EXTERNAL ACCOUNTING SUPPORT SERVICES

Location:	Arizona
Posted:	Sep 2, 2026
Due:	Sep 17, 2026
Agency:	City of Douglas
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	R - Professional, Administrative and Management Support Services
Solicitation No:	RFP 2027 F 007
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

RFP 2027-F-007

(Monthly Bank Reconciliations, Grant Reconciliations & SEFA Preparation,

and Year-End Audit Support)

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BID NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Mayor and Common Council of the City of Douglas will receive sealed

proposals until Four O’clock p.m. (4:00 p.m.) on the 17th day of September 2026 for the following:

External Accounting Support Services

Specifications may be obtained at our website www.douglasaz.gov/bids.aspx. Proposals will be received until the

above hour specified and will be opened on said date and time at a Proposal Opening to be conducted by the

Procurement Specialist in the Council Chambers. Address all proposals to City of Douglas, City Clerk, Alma

Andrade, 425 10th St., Douglas, Arizona 85607, specifying on the outside wrapper the nature of the Proposal and

reference RFP 2026-F-007. The Council reserves the right to reject any proposal, defer action on proposals, and to

waive any informality thereof. Any late submissions will be returned to the sender.

Dated at Douglas, Arizona this 2nd day of September 2026

Rene Rios

Procurement Specialist

City of Douglas

INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS

1. Preparation of Solicitation:

a. All responsive offers shall be on the forms provided in this solicitation. It is permissible to copy these

forms as required. Telegraphic offers or mailgrams will not be considered.

b. The Offer document of the solicitation must be submitted with an original ink signature by the person

authorized to sign the offer. Unsigned offers will be considered non-responsive and rejected.

c. Erasures, interlineations or other modifications in the offer must be initialed by a person authorized to sign

the offer section of the solicitation.

d. It is the responsibility of all Offerors to examine the entire solicitation and seek clarification of any item or

requirement that may not be clear to them and to check all responses for accuracy before submitting an

offer.

e. No responsibility will be attached to a City employee for premature opening of an offer not properly

addressed and identified in accordance with the solicitation documents.

f. A late submittal notification will be sent to the Offeror. Late offer submittals will not be considered under

any circumstances.

g. Envelopes with insufficient postage may not be accepted by the City of Douglas.

2. Prospective Offerors Conference: A prospective offerors conference may be held. If scheduled, the date and

time of this conference will be indicated on the cover page of this document or by addendum. The purpose of this

conference will be to clarify the contents of this solicitation. Oral statements or instructions will not constitute an

addendum to this solicitation.

3. Withdrawal of Proposal: At any time prior to the specified time and date set for proposal opening, an Offeror

(or designated representative) may withdraw the offer. The offer may not be amended or withdrawn after due date

and time.

4. Addendum to Solicitation: Receipt of a solicitation addendum must be acknowledged by the Offeror in the

submittal.

5. Award of Contract:

h. The City of Douglas, notwithstanding any other provisions of this solicitation, expressly reserves the right

to: (1) Waive any insignificant defect or informality in any offer or solicitation procedure; (2) Reject any or

all offers; or (3) Cancel the solicitation.

i. An offer in response to a solicitation is an offer to contract with the City based upon the terms, conditions

and specifications contained in the City’s solicitation. Offers do not become contracts unless and until they

are accepted by the City of Douglas.

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j. If contract award is over $50,000.00, it will be at the discretion of the City Council as to whether or not to

make award, to whom, or to reject offers.

CITY OF DOUGLAS STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The following terms and conditions, as applicable, are an explicit part of the solicitation and any resultant contract.

Any exceptions thereto must be specific and in writing. The full set of City of Douglas standard professional

services terms and conditions (including conflict of interest under A.R.S. § 38-511, force majeure, indemnification,

immigration compliance and E-Verify, non-discrimination, public records, protests, funds appropriation,

assignment, termination for convenience or cause, and cooperative use of contract) are incorporated by reference

and form part of any resulting contract. Key provisions are summarized below.

1. Certification. By signature in the Offer section, the Vendor certifies that the prices have been arrived at

independently without collusion, that no fee or brokerage has been paid other than to a bona fide employee, and

that the Vendor shall not discriminate against any employee or applicant in violation of applicable federal and

state law.

2. Contract Modification. No modification of this contract shall bind the City unless a formal Contract

Amendment is executed between the City and the Vendor.

3. Conflict of Interest. Pursuant to A.R.S. § 38-511, the City may, within three (3) years after its execution,

cancel any contract, without penalty or further obligation, if any person significantly involved in initiating,

negotiating, securing, drafting or creating the contract on behalf of the City is or becomes an employee or agent

of any other party to the contract in any capacity with respect to the subject matter of the contract.

4. Force Majeure. Neither party shall be liable to the other for failure or delay in performance caused by force

majeure (acts of God, war, riots, strikes, fire, floods, or similar occurrences beyond the reasonable control of

the affected party), provided prompt notice is given.

5. Indemnification. The Contractor agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the City of Douglas, its

Mayor and Council, officials, officers, and employees from all losses, claims, suits, actions, payments,

judgments, demands, expenses, and attorney’s fees arising out of the negligent performance of the Contractor,

except to the extent caused by the sole negligence of the City.

6. Independent Contractor. The selected firm is an independent contractor and not an employee of the City. No

fringe benefits, health insurance, paid vacation, or other employee benefits will be provided.

7. Confidentiality. The Contractor shall maintain strict confidentiality of all City financial data, grant

information, taxpayer records, and related materials. Confidentiality obligations survive termination of the

contract. Upon termination the Contractor shall return all City records, notes, data, and materials.

8. Governing Law and Venue. This Contract shall be governed by the laws of the State of Arizona. Suits may be

brought only in the courts of the State of Arizona, with venue in Cochise County.

9. Funds Appropriation. If funds are not appropriated to continue this agreement, the City may terminate at the

end of the fiscal period upon thirty (30) days written notice and will pay charges incurred through the end of

such period.

10. Termination. Either party may terminate this contract upon thirty (30) days written notice. The City may

terminate for convenience or for cause (including failure to perform, inadequate insurance, conflict of interest,

or violation of law).

11. Assignment. No right or interest in this contract shall be assigned by the Contractor without the prior written

permission of the City.

12. Immigration Compliance / E-Verify. The Contractor shall comply with the Immigration Reform and Control

Act and Arizona E-Verify requirements under A.R.S. §§ 23-214 and 41-4401. Breach of this warranty is a

material breach of the Agreement.

13. Public Record. All proposals submitted become property of the City and a matter of public record, subject to

Arizona public records law. Requests for nondisclosure of proprietary data must be clearly identified; the City

will provide 48 hours’ notice before releasing materials marked confidential so the offeror may seek a court

order.

14. Protests. A protest must be in writing and filed with the Purchasing Office. A protest of a solicitation must be

received before the opening date. A protest of a proposed award must be filed before the City Council meeting

at which the recommendation will be considered (or within ten days after the basis of the protest is known if the

award is under $50,000).

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15. Non-Exclusiveness. It is not agreed that the Contractor shall have the exclusive right to provide the services

described herein.

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

EXTERNAL ACCOUNTING SUPPORT SERVICES – RFP 2026-F-007

1. Purpose and Background

The City of Douglas, Arizona (hereinafter “the City”) is soliciting proposals from qualified independent accounting

firms or consultants to provide external professional accounting support services focused on three primary areas:

1. Preparation of monthly bank reconciliations for the City’s (1) operating account and (1) depository

account. The Contractor prepares the reconciliations and presents them to the Finance Director for

review and approval.

2. Preparation of monthly and/or quarterly grant reconciliations focused on reconciling reimbursement

requests versus amounts actually received, supporting accurate accounting that culminates in the

preparation of the annual Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA).

3. Year-end audit support including accounts payable reconciliation, preparation of year-end adjusting

journal entries, fund balance classification, and related close and audit-support activities.

The selected firm will work collaboratively with the City’s Finance Department under the direction of the Finance

Director / City Treasurer while maintaining professional independence. The City seeks a partner with demonstrated

expertise in Arizona municipal governmental accounting, GASB standards, Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200),

and practical experience supporting Arizona cities and towns.

The contract term will be for an initial period of one (1) year, with options one-year renewals, subject to satisfactory

performance, continued need, and City Council approval. The City reserves the right, due to budget constraints or

operational need, to award one, two, or all three task areas (2.1, 2.2, and/or 2.3), to award different tasks to different

providers, to award a reduced scope within any task, or to award no contract. Offerors should price each task separately

so the City can select only the services it can fund.

Scope of Work

The selected Contractor shall provide the following professional accounting support services. All work shall be

performed in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) applicable to state and local

governments (GASB), the Uniform Guidance for federal awards, and Arizona municipal best practices.

1.1 Monthly Bank Reconciliations

The Contractor shall prepare complete, accurate, and timely monthly bank reconciliations for all City bank

accounts designated by the Finance Director and present the completed reconciliations to the Finance Director

for review and approval.

1. Accounts Covered: The City maintains one (1) operating account and one (1) depository account. The

depository account is used solely to capture nightly cash deposits; no other transactions are processed from

the depository account other than transfers to the operating account. The Contractor shall also reconcile

pooled cash and reconcile pooled cash to the individual funds.

2. Timing: Reconciliations shall be completed and presented to the Finance Director no later than the 15th

business day of the following month (or other mutually agreed deadline). Year-end (June 30)

reconciliations shall be prioritized and completed on an accelerated schedule to support audit timelines.

3. Reconciliation Process: Obtain electronic bank statements (or paper if necessary). Import or enter

transactions into the City’s accounting system (or prepare standalone reconciliations if directed). Identify

and clear outstanding checks, deposits in transit, bank fees, interest, ACH items, wires, returned items, and

other reconciling items. Investigate and resolve discrepancies. Prepare a formal reconciliation package for

each account.

4. Documentation Package: Each monthly reconciliation package shall include: (a) reconciliation summary

showing book balance, bank balance, and all reconciling items; (b) list of outstanding checks with dates

and amounts; (c) list of deposits in transit; (d) explanation and supporting documentation for all other

reconciling items; (e) identification of any unusual or aged items requiring management attention; and (f)

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signature/acknowledgment lines for the preparer (Contractor) and the reviewer/approver (Finance

Director).

5. Stale and Outstanding Items: Flag checks outstanding more than 90/180 days (or City policy) and

recommend appropriate action. Monitor and report on recurring reconciling items.

6. System and Access: Work primarily within the City’s financial system (currently Springbrook or successor

ERP) and/or approved spreadsheet templates. The City will provide necessary system access, bank portal

credentials (or statements), and supporting documentation. Contractor shall follow City IT and security

protocols.

7. Presentation and Approval: The Contractor shall present the completed reconciliation packages to the

Finance Director (or designee) for review and formal approval. Any questions or requested adjustments

from the Finance Director shall be addressed promptly by the Contractor before the package is considered

final.

8. Deliverables: Completed reconciliation packages (PDF and native file format) uploaded to a City-

designated shared folder or delivered as otherwise directed, together with a brief monthly status note

summarizing any significant issues or items requiring City action.

1.2 Monthly/Quarterly Grant Reconciliations and Annual SEFA Preparation

The City is the recipient of grant funding from federal, state, and private sources. The majority of these grants

operate on a reimbursement basis. The Contractor’s role is focused on reconciliation and proper accounting, not

on preparing or submitting reimbursement requests or drawdowns (City staff will continue to handle the actual

claims). Please see our website for past year’s single audit and SEFA Budgets & Financials | Douglas, AZ

1. Grant Inventory and Tracking: Maintain or assist in maintaining a current inventory of active federal,

state, and significant private grants, including grantor, CFDA/Assistance Listing Number (ALN) where

applicable, award amount, period of performance, and key compliance requirements.

2. Reconciliation of Requests vs. Receipts: For each grant (or major program), regularly reconcile: (a)

amounts the City has requested/submitted for reimbursement; (b) amounts actually received from the

grantor; and (c) timing differences that result in grants receivable, deferred inflows of resources, or other

balance-sheet accounts. Ensure the general ledger properly reflects these amounts so that year-end financial

statements and the SEFA are accurate.

3. Expenditure Tracking for SEFA Purposes: Reconcile grant-related expenditures recorded in the general

ledger to supporting documentation and to the amounts that will be reported on the Schedule of

Expenditures of Federal Awards. Confirm expenditures are coded to the correct fund, department, and

grant, and that they fall within the period of performance and allowable cost principles.

4. Annual SEFA Preparation: provide reasonable assitance in the preparation of the Schedule of

Expenditures of Federal Awards for the fiscal year ended June 30 in accordance with 2 CFR Part 200

(Uniform Guidance). The SEFA and supporting workpapers must clearly tie expenditures to the general

ledger and to the reconciled request/receipt activity. Workpapers shall be audit-ready and available to the

City’s external auditors.

5. Supporting Schedules: Prepare clear workpapers documenting the reconciliation of requested versus

received amounts, year-end receivables/deferrals, and the buildup of SEFA expenditure totals.

6. Single Audit Coordination Support: Provide reasonable assistance to City staff and external auditors

during the Single Audit (when required) related to the grant reconciliations and SEFA presentation. This

does not include preparing reimbursement claims or performing the audit itself.

7. Frequency and Timing: Grant reconciliations shall be performed at least quarterly (monthly preferred for

larger or more active grants). The draft SEFA and supporting workpapers shall be delivered to the Finance

Director no later than August 31 (or another date mutually agreed to support the external audit schedule).

2.3 Year-End Audit Support (Focused / Limited Scope)

The Contractor shall provide limited, focused support for the City’s June 30 year-end close and audit preparation.

This task is not a full outsourced year-end close. City staff will retain primary responsibility for posting entries,

assembling most audit PBC items, and day-to-day close work. All deliverables shall be presented to the Finance

Director for review and approval. Core work under this task is limited to the following:

a. Year-End Adjusting Journal Entries (limited): Review the preliminary trial balance and assist the Finance

Director in identifying and drafting the material year-end adjusting entries needed for GAAP reporting (for

example: AP/accrual cutoff, prepaid/unearned items, and grant-related receivables or deferred inflows).

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This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.

Bid Number:	RFP 2027 F 007
Bid Title:	EXTERNAL ACCOUNTING SUPPORT SERVICES
Category:	Financial Services
Status:	Open