Consent 1.B.
Regular City Council Meeting
- Meeting Date:
- 02/27/2017
- TITLE
- Audit Services Contract
- PRESENTED BY:
- Patrick M. Weber
- Department:
- City Hall Administration
Presentation:
PROBLEM/ISSUE STATEMENT
The Finance Department recently prepared a RFP for annual audit services. The RFP was advertised in The Billings Times on December 22, and December 29, 2016, and three Billings firms and one Great Falls firm were sent copies. The RFP asked for a six (6) year commitment and fee schedule, but the State limits contracts to three (3) years. Staff is asking the City Council to approve the initial three-year contract for FY17-19, and authorize the Mayor to execute the second, three-year term contract (FY20-22) when allowed by the State (after 7-1-19) if the terms and conditions are acceptable to the parties at that time.
Proposals were received from four firms to provide audit services for the City’s regular audit, the state compliance audit, the state mandated audit of the Building Inspection Fund and federally required audit of the Airport Passenger Facilities charge. The four firms were EideBailly, Anderson ZurMuehlen, Wipfli, and Junkermier, Clark, Campanella and Stevens (JCCS).
The selection committee reviewed the proposals on Tuesday February 07, 2017. The committee was split between EideBailly and JCCS. The committee next opened the pricing proposals of JCCS and EideBailly. The JCCS pricing proposal was less than EideBailly's by $42,130 over the initial three-year contract term and $84,860 less over the six-year period.
The two top firms and the fees quoted for each year are as follows:
Firm FY17 FY18 FY19 FY20 FY21 FY22 Total
JCCS $57,490 57,490 59,490 59,490 61,490 61,490 $356,940
EideBailly $71,500 71,500 73,600 73,600 75,800 75,800 $441,800
JCCS has conducted audits for the Cities of Billings, Great Falls, and several smaller cities in Montana.
Proposals were received from four firms to provide audit services for the City’s regular audit, the state compliance audit, the state mandated audit of the Building Inspection Fund and federally required audit of the Airport Passenger Facilities charge. The four firms were EideBailly, Anderson ZurMuehlen, Wipfli, and Junkermier, Clark, Campanella and Stevens (JCCS).
The selection committee reviewed the proposals on Tuesday February 07, 2017. The committee was split between EideBailly and JCCS. The committee next opened the pricing proposals of JCCS and EideBailly. The JCCS pricing proposal was less than EideBailly's by $42,130 over the initial three-year contract term and $84,860 less over the six-year period.
The two top firms and the fees quoted for each year are as follows:
Firm FY17 FY18 FY19 FY20 FY21 FY22 Total
JCCS $57,490 57,490 59,490 59,490 61,490 61,490 $356,940
EideBailly $71,500 71,500 73,600 73,600 75,800 75,800 $441,800
JCCS has conducted audits for the Cities of Billings, Great Falls, and several smaller cities in Montana.
ALTERNATIVES ANALYZED
Council can approve the audit services contract with JCCS or not approve the contract. If Council does not approve the contract, staff requests that Council provide guidance on how to select an auditor to fulfill the state obligation.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The FY16 cost for audit services was $65,000. The proposed first year fee for JCCS is $57,490 and over six years, the contract is $84,860 less than the second place company proposal. The audit is a General Fund expense, but some of those costs are recaptured from other Funds through the Cost Allocation Plan.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council award the auditing contract to JCCS based on their experience with similar sized cities and better pricing, authorize the Mayor to sign the three-year agreement that will be submitted to the State of Montana for approval and authorize the Mayor to execute a future three-year agreement after 7/1/19 if, at that time, the proposed terms and conditions are acceptable to JCCS and the City.