Request for Proposals: Audit & Tax Services
All proposals and questions regarding the proposal must be submitted to the Proposals email (dhwang@lastmilehealth.org) by Friday, March 3, 2023, at 5:00 pm EST.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this role is to provide audit and tax services which contains the following:
- Produce annual financial statements which includes obtaining a reasonable assurance about whether Last Mile Health’s financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error and issue an auditor's report that includes the auditor's opinion.
- File tax return according to IRS rules and regulations
- Provide routine communication to the audit committee/management
The Audit Committee of LMH selects the independent auditors through a Request for Proposal (RFP) process at least every 5 years. The most recent engagement period concluded with the 2022 fiscal year, and the independent auditor was BDO.
A copy of the 2022 Annual Report, Audited Financial Statements, and IRS Form 990 are all available on our website at Reports & Financials - Last Mile Health. The LMH FY23 operating expense budget is approximately $25.4 million.
ABOUT LAST MILE HEALTH
Last Mile Health (LMH) partners with governments to demonstrate that professionalized Community Health Workers (CHWs)–integrated into the primary healthcare system–can reduce mortality and morbidity rates in remote communities and contribute to the global effort to achieve universal health coverage (UHC). LMH’s program theory posits that the community health workforce can effectively manage and deliver high-quality primary care when they are skilled, supplied, supervised, salaried, and integrated within government-led health systems. LMH believes that CHWs must also be supported with strong information systems, smart policies, and financing. This workforce ultimately increases access to healthcare and health equity, improves health outcomes in rural and remote communities, and serves as the first line of defense against epidemics.
LMH began in Liberia’s remote, last-mile communities and is now growing to support four countries in sub-Saharan Africa aiming to deploy 50,000 CHWs to serve 100 million patients. Across Ethiopia, Liberia, Malawi, and Sierra Leone, they partner with the government to strengthen health systems, upskill the health workforce, and deliver community-based care and treatment. This methodology supports their goal of expanding access to high-quality primary care within reach of people living in rural and remote communities. LMH’s research and advocacy efforts promote the adoption of best practices and policies in community health globally—from how to design and build national programs to how to pay for them. Over the next decade, LMH hopes to catalyze a critical mass of exemplary government-led community health systems, delivering quality primary care for last-mile communities in low- and middle-income countries.
AUDIT & TAX SERVICES REQUIREMENTS
1. Last Mile Health reserves the right to reject any and all proposals received and/or to waive any informalities or irregularities in proposals received and/or to negotiate contract terms when such is deemed to be in the best interests of LMH. LMH may request a presentation or meeting with any or all firms to clarify or negotiate modifications to proposals.
2. Only proposals received in the time frame given will be considered.
3. The original proposed contract should be completed and signed by a partner of the firm submitting the proposal.
4. The annual fees quoted in your proposal will be the maximum fees paid in total unless both parties agree in writing. Fees quoted by the firm shall be shown for each year of the three (3) year contract, with option up to five (5) year period, and should be separated into costs for Audit Services and costs for Tax Services. Proposed fees must be submitted as a separate document from the overall proposal.
5. The audit shall be performed in accordance with the following, as applicable:
- U.S. Generally Accepted Auditing Standards
- The standards for financial audits as contained in Government Auditing Standards issued by the Comptroller of the United States.
- OMB Circular A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations.
6. The audit report shall include a management letter, if appropriate, which includes recommendations affecting the financial statements, internal control, accounting systems, compliance, and legality of actions.
7. The responsible auditor at the firm shall present the audit and tax reports with a verbal explanation of the reports to the Board of Directors and/or Audit & Finance Committees if requested.
8. LMH may request a representative from the audit firm meet with management prior to audit fieldwork to review required work papers and schedules.
9.LMH may request a representative from the audit firm meet with the Audit Committee and/or Board of Directors prior to audit fieldwork to review procedures and expectations.
10. Each year, audit fieldwork shall take place during September with draft audit reports prepared for presentation & review by the Audit Committee and/or Board of Directors during their meetings in late November. Draft Tax returns shall be presented to the Audit Committee and/or Board of Directors no later than April but preferably during their March meetings.
11. At least 5 bound printed copies of the report, including the management letter(s), should be prepared by the firm for distribution by LMH to appropriate parties. An electronic PDF version of the final audit report and letters shall also be prepared for LMH. Tax returns shall be prepared for filings by the firm. An electronic PDF version of the tax returns shall also be prepared for LMH.
12. At the conclusion of the audit, an exit meeting with staff and/or the Audit Committees and the firm’s representatives will be conducted if requested. Observations and recommendations will be summarized in writing and discussed and should include internal control and program compliance, observations, and recommendations should there be any.
13. The selected firm will provide, during the year, additional limited assistance and recommendations for management as requested.
14. The auditing firm will perform all required tax preparation functions for LMH, with the exception of payroll-related items.
15. All costs incurred in the preparation of a proposal in response to this RFP are the responsibility of the firm and will not be reimbursed by Last Mile Health.
PROPOSAL GUIDELINES
In order to simplify the review process and to obtain the maximum degree of comparability, the the proposal should include the following items and be organized in the manner specified below:
- Letter of Transmittal
A letter of transmittal briefly outlining the proposer’s understanding of the work and general information regarding the firm and individuals to be involved shall be submitted and should be no more than two (2) pages. The letter should identify the local address of the office that will perform the work, the phone number, and the appropriate contact person.
- Table of Contents
Include a table of contents, which identifies the material by section, page number, and a reference to the following information requested to be contained in the proposal.
- Profile of Firm Proposing
- State whether the firm is a local, national, or international firm.
- State whether the firm is in compliance with the registration and permit requirements to engage in the practice of public accounting and tax preparation services in Iowa.
- Describe the local office from which the work is to be performed.
-Location of office.
-The number of professional staff employed by levels, such as partners, managers, supervisors, senior, and other professional staff including the average years of service for each level.
-The number of CPAs in the office by level.
- Any other information required to describe the office that will be performing the work
- Qualifications
- Describe the recent local experience of the firm with similar organizations.
- Include the resume or bio information of key professional members who will be assigned to the audit and tax preparation services. Resumes should be included for all members of the audit team from the audit partner through at least the on-site in-charge accountant and tax preparer. Information should include the experience of these individuals with similar organizations.
- Describe the firm’s policy on notification of changes in key personnel.
- Briefly describe the firm’s system of quality control to ensure that the audit and tax preparation are adequately performed.
- State whether the firm is in compliance with training and peer review requirements. Attach a copy of the audit firm’s most current Peer Review Report.
- Disclose any real, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest that may exist.
- Include three audit client references.
- Scope of Services and Proposed Project Schedule
Briefly, describe your understanding of the scope of services and the timeline to be provided.
- Fees and Compensation
Provide the following information:
- Estimated total hours by staff classification to complete the audit and prepare tax returns, including the approximate hourly rate by staff classification.
- Estimated out-of-pocket expenses for reimbursement by LMH, if applicable.
- The all-inclusive maximum fee and out-of-pocket expense total, which will not be exceeded annually.
- The frequency and payment terms of your billings.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
The proposal will be evaluated based on the following areas. Therefore, it is important your proposal is responsive to the information requested.
- Qualifications
- Organizational structure and size of the local office performing the work.
- Recent experience in audits and tax for similar non-profit and/or museum entities.
- Qualifications of the individuals on the audit and tax team.
- Understanding of work and timetable to complete engagements.
- Cost
Overall cost, including out-of-pocket reimbursable expenses for the performance of the audit and tax preparation.
Proposals must be submitted electronically to dhwang@lastmilehealth.org.Proposals will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. EST, Friday, March 3rd, 2023.
LMH may request presentations by or meetings with any or all firms to clarify or negotiate modifications to the firm’s proposal. However, LMH reserves the right to make an award without further discussion of the proposals submitted. LMH also reserves the right to reject any and all proposals received in response to this RFP.
The contract for services is anticipated to be awarded by March 31, 2023. Upon conclusion of final negotiations with the successful audit firm, all firms submitting proposals in response to this RFP will be informed, in writing, of the name of the successful audit firm. It is expected that the contract will be a three-year contract, with options for up to two additional years.
By submission of a proposal, the bidder agrees to all the terms and conditions as set forth in this request for proposal.
Please contact Don Hwang, Managing Director, Finance at dhwang@lastmilehealth.org or at (857) 998-9208 for additional information or questions regarding this Request for Proposals.