Request for Qualifications for Professional Audit Services (Financial Opinion)

EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF TEXAS

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL AUDIT SERVICES

(FINANCIAL OPINION)

SOLICITATION NO. 23-13173-001

NIGP CODE: 94620,94631

The purpose of this RFQ is to select one (1) qualified Respondent with substantial experience in auditing retirement or pension plans to provide professional audit services. In accordance with Section 815.110(e) of the Tex. Gov’t Code, the Board shall select an independent auditor to perform an annual financial audit of the retirement system. The selection of professional certified public accountant services will be made in accordance with the requirements of Sections 321.020 and 2254.003 of the Tex. Gov’t Code. ERS is interested in receiving Responses from qualified entities offering to provide financial opinion audits for Fiscal Years 2025 - 2029. Respondent shall provide the level of services required in the RFQ and meet other requirements that are in the best interests of ERS, its members, and the state of Texas (State). Respondent shall be required to execute a contract (Contract) provided by, and satisfactory to, ERS for a period that begins upon execution of the Contract by ERS and is anticipated to extend for a period of five (5) years, subject to the terms of the Contract. It is anticipated the Contract will be executed in May 2025.

To download the RFQ or submit questions and/or a Response, prospective Respondents must first create a profile in Bonfire (ERS’ e-procurement portal located at erstexas.bonfirehub.com), which operates best on the latest versions of Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox. Browser cookies must be enabled when accessing Bonfire. Note that Respondent’s primary contact must create a Bonfire profile (with the actual contact person’s email address) and download the RFQ documents in order to send and receive messages via Bonfire.

Questions will be accepted via Bonfire until October 22, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. Central Time (CT). Answers to questions will be posted to Bonfire and ESBD on the date specified in RFQ Section A.4.

To be eligible for consideration, Respondent is required to submit its Response in accordance with the instructions set forth in the RFQ. Respondents must meet the Minimum Requirements set forth in Section B of the Respondent Questionnaire (Appendix H). All Response materials shall be received by ERS via Bonfire no later than December 2, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. CT.

ERS reserves the right to rebid the RFQ if deemed by ERS to be in the best interests of ERS, its members, and/or the State. ERS also reserves the right to reject any Response submitted that does not fully comply with the RFQ’s instructions and criteria. ERS is under no legal requirement to execute a Contract on the basis of this notice or upon issuance of the RFQ and will not pay any costs incurred by any Respondent in connection with the preparation of a Response. ERS also reserves the right to revise any provisions set forth in the RFQ at any time prior to execution of a Contract where ERS deems it to be in the best interests of ERS, its members, and/or the State.

Any general questions should be sent to ERS’ point of contact, Britt Prewitt, Procurement Specialist, via Bonfire or ivendorquestions@ers.texas.gov. ERS’ mailing address is P.O. Box 13207, Austin, Texas 78711-3207.