Audit Services - Cave-In Rock Ferry

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet issued a Request for Proposal for audit services related to the Cave-In-Rock Ferry operation, a joint venture between Kentucky and Illinois serving Crittenden County, Kentucky. The procuring agency seeks a Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm to conduct a comprehensive financial statement audit of Lonnie Ray Lewis, Inc. d/b/a Cave-In-Rock Ferry for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America and Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS). Key deliverables and objectives include determining documented operating costs exclusively dedicated to ferry operations between Kentucky Route 91 in Crittenden County and Illinois Route 1 in Hardin County, identifying unallowable costs, documenting required U.S. Coast Guard maintenance and upgrades, developing depreciation schedules for future compliance, and producing an audit report anticipated in late summer 2021. The RFP was released October 15, 2020, with written questions due October 23, 2020, and responses anticipated by October 29, 2020; proposals are due November 10, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time via secure MOVEit file transfer. Evaluation criteria include a maximum of 1,000 points distributed among Technical Proposal (700 points) comprising Staffing and Expertise (400 points) and Work Plan and Approach (300 points), and Cost Proposal (300 points), with potential oral presentations worth up to an additional 250 points. The anticipated contract term runs from December 1, 2020, through June 30, 2022, with the Commonwealth reserving the right to renew for up to two additional two-year periods subject to Finance and Administration Cabinet approval and Legislative Research Commission review.

The RFP does not identify any set-aside designations or specific restrictions on organizational types eligible to respond. The Government Contract Review Committee has established maximum hourly rates of $125 for Principal or Partner, $100 for Senior Auditor or Manager, and $75 for Junior Auditor or Staff Auditor; proposers must submit a single blended hourly rate for all personnel and are prohibited from billing overhead, travel, printing, copying, or other reimbursable expenses. The current ferry operator is Lonnie Ray Lewis, Inc., with the existing operational framework established through agreements between the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Ohio River Ferry Authority, and Lewis. Accounting records are maintained in paper format and will be made available at the Crittenden County Fiscal Court in Marion, Kentucky for auditor review. No minimum contract value is guaranteed, and funding originates from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's contract with the Ohio River Ferry Authority, with costs split equally between Kentucky and Illinois. The award is contingent on approval by the Finance and Administration Cabinet Secretary and filing with the Legislative Research Commission Government Contract Review Committee.