Houghton County News

RFP for Accounting Services

1. Introduction and Background
Houghton County, Michigan (the “County”) is requesting proposals from qualified Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firms and/or governmental accounting firms to assist with reconciling the County’s cash balances so that they accurately reflect bank balances across all County accounts and align with the County’s general ledger.
The County maintains multiple bank accounts and funds, and discrepancies currently exist between recorded cash balances in the general ledger and actual bank balances. The County seeks professional assistance to identify, analyze, and resolve these discrepancies, establish accurate reconciled balances, and recommend improvements to internal controls and reconciliation processes.

2. Scope of Services
The selected firm will be expected to provide services that may include, but are not limited to, the following:
Review and assessment of all County bank accounts, funds, and related general ledger cash accounts.
Reconciliation of bank statements to the general ledger across all funds and accounts.
Identification and documentation of discrepancies, timing differences, posting errors, unsupported balances, or misclassifications.
Assistance in determining appropriate adjusting journal entries needed to bring the general ledger cash balances into agreement with bank balances.
Preparation of detailed reconciliation schedules and supporting documentation suitable for audit purposes.
Coordination with County staff to obtain records, explain findings, and validate proposed adjustments.
Recommendations for improved cash reconciliation procedures, internal controls, and best practices to prevent future discrepancies.
Optional: Assistance with implementation of recommended procedures and staff training (if requested).

3. Deliverables
At a minimum, the selected firm shall provide:
A comprehensive reconciliation of all County cash accounts to corresponding bank balances.
A written summary of findings, including the nature and cause of discrepancies identified.
A list of proposed and/or posted adjusting journal entries.
Final reconciled cash balances by fund and account.
Recommendations for ongoing reconciliation processes and internal control improvements.

4. Firm Qualifications
Proposals should demonstrate the firm’s qualifications, including:
Experience providing governmental accounting and reconciliation services for counties or similar public-sector entities.
Knowledge of Michigan local government accounting requirements and generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).
Experience reconciling complex, multi-fund cash environments.
Identification of key personnel who will be assigned to the project, including credentials and relevant experience.

5. Proposal Requirements
Proposals should include the following information:
Firm name, address, and primary contact information.
A brief history and overview of the firm.
Description of the firm’s approach and methodology for completing the scope of services.
Proposed timeline and estimated duration of the project.
Identification of staff who will perform the work.
Fee proposal, including hourly rates and/or a not-to-exceed cost.
Disclosure of any potential conflicts of interest.
At least three references from governmental clients for whom similar services were provided.

6. Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated based on, but not limited to, the following criteria:
Relevant experience and qualifications.
Understanding of the project and proposed approach.
Ability to meet the County’s timeline.
Cost and overall value to the County.
References and past performance with governmental entities.
The County reserves the right to interview one or more firms as part of the evaluation process.

8. Submission Instructions
Proposals should be submitted electronically in PDF format to:
accounting@houghtoncounty.gov

9. Terms and Conditions
The County reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to waive informalities, and to accept the proposal deemed to be in the best interest of the County.
The County is not responsible for any costs incurred by proposers in preparing or submitting proposals.
All proposals submitted become the property of the County and may be subject to disclosure under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

10. Additional Information
Questions regarding this RFP should be submitted in writing to the contact person listed above by the deadline of April 10, 2026.