RFP - Municipal Audit Services

The Port of Newport, Oregon is issuing a Request for Proposals to procure independent financial audit services from qualified public accounting firms for an initial five-year contract period beginning with the FY 2025-26 financial statements, with two optional five-year extensions available. The scope of services includes annual financial audits conducted in accordance with applicable professional standards, single audits when the federal threshold is exceeded, preparation of consolidated financial statements, provision of final journal entries and trial balances, and completion of all audit work to meet the December 31 filing deadline with the Oregon Secretary of State. Qualified proposers must demonstrate professional qualifications and relevant experience, provide identification of the proposed partner, manager, and in-charge accountant with biographies, disclose any disciplinary actions by regulatory authorities, and submit a detailed audit approach and staffing plan. The fee proposal must include current billing rates for associates, managers, and partners for FY 2025-2026 and a methodology for calculating future-year billing rates, with the understanding that quoted prices are estimates subject to adjustment based on actual hours spent. Evaluation criteria include the firm's professional qualifications and relevant experience, audit approach and staffing plan, methodology for future billing rate calculations, and the completeness and clarity of the proposal submission. Proposals are due by March 15, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. PST and may be submitted via hand delivery, U.S. Mail, fax, or email to Mr. Mark A. Brown, Director of Finance. The prior auditor, Kern Thompson of Portland, Oregon, is available as a reference contact during proposal preparation.

The RFP does not specify any set-aside designations, disadvantaged enterprise restrictions, or limitations on the types of organizations that may respond. Kern Thompson of Portland, Oregon served as the Port's previous auditor and may be contacted for reference purposes. The Port of Newport is an Oregon municipal corporation that operates as an enterprise fund, recovering most operating costs through user fees and service charges with minimal tax revenue dependency. All audit work will be coordinated through the Director of Finance, and the Port expects annual communication of assigned staff members and an audit calendar with timelines to ensure timely documentation delivery. The RFP does not disclose a specific budget range or award value; however, proposers should anticipate that fees will be based on quoted billing rates for associates, managers, and partners, subject to actual hours expended throughout the contract period.