Request for Proposal - Professional Audit Services

Location:	Illinois
Posted:	Nov 25, 2025
Due:	Dec 18, 2025
Agency:	City of Lake Forest
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	R - Professional, Administrative and Management Support Services
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

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The City of Lake Forest

Audit Services RFP

Request for Proposals

Professional Audit Services

November 24, 2025

QUESTIONS AND INTENT TO RESPOND DUE DATE:

December 5, 2025, 4:00 p.m. (CDT)

PROPOSAL DUE DATE:

December 18, 2025, 4:00 p.m. (CDT)

PROPOSALS RECEIVED AFTER DEADLINE WILL BE RETURNED UNOPENED

Note: A non-mandatory pre-submission meeting will be held on December 4, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. CDT

Remote Access Meeting

The City of Lake Forest

Assistant Finance Director

800 N. Field Drive

Lake Forest, IL 60045

(847) 810-3614

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The City of Lake Forest

Audit Services RFP

Table of Contents

1. Purpose of Request for Proposal .................................................................................................................................... 3

2. Intent............................................................................................................................................................................... 3

3. Scope of Work ................................................................................................................................................................. 3

4. Anticipated Schedule ...................................................................................................................................................... 3

5. Intent to Respond ........................................................................................................................................................... 3

6. Proposal Submission Requirements ............................................................................................................................... 4

7. Evaluation Criteria and Selection Process....................................................................................................................... 8

8. Award of Agreement....................................................................................................................................................... 9

9. Reservation of Rights ...................................................................................................................................................... 9

10. Terms and Conditions ..................................................................................................................................................... 9

11. Lake Forest Identity Theft Protection (Exhibit D) ......................................................................................................... 11

12. General Certification Requirements ............................................................................................................................. 12

13. Insurance Requirements ............................................................................................................................................... 13

Exhibits:

A – Scope of Work

B – Pricing Form

C – Reference Form

D – Lake Forest Identify Theft Prevention Program Policy

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The City of Lake Forest

Audit Services RFP

1. Purpose of Request for Proposal

The City of Lake Forest is seeking proposals to provide professional audit services pursuant to the requirements

outlined in this Request for Proposals (RFP). The term of the agreement shall be three (3) years. The City

reserves the right to renew the agreement for two (2) additional one-year periods, subject to acceptable

performance and at the sole discretion of the City.

2. Intent

It is the intent of the City to enter into an agreement with a qualified firm to audit financial statements for the

fiscal years identified. The selected firm will be required to provide audit services in accordance with Generally

Accepted Auditing Standards, as promulgated by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA),

and Government Auditing Standards issued by the Comptroller General of the United States.

The audits must be conducted in accordance with all applicable Federal and State requirements.

3. Scope of Work

Potential respondents are required to submit a proposal conforming to the scope of work outlined, which can be

found in the Exhibits.

4. Anticipated Schedule

The following schedule is anticipated, which is subject to change:

November 24, 2025

December 4, 2025

December 5, 2025

December 8, 2025

December 18, 2025

January 15, 2026

February 2026

March 1, 2026

Release of RFP

Non-mandatory pre-submission meeting to be held remotely (2:00 p.m.)

Contact Assistant Finance Director Diane Hall for instructions

RFP Questions and Intent to Respond Due (4:00 p.m.)

Release responses to questions received

RFP Proposals Due

Finalist Interviews

City Council Approval

Effective date of service agreements

5. Intent to Respond

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The City of Lake Forest

Audit Services RFP

All firms who intend to respond to this RFP are requested to submit an e-mail with all contact information by the

date indicated in Section 4 to:

Diane Hall, Assistant Finance Director

The City of Lake Forest

800 North Field Drive

Lake Forest, IL 60045

E-Mail address: halld@cityoflakeforest.com

Failure to submit the intent to respond by this date will not preclude any potential offeror from responding to

the RFP, but it provides contact information in the event communication to potential respondents is deemed

necessary. In the event of a material modification to the RFP, all known and/or potential respondents will be

notified of an amendment to the RFP as determined by the receipt of an Intent to Respond.

6. Proposal Submission Requirements

Respondents must submit four (4) original physical & one (1) electronic copy of their proposal. Proposals shall

be submitted in a sealed envelope labeled “Sealed Proposal for Audit Services” by the date and time specified.

All proposals received after the time specified for proposals due shall be returned unopened. The electronic

copy must be in .PDF format and enclosed in the sealed envelope on thumb drive. Proposals shall be delivered

to Assistant Finance Director Diane Hall (contact information provided in Section 5). Respondents accept all

risks of late delivery of mailed proposals regardless of fault. Facsimile and other electronically transmitted

proposals will not be considered. All proposals and accompanying documentation shall become the property of

the City and will not be returned (with the exception of late proposals returned unopened).

All inquiries or questions regarding this RFP are to be e-mailed only, along with the intent to respond

by the date specified to Assistant Finance Director Diane Hall (contact information provided in Section

5). Responses to all questions will be provided December 8, 2025. Any oral communications will be

considered unofficial and non-binding. Potential respondents should rely only on written statements

issued by the City. The City will be unable to respond to inquiries received after December 5, 2025.

Proposals should be prepared simply and economically, providing a straight forward, concise

description of the proposer’s capabilities to satisfy the requirements of the RFP. Special bindings,

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The City of Lake Forest

Audit Services RFP

colored displays, promotional materials, etc. are not desired. Emphasis should be placed on the

completeness and clarity of content. All proposal responses must be in the following format:

1. Cover Letter

2. Table of Contents

3. Firm Background

4. Proposed Scope of Service

5. Proposed Schedule of Implementation

6. References

7. Cost Proposal (on pricing sheet provided)

8. Attachments

The desired information in each of these sections is described below:

1. Cover Letter

The cover letter should contain the name of the proposer (and/or third party vendors), the

address of the proposing officer(s), and the contact individual(s) authorized to answer

technical, price, and contract questions. Contact information should include telephone

number, fax number, mailing address, and email address. The cover letter must be signed by a

person or persons authorized to bind the proposer(s). The cover letter must indicate whether

any exceptions to specifications have been taken and reference the location in the proposal

where these exceptions are detailed. The cover letter should also indicate that the proposal is

a firm and irrevocable offer for one hundred twenty (120) days from the submission deadline.

2. Table of Contents

The contents of the proposal shall be included in an index at the beginning of the proposal and

should include all contents and attachments.

3. Firm and Staff Background

This section should include the size of the firm, the size of the firm’s governmental auditing

staff, the location of the office from which the proposed work would be performed, the number

and nature of professional staff to be assigned on the engagement (both full-time and part-

time).

The proposal should include a copy of the report on its most recent external quality control or

peer review, with indication as to whether the review included specifically government

engagements. The firm should describe and provide a status of any disciplinary action taken or

pending against the firm during the past five (5) years with state regulatory bodies and/or

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

description	Opening Date	Closing Date
Request for Proposal - Professional Audit Services	November 24, 2025 8:00 AM	December 18, 2025 4:00 PM