R. F. P. - Personal Property Audit

The Town of East Hartford, Connecticut is requesting proposals for personal property audit services under RFP Bid No. 27-05, with proposals due September 28, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at Town Hall.

The scope covers comprehensive municipal personal property audits on a select number of accounts from approximately 1,851 businesses currently filing annual declarations against the October 1, 2025 Grand List gross assessed valuation of $326,388,445. The selected firm will initiate contact with taxpayers, conduct physical inspections and site visits, review personal property tax declarations against federal and state income tax returns and fixed asset records, analyze leased equipment and leasehold improvements, examine out-of-town items and sold or scrapped property, and prepare detailed and final reports. The firm may also be required to participate in formal administrative or judicial hearings and taxpayer discussions.

Respondent firms must employ Certified Public Accountants with a minimum of five years' public auditing experience or three years' experience performing municipal personal property tax audits in Connecticut, and must have full-time staff holding the IAAO Personal Property Specialist (PPS) designation. The firm must have completed a minimum of ten comparable projects in Connecticut.

The engagement period begins upon contract execution and is expected to span three years, with timeframes negotiable between the firm and the Town Assessor. Firms must submit one original and three copies of proposals and provide cost proposals in fee-schedule format, a revenue share-based percentage of tax collections (including taxes, interest, and penalties from audit results), or both, with yearly escalations clearly indicated.

The Town will select the vendor deemed most qualified and best suited to its needs, not necessarily the lowest-cost bidder. The awarded firm must maintain comprehensive insurance including Commercial General Liability ($1 million per occurrence / $2 million aggregate), Workers' Compensation (statutory), Commercial Automobile Liability ($1 million), Umbrella Liability ($1 million), and Professional Errors & Omissions coverage ($1 million per claim / $1 million aggregate), with the Town named as Additional Insured on all policies except Workers' Compensation and Professional Errors & Omissions. All data and documentation become exclusive property of the Town of East Hartford.