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Council Agenda Item 8 b
MEETING DATE:
AGENDA ITEM:
SUBMITTED BY: Finance
December 4, 2008
Audit Proposals -Authorize the Mayor and Administrator to enter into a
three year audit contract with LarsonAllen, LLP
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION: None
None
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The City of St. Joseph recently requested proposals from qualified firms
of certified public accountants to audit its financial statements for the fiscal years ending December 31,
2008, 2009 and 2010.
After both individual and staff collaborative reviews of proposals, it was concurrently decided that
LarsonAllen, LLP be selected to provide auditing services for the City graded on the low bid and technical
components such as: past experience on comparable government engagements; the quality of the firm's
professional personnel; adequacy of proposed staffing plan; and adequate audit approach. For
reference, the firm's ranks (from highest to lowest) after the technical component were as follows:
Audit Firm Name Total Technical
Component Score
Abdo, Eick & Meyers, LLP 25/25
Kern, DeWenter, Viere, Ltd. 24/25
LarsonAllen LLP 24/25
Conway, Deuth &Schmeising, PLLP. 20/25
Each audit firm provided a sealed dollar cost bid separate from their original proposals in order to
ensure cost was not factored into their technical grade score. After total technical component grade
scoring, the dollar cost bids were opened. City staff had previously agreed that any cost difference
below $2,000 for the top two (2) ranked firms from the technical portion of the grading would be
acceptable. The two firms that scored the highest on the technical score were more than $2,000 higher
than lowest bidder. Listed below are the costs of each firm's proposal from lowest to highest:
Audit Firm Name 2008 Cost 2009 Cost 2010 Cost Total Audit Cost
LarsonAllen LLP $23,620 $24,780 $25,900 $74,300
Conway, Deuth &Schmeising, $27,750 $28,850 $29,975 $86,575
Kern, DeWenter, Viere, Ltd. $28,450 $29,590 $30,890 $88,930
Abdo, Eick & Meyers, LLP $29,065 $29,948 $30,861 $89,874
In addition, references and various clients were contacted for each of the firms that provided bids. All
references and clients provided positive feedback on the client service and competitive fees for service.
City staff concurrently recommends the selection of LarsonAllen, LLP to provide auditing services for the
City of St. Joseph for the years ended December 31, 2008, 2009 and 2010. The firm achieved a
satisfactory technical component score; its proposal was competitively priced; and its total auditing
services proposal was $15,574 dollars lower than the highest technical component scored firm, Abdo,
Eick & Meyers, LLP, for the three year period.
BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT: $23,620 - 2008
$24,780 - 2009
$25,900 - 2010
ATTACHMENTS: None
REQUESTED COUNCIL ACTION: Authorize the Mayor and Administrator to enter into athree- year
audit contract with LarsonAllen, LLP