ACCOUNTANT AND FINANCIAL CONSULTING SERVICES

The City of East Orange is actively seeking proposals from qualified firms for comprehensive Accountant and Financial Consulting Services, intended to cover the fiscal period of January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2022. This Request for Proposal (RFP) invites experienced persons and firms to assist the City’s Finance Division and Police Department with a broad spectrum of financial management tasks. The extensive scope of work includes providing essential accounting, budgetary, financial, and tax guidance; meticulously inspecting financial transactions and records to ensure compliance with relevant regulations and accounting procedures; offering timely advice on legislative changes impacting financial record-keeping throughout the year; and assigning dedicated part-time employees (three times weekly for the Finance Division and two times weekly for the Police Department) to support checking account reconciliation and statement preparation as directed by the City Administrator or Chief of Police. Further responsibilities encompass reviewing and recording expense invoices, preparing diverse financial reports and summaries, maintaining the General Ledger and all books of account, managing checking account reconciliations and disbursements, compiling financial and other statements from basic data, and ensuring all financial records and files adhere to sound practices, grant funding requirements, and New Jersey state record-keeping mandates for public agencies. The selected consultant will also play a crucial role in assisting with the preparation of the Annual Budget, supporting the City’s retained auditor with necessary financial information, and proficiently utilizing or learning the City’s electronic and manual computerized information systems across various departments. Additionally, the engagement involves property-by-property analysis of PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) agreements, annual service charge comparisons, review and processing of reports, financial statements, and documents linked to tax-abated/exempt projects, overseeing the fiscal administration of these projects including tax/service charge/fee calculation, invoice review, financial analysis, quality assurance, dispute resolution, and maintaining an ongoing revenue reporting system for tax-abated/exempt properties. Prospective contractors must demonstrate a profound knowledge of municipal auditing laws and regulations, coupled with extensive experience in advising municipal entities on records compliance issues. Essential qualifications also include proven expertise in supporting municipalities through the budget development process, labor negotiations, and other financially pertinent tasks typically performed by a municipality of East Orange’s size. Mandatory minimum requirements for all respondents include holding a valid Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license and a valid Registered Municipal Accountant (RMA) license, both issued by the appropriate authority of the State of New Jersey. Furthermore, firms must possess a minimum of ten (10) years of experience in delivering auditing services to municipalities within New Jersey. The successful firm is required to assign senior staff members as regular support for the City, with each of these senior staff members having at least ten (10) years of experience in providing audit services and other requested services outlined in this RFP, including any specialized functions. Maintaining a current principal office within the State of New Jersey is also a prerequisite. While no mandatory pre-bid meetings or site visits are explicitly stated, detailed RFPs are available for download from the City’s website or for physical pickup at the Division of Procurement, requiring a non-refundable $25.00 fee for on-site copies. All proposals must be submitted by Tuesday, November 9, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. prevailing time. Submissions will be received by the Purchasing Committee in the East Orange City Hall, Council Chamber, where they will be publicly opened and read aloud. Firms must enclose their proposals in a sealed envelope clearly bearing the consultant’s name and the title “ACCOUNTANT AND FINANCIAL CONSULTING SERVICES” on the exterior, addressed to the PURCHASING AGENT, City of East Orange, City Hall, 44 City Hall Plaza, East Orange, NJ 07018. Proposals may be mailed, placed in the City’s "Drop Box" in the rear parking lot, or presented in person at the specified date and time. It is critical that bids sent via mail or drop box are received prior to the submission deadline. Contractors are mandated to comply with New Jersey statutes including N.J.S.A. 10:5-33 et seq. (Affirmative Action), N.J.S.A. 10:5-31 et seq. and N.J.A.C. 17:27 et seq. (Contract Compliance and Equal Employment Opportunities), N.J.S.A. 52:32-44 (Business Registration of Public Contractors), and N.J.S.A. 52:25-24.2 (Disclosure of Ownership). Proposals are firm and cannot be modified, withdrawn, or canceled for sixty (60) days after the submission deadline. No bid security or bonds are explicitly mentioned in the provided text. For any inquiries regarding the RFP, interested parties should contact Lisa L. Jackson, QPA, the Purchasing Agent, at (973) 266-5162. A comprehensive checklist of required submission documents is provided, including a Non-Collusion Affidavit, Disclosure of Ownership Form, Insurance Requirement Acknowledgement Form, various EEO/Affirmative Action compliance forms, Business Registration Certificate, Professional Services Entity Information Form, Qualification Affidavit, Submission Form, Acknowledgement of Corrections, Additions or Deletions Form, Disclosure of Investment Activities in Iran, Business Entity Disclosure Certification, Statement of Indebtedness, Agreement for Payment of Commodity/Service, Letter of Intent, and Letter of Qualification. One unbound original, four additional sets, and one compact disc (CD) of the sealed submission are required.