Accountant and Financial Consulting Services

The City of East Orange Board of Water Commissioners (EOWC), located in Essex County, New Jersey, is actively soliciting qualification proposals from experienced and qualified persons and firms to provide comprehensive Accountant and Financial Consulting Services. This crucial engagement aims to support the EOWC's financial operations for a period spanning January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023. The extensive scope of work encompasses a wide array of responsibilities, including offering operational and financial advisory services tailored to utility industry standards, covering critical areas such as metered revenue capture, customer service billing and collection systems, work order utility practices, and capital project execution and monitoring at a financial level. Furthermore, the selected consultant will provide robust support for capital financing and existing debt management, collaborating closely with bond counsel and the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank (NJIB), as well as the Commission’s engineers and financing advisors. The role also includes producing monthly and balance-of-year forecasts for revenue and expenses, analyzing cash balance changes, inspecting financial transactions for regulatory compliance, advising on legislative changes impacting record-keeping, and assisting in the preparation of the Annual Budget while factoring in utility-specific variables. Prospective contractors must possess significant expertise and demonstrate a profound understanding of municipal auditing laws and regulations, coupled with proven experience in providing advisory services to municipal entities on records compliance issues. Essential qualifications mandate that firms hold both a valid Certified Public Accountants (CPA) license and a valid Registered Municipal Accountants (RMA) license, each issued by the appropriate authority of the State of New Jersey. A minimum of ten (10) years’ experience specifically in providing auditing services to municipalities within the State of New Jersey is a strict requirement. Furthermore, the successful firm must commit to assigning senior staff members as regular support for the City, with these individuals having at least ten (10) years of experience in audit services and the other specified consulting services. Maintaining a current principal office within the State of New Jersey is also a mandatory criterion. Respondents should detail their past performance, provide references, and describe their ability to deliver timely services, including staffing plans and the location of key personnel. Qualification proposals must be submitted by Thursday, November 10, 2022, at precisely 11:00 a.m. prevailing time. Submissions are to be delivered to the Purchasing Agent in the East Orange City Hall, Division of Procurement, located on the 1st floor at 44 City Hall Plaza, East Orange, NJ 07018. Proposals must be enclosed in a sealed envelope clearly marked with the consultant's name and the title "ACCOUNTANT AND FINANCIAL CONSULTING SERVICES" on the exterior. Required submission components include one unbound original, four additional copies, and one thumb drive containing the complete sealed submission package. A comprehensive list of mandatory accompanying documents includes a Non-Collusion Affidavit, Disclosure of Ownership Form, Insurance Requirement Acknowledgement Form, EEO/Affirmative Action Compliance Notice, Business Registration Certificate, Qualification Affidavit, and a Letter of Intent, among others. All forms must be completed in their entirety. For any inquiries regarding the RFQ, interested parties should contact Racquel C. Ferguson, QPA, the Purchasing Agent, directly at (973) 266-5162. No bid security or performance bonds are specified as mandatory requirements in the provided text.