Forensic Audit Services

The City of Pontiac commissioned a forensic audit to conduct a detailed examination of its financial records, internal controls, and operational practices. The purpose of the audit is to identify potential fraud, mismanagement, waste, or non-compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and municipal policies.

Background

The forensic audit involves a comprehensive review of financial transactions, contracts, procurement activities, and departmental expenditures over a defined period. Emphasis is placed on high-risk areas, including vendor relationships, contract approvals, payment processes, and grant-funded programs.

Project Details

• Reference ID: 2026-RFP-0145
• Department: Finance
• Department Head: Porche Prater (Deputy Finance Director)

Important Dates

• Questions Due: 2026-07-09T18:00:00.000Z
• Answers Posted By: 2026-07-16T18:00:00.000Z
• Pre-Proposal Meeting: 2026-07-07T18:00:00.000Z — https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_YjAwNjNiMzEtODk3Yy00NGY5LTllNWEtNWFjYjkzZTZlOTZj%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%226cbfa795-bbd0-44ae-86bc-bd2f219c8cba%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22d82b674c-79fd-4951-b16b-64f2aed56fcd%22%7d

Evaluation Criteria

• Welcome —

  Introduction

  1. The City’s Governmental Funds include a General Fund, with Twenty (20) Special Revenue Funds that primarily include Local & Major Roads, Millages, Cable Fund, MIDC, ARPA, Home Buyers Assistance, and Drug Enforcement; (1) Capital Project Fund, (3) Internal Service Funds, and (3) Custodial Funds. The City’s general fund includes Law Enforcement, Fire Operations, 50^th District Municipal Court. The City’s 2025-26 Budget and 2025 Audited Financial Statements may be obtained by clicking on the following hyperlink:
     1. https://www.pontiac.mi.us/departments/finance/budgets____audits.php#outer-286 
  2. The City is governed by the Mayor, who is assisted by the Deputy Mayor, and a part-time seven-member council that serves by meeting frequently, in the general session, to conduct business. The City Council is responsible for all legislative matters, including the adoption of the annual budget.
  3. The City of Pontiac is issuing this Request for Proposal (RFP) to solicit qualified Firms to perform the services described herein. The Firm determined to be the most responsive and responsible will be awarded a contract for a period of six (6) months. The selected Firm will be required to complete the forensic audit in accordance with established project milestones and deadlines, which will be outlined in the final contract and agreed upon by both parties.  The City's fiscal year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30. The City utilizes BS&A Software for its financial transactions and reporting. The modules currently in use include Accounts Payable, Building Department, General Ledger, Miscellaneous Receivables, and Purchase Order.

  Background

  1. The City is issuing this solicitation to obtain professional forensic audit services to review selected contracts, invoices, payments, and other related records. The selected firm will be expected to assess documentation, compliance, internal controls, and transaction integrity for identified areas within the review period, and to provide objective findings, observations, and recommendations based on its work. 

  Finance Department

  1. The Finance Department is under the general direction of the Finance Director. The Finance Director oversees the day-to-day operations of Accounting, Treasury, Income Tax, Purchasing, and Payroll. The Accounting operations includes the maintenance of the general ledger, fixed assets, accounts payables, and budgeting; the Treasury function maintains the City’s cash, property tax collections, banking transactions; the Purchasing function maintains the City’s procurement transactions, contract documents, and solicitations; the Income Tax function maintains the City’s income tax collections; the Human Resources Department processes bi-weekly payroll distribution and completes the calculations for Flexible Spending and Healthcare Savings Plan, and the defined benefit payments to MERS under the direction of Finance.
  2. The City maintains all its accounting records for the City at City Hall, located at 47450 Woodward Avenue, Pontiac, Michigan 48342.
  3. The City is aware of and understands the need to assist the Firm by making every attempt to meet agreed-upon deadlines.
  4. The Firm will attend a preliminary and post-audit meeting with the City’s administrative team.
  5. The Forensic audit will take place on-site in accordance with the fieldwork schedule set forth by the City.
  6. The City staff will make every attempt to perform the necessary accounting procedures and complete requested documents and information no later than the dates established in the forensic engagement schedule as provided by the City at Forensic pre-audit planning meeting. The meeting date and time will be provided to the Firm that receives the contract award.
     1. The City will provide the Firm with specific calendar dates for each milestone at the Forensic pre-audit planning meeting. The schedule below is indicative and subject to adjustment by mutual agreement.
     2. The following schedule is subject to change:

  

• TERM OF CONTRACT —

  The anticipated contract term shall commence upon execution of the agreement by all parties and shall continue through completion and acceptance of all required services and deliverables. The City anticipates that the forensic audit engagement will be substantially completed within approximately six (6) months from the issuance of the Notice to Proceed; however, the term may be extended as necessary to complete the engagement.

  The City's acceptance of a proposal and approval of an award shall not constitute a binding contract. Any award shall be contingent upon and subject to the parties entering into and executing a written agreement acceptable to the City and approved by the City of Pontiac City Council.

• Evaluation Process —

  Evaluation of proposals received in response to this RFP will be conducted comprehensively, fairly, and impartially. The City reserves the right to award based on a combination of factors stated in this solicitation. 
  
  

  The City shall first review all proposals for responsiveness to determine whether each proposal complies with the requirements of this solicitation. Only proposals determined to be responsive will advance to evaluation by a committee comprised of City of Pontiac personnel.

  Proposals will be scored in accordance with the evaluation criteria set forth in this solicitation. Firms receiving a total evaluation score of 80 points or higher will be considered to have met the minimum qualifications for award consideration and may be determined a Responsible Bidder by the City.

  Firms receiving a total evaluation score of less than 80 points shall be eliminated from further consideration and shall not be eligible for award.

  The evaluation committee will review and evaluate responses based on the criteria below:

• Solicitation Process Milestone Schedule —

  

  1. No proposal submitted may be withdrawn for at least ninety (90) days after the actual opening of the proposal.
  2. Please refer to the OpenGov Platform for any addendums that may be issued. Purchasing recommends that respondents who submit proposals before the deadline are advised to continue monitoring the OpenGov Platform for any addendums and notices that may be issued. Respondents may click on the link on the Purchasing web page to access the City’s OpenGov Platform, where all the City's solicitations and related documents are available.
  3. The City reserves the right to cancel this solicitation, reject any or all proposals, waive minor informalities or immaterial irregularities in proposals, request clarification of proposal information, and accept the proposal determined to be in the best interest of the City. Late proposals will not be accepted or considered
  4. If you have any questions regarding the solicitation process, submit your questions through the OpenGov Platform.  Responses to questions submitted will be posted to OpenGov.
• Evaluation Criteria —

  1. Workload & Capacity (8 Points)

  • Excellent (7–8 pts): Clearly demonstrates sufficient capacity; workload will not impact performance
  • Good (5–6 pts): Adequate capacity with minor risk or limited explanation
  • Adequate (3–4 pts): Meets minimum requirements but concerns exist
  • Poor (1–2 pts): Significant concerns regarding capacity
  • Unacceptable (0 pts): Does not address capacity

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  2. Resource & Project Management (10 Points)

  • Excellent (9–10 pts): Comprehensive staffing and project controls; low risk
  • Good (7–8 pts): Sound approach with minor gaps
  • Adequate (5–6 pts): Basic approach; lacks detail or assurance
  • Poor (1–4 pts): Weak or unrealistic approach
  • Unacceptable (0 pts): Not addressed

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  3. Project Administration & Communication (8 Points)

  • Excellent (7–8 pts): Clear structure, strong controls, proactive communication
  • Good (5–6 pts): Adequate structure and communication methods
  • Adequate (3–4 pts): Minimal explanation; meets baseline
  • Poor (1–2 pts): Inadequate or unclear approach
  • Unacceptable (0 pts): Not addressed

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  4. Independence & Conflicts (10 Points)

  • Excellent (9–10 pts): Full GAO compliance demonstrated; thorough disclosure of all relationships, financial interests, and prior engagements with the City or related parties; explicitly acknowledges findings may be used in legal or administrative proceedings and confirms no impairments to objectivity in that context.
  • Good (7–8 pts): Meets independence standards; disclosures acceptable; minor gaps in addressing litigation context but no material concerns 
  • Adequate (5–6 pts): Basic disclosure provided; compliant on its face but limited acknowledgment of heightened independence requirements of a forensic engagement 
  • Poor (1–4 pts): Incomplete disclosures; relationships or prior engagements not fully addressed; objectivity questionable in an investigative context 
  • Unacceptable (0 pts): Independence not demonstrated or material conflict identified 

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  5. Licensing & Firm Qualifications (10 Points)

  • Excellent (9–10 pts): Strong Firm-level qualifications; clean peer reviews; demonstrated forensic audit or investigative accounting practice with governmental client focus
  • Good (7–8 pts): Qualified Firm with established governmental practice; minor gaps in forensic-specific experience at the Firm level
  • Adequate (5–6 pts): Meets minimum licensing and qualification requirements; forensic or investigative practice limited or not clearly defined
  • Poor (1–4 pts): Significant qualification concerns; missing licensure information; limited or no demonstrable forensic practice
  • Unacceptable (0 pts): Does not meet minimum licensing or qualification requirements

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  6. Key Personnel Experience & Continuity (14 Points)

  • Excellent (13–14 pts): Lead and supporting personnel hold relevant forensic credentials (e.g., CFE, CFF, or equivalent); direct experience in fraud examination, investigative accounting, or litigation support demonstrated; strong continuity plan with qualified backup personnel identified 
  • Good (10–12 pts): Key personnel hold or are pursuing forensic credentials; relevant investigative experience demonstrated with minor gaps in depth or litigation context; acceptable continuity approach 
  • Adequate (7–9 pts): Personnel meet general audit experience requirements; forensic or investigative experience limited; credentials are standard audit-focused rather than forensic-specific; continuity plan present but lacks depth 
  • Poor (1–6 pts): Key personnel lack forensic credentials or investigative experience; continuity plan absent or inadequate 
  • Unacceptable (0 pts): Key personnel not identified or clearly unqualified for a forensic engagement 

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  7. Relevant Engagement Experience (14 Points)

  • Excellent (11–14 pts): Multiple highly comparable forensic audit or investigative accounting engagements demonstrated; experience with fraud examination, litigation support, or government investigative work preferred 
  • Good (9–10 pts): Comparable forensic or investigative experience demonstrated; minor gaps in similarity or governmental context 
  • Adequate (6–8 pts): General audit experience with some forensic relevance; limited direct similarity to the scope of this engagement 
  • Poor (1–5 pts): Minimal or weakly related experience; engagements cited are standard audit work with no meaningful forensic component 
  • Unacceptable (0 pts): No relevant experience demonstrated 

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  8. Audit Methodology & Risk Management (14 Points)

  • Excellent (11–14 pts): Methodology explicitly tailored to forensic and investigative requirements; addresses evidence collection, preservation, and chain of custody; demonstrates awareness of admissibility standards and litigation readiness; includes fraud risk assessment framework 
  • Good (9–10 pts): Sound forensic methodology with clear investigative orientation; minor gaps in evidentiary or litigation-readiness protocols; risk controls adequate 
  • Adequate (6–8 pts): General audit methodology with some forensic adaptation; lacks specificity on evidence handling or chain of custody; standard risk controls present but not tailored to investigative work 
  • Poor (1–5 pts): Methodology is generic; no meaningful distinction between standard financial audit and forensic approach; evidentiary requirements not addressed 
  • Unacceptable (0 pts): No methodology presented or approach wholly inconsistent with the requirements of a forensic engagement 

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  9. Pricing, Assurances & Compliance (12 Points)

  • Excellent (9–12 pts): Clear, competitive pricing; full compliance
  • Good (7–8 pts): Reasonable pricing; minor issues
  • Adequate (5–6 pts): Acceptable but lacks clarity
  • Poor (1–4 pts): Pricing concerns or incomplete assurances
  • Unacceptable (0 pts): Non‑responsive or materially deficient

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  Total Possible Score: 100 Points

   

• Scope of Service & Specifications —
  1. The City is issuing this Request for Proposals (RFP) for Forensic Auditing Services to engage a Certified Public Accounting Firm with Forensic Audit Service responsibilities.  The Accounting Firm must provide at least one (1) Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) as part of the engagement team.  The requested review period includes July 1, 2022, through January 1, 2026.  The initial contract term will be six (6) months.
  2. The engagement must be conducted in accordance with Government Auditing Standards ("Yellow Book"), 2024 Revision, issued by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).
  3. The selected Firm shall conduct all work in accordance with Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS) and shall possess demonstrated experience conducting forensic audits, investigations, and related engagements for governmental entities. The Firm must be capable of producing work products that may be relied upon for administrative action, regulatory review, criminal referral, civil litigation, or other legal proceedings, if necessary. 
  4. The City may elect, if it is in the best interest of the City, to proceed with the negotiations with one or more qualified Firms.  Firms may be asked to provide oral presentations.
  5. There is no expressed or implied obligation for the City to reimburse the responding Firms for any expense incurred in preparing proposals in response to this RFP. 
  6. The scope of work will encompass selected financial transactions, accounting records, internal controls, revenues, expenditures, contracts, grants, procurements, vendor payments, and related supporting documentation maintained within any of the City's governmental, proprietary, fiduciary, debt service, capital project, or special revenue funds. The forensic auditor may be requested to perform procedures within any fund, account group, department, program, transaction class, or financial activity maintained by the City. The specific scope, focus areas, and extent of testing will be determined during the planning phase of the engagement and may be modified throughout the course of the engagement based upon risk assessments, preliminary findings, or other factors identified during the engagement:

   

• Laws and Municipal Ordinances —

  The Firm must be fully informed of all laws and municipal ordinances and regulations affecting those engaged or employed in the work, or equipment used in the City. The Firm shall, at all times, observe and comply with all such existing laws, codes, ordinances, regulations, orders, and decrees. All work shall comply with the laws of the State of Michigan, City ordinances, and all other bodies having jurisdictional authority.

• Deliverables/Reports to be Issued —
  1. Following the completion of the engagement, the Firm shall issue the following reports:
  2. Draft report delivered to the Director of Finance for review before finalization.
  3. Formal written final report
  4. One (1) interim status briefing
  5. Management letter containing recommendations for improvement in processes and procedures, if any, within fourteen (14) days of completion.
  6. Verbal presentation of final findings to City leadership and designated officials.
  7. Schedule of findings and questioned costs.
  8. Internal control findings and recommendations, if identified during the engagement.
  9. The Firm shall deliver to the City, at its cost, five (5) bound paper copies and one (1) searchable electronic (PDF). The City reserves the right to reproduce additional copies in-house as needed.
• Non-Discrimination —

  The Firm agrees to comply with the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended; the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1991 as amended; the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as amended; the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, Article 2, Act no. 453, Public Act of 1976 as amended; Michigan Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act, Article 2, Act no. 220, Public Act of 1976, as amended and all other applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. Specifically, Firms and subcontractors are required not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment with respect to such person’s hire, tenure, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, or any matter directly or indirectly related to employment because of such person’s height, weight, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, sex, or disability, as defined by law. A breach of this covenant may be regarded as a material breach of the contract.

• Indemnification —
  1. Indemnification by Firm
     1. The Firm shall indemnify and hold harmless the City and its officials, officers, employees, agents, and representatives (collectively, the “City Indemnitees”) from and against any and all third-party claims, damages, losses, liabilities, judgments, costs, and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, to the extent arising out of or resulting from the negligent acts, errors, or omissions of the Firm, or the willful misconduct, reckless conduct, breach of confidentiality, or violation of law by the Firm or its employees, agents, subcontractors, or representatives, in connection with the performance of services under this Agreement.
  2. Carve-Outs to Limitations of Liability
     1. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, any limitation of liability, damages cap, or proportional liability provision contained in this Agreement shall not apply to the Firm’s obligations under this Section to the extent a claim arises out of or results from any of the following.
        1. Gross negligence in the performance of professional services
        2. Willful misconduct or intentional wrongdoing
        3. Reckless conduct demonstrating conscious disregard of professional duties or likely consequences
        4. Breach of confidentiality, unauthorized disclosure, or misuse of the City’s confidential, proprietary, or sensitive information
        5. Fraud, unlawful acts, or material violations of applicable law
  3. No Contractual Cap for Carve-Out Claims
     1. For claims falling within the carve-out above, the Firm’s indemnification obligations shall not be subject to any contractual limitation of liability, damages cap, or similar restriction otherwise set forth in this Agreement.
• Preliminary Fieldwork Period —
  1. The City expects to have records ready and personnel available to meet with the Firm’s personnel for preliminary work as of Mid-August.  Preliminary fieldwork may be flexibly scheduled upon mutual agreement between the City and the Firm. Major fieldwork will begin on or about the beginning of September.
• Engagement Schedule —
  1. A schedule for the engagement must be submitted with the Firm’s proposal and must contain the following milestones:
     1. Interim work plan.
     2. Detailed investigative work plan, including total staff hours for investigative procedures.
     3. Field work schedule.
     4. Draft reports availability.
     5. Final report date.
• Jurisdictional Authority —

  The contract(s) awarded to the successful Firm(s) shall be governed by and construed according to the laws of the State of Michigan and the successful Firm consents to the jurisdiction and venue of the courts in Oakland County, Michigan and of the United States District Court for the Eastern District, Southern Division.

• Entire Agreement and Severability —

  The Contract shall constitute the complete and exclusive statement of the agreement between the parties.  A judicial or administrative declaration on the invalidity of any one or more of the provisions of the Contract shall not invalidate the remaining provisions of this agreement.

• Assistance to be Provided to the Auditor and Report —
  1. City Staff and Clerical Assistance
     1. The City’s staff and responsible management personnel will be available during the engagement to assist the Firm by providing information, documentation and explanations. The preparation of any confirmations will be the responsibility of the City.
  2. Work Area and Office Resources
     1. The City will provide the Firm with reasonable workspace, desks, chairs, and access to telephone, photocopying, and wireless internet during on-site fieldwork.
  3. Report Preparation
     1. The City will provide records, documentation, and information necessary to complete the forensic audit engagement and will review draft reports for factual accuracy prior to final issuance.
• Income and Sales Taxes —

  The successful Firm agrees to contact the City of Pontiac Income Tax Division, Audit and Compliance Section, 47450 Woodward, Pontiac, Michigan, 48342, telephone (248) 758-3092, to establish reporting and withholding obligations under the City of Pontiac income tax ordinance. The successful Firm will require the same of all subcontractors employing labor under this contract. The successful Firm is required to withhold City of Pontiac income tax from wages paid to:
  
  Pontiac resident employees regardless of where they work for the employer; and
  Nonresident employees for work performed in the City.
  
  The successful Firm is also required to file Pontiac income tax returns and to report and pay income tax on the net profits earned by the service provider in the City of Pontiac. Firms are not eligible for the award if they have not filed or paid corporate and employee income tax to the City of Pontiac.
  
  Web page URL: http://www.pontiac.mi.us/departments/income_tax/index.php
  Tax forms URL: http://www.pontiac.mi.us/departments/income_tax/tax_forms.php
  
  By statute, the city is exempt from the State Sales and Use Tax and the Federal Excise Tax; therefore, all fees do not include tax.

• Instructions to Firms —
  1. Response Format
     1. Proposals should be organized in the sequence outlined below, in a professional manner that is clear and concise. The proposal should demonstrate the Firm’s ability to satisfy the requirements of the RFP.
     2. Firms should include the items below within the proposal and in the following order:
  2. Executive Summary
     1. The Firm must provide an executive summary condensing and highlighting the contents of the proposal. The executive summary should provide the reader with an overall understanding of the proposal and the Firm’s approach and methodology, and should include descriptions of the following:
        1. The Firm’s current contractual workload from the perspective of how the Firm’s obligation to other clients may impact the performance of the work specified herein.
        2. The Firm’s approach for managing acquisition or allocation of resources, and the ongoing management of those resources, and the management of deliverables during the term of the contract if awarded.
        3. The administrative approach and project management techniques that the Firm expects to employ during the contract term to ensure the coordination and timeliness of the work, the managerial techniques and tools proposed to control the work, and the methodologies proposed to enhance communications between the Firm and the City.
  3. Independence
     1. The Firm should provide an affirmative statement that it is independent of the City as defined by the U.S. Government Accountability Office’s Governmental Auditing Standards.
        1. The Firm should also provide an affirmative statement that it is independent of all of the contracted service providers of the City as defined by those same standards.
        2. The Firm should also list and describe the Firm’s professional relationships involving the City or any of its contracted service providers for the past five (5) years, together with a statement explaining why such relationships do not impair independence.
  4. License to Practice in Michigan
     1. An affirmative statement should be included indicating the Firm and all assigned key professional staff are properly licensed to practice in Michigan.
  5. Firm Demographics
     1. The proposal should state the size of the Firm, size of the Firm’s governmental staff, location of the office from which work on this engagement is to be performed, the number and nature of professional staff to be employed in this engagement on a full-time basis, and the number and nature of staff to be employed on a part-time basis. The Firm is also required to submit a copy of the report on its most recent external quality control review, with a statement whether that quality control review included a review of specific government engagements. The Firm shall also provide information on the results of any federal or state desk reviews or field reviews of its audits during the past three (3) years. In addition, the Firm shall provide information on the circumstances and status of any disciplinary action taken or pending against the Firm during the past three (3) years with state regulatory bodies or professional organizations.
  6. Partner, Supervisory and Staff Qualifications and Experience
     1. The Firm should identify the principal supervisory and management staff, including engagement partners, managers, other supervisors and specialists, who would be assigned to the engagement and indicate whether each such person is licensed to practice as a certified public accountant in Michigan. The Firm should also provide information on the governmental auditing experience of each person.
        1. The Firm should provide as much information as possible regarding the number, qualifications, experience and training, including relevant continuing professional education, of the specific staff to be assigned to this engagement. The Firm also should indicate how the continuing quality of staff over the term of the agreement would be assured.
        2. Engagement partners, managers, other supervisory staff and specialists may be changed if those personnel leave the Firm, are promoted, or are assigned to another office. These personnel may also be changed for other reasons with the express prior written permission of the City. However, in either case the City retains the right to approve or reject replacements.
        3. Consultants and Firm specialists mentioned in response to this RFP can only be changed with the express prior written permission of the City, which retains the right to approve or reject replacements. Other Firm personnel may be changed, provided replacements have substantially the same or better qualifications and experience.
        4. A specific and sufficiently detailed description of the Firm’s process for obtaining and maintaining current expertise in auditing standards and requirements applying to local units of government in Michigan should be a particular focus of the proposal.
  7. Engagement Experience
     1. For the Firm’s office that will be assigned responsibility for the audit, list at least three (3) engagements performed in the last five (5) years that are similar to the engagement described in this RFP. Indicate the scope of work, date, engagement partners, total hours and the name and telephone number of the principal client contact. Additional references, beyond three (3), of this type are preferred.
        1. The City is seeking proposals from Firms with significant comparable experience. It will be important for the Firm to demonstrate successful experience in directly comparable situations, including, but not necessarily limited to, cities with component units, bonded debt, Court Fund and similar sized staff and budgets.
  8. Specific Engagement Approach
     1. The proposal should set forth a work plan, including an explanation of the investigative methodology to be followed.
  9. Identification of Anticipated Potential Engagement Problems
     1. The proposal should identify and describe any potential engagement problems, the Firm’s approach to resolving these problems, and any special assistance that will be requested from the City.
  10. Total All-Inclusive Maximum Cost
      1. Total All-Inclusive Maximum Cost. The proposal shall contain all pricing information relative to performing the engagement as described in this RFP. Pricing shall be listed as a Total Proposed Not-to-Exceed Fee and shall include an estimate of total staff hours broken down between partner, manager, and staff accountants, etc. The total Not-to-Exceed Fee shall contain all direct and indirect costs, including all travel and out-of-pocket expenses.
  11. Pricing for the proposed contract term shall be fully specified 
      
      1. The cost for the term of engagement shall be fixed and not adjustable.
         1. The proposal shall also include standard hourly rates by staff classification for any additional services requested outside the scope of this RFP.
  12. Conflict of Interest
      1. The Firm must indicate any potential conflict of interest that exists concerning their ability to respond to this RFP. This includes a description of the Firm’s relationship to the City or any of its employees, officers, agents, or agencies, component units, or oversight unit(s), together with a statement explaining why such relationships do not constitute a conflict of interest relative to performing the services in the proposal. Pursuant to the provisions of Public Act 317 of 1968, as amended (MCL 15.321 et seq.), no contracts shall be entered into between the Firm and the City including all agencies and departments thereof, and any employee or officer of the City.
  13. Firm’s Certification Page and Receipt of Addendums (Attachment A)
      1. Addendums are the City’s clarification or modification to the RFP. The Firm must sign the RFP Vendor’s Certificate page. The individual signing on behalf of the Firm must be an officer, manager, partner or other person legally authorized to bind the Firm to the proposal.
  14. Contract Terms Acceptance
      1. The Firm must provide a written statement that the Firm will accept the terms of the City contract included in the proposal. Comments or requests for changes with regard to the contract terms and conditions must be included with the proposal. The willingness or ability of the City to accept or negotiate such suggested changes will be considered on a case-by-case basis. If a proposal contains requests for contract modifications, the decision to reject, accept, or further negotiate requested changes will be at the City’s sole discretion. If the Firm normally seeks legal review of contract terms, this process should occur prior to proposal submission.
  15. W-9
      1. The Firm must include a completed and signed IRS Form W-9, signed within the last thirty (30) calendar days.
  16. Contact Information
      1. The Firm must provide a list identifying and providing contact information for the engagement manager, account manager or single point-of-contact for all matters pertaining to the contract resulting from the contract if awarded.
  17. Litigation Disclosure
      1. The Firm must provide a list identifying any litigation in which the Firm is involved or has been involved in the eighteen (18) months before the date of the RFP response submittal.
  18. Suggested Scope and Timeline
      1. The Firm must provide a suggested Scope of Service with a suggested timeline.
  19. Price Guarantee
      1. The Firm must provide a statement that any submitted response and costs will remain valid for ninety (90) days after the proposal due date or until the contract is executed, whichever comes first.
  20. References
      1. The Firm shall provide a list of its last three engagements of equal size and scope for reference. Unexplained gaps in performance, service, or comparable project size may result in the proposal being disqualified. For each reference, the Firm shall provide:
         1. principal contact name, title, telephone number, and email address;
         2. a brief description of the work performed; and
         3. the timeframe during which the work was performed.
         4. The City reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to contact any organization or individual that may have knowledge of the Firm for the purpose of verifying the information provided. The City will check references as a method of determining the responsibility of the responsive Firm
  21. Attachments
      1. Firms must sign RFP attachments and include them in their proposal
• PROGRESS PAYMENTS/RETAINAGE —

  All invoices submitted against the contract must identify the work performed in detail.  Items not properly invoiced will not be paid. The Firm is responsible for ensuring invoice(s) delivery to the City. Invoices must meet the following conditions for payment:

  1. Price on the invoice must correspond to the pricing listed on the purchase order and/or contract.
  2. All invoices must be original.
  3. Invoices shall prominently display the applicable purchase order number, if any.
  4. Invoices shall be submitted upon completion and acceptance of agreed-upon project milestones, unless otherwise authorized in writing by the City.
  5. The original invoice shall be emailed to the requesting department at the email address provided upon contract award.

  Payments shall be milestone-based and tied to the completion and acceptance of agreed-upon deliverables. All approved invoices shall be paid in accordance with the City's standard payment terms of Net 30. 

• Examination and Selection of Proposals —
  1. Before submitting a qualifications proposal, Firms shall carefully examine the specifications and shall fully inform themselves as to all existing conditions and limitations. Proposals may be subjected to a multi-stage evaluation and selection process. The City may choose to ask clarification questions in writing and include the additional information gathered in the evaluation process.
     1. Proposal Review (Stage One)
        1. The first stage will begin with a review of the response to the RFP.  Proposals not meeting mandatory or minimum requirements will not be considered. Incomplete proposals may not be considered. Proposals not deemed within the competitive range will not be considered. The City may disqualify a Vendor for any reason without explanation. A short list of proposals will move into the next stage of the evaluation.
     2. Presentation and Interviews (Stage Two)
        1. Stage two may consist of interviews to clarify proposal content and offerings, discuss potential statements of work, and interviews of proposing Firms for experience and best suited City partner.
     3. References (Stage Three)
        1. References will be checked to address issues raised during the demonstrations, interviews, and product testing or to answer detailed questions not yet resolved.
• Administrative Information —
  1. Modifications and Clarifications
     1. In the event that it becomes necessary to revise any part of this RFP, the City will publish an addendum on the OpenGov Platform.  It is the Firm’s responsibility to carefully and regularly monitor OpenGov Portal for any such postings. The City will NOT send out notifications regarding updates.
  2. Firm Inquiries
     1. Unless otherwise noted, Firms must submit inquiries concerning this RFP to obtain clarification of requirements. The City will neither accept nor answer inquiries the City receives after the deadline indicated in the Solicitation Process Milestone Schedule. Submit all inquiries through the OpenGov Portal Clearly identify your inquiries. Responses to Firms’ Inquiries will be published through the OpenGov Portal.
  3. Procurement Representatives
     1. TThe City's representatives for this RFP are Adam Caten, Purchasing Manager, and Michel Reith, Buyer III. The City's Representative shall administer the competitive bid process for this project.  Firms shall not contact City personnel in reference to this RFP and shall not reply to verbal or written statements by City personnel concerning this RFP, except as otherwise provided in this RFP.
  4. Public Opening
     1. The Public Opening of Proposals will occur on the date and at the time reflected in timeline of section 2.1 (Solicitation Process Milestone Schedule). The Public Opening of Proposals will be held via Teams link.
  5. Confidential/Proprietary Information
     1. The City is a public entity whose records are subject to Michigan's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL 15.231 et seq,. Once the City awards a contract, then all proposals, whether successful or not, will become public records subject to public inspection in accordance with FOIA. For this reason, the City requests that Firms DO NOT submit in their proposals information that they consider trade secrets, or otherwise confidential or sensitive commercial, financial, personal or security-related (“Confidential Information”) except as absolutely necessary to respond to the RFP. Firms who decide that they need to submit Confidential Information in order to effectively respond to the RFP will follow this process:
        1. Package the Confidential Information that is necessary to the RFP response in a file that is separate from the remainder of the RFP response.
        2. Mark the file with “Confidential Information” or similar words.
        3. Review the remainder of the proposal and ensure that it contains no Confidential Information.
        4. Include a statement in the proposal that (1) identifies the separately packed information marked “Confidential Information,” and (2) describes the basis on which the Firm wishes to exempt the content of the package from public inspection under FOIA.
        5. Following this process may protect some Confidential Information from public disclosure to the extent allowed by FOIA and other applicable law. The City does not guarantee that following this process will in fact protect Confidential Information from FOIA disclosure.
  6. Expense Preparing Proposal
     1. The City will NOT reimburse Firms for any expense incurred while preparing proposals in response to this RFP. Submission of a proposal indicates acceptance by the Firm of the conditions contained in this RFP unless clearly and specifically noted in the submitted proposal and confirmed in the written contract between the City and the selected Firm.
• Clarifications and Protests —

  Any Firm requiring clarification of the provisions of this solicitation must submit specific questions to the City. Firms must upload all questions and protests of specifications to OpenGov by the deadline indicated on the cover page of the solicitation. All protests must identify the requirement, provision or feature of this solicitation that is unclear or that requires explanation. The protest must also address attachments including, but not limited to, the contract that the potential Firm believes is ambiguous, unclear, unfair, contrary to law or likely to limit competition. The purpose of this deadline is to allow the City time to correct any term or condition in this solicitation and/or contract that may be unlawful, improvident, unduly restrictive of competition, or otherwise inappropriate. By allowing corrections before opening Proposals, the City intends to avoid or minimize much of the waste inherent in protests and in the possible rejection of all Proposals. Failure of a Firm to protest in accordance with this section will be deemed in acceptance of the terms of this solicitation and contract and serve as a waiver of Firm's rights to later contend that either the solicitation or contract is ambiguous, unclear, unfair, contrary to law or likely to limit competition.

   

  The deadline for submitting protests is 4:00 P.M. ET, five (5) days prior to the bid submission deadline indicated in the solicitation's timeline. If the City of Pontiac’s Purchasing Division determines that additional information or clarification is necessary, such information or clarification will be supplied in the form of an addendum, which the City Purchasing Division’s personnel will upload to OpenGov. All such addendum will have the same binding effect as though contained in the main body of the solicitation. Oral instructions or oral information concerning the specifications from City managers, employees, or agents to prospective Firms shall not bind the City of Pontiac.

• Submittal Instructions —
  1. Deadline for Submission
     Proposals or qualifications must be received no later than the deadline specified in the solicitation. Late submissions will not be considered.
  2. Submission Format
     Respondents must follow the submission instructions provided in the solicitation. Incomplete or nonconforming submissions may be deemed non-responsive.
  3. Withdrawal of Proposals
     Responses may be withdrawn prior to the submission deadline by written notice to the City. No withdrawals are permitted after the deadline.
  4. FOIA Notice
     Submissions may be subject to disclosure under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL 15.231 et seq. Respondents must clearly identify proprietary or confidential information, although the City reserves the right to make the final determination of disclosure obligations.
• Disclaimer Regarding Proposal Submission and Award —
  1. Submission of a proposal to the City of Pontiac does not guarantee the award of a contract. All solicitations are subject to review, evaluation, and approval in accordance with applicable City procurement policies and procedures.
  2. No contract shall be formed between the City and any Firm until a formal agreement is executed and approved by the appropriate City authority, including City Council where required.
  3. Firms are solely responsible for all costs incurred in the preparation and submission of a proposal.

  .

• Contract Execution —
  1. Contract Execution
     1. No binding agreement shall exist until a contract has been approved by City Council and executed by authorized representatives of both parties.
  2. Term and Termination
     1. The contract term will be defined in the agreement. The City reserves the right to terminate the contract for convenience or cause, with notice as defined in the contract.
  3. Independent Contractor Status
     1. The selected Firm shall operate as an independent contractor and not as an employee or agent of the City.
  4. Compliance with Laws
     1. All services provided must comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws, including licensing, civil rights laws, and nondiscrimination provisions.
  5. Standard of Care
     1. The selected Firm shall perform services with the same degree of care, skill, and diligence as is ordinarily possessed and exercised by members of the same profession under similar circumstances.
• Ownership, Confidentiality, & Document Preservation —
  1. Ownership of Deliverables
     1. All reports, work papers, data, memoranda, analyses, drawings, plans, and other deliverables, whether in draft or final form, produced by the Firm under the Contract shall be made available to the City. The City shall have the right, at any time, to access, copy, and retain such materials. The Firm shall deliver all such materials to the City upon request and upon completion or termination of the Contract.
  2. Confidentiality
     1. The Firm shall treat all information, data, records, documents, and materials provided by the City, obtained from the City, or accessed in connection with the services as confidential to the fullest extent permitted by law, and shall not disclose such information to any third party without the City’s prior written consent except as required by law. The Firm shall use such information solely for purposes of performing the services under the Contract and shall take appropriate measures to prevent unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or misuse.
  3. Immediate Notice of Record Tampering or Concealment
     1. The Firm shall immediately notify the City in writing if the Firm becomes aware of any act or attempted act by any subject of the investigation, or by any other person, to destroy, alter, conceal, remove, falsify, or otherwise tamper with any record, document, electronically stored information, or other evidence that may be relevant to the services or investigation. The Firm shall preserve any evidence of such conduct, document the circumstances to the extent reasonably possible, and cooperate fully with the City regarding any responsive action.
• Additional Terms —
  1. Addenda
     1. All clarifications, changes, or modifications to the solicitation will be issued as written addenda. Respondents are responsible for ensuring they have reviewed and acknowledged all addenda.
  2. Costs Incurred
     1. The City is not liable for any costs incurred by respondents in preparing or submitting proposals, attending interviews, or negotiating contracts.
  3. Subcontracting:
     1. The Firm may utilize subcontractors in the performance of the services under this Contract. The Firm shall provide advance written notice to the City identifying any subcontractors to be used and the scope of work to be performed.
     2. The Firm shall remain fully responsible for the performance, acts, and omissions of any subcontractors and their employees or agents, to the same extent as if the services were performed by the Firm. The use of subcontractors shall not relieve the Firm of any obligations under this Contract.
     3. All subcontractors shall be required to comply with the applicable terms and conditions of this Contract, including but not limited to insurance, confidentiality, and data security requirements.
     4. The Firm shall ensure that all subcontract agreements are in writing and consistent with the provisions of this Contract.
  4. Conflict of Interest
     1. Firms shall disclose in writing any actual or potential conflicts of interest related to this engagement. The City reserves the right to determine whether a disclosed conflict of interest is material and whether such conflict disqualifies a Firm from consideration or continued performance under the resulting contract.
  5. Equal Employment Opportunity
     1. Firms must comply with applicable nondiscrimination and affirmative action laws, including the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, MCL 37.2101 et seq., and the Michigan Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act.
  6. Force Majeure
     1. Neither party shall be held liable for failure to perform due to events beyond its reasonable control, such as natural disasters, labor strikes, or governmental restrictions.
• Proof of Insurance —

  The Firm shall provide the City of Pontiac, at the time the contracts are returned by the Firm for execution, a Certificate of Insurance as well as the required endorsements. In lieu of required endorsements, if applicable, a copy of the policy sections where coverage is provided for additional insured and cancellation notice would be acceptable. Copies or certified copies of all policies mentioned above shall be furnished if so requested.

  1. Commercial General Liability Insurance

  Minimum Limit: $1,000,000 per occurrence

  Aggregate Limit: $2,000,000

  Must include:

  Bodily Injury and Property Damage

  Products and Completed Operations

  Personal and Advertising Injury

   

  2. Commercial Automobile Liability

  Minimum Limit: $1,000,000 Combined Single Limit

  Covers all owned, non-owned, and hired vehicles.

   

  3. Workers’ Compensation Insurance

  Required by law if the provider has employees.

  Must comply with Michigan statutory requirements.

  Employers Liability Minimums:

  $100,000 Each Accident

  $500,000 Disease Policy Limit

  $100,000 Disease Each Employee

   

  4. Umbrella / Excess Liability Insurance

  Additional $4,000,000. Additional limits may be required based upon the scope of services and the City's risk assessment. 

   

  5. Professional Liability (Errors & Omissions)

  $5,000,000 per claim

   

  6. Cyber Liability 

  $1,000,000 per occurrence

   

  7. Certificate of Insurance (COI) Requirements

  Must name the City of Pontiac as Additional Insured for both ongoing and completed operations. Must provide 30-day notice of cancellation or non-renewal.

  COI must be submitted and approved prior to the event.

   

  If any of the above coverages expire during the term of this contract, the Firm shall deliver renewal certificates and/or policies to the City of Pontiac at least ten (10) days prior to the expiration date.

• Collusion and Price Fixing Prohibited —

  Firms are strictly prohibited from engaging in any form of collusion, price fixing, bid rigging, or other anti-competitive practices in connection with this solicitation. Each Firm, by submitting a proposal, certifies that:

  1. The prices in the proposal have been independently determined without consultation, communication, or agreement with any other Firm or potential Firm, and are not intended to restrict competition.

  2. The Firm has not knowingly disclosed proposal prices, terms, or conditions to any competitor before the official proposal opening; and

  3. No attempt has been made or will be made by the Firm to induce any other person or other Firm to submit or refrain from submitting a proposal for the purpose of limiting competition.

  If the City determines that collusion, price fixing, or any related prohibited conduct has occurred, the Firm(s) involved will be disqualified from further consideration, and any contract awarded may be terminated immediately. The City reserves the right to refer such matters to appropriate legal authorities for investigation and potential prosecution.

• NON-ASSIGNMENT OR TRANSFER —

  The Firm shall not assign or transfer the Contract without prior written approval of the Mayor or the Mayor's designee.

• CITY RULES —

  The successful Firm's employees shall comply with all instructions issued by representatives of the City of Pontiac.

• Whistleblower Protection / Non-Retaliation —
  The Firm shall comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws relating to whistleblower protections and non-retaliation, including, without limitation, the Michigan Whistleblowers’ Protection Act, MCL 15.361 et seq. The Firm shall not discharge, discipline, threaten, intimidate, retaliate against, or otherwise take adverse action against any City employee, official, agent, or representative because such person, in good faith, reports, is about to report, or participates in the investigation of a suspected violation of law, rule, regulation, policy, fraud, misuse of public funds, abuse of authority, or other improper governmental activity. The Firm shall promptly report to the City any alleged retaliation, interference, or obstruction related to such protected activity and shall cooperate fully with any related review or investigation.
• FOIA Compliance and Protection of Auditor Work Product —
  1. Identification of Confidential Work Product
     1. The City acknowledges that the performance of this forensic audit requires the creation of highly sensitive investigative materials. Pursuant to the Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL 15.231 et seq., the Firm shall clearly mark relevant materials as proprietary, confidential, or trade secrets. Confidential work product protected under this provision explicitly includes, but is not limited to:
        1. Draft reports, preliminary findings, and internal memoranda.
        2. Interview notes, audio/video recordings, and witness statements.
        3. Transaction analyses, forensic data extractions, and proprietary analytical models.
  2. Immediate Notice of Subpoena or Legal Process
     1. Mandatory Notification
        1. If the Firm or any of its personnel are served with a subpoena, court order, civil investigative demand, or any other legal process compelling the production of documents, testimony, or work product related to this forensic audit, the Firm must notify the City immediately, and no later than forty-eight (48) hours after receipt.
     2.  Coordination and Defense
        1. Notification must be sent in writing to the City Attorney and the City’s designated contract administrator. Before complying with any legal process, the Firm shall: 
           1. Provide the City a copy of the legal demand.
           2. Afford the City the opportunity to seek a protective order, move to quash the subpoena, or pursue other legal remedies to limit or prevent disclosure.
           3. Cooperate reasonably with the City’s legal counsel to assert available privileges, including law enforcement exemptions, investigative privileges, or attorney work-product protections.
• Discovery of Potential Criminal Conduct —
  1. Immediate Cease and Notification Protocol. 
     1. If, during the performance of the forensic audit, the Firm discovers credible evidence or indicia of criminal conduct (including, but not limited to, fraud, embezzlement, bribery, or theft of public funds), the Firm shall immediately halt any further investigative actions regarding that specific matter. Before interviewing additional witnesses, confronting suspects, or expanding the scope of the inquiry into the suspected criminal behavior, the Firm must immediately notify the City Finance Director in writing via secure, confidential communication.
         
  2. Chain of Custody and Evidence Preservation.
     1. Upon the discovery of potential criminal conduct, the Firm must take all steps necessary to preserve the integrity, authenticity, and legal admissibility of all related evidence. The Firm shall:
        1. Isolate and Secure: Immediately isolate all affected physical documents, digital media, server logs, and transaction records to prevent alteration, destruction, or spoliation.
        2. Maintain the Log: Implement and maintain a strict, written Chain of Custody Log documenting the exact date, time, physical or digital location, and identity of every individual who accesses, handles, or transfers the evidence.
        3. Digital Forensics: Utilize industry-standard, write-blocked forensic imaging techniques for all digital data extractions to ensure metadata is preserved without alteration.
  3. Coordination with Law Enforcement.
     1. The Firm acknowledges that premature investigative action could compromise a parallel or subsequent law enforcement investigation. The Firm shall not contact law enforcement, regulatory bodies, or external prosecutors directly unless required by law. The City Finance Director, in consultation with the City Attorney and Public Integrity Officer, retains sole authority to determine if, when, and how the evidence will be turned over to law enforcement agencies (e.g., local police, Michigan State Police, or the Michigan Attorney General). The Firm shall cooperate fully with any subsequent law enforcement requests as directed by the City. 
• Data Security and Confidentiality Requirements —
  1. The Firm shall implement and maintain appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect all City data. All transmissions of City data shall be encrypted using industry‑standard encryption protocols. The Firm shall not transmit, store, or process City data using unencrypted methods.
  2. The Firm is prohibited from storing, accessing, or processing City data on personal devices or on any devices or media that are not secured and encrypted in accordance with industry standards.
  3. Upon final acceptance of the deliverables by the City, or upon termination of the Contract, whichever occurs first, the Firm shall securely destroy all City data in its possession, custody, or control within sixty (60) days, and shall certify in writing to the City that such destruction has been completed.
  4. The Firm shall notify the City in writing of any actual or suspected unauthorized access, disclosure, or breach of City data within forty‑eight (48) hours of discovery. Such notice shall include, to the extent known, the nature of the breach, the data affected, corrective actions taken, and proposed measures to prevent recurrence.

Submission Requirements

• Confirm that you have read and understand all of the project requirements (Scope of Work/Service). (required)
• Provide the owner information. Include the Firm’s name, address, primary telephone, and email address. Identify authorized signer(s) for the organization. (required)
• Provide a brief history of the Firm, years in business, Firm size, and organizational chart. (required)
• WorkLoad & Capacity (required) —

  Please describe your Firm's current contractual workload and explain how existing client commitments will not adversely affect your ability to meet the City's audit schedule, staffing needs, and performance expectations?

• Resources & Project Management Approach (required) —

  What is your Firm's approach to allocating and managing audit resources through the contract term, including controls to ensure timely completion of deliverables and continuity of staffing?

• Project Administration & Communication (required) —

  Describe the administrative structure, project management techniques, tools, and communication methodologies your Firm will use to coordinate with the City and ensure transparency, timeliness, and issue resolution

• Independence & Conflicts (required) —

  Provide a formal written certification affirming that your Firm and all proposed engagement team members are independent of the City in accordance with the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS), Chapter 3. The certification shall affirm that neither the Firm nor any proposed team member has had any financial, employment, familial, or professional relationships with the City, its elected officials, employees, or contracted service providers during the three (3) years preceding the proposal submission date that would impair, or appear to impair, independence. 

  In addition, disclose any current or prior financial, employment, familial, or professional relationships with the City or its contracted service providers within the past five (5) years, regardless of whether such relationships are believed to impair independence. For each disclosed relationship, provide a description of the relationship, the dates involved, and an explanation of why the relationship does not impair independence under GAGAS. 

• Licensing & Firm Qualifications (required) —

  Can you confirm that your Firm and all assigned key staff are properly licensed to practice in Michigan and describe your Firm's size, governmental audit staffing, office location, and results of your most recent quality control review and any regulatory reviews within the past three (3) years.

• Key personnel Experience & Continuity (required) —

  Identify the proposed engagement partner, managers, and key staff, summarize their governmental audit and forensic audit experience (including Michigan local governments), and explain how staff continuity and expertise will be maintained over the contract term.

• Relevant Engagement & Experience (required) —

  Provide examples of at least three (3) comparable Michigan-based governmental forensic audit engagement performed within the past five (5) years and explain how this experience prepares your Firm to provide a forensic audit for the City.

• Audit Methodology & Risk Management (required) —

  Describe your specific forensic audit approach and work plan, including how you identify and assess, and address anticipated forensic audit risks or potential problem areas, and any assistance you would require from the staff.

• Pricing, Assurances and Compliance (required) —

  Please explain your total all-inclusive pricing structure, including staff hours estimates by classification, escalation approach (if any), hourly rates for out-of-scope services, and confirm acceptance of contract terms, price guarantee, submission of required forms (W-9, certificates, addendums), and absence of disqualifying conflicts or litigation.

• Evidence Collection (required) —

  Describe your Firm's approach to evidence collection, documentation, preservation, and chain of custody.

• Communication of sensitive findings (required) —

  Describe how your Firm handles communication of sensitive findings and information with stakeholders and describe your Firm's procedures for maintaining chain of custody and preserving electronic and documentary evidence. 

• Confidentiality and Data Security (required) —

  Describe your Firm's policies, procedures, and technical safeguards for protecting confidential and sensitive information obtained during this engagement. At a minimum, address the following:

  • Methods used to encrypt data in transit and at rest;
  • Controls governing access to City information, including role-based access and user authentication;
  • Policies regarding the use of personal devices, removable media, and remote access;
  • Procedures for secure transmission, storage, retention, and destruction of City data;
  • Incident response procedures, including breach notification processes;
  • Any relevant information security certifications, standards, or frameworks utilized by the Firm (e.g., SOC 2, ISO 27001, NIST, CIS Controls).
  • Describe the Firm's procedures for notifying the City of any actual or suspected data breach and the expected notification timeframe.
• Resumes and Certifications (required) —

  Provide all resumes and relevant certifications and/or licenses (e.g., CPA, CFE, CIA) of the proposed engagement team.  

• Business Registration (required) —

  Provide your Firm's current Michigan CPA Firm license from LARA.

• External peer review (required) —

  Provide your Firm's most recent external peer review report.

• Terms and Conditions Acknowledgement (required) —

  Please acknowledge that you have read and agree with the terms and conditions attached in this solicitation.  

• List Exceptions —

  Please identify exceptions to solicitation terms and conditions or attach redline version of Word document below.

• Please identify all exceptions, if applicable. —

  Upload here.

• Upload Proposal Documents Here! (required) —

  Refer to Instructions to Firms to identify the information that must be included in your Firm's Proposal.  The proposal shall also include standard hourly rates by staff classification for any additional services requested outside the scope of this RFP

• Does your proposal include Confidential/Trademark/Proprietary information? (required)
• Upload Confidential/Trademark/Proprietary Information Here!
• Does this Solicitation include the use of ARPA funds? (required)
• Will you be Scoring proposals? (required) —

  If Yes, suggested Evaluation Criteria will be included for review.

  If No, Evaluation Criteria will be included.