Informal Request for Proposals (IRFP) Financial Audit

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Trust Land Office (TLO) is seeking proposals for a financial audit of the Shelter Cove Timber Sale, covering fiscal years 2022 and 2023. This Informal Request for Proposals (IRFP) aims to conduct a comprehensive review of gross sales, direct costs, and payments to the TLO related to a 10-year timber sale contract for 40 million board feet of timber. The audit will be performed primarily at Alcan Timber's headquarters in Ketchikan and will examine various operational components including harvest operations, third-party scaling, shipping arrangements, and road construction activities. To be eligible, offerors must have at least one certified public accountant (CPA) with a minimum of five years of accounting experience, and the firm must have a minimum of five years of financial auditing experience. The evaluation criteria include experience and qualifications (20%), understanding of the project (10%), methodology (10%), management plan (10%), contract cost (40%), and Alaska offeror preference (10%). Proposals were originally due November 22, 2024, but have been extended through January 10, 2025, at 2:00 PM Alaska Time, with an anticipated contract term from December 13, 2024, to March 31, 2025.

The procurement includes an Alaska Bidder Preference of 5% and an Alaska Veteran Preference of 5% (not to exceed $5,000) for qualifying proposals. Initially, the project budget was set at $40,000, but has since been increased to $80,000, with any proposals priced above $80,000 considered non-responsive. The solicitation does not explicitly mention set-aside designations for disadvantaged business enterprises beyond the Alaska preferences. No incumbent vendors are specifically identified in the documentation. The audit will require a detailed examination of revenue tracking, cost monitoring, compliance and reporting, asset management, risk management, and internal controls. Successful offerors will need to provide a comprehensive audit trail documenting all financial transactions related to the Shelter Cove Timber Sale, including verification of timber sales contracts, volume measurements, payment reconciliation, and a review of accounts receivable.