Accountant and Financial Consulting Services (Water Department)

The City of East Orange Board of Water Commissioners, located in Essex County, New Jersey, is soliciting qualification proposals through a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Accountant and Financial Consulting Services. The core project involves providing comprehensive operational and financial advisory services to the East Orange Water Commission (EOBWC) for a twelve-month period, specifically from October 1, 2024, through September 1, 2025. The extensive scope of work includes offering expertise related to utility industry standards for operations, such as metered revenue capture, customer service billing and collection systems, and capital project execution monitoring. Furthermore, the selected firm will support capital financing and existing debt management in coordination with bond counsel and the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank (NJIB), provide accounting, budgetary, financial, and long-term planning advisory services, and produce monthly revenue, expense, and cash balance forecasts. The role also entails inspecting financial transactions for regulatory compliance, advising on legislative changes impacting records, and providing dedicated part-time staff to assist the Commission’s Finance Team with statement preparation, audit reporting, general ledger maintenance, checking account reconciliation, and annual budget assistance. The consultant will also attend EOBWC Monthly Commissioner's meetings and various other committee calls and meetings with City officials like the CFO and Administrator, maintaining essential financial records, and processing reports for tax-abated projects. Contractor qualifications require firms to demonstrate significant knowledge of municipal auditing laws and regulations, coupled with experience advising municipal entities on records compliance issues. Applicants must possess a minimum of ten (10) years of experience in providing auditing services to municipalities within the State of New Jersey. Mandatory licenses include 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. Responding firms must assign senior staff members with at least ten (10) years of experience in audit services and other requested services as regular support for the City. Furthermore, firms are required to maintain a current principal office within the State of New Jersey. The RFQ does not specify any mandatory pre-bid meetings or site visits for potential respondents. Qualification Proposals must be submitted in a sealed envelope clearly marked with the consultant's name and the title “ACCOUNTANT AND FINANCIAL CONSULTING SERVICES,” addressed to the Purchasing Agent. Submissions require one (1) unbound original, three (3) additional copies, and one (1) thumb drive containing the complete submission. The firm must also include various required documents such as a Non-Collusion Affidavit, Disclosure of Ownership Form, and Business Registration Certificate. Proposals are due by Thursday, August 29, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. prevailing time. Submissions can be mailed or hand-delivered to the City of East Orange, Division of Procurement, First Floor, 44 City Hall Plaza, East Orange, NJ 07018. There are no explicit requirements for bid security, such as bid bonds or certified checks, mentioned in the document. For questions, interested parties may contact Racquel C. Ferguson, QPA, Purchasing Agent, at (973) 266-5162.