Request for Proposal Annual Independent Audit Services

Columbia Gorge Education Service District (CGESD) in Oregon is requesting proposals for annual independent audit services covering fiscal years ending June 30, 2026, 2027, and 2028, with proposals due June 4, 2026, at 3:00 PM (extended by addendum from May 27). The contract includes an optional three-year extension for fiscal years 2029–2031.

Audits must comply with Oregon's Minimum Standards for Audits of Oregon Municipal Corporations, Government Auditing Standards (Yellow Book), Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200 (Uniform Guidance), and generally accepted auditing standards. Proposers must hold Oregon CPA licensure for municipal audits and maintain a peer review history for the past five years. Professional Liability insurance of $1 million (maximum $10,000 deductible), Comprehensive General Liability of $500,000 per occurrence / $1 million aggregate, and current Worker's Compensation coverage are mandatory. Working papers and reports must be retained for a minimum of three years and made available to authorized federal or state representatives and successor auditors.

CGESD manages approximately $20 million in annual spending across multiple fund types. The audit approach must include a 90 percent on-site fieldwork requirement, which heavily influences scoring.

Evaluation weighs Understanding of Engagement (20 percent), Audit Approach (25 percent), Experience with ESD/School Engagements (20 percent), Staffing (20 percent), and Audit Fee (15 percent). Proposers must submit all-inclusive maximum fees for 2026, 2027, and 2028 with detailed hourly rate breakdown for 2026; cost scoring uses a formula comparing the proposer's fee to the lowest submitted cost.

The contract commences with the 2025–2026 fiscal year for an initial three-year term with automatic annual renewal for three additional years unless either party provides written notice prior to April 30 of the applicable fiscal year. Review and interviews are scheduled June 1–5, 2026, with Intent to Award on June 10 and Board Approval on June 17. Protests of RFP terms were due May 22, 2026; protests of award decisions are due June 5, 2026, at 4:30 PM. Proposals must include resumes of key personnel and three references from comparable educational or governmental agencies. Acknowledgment of the addendum extending the due date must accompany the proposal.