RFP 27-0002 Internal Funds Auditing Services Addendum 2

Request for Proposal Internal Funds Auditing Services RFP 27-0002
Hendry County School District
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Purpose
Hendry County School District ("District") is soliciting proposals from qualified and
experienced firms to provide Internal Funds Auditing services as defined in Florida
Statutes 1001.42(12)(l).
1.2. Minimum Qualifications
In order to be considered for evaluation, the proposers shall demonstrate sufficient
capacity, resources and experience to provide complete professional auditing services as
required by the District. Any proposer that fails to meet all of the following minimum
criteria shall be noted as "non-responsive" and will not be evaluated/scored.
At a minimum, each proposer shall provide sufficient documentation to verify that:
a) The firm is a Certified Public Accounting firm in accordance with Section
473.309, Florida Statutes
b) The firm is currently licensed under Section 473.3101, Florida Statutes
c) The firm has a current license number issued by the Florida Department of
Business & Professional Regulation
d) The firm has conducted audits for at least three (3) public entities (including at
least one Florida school district) within the immediate past four (4) years).
e) Proposer must provide a copy of its most recent external Quality Control / Peer
Review Report with a rating of 'Pass' and the accompanying acceptance letter.
2. INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS
2.1. Authorized HCSD Representative
Proposer's response to this RFP must be submitted via mail (i.e.: USPS, UPS, FedEx.)
Any inquiries by Proposer during the RFP process must be submitted in writing to
Procurement@hendry-schools.net . HCSD will consider only those inquiries submitted in
writing to Procurement on or before the time specified in Section 2.2, Proposed RFP
schedule.
HCSD Purchasing website:
https://www.hendry-schools.org/departments/finance/purchasing-dept/current-bids and
https://www.demandstar.com/app/buyers/bids
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Request for Proposal Internal Funds Auditing Services RFP 27-0002
Hendry County School District
Procurement Representative:
Brandynn Marroquin
Purchasing Department
Hendry County School District
111 Curry Street
LaBelle, Florida 33935
procurement@hendry-schools.net
(863) 674-4100
2.2. Proposal Submission
Hendry County School District
Finance Department
ATTN: Jason Adams & Brandynn Marroquin
111 Curry Street
LaBelle, Florida 33935
Proposals must be received no later than:
November 4, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. ET
Sealed proposals will be accepted up to, and no proposals may be withdrawn
after, the deadline for proposal submission time and date shown above.
Late proposals will not be accepted.
Proposers shall submit: hardcopy
One (1) original proposal
Two (2) copies
One (1) digital copy on USB drive
Addendum Acknowledgement Form (Page 27) must be signed, dated, and
returned to acknowledge all posted addenda
If claiming statutory exemptions under F.S. 119, Proposer must include one
(1) separately labeled 'Public Records Exempt Copy' on the USB drive with
all applicable redactions and statutory citations applied.
Solicitation responses, tabulation and award will be made public in accordance
with Florida Statute 119.071 and Florida Statute 286.0113.
The Board reserves the right to waive any formalities in any proposal and to
accept any proposal which it considers to be in the best public interest, and to
reject any or all proposals. The decision of the BOARD SHALL BE FINAL .
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Request for Proposal Internal Funds Auditing Services RFP 27-0002
Hendry County School District
2.3. Proposed RFP Schedule
2.3.1. Listed below are the dates and time by which stated actions must be taken
or completed. If HCSD determines, in its sole discretion, that it is necessary to
change any of these dates and times, HCSD may issue an addendum to the RFP.
All listed times are eastern standard times.
Date/Time Action
October 9, 2026 RFP release date
Cut-off for Requests for Clarification and
October 16, 2026, 3:00 P.M.
Technical Questions
November 4, 2026, 3:00 P.M. Proposal Due Date
Public Proposal Opening at HCSD
November 5, 2026 10:00 A.M. Purchasing Department (111 Curry St.
LaBelle, Florida 33935)
Evaluation Committee Meeting at HCSD
November 10, 2026 9:00 A.M. Purchasing Department (111 Curry St.
LaBelle, Florida 33935)
November 17, 2026 5:00 P.M. Recommendation to School Board
November 18, 2026 Anticipated Award
2.4. Proposal Inquiries
2.4.1 . HCSD is not liable for interpretations/misinterpretations or other errors or
omissions made by the Proposer in responding to this RFP. The Proposer shall
examine this RFP to determine if HCSD's terms and conditions and requirements
are clearly stated. If, after examination of the various terms and conditions and
requirements of this RFP, the Proposer believes there are any terms and conditions
or requirements which remain unclear or which restrict competition, the Proposer
may request, in writing, that HCSD clarify the terms(s) and condition(s) and
requirement(s) specified by the Proposer. The Proposer must provide the
Section(s), Subsection(s), Paragraph(s), and page number(s) that identify the
conditions or requirements questioned by the Proposer. Requests for clarification
and technical questions to this RFP must be received by HCSD not later than the
date shown in Section 2.3, entitled "Proposed RFP Schedule", for the submittal of
written inquiries. The Proposers' failure to request clarification and submit
questions by the date described above shall be considered to constitute the
Proposers' acceptance of all of HCSD's terms and conditions and requirements.
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Request for Proposal Internal Funds Auditing Services RFP 27-0002
Hendry County School District
HCSD shall issue an addendum reflecting the questions and answers to this RFP,
if any, which shall be posted to the district website and demand star.
2.4.2. Any inquiries from the Proposer concerning this RFP shall be submitted in
writing to the individual identified in Section 2.1. All inquiries must be sent by
email (procurement@hendry-schools.net) and will be answered in an addendum
that will be issued no later than seven (7) days before the due date. Inquiries must
be legible and concise and must clearly identify the Proposer who is submitting
the inquiry. Questions MAY NOT be sent to any other employees.
2.4.3. Respondents are advised that a Cone of Silence is in effect for this
solicitation. From the date of issuance of this RFP until the end of the 72-hour
period following the posting of the Notice of Intended Award, respondents may
not contact any employee, officer, or School Board Members of the Hendry
County School District regarding this solicitation, except in writing to the
authorized Purchasing Representative.
2.5. Pre-Proposal Meeting
None
2.6. Proposal Opening Date
Proposals will be opened in the HCSD Finance Department located at 111 Curry
Street, LaBelle, FL 33935 on the date and at the time shown in Section 2.3,
"Proposed RFP Schedule". All timely submittals will be opened publicly to record
the names of proposing firms submitting sealed proposals. Please see Purchasing
Department & DemandStar website for posted public meeting notice as specified
in Section 2.1 Authorized HCSD Representative.
2.7. Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated by the Evaluation Committee using a 100-point direct
allocation scale detailed below. Factors 1 and 2 will be scored by evaluation
committee members based on technical merit and responsiveness to the proposal
requirements. Factor 3 (Cost) will be calculated objectively by the Procurement
Department using a standard mathematical cost formula.
The failure of any firm to provide detailed information regarding proposal elements
described in Section 3 (Required Proposal Format) may result in a reduction of points in
the evaluation process.
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Request for Proposal Internal Funds Auditing Services RFP 27-0002
Hendry County School District
Maximum
Item Evaluation Criteria allowable
points
Experience and Qualifications
- Florida School District & Local Government Audit Experience
A) (20) 50
- Qualifications & License/CPE Status of Assigned Staff (15)
- External Peer Review Report Rating & References (15)
Audit Approach, Methodology, & Work Plan
- Internal Control Framework (COSO / 5 Components) (15)
B) 35
- Specific K-12 Audit Strategy (10)
- Capacity, Timelines, & On-site Availability (10)
Cost Proposal & Fee Schedule
C) 15
- Total Cost for Annual Audit Plan & Hourly Rate Competitiveness
D) Total Points 100
EVALUATION FACTOR 1: EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS (50 points)
Evaluators will assess the proposer's background, historical performance, and technical capacity
to conduct professional internal auditing services for public educational entities:
1.1 Florida K-12 & Public Entity Audit Experience (20 Points): Demonstrated history
and success of the firm in providing internal or financial auditing services to Florida
school districts and public sector agencies within the last four (4) years.
1.2 Qualifications & Competency of Assigned Staff (15 Points): Professional licensing
(Active Florida CPA), depth of governmental auditing experience, and relevant
Continuing Professional Education (CPE) hours in government auditing standards for
designated engagement partners, managers, supervisors, and staff auditors.
1.3 Quality Control Review & References (15 Points): Verification of a "Pass" rating
on the firm's most recent external Quality Control / Peer Review Report, lack of
disciplinary action by the Florida Board of Accountancy within the past three (3) years,
and positive client evaluations from at least three (3) references.
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Request for Proposal Internal Funds Auditing Services RFP 27-0002
Hendry County School District
EVALUATION FACTOR 2: AUDIT APPROACH, METHODOLOGY & WORK
PLAN (35 points)
Evaluators will assess the proposer's technical approach, proposed work plan, and familiarity
with K-12 risk areas:
2.1 COSO Internal Control Framework Coverage (15 Points): Quality and
thoroughness of the proposed approach across all five components of internal control
(Control Environment, Risk Assessment, Control Activities, Information &
Communication, and Monitoring).
2.2 K-12 Operational & Functional Audit Strategy (10 Points): Specific methodology
for auditing high-risk school district functions, including School Internal Accounts
(activity funds), FTE/FEFP student attendance reporting, and federal grant compliance (2
CFR 200).
2.3 Work Plan, Deliverables, & Availability (10 Points): Feasibility of the proposed
timeline, capacity of the team to complete scheduled audits efficiently, and explicit
commitment to mandatory in-person meetings and fieldwork.
EVALUATION FACTOR 3: COST PROPOSAL AND FEE STRUCTURE (15
points)
The Contractor's ability to provide a competitive, complete, comprehensive and
economical pricing structure considering all of the activities outlined in
requirements/scope of work as set forth in the RFP will be evaluated in this section. This
factor, combined with the Proposer's ability to advise school and district staff from time
to time regarding internal accounts laws and rules, will be considered in this area of the
evaluation.
Proposers must complete Attachment I, "Proposal Quotation Form" detailing fees for
each service listed. The Cost Proposal will be scored objectively by the Procurement
Department. The lowest total proposed cost for the base services will receive the
maximum 15 points. All other proposals will receive points based on the following
mathematical formula: (Lowest Proposed Cost / Proposer's Cost) x 15 points = Awarded
Points.
The failure of any firm to provide detailed information regarding proposal elements
described in Section 3 may result in the reduction of points in the evaluation process.
2.8. Selection Process
The Auditor Selection Committee shall rank and recommend, in order of preference, no
fewer than three (3) firms to the School Board for award consideration (unless fewer than
three respond).
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Request for Proposal Internal Funds Auditing Services RFP 27-0002
Hendry County School District
2.9. Posting of Recommended Selection
The recommended selection, if any, will be posted for review by interested parties on the
Hendry County School Purchasing Department website, and DemandStar
https://www.hendry-schools.org/departments/finance/purchasing-dept/current-bids
https://www.demandstar.com/app/buyers/bids
PO. 6326 - BID PROTEST
If the Proposer desires to protest the recommended selection(s), if any, the Proposer must
file with the Office of Purchasing:
Any person who claims to be adversely affected by a proposed award of a bid and who
has standing to protest an award of a bid, may file a written notice of protest not later
than seventy-two (72) hours after the time of the posting of the notice of decision or
intended decision. For a protest of the terms, conditions, and specifications contained in a
solicitation, including any provisions governing the methods for ranking bids, proposals,
or replies, awarding contracts, reserving rights of further negotiation, or modifying or
amending any contract, the notice of protest shall be filed in writing within seventy-two
(72) hours after the posting of the solicitation. The notice of protest must be filed with the
CFO. The formal written protest must be filed with the CFO within ten (10) days after the
date the notice of protest is filed. The formal written protest shall state with particularity
the facts and law upon which the protest is based and shall be in petition form, as
required by F.A.C. 28-110.004(2). Failure to file a notice of intent to protest, or failure to
file a formal written protest, within the times prescribed in section F.S. 120.57(3), failure
to post the bond or other security required by law within the time allowed for filing a
bond, or failure to follow any other requirements in the bid protest procedures established
by the District shall constitute a waiver of all protest rights and proceedings under F.S.
Chapter 120.
( Note: Florida Statutes 120.57(3) and School Board Policy 6320 and 6326 contain the
entire procedure for filing).
2.10. Proposal Validity Period
Any submitted proposal, shall in its entirety, remain a valid proposal for one year after
the proposal submission date.
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Request for Proposal Internal Funds Auditing Services RFP 27-0002
Hendry County School District
2.11. Disposition of Proposals
All proposals become the property of HCSD, and HCSD shall have the right to use all
ideas, and/or adaptations of those ideas, contained in any proposal received in response to
this RFP. Any parts of the proposal or any other material(s) submitted to HCSD with the
proposal that are copyrighted or expressly marked as "confidential", "proprietary", or
"trade secret", will be exempted from the "open records disclosure requirements" of
Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, but only to the extent expressly authorized by Florida law.
If Proposer wishes to mark items as confidential or exempt, the Proposer must also
reference the specific law that allows the exemption. HCSD's selection or rejection of a
proposal will not affect this exemption
2.12. Economy of Presentation
HCSD is not liable for any costs incurred by a Proposer in responding to this RFP
including, without limitation costs for oral presentations requested by HCSD, if any.
2.13. Verbal Instructions
No negotiations, decisions, or actions shall be initiated or executed by the Proposer as a
result of any discussions with any HCSD employee. Only those communications that are
in writing from the authorized HCSD representative identified in Section 2.1 of this RFP
shall be considered as duly authorized expression on behalf of HCSD.
3. REQUIRED PROPOSAL FORMAT
The Proposer shall not alter the RFP in any way. The contract, if any, resulting from the
RFP shall attach the entire RFP and incorporate the RFP by reference.
To facilitate analysis of its proposal, it is highly recommended that the Proposer prepare
its proposal in accordance with the instructions outlined in the following section below.
Tab 1: Transmittal Letter & Executive Summary (Authorized signature, entity
details, primary contact).
Tab 2: Minimum Qualifications & Firm Experience (CPA License, Peer
Review Report, Florida K-12 audit history, reference letters).
Tab 3: Staffing & Team Qualifications (Resumes/biographies of Assigned
Partner, Manager, and Senior Staff; CPE hours in government auditing).
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Request for Proposal Internal Funds Auditing Services RFP 27-0002
Hendry County School District
Tab 4: Technical Approach & Methodology (Coverage of internal control
components: Control Environment, Risk Assessment, Control Activities,
Information/Communication, Monitoring; sample audit plan).
Tab 5: Cost Proposal Form (Completed Attachment I / Fee Schedule).
Tab 6: Required Compliance Attachments (Attachments A through I, signed
and notarized where applicable).
HCSD emphasizes that the Proposer concentrates on accuracy, completeness, and clarity
of content. The Proposer must use sections which are clearly identified and also must
number and label all parts, pages, figures, and tables in its proposal. Proposer's response
to this RFP must be submitted to HCSD as listed in Section 2.1 above.
4. AWARD
All proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the evaluation criteria specified in this
document. Based on the proposals received, the Board may elect to proceed based on any
of the following options, but will not necessarily be limited only to these options: (1)
Award to the best initial proposal as submitted; (2) Negotiate with the highest ranked firm
or firms (the Board reserves the right to make multiple awards), or; (3) require the top
ranked firms to make oral presentations. Proposers are advised to provide a competitive
offer with the initial proposal since the District reserves the right to award a contract
based on initial proposals without further discussion or negotiation.
The proposal(s) most advantageous to the Board, at its sole discretion, will be selected.
The Board reserves the right to negotiate out unacceptable clauses or restrictions
incorporated within an otherwise acceptable proposal. In the event that a mutually
acceptable contract between the Board and the selected Proposer cannot be successfully
negotiated and executed, the Board reserves the right to discontinue negotiations with
such Proposer and to negotiate and execute a contract with the next highest ranked
Proposer.
Award will not be based solely on economics, but rather an evaluation of all aspects of
the proposal.
The Board reserves the right to make multiple awards. RFP award does not guarantee
purchase.
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