Financial Mgt RFP.pdf

Middle Chattahoochee Regional Water and Sewer Authority

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

RFP # 06012026

Financial Management & Audit Support Services Project

RESPONSE DUE DATE: July 7, 2026, 3:00 PM EST

The Middle Chattahoochee Regional Water and Sewer Authority (“Authority”) is seeking proposals from qualified firms to provide financial management services. These services are requested to ensure transparency, regulatory compliance and fiscal accountability for the Middle Chattahoochee Regional Water and Sewer Authority.

The Middle Chattahoochee Regional Water and Sewer Authority (formerly the South Fulton Municipal Regional Water & Sewer Authority) is comprised of the cities of Fairburn, Palmetto and Union City. The Authority was established in 2000 and renamed in 2020 by the Georgia General Assembly for the purpose of ensuring water supply needs for current and future residents of member cities. The Authority has been forward-looking in planning for the water needs of its citizens.

Information concerning this solicitation may be found electronically at:

https://www.middlechattwaterandsewer.net

The Authority website will contain this RFP, any addenda, clarifications, schedule changes, and other important information regarding the solicitation. Vendors submitting Responses (“Respondents”) should check these electronic pages daily.

The Authority reserves the right, among others, to reject all Responses and to waive technicalities and informalities, to make an award in the best interest of the Authority, or to cancel this solicitation at any time for any reason.

https://www.middlechattwaterandsewer.net/

Table of Contents

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 3

SECTION 1: RFP INSTRUCTIONS 4

SECTION 2: EVALUATION PROCESS 6

SECTION 3: SCOPE OF WORK 7

SECTION 4: EVALUATION 9

APPENDIX A – REQUIRED FORMS 10

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

EVENT DATE

RFP Issue Date ................................................................................................................ June 10, 2026

Deadline for Receipt of Written Questions ................................................... June 17, 2026 (3:00 PM)

Deadline for Posting Written Answers to Authority’s Website ..................................... June 24, 2026

Response Due Date ................................................................................... July 7, 2026 (3:00 p.m.)

Interviews… ...................................................................................................... TBD

Anticipated Award Date ............................................................................................................ July 2026

SECTION 1: RFP INSTRUCTIONS

Single Point of Contact:

From the date this Request for Qualifications (the “RFP”) is issued until a qualified contractor is selected, Respondents are not allowed to communicate with any Authority staff, Authority members, or elected officials or staff of member cities regarding this procurement. Any unauthorized contact may disqualify the Respondent from further consideration. Contact information for the single point of contact is as follows:

Procurement Manager: Jessica Davis E-mail Address: MiddleChattahoocheeRegional@outlook.com

Review RFP: Respondents should carefully review this RFP in its entirety including all instructions, requirements, specifications, and terms/conditions and promptly notify the Procurement Manager, identified above, via e-mail of any ambiguity, inconsistency, unduly restrictive specifications, or error that may be discovered upon examination of this RFP.

Addenda: The Authority may revise this RFP by issuing an addendum prior to its opening. The addendum will be posted on the Authority website alongside the posting of the RFP at https://www.middlechattwaterandsewer.net/

The Addenda will become part of the procurement documents and subsequent contract. Respondents must sign and return any addendum with their Response. Failure to respond in accordance with an addendum may be cause for rejection. In unusual circumstances, the Authority may postpone an opening in order to notify vendors and to give Respondents sufficient time to respond to the addendum.

Form of Questions: Respondents with questions or requiring clarification or interpretation of any section within this RFP shall address these questions via e-mail to the Procurement Manager referenced above. Questions received after the deadline may not be considered.

The Authority’s Answers: The Authority will provide an official written answer to all questions received before the deadline stated above. The Authority response will be by formal written addendum. Any other form of interpretation, correction, or change to this RFP will not be binding upon the Authority.

Any formal written addendum will be posted on the Authority’s website alongside the posting of the RFP found at https://www.middlechattwaterandsewer.com/rfp-info.html by the close of business on the date listed. Respondents must sign and return any addendum with their RFP response.

mailto:MiddleChattahoocheeRegional@outlook.com https://www.middlechattwaterandsewer.net/rfp-info https://www.middlechattwaterandsewer.com/rfp-info.html

Organization of Response:

Each Response shall be prepared simply and economically, providing straight-forward, concise delineation of the Respondent’s capabilities to satisfy the requirements of this RFP. Respondent shall place the following information on the outside, lower left corner of the proposal.

Responses:

Request for Qualifications #06012026 Respondent’s Name

Date

• All Responses must be received by no later than deadline shown above.

• Submission Instructions: Submit one (1) original, signed and dated proposal response in PDF Format to the Middle Chattahoochee Regional Water and Sewer Authority email address: MiddleChattahoocheeRegional@outlook.com

• All Proposals, including all attachments, must be received by email no later than July 7, 2026 at 3:00 P.M.

• All submitted responses will be electronically time and date stamped at the time all documents are received.

Late Submissions, Withdrawals, and Corrections:

A. Late Response: Regardless of cause, late Responses will not be accepted and will automatically be disqualified from further consideration. It shall be the Respondent’s sole risk to assure delivery to the Authority by the designated time. Late Responses will not be opened and may be returned to the Respondent at Respondent’s expense or destroyed if requested by Respondent.

B. Withdrawal of Response: A Respondent requesting to withdraw its proposal prior to the RFP due date and time may submit a letter to the Procurement Manager requesting to withdraw. The letter must be on company letterhead and signed by an individual authorized to legally bind the firm.

C. Correction of Response: If an obvious clerical error is discovered after the Response has been opened; the Respondent may submit a letter to the Procurement Manager within two

(2) business days of opening, requesting that the error be corrected. The letter must be on the Respondent’s letterhead and signed by an individual authorized to legally bind the firm.

The Respondent must present clear and convincing evidence that an unintentional error was made.

Cost of Preparing a Response

The costs for developing and delivering a Response and any subsequent presentations requested by the Authority are entirely the responsibility of the Respondent. The Authority is not liable for any expense incurred by the Respondent in the preparation and presentation of a Response.

mailto:MiddleChattahoocheeRegional@outlook.com

Responses Are Authority Property

All materials submitted in response to this RFP become the property of the Authority and are to be appended to any formal documentation, which would further define or expand any contractual relationship between the Authority and Respondent resulting from this procurement.

SECTION 2: EVALUATION PROCESS

Authority:

This RFP is issued under the authorization of the Authority.

Public Information:

During the opening of Responses, only the Respondent’s name will be published. No other information will be disclosed at that time, nor shall the Responses be considered open record until after contract award by the Authority. All information received in response to this RFP is deemed public information and will be made available for public viewing shortly after award.

Review of Responses:

Upon opening the Responses, the Procurement Manager will review the Responses.

All Responses will initially be classified as either “responsive” or “nonresponsive”. Responses may be found nonresponsive at any time during the evaluation process if any of the required information is not provided or if the Response does not comply with the specifications described and required in the RFP.

After receipt of all Responses and prior to determination of contract award, the Authority may initiate discussions with one or more Respondents should clarification or negotiation be necessary.

Respondents may also be required to make an oral presentation/interview to clarify or further define their Responses. In either case, Respondents should be prepared to make available qualified personnel to the Authority to discuss technical and contractual aspects of the Response.

Award, if any, shall be made by Authority to the Respondent that presents a Response in the best interest of the Authority and otherwise meets all requirements of the Authority for successful completion of the Project.

Authority’s Rights Reserved

While the Authority has every intention to make an award as a result of this procurement, issuance of the RFP in no way constitutes a commitment by the Authority to award and execute a contract.

Upon a determination such actions would be in its best interest, the Authority, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to:

• Cancel or terminate this procurement at any time. A notice of cancellation will be issued on the Authority’s website. If the procurement is cancelled, the Authority will not reimburse any Respondent for the preparation of its Response.

• Reject any or all Responses received; and

• Make a contract award based directly on the Responses received, determined to be in the best interest of the Authority, in its sole discretion.

SECTION 3: SCOPE OF WORK

Background

The Authority was issued a water withdrawal permit from the Chattahoochee River July 27, 2020 near Rivertown Road in south Fulton County, the by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division.

With the issuance of this permit, a long-term water supply will be secured to meet the future needs of the Authority member cities. The Authority has been planning for an independent water supply for 20 years. In that timeframe several major accomplishments have been achieved:

• 50 Year Water Supply Need of 13.25 MGD Verified by EPD

• Purchased 430.21 acres near Chattahoochee River for water treatment facilities and reservoir (reservoir no longer needed) and intake site

• Source Water Assessment and Protection Plan Completed

• Treatability Analysis Completed

• Alternative Minimum Flow Study Completed

• Preliminary Engineering Report Completed

• Direct Withdrawal Permit Issued, Max Day 11.4 MGD, Monthly Ave 8.55

MGD, Annual Ave 7.12 MGD

• Initial GEFA Loan Secured

The vendor will work under the direction of the Authority’s Project Management Team and will be responsible for providing the following services detailed below:

A. Financial Operations

• Full-cycle accounting services (e.g., AP/AR, general ledger)

• Monthly reconciliation of all accounts

• Prepare annual 1099s to be issued to board members and other contract labor

• Calculate semi-annual (April & October) payout percentages based on water consumption

• Collect monthly invoices from the member cities by the 15th of the month for the previous month

• Collect all invoices by the 1st of the month (via email and/or Post Office Box)

• Timely semi-annual interest and bond payments are due in June and December

• Annual insurance renewal completed in June and December; Premium is due in May

B. Budgeting & Forecasting

• Annual budget development and support

• Quarterly budget revisions and projections

• Variance analysis with written explanations

• Monthly Budget vs. Actual reports

C. Financial Reporting

• Monthly financial statements (Balance Sheet, Income Statement)

• Calculate semi-annual (April & October) payout percentages based on water consumption

• Prepare annual 1099s to be issued to board members and other contract labor

• Ad hoc reporting as requested

D. Compliance

• Ensure adherence to federal (2 CFR Part 200), state, and local requirements

• Maintain audit-ready documentation

• Monitor internal controls and risk exposure

E. Audit Support

• Identify contractor to complete a full forensic audit

• Prepare schedules and documentation for audit

• Act as liaison with auditors

• Respond to findings and assist with corrective actions

F. Financial Management:

• Execute all financial tracking, reporting, and audit preparation tasks

• Maintain documentation and compliance standards

G. Timeline

• Ongoing: Financial management, reporting, and compliance monitoring

• Quarterly: Internal reviews and reporting updates

• Annually: Audit preparation, execution, and follow-up

H. Deliverables

• Monthly financial reporting package

• Annual budget and forecast reports

• Audit preparation plan

• Corrective action plans (if needed)

I. Minimum Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience with government or nonprofit financial management

• Proven audit support experience

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) preferred

SECTION 4: EVALUATION

Initial Review:

All Responses received will be reviewed by the Project Management Team to ensure that all administrative requirements of the RFP have been met, such as all documents requiring a signature have been signed and submitted. Failure to meet these requirements may be cause for rejection. All Responses that meet the administrative requirements will be forwarded to the Authority for further evaluation.

Evaluation:

Responses will be evaluated by Authority members and other key stakeholders deemed appropriate by the Authority. The Authority does not disclose the names of key stakeholders that may review proposals. The Authority has final responsibility for ranking and final selection. The evaluation will consist of the following ranking criteria with a possible 100-point total score:

Evaluation Criteria Weight

Technical approach 30%

Relevant experience 25%

Staff qualifications 20%

Past performance/references 10%

Cost Proposal 15%

TOTAL POINTS 100%

Appendix A Required Forms

IRS W-9 FORM

CERTIFICATION OF CONTRACTOR GEORGIA SECURITY AND IMMIGRATION COMPLIANCE ACT

CONTRACTOR AFFIDAVIT UNDER O.C.G.A. §13-10-91

INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

IRS W-9 Form

Contractor shall provide a completed and signed IRS taxpayer Identification Number and Certification W-9 form.

Certification of Contractor Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act

CERTIFICATION OF CONTRACTOR

GEORGIA SECURITY AND IMMIGRATION COMPLIANCE ACT

I hereby certify that I am a principal and duly authorized representative of ________________________________________________________________________ (“Contractor”), whose address is __________________________________________________, __________________________, Contractor hereby agrees to comply with all applicable provisions and requirements of the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act of 2006 (the “Act”), as codified in O.C.G.A. Sections 13-10-90 and 13-10-91 and regulated in Chapter 300-10-1 of the Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia, "Public Employers, Their Contractors and Subcontractors Required to Verify New Employee Work Eligibility Through a Federal Work Authorization Program," accessed at http://www.dol.state.ga.us, as further set forth below.

Contractor agrees to verify the work eligibility of all of newly hired employees through the U.S.

Department of Homeland Security’s Employment Eligibility Verification (EEV) / Basic Pilot Program, accessed through the Internet at https://www.vis-dhs.com/EmployerRegistration, in accordance with the provisions and timeline found in O.C.G.A. 13-10-91 and Rule 300-10-1-.02 of the Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia. As of July 1, 2007, the verification requirement applies to contractors and subcontractors with five-hundred (500) or more employees.

Contractor understands that Contractor and subcontractor requirements of the Act apply to contracts for, or in connection with, the physical performance of services within the State of Georgia.

Contractor understands that the following contract compliance dates set forth in the Act apply to the Contract, pursuant to O.C.G.A. 13-10-91:

On or after July 1, 2007, to public employers, contractors, or subcontractors of 500 or more employees;

On or after July 1, 2008, to public employers, contractors, or subcontractors of 100 or more employees; and On or after July 1, 2009, to all other public employers, their contractors, and subcontractors.

To document the date on which the Act is applicable to Contractor, and to document Contractor’s compliance with the Act, the undersigned agrees to initial one of the three (3) lines below indicating the employee number category applicable to Contractor, and to submit the indicated affidavit with the Contract if Contractor has 500 or more employees.

http://www.dol.state.ga.us/ https://www.vis-dhs.com/EmployerRegistration

Contractor has:

500 or more employees [Contractor must register with the Employment/Eligibility Verification/Basic Pilot Program and begin work eligibility verification on July 1, 2007];

100-499 employees [Contractor must register with the Employment Eligibility Verification/Basic Pilot Program and begin work eligibility verification by July 1, 2008]; or

99 or fewer employees [Contractor must begin work eligibility verification by July 1, 2009].

Contractor further agrees to require O.C.G.A. Sections 13-10-90 and 13-10-91 compliance in all written agreements with any subcontractor employed by Contractor to provide services connected with the Contract, as required pursuant to O.C.G.A. 13-10-91.

Contractor agrees to obtain from any subcontractor that is employed by Contractor to provide services connected with the Contract, the subcontractor’s indication of the employee number category applicable to the subcontractor.

Contractor agrees to secure from any subcontractor engaged to perform services under this Contract an executed “Subcontractor Affidavit,” as required pursuant to O.C.G.A. 13-10-91 and Rule 300-10-1-.08 of the Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia, which rule can be accessed at http://www.dol.state.ga.us.

Contractor agrees to maintain all records of the subcontractor’s compliance with O.C.G.A. Sections 13- 10-90 and 13-10-91 and Chapter 300-10-1 of the Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia.

CONTRACTOR:

Date: Signature:

Title:

http://www.dol.state.ga.us/

Contractor Affidavit under O.C.G.A. §13-10-91 By executing this affidavit, the undersigned contractor verifies its compliance with O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91, stating affirmatively that the individual, firm or corporation which is engaged in the physical performance of services on behalf of Middle Chattahoochee Regional Water and Sewer Authority, has registered with, is authorized to use and uses the federal work authorization program commonly known as E-Verify, or any subsequent replacement program, in accordance with the applicable provisions and deadlines established in O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91. Furthermore, the undersigned contractor will continue to use the federal work authorization program throughout the contract period and the undersigned contractor will contract for the physical performance of services in satisfaction of such contract only with subcontractors who present an affidavit to the contractor with the information required by O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91(b). Contractor hereby attests that its federal work authorization user identification number and date of authorization are as follows:

Federal Work Authorization User Identification Number

Date of Authorization

Name of Contractor

Name of Project

Middle Chattahoochee Regional Water and Sewer Authority Name of Public Employer

I hereby declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.

Executed on , , 20 in (Middle Chattahoochee Regional Water and Sewer Authority), (State).

Signature of Authorized Officer or Agent

Printed Name and Title of Authorized Officer or Agent

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN BEFORE ME ON THIS THE

DAY OF , 20 .

NOTARY PUBLIC

My Commission Expires:

Insurance Requirements

INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

Contractor shall provide a sample of a valid insurance certificate.

The Middle Chattahoochee Regional Water and Sewer Authority will review the insurance certificate and if needed, request adjustments. Within 10 days of Notice of Award, a Certificate of Insurance shall be with the Middle Chattahoochee Regional Water and Sewer Authority named as additionally insured.