Accountant and Financial Consulting Services

The City of East Orange, located in Essex County, New Jersey, is soliciting Qualification Proposals for the provision of comprehensive Accountant and Financial Consulting Services. This Request for Qualifications (RFQ) seeks experienced persons and/or firms to provide essential financial oversight and support to the City's Finance Division and Police Department for the period of January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2024. The extensive scope of work includes, but is not limited to, offering accounting, budgetary, financial, and tax guidance; inspecting financial transactions and records for regulatory compliance; advising on legislative changes impacting financial records; providing part-time staff (three times per week to the Finance Division and two times per week to the Police Department) for account reconciliation and statement preparation; reviewing and recording expense invoices; maintaining the General Ledger and all books of account; compiling various financial statements and reports; ensuring sound financial recordkeeping practices compliant with grant funding and state requirements; assisting in the preparation of the Annual Budget; supporting the City's retained auditor with necessary financial information; utilizing or learning City-specific electronic and manual information systems; conducting property-by-property analysis of PILOT agreements; and overseeing the fiscal administration of tax abated/exempt projects, including calculation of taxes, service charges, invoice review, financial analysis, quality assurance, dispute resolution, and maintaining an ongoing revenue reporting system. Prospective contractors must demonstrate substantial qualifications and experience to be considered for this professional services engagement. Mandatory minimum requirements include possessing 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. Firms are required to have a minimum of ten (10) years' experience in providing auditing services specifically to municipalities within the State of New Jersey. Furthermore, successful respondents must assign senior staff members as regular support for the City, with each possessing at least ten (10) years of experience in providing audit and other services requested in this RFQ. Respondents must also maintain a current principal office within the State of New Jersey and demonstrate knowledge of municipal auditing laws, regulations, records compliance, budget development, labor negotiations, and other financially relevant tasks pertinent to a municipality of East Orange's size. No mandatory pre-bid meetings or site visits are specified in the provided documentation. Qualification Proposals must be meticulously prepared and submitted in accordance with the outlined procedures. Each submission must include one (1) unbound original, four (4) additional sets, and one (1) thumb drive of the sealed submission. Proposals are to be enclosed in a sealed envelope, clearly bearing the consultant's name and the title "ACCOUNTANT AND FINANCIAL CONSULTING SERVICES" on the outside, and addressed to the Purchasing Agent. The precise submission deadline is Thursday, November 30, 2023, at 12:00 p.m. prevailing time. Proposals will be publicly opened and read aloud at the East Orange City Hall, Division of Procurement, 1st floor, 44 City Hall Plaza, East Orange, NJ 07018. Required submission documents include a Non-Collusion Affidavit, Disclosure of Ownership Form, Insurance Requirement Acknowledgement Form, EEO/Affirmative Action Compliance Notice, Mandatory Equal Employment Opportunity Notice Acknowledgement, Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 compliance, a copy of the Certificate of Employee Information Report, a New Jersey Business Registration Certificate, a Professional Service Entity Information Form, a Qualification Affidavit, a Submission Form, an Acknowledgement of Corrections, Additions or Deletions Form, a Disclosure of Investment Activities in Iran, a Business Entity Disclosure Certification, a Statement of Indebtedness, an Agreement for Payment of Commodity/Service, a Letter of Intent, and a Letter of Qualification. All inquiries regarding the RFQ should be directed to Racquel C. Ferguson, QPA, Purchasing Agent, at (973) 266-5162. No bid security or bonds are required with the submission of qualifications.