Queen Anne's County
Department of Budget & Finance
Request for Proposals
For
Professional Auditing Services
February 2, 2026
Proposals Due February 20, 2026 at 3:00pm EST
Request For Proposals
Professional Auditing Services
The County Commissioners of Queen Anne’s County through the Queen Anne's County Department of Budget
& Finance are seeking to engage in a contract with a Certified Public Accounting Firm to perform an audit of
the financial statements of Queen Anne’s County for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2026, 2027, and 2028.
INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS
SECTION 1 ‐ GENERAL INFORMATION
BACKGROUND: The County of Queen Anne’s, Maryland, is seeking proposals from qualified Certified Public
Accounting Firms to perform an audit of the financial statements of Queen Anne’s County for the fiscal years
ending June 30, 2026, 2027, and 2028.
Period to be Audited
July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 – Fiscal Year 2026
July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 – Fiscal Year 2027
July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2028 – Fiscal Year 2028
There will be two additional option years, for Fiscal Years 2029 and 2030, at the County’s discretion.
SECTION 2 – SCOPE OF INDEPENDENT AUDIT SERVICES
A. Financial Audit
These audits are to be conducted in accordance with U.S. generally accepted auditing standards; Government
Auditing Standards, issued by the Comptroller General of the United States; the provisions of the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A‐133, Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non‐Profit
Organizations; any other applicable procedures for the audit of a government’s financial statements prepared
in accordance with generally accepted accounting principle; any requirements imposed by the Department of
Fiscal Services of the State of Maryland; and the laws and regulations of the State of Maryland.
1. The audit will begin with a planning meeting between the Auditor and the County to determine the
information that is to be provided by the County and to establish due dates for information to be
exchanged between the Auditor and the County. The County expects that most fieldwork will be
completed remotely; however, hybrid or on‐site methods may be approved by mutual agreement. The
auditor shall coordinate with the prior auditor, if applicable, to ensure a smooth transition.
2. The audit must be completed and all reports provided no later than six (6) months (by December 31st)
following the fiscal year end, unless the deadline is extended by the Director of Budget and Finance.
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3. The Auditor will be responsible for assisting with the preparation of some year‐end adjusting entries.
4. The Auditor will prepare most financial statements presented in the Annual Comprehensive Financial
Report (ACFR). The County will prepare the MD&A, Letter of Transmittal, certain note disclosures, and
the Statistics sections.
5. The auditor will provide the printed ACFR reports at year‐end. Currently, the County needs 10 printed
copies.
6. The Independent Auditors’ Report shall indicate whether the statements are accurate in all material
respects and reported in such a manner that the financial position and results of the County’s activities
are presented fairly. The auditor’s opinion shall be unqualified unless the auditor furnishes to the
County, within a timely basis, the reasons for qualifying an opinion, disclaiming an opinion or
rendering an adverse opinion.
7. The combining and individual financial statements, related information, and supplemental schedules
will be included for analytical purposes. As required by GASB 34, they will be subjected to the same
tests and other auditing procedures applied in the examination of the basic financial statements. The
Auditor will also test and apply auditing procedures to the budgetary comparison information for all
funds.
8. The Auditor will issue a management letter to the County Commissioners reporting audit findings and
recommending corrective action, if needed. In addition, the Auditor may prepare a letter disclosing
and discussing informal/non‐material comments not included in the management letter. In the
additional letter, the auditor shall offer suggestions for improving the County’s administrative
methods and management operations, and making cost reductions, when considered by the auditor to
be appropriate and documentable within the scope of the audit.
9. The Director of Budget and Finance may request the Auditor to make a presentation of the financial
statements to the County Commissioners.
10. The auditor shall retain all working papers and supporting documentation related to the County’s audit
for no less than five (5) years from the date of the audit report or the length of time required by State
or Federal regulations, whichever is longer. Work papers and other audit documentation shall be
available to the County, authorized representatives of any State or Federal funding agency and any
subsequent audit firm upon request of the Director of Budget and Finance.
11. The auditor may perform interim audit work, as deemed necessary, at any time during periods
covered by the contract. The County prefers interim work to be completed as soon as possible in
order to ensure a timely audit.
12. If circumstances arise during the audit that require work to be performed that is beyond the scope of
the original contract, any additional fees will be negotiated prior to the commencement of the work.
13. The auditor shall be responsible for advising the County of new GASB rulings and other reporting
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requirements that may affect the County’s financial reporting and for offering guidance to the County
on complying with new regulations in effect at June 30th year end.
14. The County plans to apply to the Government Finance Officers Association for the Certificate of
Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting and may request assistance to do so.
15. The Auditor may not subcontract the Audit, or any portion of the audit work, to another auditor, CPA
or Audit firm without the specific knowledge and advance approval of the County Commissioners.
B. Compliance Audit
The financial statements relating to Federal grant funds shall be examined for compliance with applicable laws,
regulations and regulatory pronouncements as reference through the Office of Management and Budget’s
Compliance Supplement for Single Audits of State and Local Governments, Uniform Administrative
Requirements for Grants in Aid to State and Local Governments commencing in 1986, the Single Audit Act of
1984, and OMB Circular A‐133, Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non‐Profit Organizations.
C. Uniform Financial Report
The Department of Fiscal Services of the State of Maryland requires all localities to file a Uniform Financial
Report (UFR). The auditor shall be expected to review and sign the required forms (prepared by County staff)
prior to submission to the State. The UFR is due to the State of Maryland by December 31st.
D. OMB Circular A‐133 Audit
The auditor shall prepare a Single Audit Report of federal grants in accordance with the applicable federal
requirements and in a form satisfactory to the County’s cognizant agency. The auditor shall prepare the Form
SF‐SAC data and upload a copy of the A‐133 reporting package into the Federal Audit Clearinghouse (FAC)
Internet Data Entry System (IDES). The County staff will assist with the data collection forms and the Schedule
of Expenditures of Federal Awards. The Single Audit Report is due on March 31st.
E. Report on Agreed‐Upon Procedures
The County staff prepares the Report on Applying the Agreed Upon‐Procedures to comply with the
requirements of Maryland Environmental Service for Queen Anne’s County’s obligation for the Mid Shore
Regional Landfill. The auditors shall be required to review the report prior to submission.
F. Detailed Schedules for Community Partnerships for Children (Local Management Board)
The County staff prepares the schedules, which are included in the County’s financial statements.
G. 911 Trust Fund Audit
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The County staff completes the “Actual Revenue and Expenditure Form” sent from the Emergency Numbers
Systems Board. The auditor shall prepare the 911 Audit report and submit by the December 31st deadline.
H. Compliance with Legal Requirements
The audit shall be familiar with and comply with the provisions of any and all Federal, State and County
administrative rules and regulations with may pertain to the work required in the engagement.
I. Audit Review
The audit shall include an overall review of the County’s financial and accounting system and procedures. The
audit should not be limited to a specific review of the financial transactions and statements of the County.
All accounting records supporting the above reports are maintained by the Budget and Finance Office, which is
also responsible for preparing the reports.
J. GFOA Certificate of Achievement
The County participates in the GFOA Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting
program. The auditor shall assist in preparing the County’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) in
a format that complies with GFOA award criteria. The auditor shall review the ACFR draft and provide
feedback to help maintain award eligibility.
K. Deliverable Timeline
Separate deliverables include the audited financial statements (ACFR), the Single Audit (Uniform
Guidance), management letter, and SAS 114 communication. Target delivery dates include:
• Individual pages of the ACFR for County review: November 20
• Draft ACFR: December 9
• Final ACFR and audit opinion: December 23, with December 30 as drop‐dead date.
• Single Audit: March 15
• Management Letter: With or shortly after ACFR
SECTION 3 – DESCRIPTION OF THE GOVERNMENT
A. Names of Contact Persons and Key Personnel
The auditor's principal contact with the County during the course of the audits will be Justine Franzen,
Chief Accounting Officer, who will coordinate the assistance to be provided by the County to the
auditor.
B. Background Information
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This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.