Specialized accountant recruitment

The State Fiscal Accountability Authority, acting on behalf of the South Carolina State Treasurer's Office, is seeking specialized accountant recruitment services through a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) solicitation. The procurement targets recruitment of Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) and specialized technical resources in finance and accounting, with an estimated annual placement range of zero to five positions. Required services include targeted search and selection of full-time permanent staff, conducting background and credit checks, facilitating interviews, and providing short-term specialized consultants on a project basis. The solicitation covers eight position classifications: Junior, Mid-Level, and Senior CPAs, plus five specialized resource roles in areas like Investment Management, Banking, and Treasury Management. Mandatory vendor qualifications include five years of industry experience specializing in high-level financial resource placements, a nationwide operational presence, and dedicated resources in South Carolina. The evaluation criteria will assess technical solutions (30 points), specialization in accounting placements (30 points), pricing (20 points), related experience (10 points), and average time-to-fill rate (10 points). Key dates include a non-mandatory pre-proposal conference on January 7, 2025, questions due by January 8, 2025, proposal submissions due by February 13, 2025 at 11:00 AM ET, and award notification anticipated on April 4, 2025.

The solicitation does not indicate specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. The contract allows for up to three responsive and responsible offerors to be awarded, with an initial three-year term and potential for two two-year renewals, creating a maximum contract period of seven years. Vendors must maintain comprehensive liability insurance, including $1,000,000 in commercial general liability and $5,000,000 in information security/privacy insurance. While no specific budget range is disclosed, the pricing model includes placement fees based on a percentage of successful candidates' first-year base salary and hourly billing rates for short-term consultants. Proposals must be submitted online through the state's procurement system, with two copies required: one original and one redacted. Selected firms must be capable of arriving onsite at the South Carolina Treasurer's Office within 72 hours if required. The contract's estimated start date is April 16, 2025, with an end date of April 15, 2032, representing a comprehensive long-term recruitment services arrangement for specialized financial talent.