RFP_Document_-TSA_AUDIT_RFP_24-20.pdf

4201 NORTH DALE MABRY HIGHWAY

TAMPA, FLORIDA 33607

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

RFP #24-20

FINANACIAL AUDIT AND RELATED SERVICES

RFP SUBMITTAL DEADLINE

TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 2025 not later than 2:00 pm

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Description Page

Procurement Summary and Registration

General Information

Engagement Description

Scope of Services

Evaluation Criteria/Process

Proposal Format and Content

RFP Forms

Declaration and Proposal Guarantee

Acknowledgement of Addenda

Acknowledgment of Proposer If a Corporation, Partnership or Individual

Acknowledgment of Principal if a Corporation

Legal Status of Proposer

Qualifications/References

Sworn Statement Pursuant to Section 287.133(3)(a), F.S. on Public Entity Crimes

Sworn Statement on Disclosure of Relationships

Drug-Free Workplace Statement

E-Verify Affidavit

Coercion for Labor or Services Attestation

Foreign Country of Concern Attestation

D-MBE/DM/D-WBE/SBE/S-DV/LGBTQIA2S+ STATUS

Statement of No Bid

RFP Checklist

Tampa Sports Authority Organizational Chart

GPC (Government Purchasing Council) List

Appendix A- Draft Form of Service Agreement

PROCUREMENT SUMMARY AND REGISTRATION

To receive notice of any changes or Addenda it is recommended you register using this form. Please email the completed form to bids@tampasportsauthority.com.

Document Number: RFP 24-20

Title: Financial Audit and Related Services

Description: Provide financial audit and related services to the Tampa Sports Authority

Proposal Submittal Deadline: Tuesday, June 17, 2025 not later than 2:00 pm

Last Day for Questions: Monday, June 9, 2025 by 10:00am

For additional information, contact: Deltecia Jones, Procurement Manager Telephone: (813) 350-6511 E-Mail: djones@tampasportsauthority.com

Special Instructions: Submit bids electronically to bids@tampasportsauthority.com Hand-deliver to: Tampa Sports Authority Offices at Raymond James Stadium, Entrance B/C off Himes Avenue

PROPOSER REGISTRATION

EMAIL THIS FORM TO bids@tampasportsauthority.com

Use this form to register as a potential responder or proposer for this procurement. Only registered vendors will be mailed courtesy notices of changes or addenda to these procurement documents. Carefully complete this form and mail or email it to the Procurement Department. You must submit one form for each company that you are registering for. FAILURE TO INCLUDE AN ADDENDUM IN YOUR BID MAY RESULT IN THE REJECTION

OF YOUR RFP.

Company Name:

Contact Person:

Mailing Address:

City: State/ZIP: Email:

Phone: ( ) Fax: ( ) mailto:bids@tampasportsauthority.com mailto:djones@tampasportsauthority.com

GENERAL INFORMATION

RFP No. 24-20

TITLE: Financial Audit & Related Services

PROPOSAL DUE DATE/

TIME/LOCATION: Procurement Department, 4201 N. Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa, FL 33607 not later than 2:00 pm on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, or submit via email to bids@tampasportsauthority.com.

GENERAL INFORMATION

1. PURPOSE:

a. As directed by the governing Board of the Tampa Sports Authority, the TSA has issued this solicitation to find a highly qualified auditor to conduct and prepare the financial audit of the Tampa Sports Authority and to provide related services.

b. Tampa Sports Authority’s objective is to find a qualified company to provide the services set forth in this Request for Proposals.

2. BACKGROUND OF THE TAMPA SPORTS AUTHORITY:

a. The Tampa Sports Authority is an independent special district that was created by Chapter 65-2307, as superseded by Chapter 96-520, Laws of Florida, for the purpose of constructing and managing sports and recreational facilities in the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County. The Authority’s vision is to provide economic development and enhance the quality of life through sports and recreation. The Authority has no taxing power but rather acts as an enterprise fund utilizing user fees to subsidize its operating costs. As a result, all its major capital construction projects, from the original Tampa Stadium, Golf Courses, Amalie Arena, Steinbrenner Field, Hillsborough County Tournament SportsPlex, and Raymond James Stadium have been accomplished by working closely with the approval and financial support of Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa. The Authority’s approved annual financial audits and budgets can be found at www.tampasportsauthority.

3. PROPOSAL DELIVERY:

a. The delivery of the Proposal to the Tampa Sports Authority’s Procurement Department, prior to the deadline, is solely and strictly the responsibility of the Proposer. The deadline for delivery of all Proposals is Tuesday, June 17, 2025 not later than 2:00 pm. Box/Packaging must be marked Financial Audit & Related Services. All Proposals should be delivered to the TAMPA SPORTS AUTHORITY, 4201 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, Florida 33607 (Raymond James Stadium, Entrance B/C off Himes Avenue) or you can email Proposals to bids@tampasportsauthority.com. The Tampa Sports Authority Purchasing Department will not be responsible for delays caused by any delivery services that may be used. The Proposer is hereby directed to cause delivery/email their Proposal prior to the RFP opening time. The Proposal delivery time will be scrupulously observed. Any Proposal received after 2:00 pm on Tuesday, June 17, 2025 shall not be considered. THERE WILL NOT BE A “FORMAL” RESPONSE OPENING

FOR THIS PROPOSAL.

mailto:bids@tampasportsauthority.com http://www.tampasportsauthority/

b. Electronic proposals will be accepted and may be emailed to bids@tampasportsauthority.com.

c. For informational purposes, the Proposer is advised that the United States Postal Service and/or express mail services may not deliver your Proposal in a timely manner. Proposers are cautioned to plan the necessary delivery accordingly.

4. PROPOSALS:

If applicable, prices must be quoted on the sheet furnished by the Procurement Department. If no proposal sheet is provided in this document, you may use your own form. All prices quoted F.O.B. Tampa, Florida.

The responsibility for getting the proposal to the Authority on or before the stated time and date will be solely and strictly the responsibility of the proposer. The Authority will in no way be responsible for delays caused by the United States Postal Service or a delay caused by any other occurrence. The proposer shall be responsible for reading and completely understanding the requirements and specifications of this RFP document and must submit qualifications according to the Authority’s request. The RFP time will be and must be scrupulously observed. Under no circumstances will submittals delivered after the time specified be considered. Late submittals shall be returned to the vendor unopened with a notation indicating why the submittal is returned and/or rejected.

5. TENTATIVE SCHEDULE:

SCHEDULED DATES DATE

Legal Notice – TSA Website Monday, May 19, 2025 Legal Notice – Tampa Bay Times ASAP and Sunday, May 25, 2025 Legal Notice – La Gaceta Friday, May 23, 2025 Legal Notice – Florida Sentinal Bulletin Friday, May 30, 2025 RFP Release Date Monday, May 19, 2025 Last Day for Questions Monday, June 9, 2025 by 10:00 am RFP Due Date & Time Tuesday, June 17, 2025 not later than 2:00 pm Shortlist Meeting (or possible Final Ranking) Monday, June 30, 2025 at 10:00 am Interviews (if required) Thursday, July 17, 2025 time TBD Final Ranking Meeting (if required) Thursday, July 17, 2025 at 2:00 pm Finance Committee Meeting Tuesday, July 22, 2025 at 10:30 am TSA Board Meeting Tuesday, August 5, 2025 at 4:00 pm

6. REQUESTS FOR INTERPRETATION/QUESTIONS:

No substantive interpretation of this RFP will be made to any Proposer orally. Every request for such interpretation must be in writing and shall be emailed to bids@tampasportsauthority.com. To be considered, such a request should be received not later than Monday, June 9, 2025 not later than 10:00

am. Any such interpretations and any supplemental instructions will be in the form of a written addendum which, if issued, will be sent to all vendors that registered to participate in this RFP prior to the RFP’s due date. Failure of any Proposer to receive any such addendum or interpretation shall not relieve said Responder from any obligations contained within this RFP. All addenda so issued shall become part of the Contract documents.

7. ADDENDA:

a. If it becomes necessary to revise any part of this proposal, a written addendum will be provided to all proposers. The Authority is not bound by any oral representations, clarifications, or changes made to the specifications by Authority employees. All changes and/or clarifications will be provided in writing via an addendum released from the Procurement Department. Addendums will be posted on the Tampa Sports Authority’s website (https://www.tampasportsauthority.com/procurement-services), https://www.myvendorlink.com/, and the DemandStar website (https://network.demandstar.com. It shall be the responsibility of each proposer to ensure they obtain all addenda to include with their proposal submittal. Proposers shall promptly notify the Authority, prior to submission of their proposal, of any ambiguity, inconsistency, or error they may discover upon examination of the proposal and contract documents.

b. No interpretation of the contract documents will be made to any Proposer orally, nor may the Proposer rely on any such pre-bid statements in completing his/her proposal.

c. All such interpretations and any supplemental instructions will be in the form of written addenda to the proposal documents which, if issued, will be posted, and emailed to all prospective proposers (at the respective email addresses furnished for such purposes. The Authority will not be responsible for any other explanations or interpretations of the proposal documents. Failure of any proposer to receive any such addendum or interpretation shall not relieve any proposer from any obligation under the proposal as submitted. All addenda so issued shall become a part of the contract documents.

d. Each Proposer shall ascertain prior to submitting their bid that they have received all Addenda issued, and they shall acknowledge receipt and inclusion their proposal of all Addenda.

8. COSTS OF PREPARATION:

The cost of preparing a Proposal to the RFP shall be borne entirely by the Proposer.

9. RFP RESULTS:

Preliminary results will be available after the Tampa Sports Authority Evaluation Committee meets to rank the Proposals. The Evaluation Committee shall be organized in compliance with Florida Statues 218.391.

The ranking will be submitted to the Finance Committee for review and the Finance Committee will make a Recommendation for Award to the TSA Board for approval. Results will be emailed and/or posted on the respective websites as listed above.

10. RIGHT TO REJECT PROPOSALS:

The Tampa Sports Authority reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, to waive any informalities or minor irregularities in the proposals received, and to accept that proposal which in its judgment, best serves the interest of the Authority. The Authority hereby fully retains full discretion to determine the responsiveness of the proposal and the Proposer’s responsibility, character, fitness, and experience to perform the Work.

Proposers may be disqualified, and rejection of proposals may be recommended to the Authority for any of but not limited to the following causes:

https://www.tampasportsauthority.com/procurement-services https://www.myvendorlink.com/ https://network.demandstar.com/

a. Failure to use the proposal form furnished by the Authority.

b. Lack of signature by an authorized representative on the proposal form.

c. Failure to properly complete the proposal.

d. Evidence of collusion among proposers. Any evidence of agreement or collusion among bidders and prospective bidders acting to illegally restrain freedom of competition by agreement to bid a fixed price, or otherwise, will render the bids of such bidders’ void.

e. Advance disclosures of any information to any particular proposer which gives that Proposer any advantage over any other interested bidder, in advance of the opening of proposals, whether in response to advertising or an informal request for proposals, made or permitted by a member of the governing body of an employee or representative thereof, will operate to void all proposals of that particular proposal solicitation or request.

f. Omission of proposal guarantee.

g. Unauthorized alteration of bid form. The Authority reserves the right to waive any minor informality or irregularity.

h. Failure to sign and return any addenda.

i. Proposals may be rejected unless the Authority approves the delivery method.

j. A final decision to award cannot be made by the Authority due to unseen/unknown circumstances.

11. AWARD OF CONTRACT/AGREEMENT:

The Tampa Sports Authority, in consideration of Florida Statutes 218.391, will evaluate all Proposals received by the submittal date as set forth in this RFP, or as amended by addendum, on the basis of the criteria stated herein.

12. BINDING OFFER:

A Proposer’s submittal will be considered a binding offer to perform the required services, assuming all terms are negotiated satisfactorily. The submission of a Proposal shall be taken as prima facie evidence that the Proposer has familiarized itself with the contents of this RFP. Proposals may be withdrawn in writing via email request dispatched by the Proposer in time for delivery prior to the time fixed for the opening of Proposals. Negligence on the part of the Proposer in preparing the Proposal confers no right of withdrawal or modification of the Proposal, after the Proposal has been opened at the appointed time and place, by the Tampa Sports Authority. Any such withdrawn Proposal shall not be resubmitted. Proposals will be in force for a period of ninety (90) days after the opening date.1

13. INCONSISTENCIES ON CONDITIONS:

In the event there are inconsistencies between the General Provisions and other proposal terms or conditions contained herein, the former will take precedence.

14. APPLICABLE FLORIDA STATUTES:

In accordance with Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, and, except as may be provided by other applicable State and Federal Laws, all Proposers should be aware that this RFP and all the Proposals thereto are in the public domain and are available for public inspection. The Proposers are requested, however, to identify specifically any information contained in their proposal which they consider confidential and/or proprietary and which they believe to be exempt from disclosure, citing specifically the applicable exemption law.

This RFP is prepared in accordance with Chapter 218 Section 391 of the Florida Statutes.

15. OWNERSHIP OF DOCUMENTS:

In the event of an award, all documents resulting from this project will become the sole property of the Tampa Sports Authority.

16. BRAND NAMES "OR EQUAL":

Whenever in this Invitation, any particular materials, process and/or equipment are indicated or specified by patent, proprietary or brand name, or by name of manufacturer, such wording will be deemed to be followed by the words "or equal". Proof satisfactory to Authority must be provided by the bidder to show that the alternative product is, in fact, equal to the product required in the specifications.

17. DISCOUNTS:

Discounts for prompt payment offered may be taken into consideration by the Evaluation Committee during the evaluation phase. Terms of payment offered shall be reflected within your price forms.

18. TAXES:

The Authority is tax exempt, therefore all applicable Federal, State and Local Taxes, unless otherwise instructed by the Authority shall be excluded in the Bidder’s Proposal. Authority reserves the right to direct purchase materials at Contractor’s negotiated prices with material providers and thereby generate tax savings to itself. The Authority may also provide Contractor with Tax Exempt Certification number so that Contractor may purchase Authority Designated items tax free.

19. CONTRACT TERMS:

It is the Tampa Sports Authority’s intent that the contract will be awarded to cover each of the fiscal years ending September 30, 2025, 2026, 2027, plus the fiscal years ended September 2028, and 2029 only if mutually agreed upon by the Tampa Sports Authority and the selected Proposer. Any alteration or change of terms or conditions, including billing rates, as specified in the contract will be considered a modification to the contract that requires the mutual consent of both parties. The Authority may also request additional services which will not interfere with the Proposer’s independence.

20. ASSIGNMENT AND SUB-LETTING:

No assignment of the contract or any right occurring under this contract shall be made in whole or part by the Proposer without the express written consent of the Authority’s Board of Directors. In the event of any assignment, the assignee shall assume the liability of the Proposer. The Proposer submitting its proposal understands the contract is one entire individual contract for the performance of all the services or providing requested commodities thereunder and is not separable.

21. NON-EXCLUSIVITY OF CONTRACT:

The selected Proposer understands and agrees that any resulting contractual relationship is non-exclusive, and the Tampa Sports Authority reserves the right to seek similar or identical services/commodities elsewhere if deemed in the best interest of the Tampa Sports Authority.

22. EMPLOYEE CONFLICT:

The Tampa Sports Authority will not contract with people, firms, or corporations where an Authority officer or employee’s spouse or child is an officer, partner, director, or proprietor or in which such officer or employee or the officer’s or employee’s spouse or child, or any combination of them, has a material interest.

23. PUBLIC ENTITY CRIMES STATEMENT:

A person, affiliate, or corporation who has been placed on the convicted vendor list following a conviction for a public entity crime may not submit a bid on a contract to provide any goods or services to a public entity, may not submit a bid on a contract with a public entity for the construction or repair of a public building or public work, may not submit bids on leases of real property to a public entity, may not be awarded or perform work as a Proposer, supplier, or consultant under a contract with any public entity, and may not transact business with any public entity in excess of the threshold amount provided in Section 287.017, Florida Statutes, for Category Two (2) for a period of 36 months from the date of being placed on the convicted vendor list. Any such person, affiliate, or corporation wishing to propose on this RFP must include a current statement pursuant to Section 287.133 (1) Florida Statutes, on public entity crimes. The Tampa Sports Authority may make inquiries regarding alleged convictions or public entity crimes. The failure of a Responder to promptly supply information in connection with an inquiry or the failure to comply with the requirement contained within this section will cause the rejection of any submitted bid, offer, response, or proposal, at the sole discretion of the Tampa Sports Authority.

24. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Before starting and until acceptance of the work by the Tampa Sports Authority, the Proposer shall commit to procure and maintain insurance of the types and the limits specified within this proposal.

25. INDEMNIFICATION: (PATENT OR COPYRIGHT)

The selected Proposer shall indemnify and hold harmless, and defend the Tampa Sports Authority and the Board of Directors, their agents and employees, and anyone directly or indirectly employed by either of them, from and against all liabilities, damages, claims, demands or actions at law or in equity, including court costs and attorney’s fees that may hereafter at any time be made or be brought by anyone arising out of any infringement of patent rights or copyrights held by others or for the disclosure or improper utilization of any trade secretes by the Proposer during or after completion of the work. These obligations shall survive the acceptance of any goods and/or performance and payment therefore by the Tampa Sports Authority.

26. INDEMNIFICATION: (GENERAL LIABILITY)

The selected proposer shall indemnify and hold harmless the Tampa Sports Authority, and its officers and employees, from liabilities, damages, losses, and costs, including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees, to the extent caused by the negligence, recklessness, or intentionally wrongful conduct of the selected proposer and other people employed or utilized by the selected proposer in the performance of the contract.

27. DISQUALIFICATION/COLLUSION:

The Tampa Sports Authority reserves the right to disqualify Proposals before or after opening, upon evidence of collusion with the intent to defraud or other illegal practices upon the part of the Proposer. The Tampa Sports Authority may consider any Proposal informal that is not prepared and submitted in accordance with the provisions of this RFP and may waive any informalities or irregularities in any Proposal, or reject any and all Proposals, at its sole discretion. The Tampa Sports Authority reserves the right to reject, at its sole discretion, any Proposal if the evidence submitted by the Proposer or an investigation of the qualifications and/or experience of the Proposer fails to satisfy the Tampa Sports Authority’s Evaluation Committee that such Proposer is sufficiently qualified or experienced to carry out the obligations as required in this RFP. The Tampa Sports Authority also reserves the right to reject all Proposals to the RFP, at its sole discretion.

28. USE OF STATE CONTRACT, GPC, OR COOPERATIVE PURCHASING BIDS/AGREEMENTS:

Although the Authority and Raymond James Stadium have been identified as the recipient of the commodity/service to be provided by the proposer, the services, prices, terms, and conditions specified in the Contract shall be available to any other Authority property upon request. The Authority reserves the right to utilize applicable State of Florida Contracts, government purchasing council (GPC) Bids/proposals, or those contracts of any other federal, state, or local government entity under the terms of a bid proposal submitted to such entity, provided that such contract is procured in compliance with the procuring entity's law, bylaws, regulations, or ordinances regarding competitive solicitation, which must provide for full and open competition for any items covered by this specification when the use of same is in the best interest of the Authority. Additionally, the submission of any Proposal to this RFP constitutes a Proposal for the Governmental Purchasing Council of Hillsborough County, made under the same terms and conditions, and for the same effective period, to all public entities in Hillsborough County, Florida. Reference Laws of the State of Florida 69-1112 and 69-1119. Any Hillsborough County public entity may elect to utilize this selected Proposer at their option. All Hillsborough County public entities will negotiate their own agreement and coordinate the requirements with the successful Proposer. The Tampa Sports Authority will not be responsible for any transactions between the successful Proposer and any other Hillsborough County public entities that may elect to utilize this Proposal. All terms, prices and conditions of this RFP will apply between the Proposer and any other Hillsborough County public entity utilizing this Proposal. As a condition of using the successful Proposer(s) from this RFP, the Public Entity and Proposer(s) shall hold the Tampa Sports Authority harmless from any claims or lawsuits that may arise.

29. PROTEST PROCEDURE:

Submitters wishing to protest a procurement action or decision of the Authority relating to any procurement must follow the Authority’s Protest Procedures, a copy of which may be obtained from the Purchasing Department at djones@tampasportsauthority.com. Failure to follow said procedures will result in the denial of any protest. Submitters shall refrain from any communication with Board members during the pendency of any protest.

30. TERMINATION CLAUSE:

This Contract may be terminated, in whole or in part, by the Tampa Sports Authority with or without cause, upon written notice to the Proposer. The Proposer shall be paid for services rendered to the TSA’s satisfaction through the date of termination.

TSA reserves the right to terminate this Agreement with 30 days written notice if:

a. The proposer is determined by the Authority to be in breach of any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

b. The Authority has determined that such termination will be in the best interest of the Authority to terminate this Agreement for its own convenience; or

c. Funds are not available for this commodity or service. The Authority's obligation is contingent upon the availability of appropriate funds.

31. OFFER ACCEPTANCE:

The signed proposal shall be considered an offer on the part of the Proposer. Such an offer shall be deemed accepted upon execution of the Agreement.

32. EXCEPTIONS:

Any deviations from the terms, conditions, or specifications in any part of this RFP must be clearly pointed out and incorporated; however, such statement shall not relieve the Proposer from meeting RFP requirements. In the absence of such statements, the TSA will assume that all items offered are in strict compliance with the RFP specifications and the successful proposer will be held responsible for such compliance.

33. OMISSIONS, ERRORS & DISCREPENSIES:

Failure or omission of any responder to receive or examine any form, instrument, or other documents shall in no way relieve any Proposer from any obligation with respect to this proposal or the evidence of compliance with this proposal. Any discrepancies, errors, or ambiguities in the RFP or addenda (if any) should be reported in writing to the Authority's Purchasing Department. Should it be found necessary, a written addendum will be incorporated in the RFP and will become part of the Proposal/Contract. The Authority will not be responsible for any oral instructions, clarifications, or other communications.

34. AWARD WITHOUT DISCUSSION:

The Authority may award the contract on the basis of initial offers received, without discussion. Therefore, each initial offer should contain the Proposer's best terms from a cost or price and technical standpoint.

35. IDENTICAL/TIE BID PROPOSALS:

In the event two (2) or more Proposers have submitted the lowest and best Bids/Proposals, preference will be given in the following order:

a. A Proposer who has signed and submitted a Drug-Free Workplace Statement/Form pursuant to Section 287.087 Florida Statutes, with the bid.

b. A Proposer who is a Service-Disabled Veteran Business and who is currently registered and can provide proof of registration with Hillsborough County Small Business Enterprise and/or the City of Tampa Small Business Enterprise program(s).

c. A Proposer who is a Minority or Small Business Enterprise and can provide proof of current registration with the Hillsborough County and/or the City of Tampa’s Small Business Enterprise program(s).

d. A Proposer who has its principal place of business in Hillsborough County.

e. A Proposer who has a place of business located in Hillsborough County.

f. Otherwise, the bid/proposal may be awarded by coin toss of the best 2 out of 3.

The Authority reserves the right to reject all proposals and issue a rebid if it is deemed to be in the best interest of the Authority.

36. EEOC/WMBE/DM/DWBE/SBE/S-DV LGBTQIA2S+:

The Authority is an equal employment opportunity employer and encourages the firms and contractors with whom it does business to likewise follow these principles. WMBE/DM/DWBE/SBE/S-DV/ LGBTQIA2S+ businesses will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this proposal and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, creed, sex, or natural origin in consideration for an award.

37. ASSIGNMENT OF CONTRACTUAL RIGHTS:

It is agreed that the successful bidder will not assign, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of the contract or its right, title, or interest in or to the same, or any part thereof, without previous written consent of the Authority and any sureties.

38. TIMELY DELIVERY:

Time will be of the essence for any orders placed as a result of this bid. The Authority reserves the right to cancel such orders, or any part thereof, without obligation, if delivery is not made within the time(s) specified on the proposal form.

39. DEFAULT OF CONTRACT:

In case of default by the bidder or contractor, the Authority may procure the items or services from other sources and hold the bidder or contractor responsible for any excess costs occasioned or incurred thereby.

40. ACCEPTANCE OF MATERIAL:

The material delivered under this proposal shall remain the property of the seller until a physical inspection and actual usage of this material and/or service is made and thereafter is accepted to the satisfaction of the Authority. It must comply with the terms herein and be fully in accord with specifications and of the highest quality. In the event the material and/or services supplied to the Authority is found to be defective or does not conform to specifications, the Authority reserves the right to cancel the order upon written notice to the bidder and return the product to the bidder at the proposer’s expense.

41. DAMAGE:

Precautions should be taken to prevent damage to all property. In the event that any materials, equipment or other property of the Authority shall be damaged or destroyed by personnel furnished by Contractor, Contractor shall, at its own expense, promptly repair or replace same to the complete satisfaction of Authority. The Contractor shall repair or replace any property damaged because of failure to provide proper or adequate protection to its original state and to the satisfaction of the Owner. Any property damage should be reported to the onsite Director or Manager immediately.

42. PARTIAL/DUAL PROPOSAL SUBMITTALS:

If approved by the Authority prior to submittal, proposers may submit partial bids for one or more items or represent up to two (2) manufacturer(s) that are deemed as equals or as listed within the proposal document. Tampa Sports Authority reserves the right to make an award to one (1) or multiple vendors. The Authority is not obligated to purchase all items listed on the proposal form and may elect to purchase certain “portions” of a submittal instead.

43. DILIGENCE:

Due care and diligence have been used in preparing these specifications and related information. However, no warranties are made as to the accuracy and completeness of the required information. It is the responsibility of the Proposer to ensure that they have all the information necessary to affect their proposal.

The Authority will not be responsible for the failure on the part of the Proposer to determine the full extent of the risk exposure and Scope of Work required to effectively perform under Contract. Proposers are expected to examine the conditions, Score of Work, Special Conditions, Technical Specifications, and all instructions pertaining to services involved. Failure to do so will be at the Proposer’s risk.

44. RESPONSIVENESS OF PROPOSERS:

A responsive proposal is an offer to perform the scope of services called for in this Request for Proposal in accordance with all requirements of this Request for Proposal. Proposals found to be non-responsive will not be considered. Proposals may be rejected if found to be irregular or not in conformance with the requirements and instructions contained herein. A Proposal may be found to be irregular or non-responsive by reasons that include, but are not limited to, failure to utilize or complete prescribed forms, conditional proposals, incomplete proposals, indefinite, or ambiguous proposals, improper and/or undated signatures and Proposers who fail to meet all pre-requisites. NOTE: It is mandatory that all bid proposal forms be filled out completely and returned with your submittal.

45. ATTACHMENT TO RFP SUBMITTAL – CONFIDENTIAL MATERIAL:

The Proposer must include any materials it asserts to be exempted from public disclosure under Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, in a separate bound document labeled “Attachment to Request for Proposals, RFP #24-20 – Confidential Material”. The Proposer must identify the specific statute that authorizes exemption from the Public Records Law. Any claim of confidentiality on materials the Proposer asserts are to be exempt from public disclosure and placed elsewhere in the proposal will be considered waived by the Proposer upon submission, effective after opening.

46. FORCE MAJEURE:

In the event that either party hereto shall be delayed or hindered in or prevented from the performance required hereunder by reason of strikes, lockouts, labor troubles, failure of power, riots, insurrection, war, acts of God, or other reason of like nature not the fault of the party delayed in performing work or doing acts (“Permitted Delay”), such party shall be excused for the period of time equivalent to the delay caused by such Permitted Delay. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any extension of time for a Permitted Delay shall be conditioned upon the party seeking an extension of time delivering written notice of such Permitted Delay to the other party within ten (10) days of the event causing the Permitted Delay.

47. COSTS INCURRED:

Tampa Sports Authority is not responsible for expenses incurred in attending any Pre-Proposal Conferences, preparation of proposal documents and submitting a proposal; therefore, such costs shall not be included in submitted proposals.

48. CHANGE ORDERS/ADJUSTMENTS:

The Authority may, at any time, by written order designated or indicated to be a Change Order, make any change or modification in the Work, or add to the Work within the general scope of the Contract specifications to complete the said work.

49. MODIFICATION OR WITHDRAWAL OF OFFER:

An offer may not be modified, withdrawn, or canceled by the Proposer for 90 days following the time and date designated for the opening of proposals (except when requested by the Authority for clarification, presentation, or best and final offers) and the Proposer so agrees by submitting its proposal. Proposers may request withdrawal of a posted, sealed Proposal prior to the scheduled opening time provided the withdrawal request is submitted to the Purchasing Department in writing via email or in person.

50. BEST & FINAL OFFERS:

If it is determined by the Procurement Manager that a Best and Final Offer should be considered in conjunction with bid submittals (i.e., tie bids, etc.), a Best and Final Offer request will be issued to the top two (2) lowest, responsive, and responsible bidders. A date and time will be set by the Procurement Manager for Best and Final Offer submissions.

51. ADVERTISING:

In submitting a proposal, Proposer agrees not to use the results as a part of any advertising.

52. COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL:

Copyrighted material will be accepted as part of a technical proposal only if accompanied by a waiver that will allow the Authority to make paper and electronic copies necessary for the use of Authority staff and agents. It is noted that copyrighted material is not exempt from the Public Records Law, Chapter 119, Florida Statutes. Therefore, such material will be subject to viewing by the public, but copies of the material will not be provided to the public.

53. LICENSES AND PERMITS (if applicable):

In the performance of these services, Proposer will fully comply with all the laws and regulations of all State, Federal, County, City and/or other governmental authorities and agencies as required by reason of these services or duties to be performed hereunder. Proposer will hold Authority harmless from any liability which may be imposed upon Authority by reason of any alleged violation of the law by Proposer, or for failure to pay taxes or secure necessary licenses or permits. Proposer shall be responsible for all licenses, permits, costs and expenses he/she incurs in the performance of services under this Agreement, including all taxes and assessments resulting therefrom. The Proposer and/or (if applicable) their subcontractors must have and maintain at their expense all necessary applicable licenses and permits. The Proposer and any of thier subcontractors must be licensed by the State of Florida, Hillsborough County, or the City of Tampa to perform all applicable work required under this contract. A copy of the Proposer’s license(s) should be submitted to the Authority’s Purchasing Department with their Proposal. In the performance of these services, Proposer will fully comply with all the laws and regulations of all Federal, State, County, City and of other governmental authorities or agencies as required by reason of these services or duties to be performed hereunder. Proposer will hold the Authority harmless from any liability which may be imposed upon Authority by reason of any alleged violation of the law by contractor, or for failure to pay taxes or secure necessary licenses or permits. Proposer shall be responsible for all licenses, permits, costs and expenses they incur in the performance of services under this Agreement, including all taxes and assessments resulting therefrom.

54. AUTHORIZATION TO DO BUSINESS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA:

The Authority requires all companies who are awarded a bid/proposal to provide proof of “active/current” registration with the Florida Department of State; Division of Corporations prior to any start of work or providing of any commodity/good to the Authority.

55. SUNSHINE MEETING LAW EXEMPTIONS (Pursuant to section 286.113, F.S.):

The following meetings are closed to the public; however, the Authority will make recordings of these meetings available to the public 30 days after the opening of bids or replies, whichever occurs first.

a. Meetings where vendors make oral presentations or answer questions as part of a competitive solicitation.

b. Meetings of a TSA evaluation, grading or negotiating team to discuss negotiation strategy.

c. Negotiation sessions with vendors.

56. DUTY UNDER PUBLIC RECORDS LAW

If the contracted Proposer (“contractor”) has questions regarding the application of chapter 119, Florida Statutes, to the contractor's duty to provide public records relating to this contract, contact, the custodian of public records at 4201 North Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, Florida 33607, (813) 350-6515 and/or

PUBLICRECORDS@TAMPASPORTSAUTHORITY.COM

The contractor shall comply with applicable public records laws and shall:

a. Keep and maintain public records required by the Authority to perform the service required under this

Contract.

b. Upon request from the Authority's custodian of public records, provide the Authority with a copy of the requested records or allow the records to be inspected or copied within a reasonable time at a cost that does not exceed the cost provided in Chapter 119 Florida Statutes, or as otherwise provided by law.

c. Ensure that public records that are exempt or confidential and exempt from public records disclosure requirements are not disclosed except as authorized by law for the duration of the Contract term and following completion of the Contract if the contractor does not transfer the records to the Authority.

d. Upon completion of the Contract, transfer, at no cost, to the Authority all public records in possession of the Contractor or keep and maintain public records required by the Authority to perform the service.

If the Contractor transfers all public records to the Authority upon completion of the Contract, the Contractor shall destroy any duplicate public records that are exempt or confidential and exempt from public records disclosure requirements. If the Contractor keeps and maintains public records upon completion of the Contract, the Contractor shall meet all applicable requirements for retaining public records. All records stored electronically must be provided to the Authority, upon request from the Authority's custodian of public records, in a format that is compatible with the information technology systems of the Authority.

e. A request to inspect or copy public records relating to this contract must be made directly to the Authority. If the Authority does not possess the requested records, it shall immediately notify the Contractor of the request, and the Contractor must provide the records to the Authority or allow the records to be inspected or copied within a reasonable time.

f. If the Contractor does not comply with the Authority's request for records, the Authority shall enforce these contract provisions in accordance with the Contract.

g. If Contractor fails to provide requested public records to the Authority within a reasonable time, Contractor may be subject to penalties under Section 119.10, Florida Statutes.

mailto:PUBLICRECORDS@TAMPASPORTSAUTHORITY.COM

57. EX PARTE COMMUNICATION:

To ensure fair evaluation of proposals/bids, ex-parte communication initiated by Proposers is prohibited from the time the Proposals are opened until the final decision has been made. No Proposer may initiate communication with any City Council Member, County Commissioner or any Tampa Sports Authority director, board member, official, staff, consultant, or employee who is participating in the evaluation process. All communication initiated by a Proposer after the Proposals are opened must be in writing to:

Deltecia Jones, Procurement Manager, Purchasing Department 4201 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, FL 33607 Email: djones@tampasportsauthority.com

The Evaluation Committee/Staff members may, however, initiate communication with any Proposer to obtain additional information or clarification necessary for fair evaluation of their bid proposal. Ex parte communication initiated by a Responder may disqualify that Proposer from consideration for this or future Request for Proposals.

58. ATTORNEY’S FEES:

In the event of a dispute arising under this Agreement, whether or not a lawsuit or other proceeding is filed the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover its reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, including attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in litigation entitlement to attorneys’ fees and costs, as well as in determining or quantifying the amount of recoverable attorneys’ fees and costs. The reasonable costs to which the prevailing party is entitled shall include any costs that are taxable under any applicable statute, rule or guideline, as well as any non-taxable costs reasonably incurred in connection with the dispute, including, but not limited to, costs of investigation, copying, electronic discovery, information technology charges, telephone and mailing costs, consultant and expert witness fees, travel expenses, court reporter fees and transcript charges, and mediator fees, regardless of whether such costs would be otherwise taxable.

59. E-VERIFY COMPLIANCE:

All terms defined in Fla. Stat. § 448.095 are adopted and incorporated into this section. Pursuant to Fla.

Stat. §§ 288.061(6) and 448.095(2), Contractor shall enroll in and verify the work eligibility status of all its newly hired employees using the E-Verify system if it has not already done so as of the date of this Agreement. Contractor is further required to execute an affidavit in the form attached to this Agreement affirming that: (i) it is enrolled and is participating in the E-Verify system, and (ii) it does not knowingly employ any unauthorized aliens. In support of the affidavit, Contractor shall provide Tampa Sports Authority with documentation that it has enrolled and is participating in the E-Verify system. This Agreement shall not take effect until such affidavit is signed by Contractor and delivered to Tampa Sports Authority’s authorized representative.

Should a Contractor subcontract for the performance of any work under this Agreement, the Contractor shall require any subcontractor(s) to certify by affidavit that: (i) the subcontractor does not knowingly employ or contract with any unauthorized aliens, and (ii) it has enrolled and is participating in the E-Verify system. The contractor shall maintain a copy of such certification for the duration of the term of any subcontract. The contractor shall also deliver a copy of the certification to Tampa Sports Authority within [number of days] of the effective date of the subcontract. If Contractor, or any subcontractor of Contractor, knowingly employs or contracts with any unauthorized aliens, or retains an employee or contract with a person that the Contractor or subcontractor subsequently learns is an unauthorized alien, Contractor shall terminate the employment of or contract with the unauthorized alien within [number of days] (the “Cure Period”). Should the Contractor or any subcontractor of the Contractor fail to cure within the Cure Period, Tampa Sports Authority has the right to terminate this Agreement without consequence.

The E-Verify requirements of this Agreement will not apply should the E-Verify system cease to exist.

60. HOUSE BILL 3

NOTICE: This notice is required pursuant to chapter 2023-28, section 20, Laws of Florida, codified in section 287.05701, Florida Statutes as may be amended from time to time. Tampa Sports Authority may not (1) request documentation of or consider a vendor’s social, political, or ideological interests when determining whether a vendor is a responsible vender, or (2) give preference to any vendor based on the vendor’s social, political, or ideological interests. A “responsible vendor” is a vendor who has the capability in all respects to fully perform the contract requirements and the integrity and reliability that will assure good father preformation. § 287.012(25), Fla. Stat.

61. STATEMENT OF NO BID

If you decide not to submit a bid for the said work, please complete the Statement of No Bid form and submit it to the Authority. If you have submitted a Statement of No Bid prior to the bid proposal due date and have decided to submit a bid proposal, you must submit an email requesting to rescind your no bid statement. If a rescind request is not submitted, your bid may not be accepted.

ENGAGEMENT DESCRIPTION

The Tampa Sports Authority is soliciting proposals from qualified financial audit firms to provide Financial Audit and Related Services for the Tampa Sports Authority- Stadium, Hillsborough County Tournament SportsPlex and the City of Tampa’s golf course facilities (Rocky Point, Rogers Park and Babe Zaharias). The selected Financial Audit and Related Services provider will be expected to bring a broad range of experience and knowledge in governmental auditing and accounting. The firm must demonstrate that it has an established reputation in the government sector and that it has the necessary experience, expertise, and reliability in public auditing and accounting.

PAST FEE STRUCTURE: The most recent provider of external auditing services was compensated with the following fees:

Stadium and Authority Administration $38,000 Golf Course Operations $12,000 Tournament SportsPlex $12,000 Total $62,000

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

a. Responding firms must have demonstrated past experiences as defined in the Description of Services.

b. Responding firm’s representative who will be responsible for the Tampa Sports Authority’s engagement must have demonstrated past experience as defined in the Description of Services.

c. The responding firms must commit to local availability based upon the Tampa Sports Authority’s requirements.

e. Proposer must have a current AICPA Standard Peer Review.

SCOPE OF SERVICES

The purpose of the RFP is to assist the Tampa Sports Authority in its selection of external auditors/accountants. The Proposers best qualified to perform the annual financial audit of the Tampa Sports Authority, Hillsborough County SportsPlex and the City of Tampa’s golf course facilities financial transactions as well as other related auditing and accounting services.

The Tampa Sports Authority, SportsPlex and its golf course facilities each maintain separate financial records and prepare separate financial statements, separate financial audits and reports will be required for each entity.

The audits shall be performed to comply with the requirements of:

a. Generally accepted auditing standards as promulgated by the AICPA, Generally Accepted Auditing Standards, Governmental Auditing Standards.

b. Governmental Auditing Standards (the “Yellow Book”) as issued by the Comptroller General of the United States.

c. Rules of the State of Florida Auditor General as to form and conduct of local governmental unit audits.

d. Governmental Accounting Standards Board Codification of Governmental Accounting and Financial Reporting Standards (the “Blue Book”) as amended from time to time, and not later than required implementation date.

e. Any other known statutory or other guidelines required for proper reporting and record-keeping according to generally accepted accounting principles.

Specific services to be provided by the selected firm shall include, but are not limited to, the following:

a. Perform the annual financial audit of Tampa Sports Authority’s golf course facilities including pension liability and disclosures, a field audit of inventory controls and cash handling procedures.

b. Perform the annual financial audit of Tampa Sports Authority’s Tournament SportsPlex including pension liability disclosures, a field audit of inventory controls and cash handling procedures.

c. Perform the annual financial audit of the Tampa Sports Authority as defined in Florida

Statutes, Section 11.45(1)(b) including pension liability disclosures, a field audit of cash handling procedures.

d. The audit to be performed will cover the entire scope of the FY-2024 audits (posted on the

Authority’s website), as well as additional pronouncements that may arise during the course of the engagement.

e. Determine to what extent the financial statements fairly represent those entities’ financial position and results of operations and management.

f. Determine to what extent the financial statements are in conformity…