Audit Services

Brunswick County, North Carolina is soliciting proposals from qualified independent auditors having sufficient governmental accounting and auditing experience in performing an audit in accordance with the specifications outlined in this Request for Proposal.

The audit will encompass a financial and compliance examination of the unit’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) in accordance with the laws and/or regulations of the State of North Carolina, which include requirements for the minimum scope of the audit.  The financial and compliance audit will cover federal, state, and local funding sources in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards; Government Auditing Standards, issued by the Comptroller general of the United States; the provisions of Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance), the State Single Audit Implementation Act; and all other applicable laws and regulations.

The scope of the audit and all fee quotes presented should include all approved and known pronouncements through the date of proposal submission. This includes, but is not limited to, Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) statements and Government Auditing Standards. Although some pronouncements will not be in effect until after the first year of the audit, estimates for future years should include pronouncements that will become effective during that contract period. The audit firm will be expected to advise appropriate County staff on the applicability of accounting and reporting standards as they become effective.

The financial audit opinion will cover the financial statements for the governmental activities, the business-type activities, each major fund, discretely presented component units, and the remaining fund information, which collectively constitutes the basic financial statements. The combining and individual financial statements, schedules, and related information are not necessary for fair presentation, but will be presented as additional analytical data. This supplemental information, as required by GASB 34, will be subjected to the tests and other auditing procedures applied in the audit of the basic financial statements, and an opinion will be given as to whether the supplemental information is fairly stated in all material respects in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole. The Auditor shall express an opinion on the budgetary comparison information for the General Fund, annually budgeted major and special revenue funds. An opinion will not be given on the Management Discussion and Analysis.

The audit will also include the following: A) Pre-planning conference with County Finance staff where both the Auditor and Finance staff discuss their expectations of the audit.  B) Interim audit work prior to June 30th and/or prior to final close.  C. Attendance at the Board of Commissioners meeting in early November of each contract year for presentation of the financial statements by a Partner of the audit firm with comments and potential questions from the Board as requested.

The audit should encompass all funds and entity-wide activities as reported in the County’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) at June 30, 2025, and for each subsequent contract year, and any additional funds or entity-wide activities that may be added subsequent to that date.

If required, the audit firm will issue a management letter to the Board of Commissioners after completion of the audit and assist management in implementing recommendations, as is practical. County staff also request that an informal letter be addressed to the Finance Director with any efficiency, internal control or accounting improvements that could be made based on the audit staff’s observation during their fieldwork.  All content must be discussed with the Finance Director prior to issuance.

County staff may require the Auditor’s guidance or input on the completion of certain schedules/documents as to proper format and content, so that they can be used in the audit process as well as inclusion in the County’s financial statements.  Guidance may be required for new note disclosures, all outstanding and effective authoritative standards and other reporting requirements at June 30 year-end.  Cost for providing these services should be included in the Auditor’s base fee quote and will not be considered extra for additional billings.  In cases, however, where services requested would require a more in-depth scope and require work significantly above the original fee quote, such additional fees must be negotiated and mutually agreed upon by the parties in writing prior to commencement of work.

The Brunswick County audit engagement must be conducted in accordance with Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS); Government Auditing Standards, issued by the Comptroller General of the United States; the U. S. Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Uniform Guidance; the State Single Audit Implementation Act, and any other applicable procedures for the audit of a local government’s financial statements prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). By accepting this engagement, the Auditor warrants that they have met the requirements for a peer review and continuing education as specified in Government Auditing Standards. The Auditor must provide a copy of their most recent peer review report with their proposal.

The selected audit firm shall complete interim fieldwork in May or June of each contract year, unless otherwise directed or approved by the County in writing. Year-end fieldwork must be completed prior to Labor Day of each contract year. An agreed upon post-closing trial balance must exist by the completion of fieldwork. The Finance Director will expect a listing of requested information needed for the audit at the preplanning conference, periodic conferences during the conduct of the audit, as well as an exit conference prior to the completion of fieldwork. While many documents can be shared electronically, the County expects that the audit firm staff will be onsite for fieldwork, including manager and partner level staff for at least a portion of the onsite work. The audit must be completed, reports rendered and submitted to the LGC no later than four (4) months following the fiscal year end (by October 31). The Finance Director shall provide the ACFR to the Board of Commissioners at the first board meeting of November in each contract year, or at such other meeting as the County may reasonably select.

The County will prepare all year-end adjusting journal entries. The County will prepare and publish the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report. The County will submit a draft of the Financial Statements to be reviewed in detail by the Auditor no later than September 30th of each contract year. This draft should be reviewed and returned to the County with proposed revisions within five (5) working days. The Finance Director will complete the review of the comments as expeditiously as possible. Once all issues for discussion are resolved and the Auditor provides opinions and compliance reports, the Finance Director will deliver the final electronic draft of the ACFR to the Auditor. The Auditor will complete and submit the necessary Single Audit information to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse on behalf of the County.

1.        The County requires the Auditor to provide assistance to management’s efforts to obtain the Government Finance Officers Association’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting.

2.        The County prepares the Annual Financial Information Report required to be filed with the staff of the Local Government Commission. However, the Auditor may be requested to provide technical assistance.

3.        The County prepares the Calculation of the Debt Service Coverage Ratio as required by certain revenue bond covenants. The bond covenants may also require the Auditor to express an opinion on the County’s compliance with the debt service coverage ratio and other debt covenants. However, the Auditor may be requested to provide technical assistance.

4.        The County requires the Auditor to be available and provide technical assistance during each fiscal year of the contract term at no additional cost.

5.        The County requires the Auditor to provide technical assistance, consultation, and review of the entire ACFR and Schedule of Expenditures of Federal and State Awards and to assist staff in implementation of any new technical requirements.

Electronic copies of each audit report, management letter, and other applicable reports must be supplied to the Finance Director within the time frame cited above.

The timing of the draft and review should insure final completion of the Financial Statements no later than the annual October 31st deadline.

The Auditor is responsible for completing the required data input sheet and electronically submitting the final Audit report/ACFR as a text-based .pdf file to the State & Local Government Financial Division when (or prior to) submitting the final invoice for audit services rendered to the Commission.

In the event that circumstances arise during the audit that require work to be performed in excess of the original estimates, any additional costs will be negotiated prior to commencement of the work and, if necessary, an amended contract will be presented to the governing board and forwarded to the staff of the LGC for approval.

A partner of the audit firm is required to present and attend the Board of Commissioners’ meeting in which the Audit report is presented. Required communications to the Commissioners can be delivered at this point, as well as general comments regarding the audit process and the results of the audit. Finance staff will coordinate this presentation and determine the date and time of the meeting, typically held in early November of each contract year following the audit completion.

July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026
July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027
July 1, 2027 to June 30, 2028

The following organizations will be discretely presented component units in the ACFR:
- Brunswick County Board of Alcoholic Control (Auditor will be engaged separately, do not include in proposal)
- Brunswick County Airport Commission (separate opinion and report to be prepared by Auditor, include as a separately stated fee in proposal)
- Brunswick County Tourism Development Authority (separate opinion and report to be prepared by Auditor, include as a separately stated fee in proposal)