachment 10 in Section E. A five percent (5%) preference will be applied to certified small business firms submitting proposals. To obtain the preference, firms must be certified as a small business at the time the proposal is submitted. (Small Business Certification will be verified with the DGS prior to applying preference). The five percent (5%) preference is issued only for computation purposes to arrive at the successful firm and does not alter the amounts of the actual proposals. Once each proposal has been scored, if the highest responsible firm is not a certified small business or microbusiness, five percent (5%) of the highest scoring proposal is added to the total “earned” points for each proposal submitted by a certified small business. These final numbers, with the five percent (5%) included, are then used to determine the highest scoring proposal.

Questions regarding the small business certification or preference approval should be directed to the Office of Small Business & Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (OSDS) at (916) 375-4940, Certification@dgs.ca.gov, or can be found at the website listed above.

2. Non-Small Business or Microbusiness Preference https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Services/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Services-List-Folder/Apply-for-or-Re-apply-as-Small-Business-Disabled-Veteran-Business-Enterprise https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Services/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Services-List-Folder/Apply-for-or-Re-apply-as-Small-Business-Disabled-Veteran-Business-Enterprise mailto:Certification@dgs.ca.gov https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Services/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Services-List-Folder/Apply-for-or-Re-apply-as-Small-Business-Disabled-Veteran-Business-Enterprise https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Services/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Services-List-Folder/Apply-for-or-Re-apply-as-Small-Business-Disabled-Veteran-Business-Enterprise

Reference Attachment 12 in Section E. A five percent (5%) preference is available to a non-small business claiming twenty-five percent (25%) California certified small business subcontractor participation. If claiming the non-small business subcontractor preference, the proposal must include a list of the small business(es) with which the firm commits to subcontract in an amount of at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the net price with one or more California certified small businesses. Each listed certified small business must perform a "commercially useful function" in the performance of the contract as defined in Government Code Section 14837(d)(4).

The required list of California certified small business subcontractors must be attached to the proposal and must include the following: 1) subcontractor name, 2) address, 3) phone number, 4) a description of the work to be performed and/or products supplied; and

5) the dollar amount or percentage of the net price (as specified in the solicitation) per subcontractor.

Firms claiming the five percent (5%) preference must commit to subcontract at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the net price with one or more California certified small businesses. Completed certification applications and required support documents must be submitted to the OSDS no later than 5:00 p.m. on the proposal due date, and the OSDS must be able to approve the application as submitted. Questions regarding certification should be directed to the OSDS at (916) 375-4940.

The preference to a non-small business firm that commits to small business or microbusiness subcontractor participation of twenty-five percent (25%) of its net price shall be five percent (5%) of either the lowest, responsive, responsible firm’s price or the highest responsive, responsible firm’s total score. A non-small business, which qualifies for this preference, may not take an award away from a certified small business.

3. California Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Incentive Program

This RFP does not include a minimum Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) participation requirement. However, a DVBE incentive will be applied as provided in Attachment 13 in Section E.

The DGS established a DVBE incentive pursuant to Senate Bill 115, Chaptered October 3, 2005 and the military and Veterans Code section 999.5(a). The regulations apply to all competitive solicitations for public works, services, goods, and information technology goods and services posted or released after October 9, 2007. The DVBE incentive is required in solicitations that include DVBE program requirements and may be offered in other competitive solicitations. DGS’ policy implements this program by rewarding prime proposers for increased DVBE participation: the more DVBE participation, the greater the incentive. This incentive program helps State agencies to meet their annual DVBE participation goals.

Attachment 13 in Section E outlines the DVBE Incentive Program. Companies who have been certified by the State of California as a DVBE must submit a completed DGS PD 843 (Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Declaration) form. All disabled veteran owners and disabled veteran managers of the DVBE must sign the form. DVBE https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Services/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Services-List-Folder/Apply-for-or-Re-apply-as-Small-Business-Disabled-Veteran-Business-Enterprise https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Services/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Services-List-Folder/Apply-for-or-Re-apply-as-Small-Business-Disabled-Veteran-Business-Enterprise

Incentive participation is optional and at the discretion of the proposing company.

NOTE: For this RFP, the Incentive application is based on the High Score Method and shall not exceed five percent (5%), nor be less than one percent (1%) of the total score (see table in Attachment 9 in Section E).

Any contract awarded to a company committing to subcontract with a certified DVBE will follow requirements as provided in MVC 999.7 including compliance with the Std. 817 reporting process, and permanent withholds and deductions for non-compliance.

4. Target Area Contract Preference Act (TACPA)

Folder/Request-Target-Area-Contract-Preference

This RFP provides for an optional TACPA preference. The TACPA program was established to stimulate business investments in distressed areas of the State and create job opportunities for Californians. Proposing companies are not required to apply for this preference. Both the TACPA workplace and workforce preferences will be evaluated for this solicitation.

Workplace preference - TACPA provides a 5 percent (5%) preference for a California business that is located in a qualified zone.

Workforce preference - TACPA provides a 1 to 4 percent (1-4%) preference for a California business that employs persons with a high risk of unemployment (Government Code Section 4532) 1% for 5-9% of workforce 2% for 10-14% of workforce 3% for 15-19% of workforce 4% for 20% or more of workforce

Proposing companies wishing to take advantage of the TACPA preference will need to review the following website and submit the appropriate documents with the proposal response:

TACPA Preference Request (STD 830) Bidder’s Summary of Contract Activities and Labor Hours (TACPA Form 526)

CSFA will send the applicable TACPA request documents to the Department of General Services, Procurement Division, Dispute Resolution Unit. TACPA preference requests are typically reviewed and processed by DGS within five (5) business days. If an award of this agreement is made based on the TACPA preference, DGS will monitor compliance directly with the Contractor throughout the life of the contract.

E. REQUIRED ATTACHMENTS

For the proposal to be considered responsive, all required attachments must be included with the RFP by the dates and times shown in the Key Action Dates in Section C, Item 1.

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Services/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Services-List-Folder/Request-Target-Area-Contract-Preference…