Description:
The State Education Resource Center (“SERC”) is seeking Proposals from qualified public accounting firms to perform certain audit functions for all or part of fiscal years 2019, 2020 and 2021. These functions shall include, but are not limited to:

1. Audit of annual financial statements prepared by SERC, beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019
2. Federal Single Audit beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019
3. State Single Audit beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019

This engagement will begin immediately following (or as soon as practicable after) the awarding of this contract.

Minimum Qualifications:

A CPA firm with experience handling Quasi-Public Financial Statement Audits; in addition to State and Federal Single Audits.

Proposal Submission Deadline:
Noon, August 30, 2019

Contact Person:
Holly C. King, Contracts Manager This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
State Education Resource Center (SERC)
100 Roscommon Drive, Suite 110, Middletown, CT 06457

Please Note: The deadline for submitting questions is Thursday, August 15, 2019. Responses will be posted on this web page, and at the State Contracting Portal website on Monday, August 19, 2019.

RFQ Documents

For complete details and requirements, download the full RFP Document here.

Amendment #1: Regarding submission of questions related to the RFQ.

Received Questions and Answers

Who prepares the annual statements? Management? The CPA firm?
A combination: Management prepares draft financial statements (Balance Sheet and Statement of Revenue and Expense) CPA Firm prepares Cash Flow Statement, footnotes and supplemental reports

What accounting system does the Center utilize?
MIP

Is the year end trial balance that agrees to the financial statements available for review?
Yes

Were there any adjusting entries proposed/recorded by the CPA firm?
Yes

Was a management letter issued and if so, is it available for review?
No Management Letter was issued.

Is there an audit committee? Was there a presentation by the CPA firm to the audit committee? Board?
There is no Audit Committee but there is a Finance Committee.
There has not been a presentation to the Board/Committee previously but SERC would like to implement this going forward.

Is the required communications presented available for review?
Yes

Please provide a timeline for the audit engagement….was there planning performed prior to year-end? Also, understanding that this year’s audit engagement will begin later than usual, what is the preferred timeline with future audit engagements?
The timeline for this year’s audit is for an immediate (as soon as possible) start after firm is selected with a target completion date of December 1st. Preferred timeline is for September 1 start date with Oct 31st completion date.

Was any of the fieldwork performed remotely, or all on site? How many days were the auditors on site?
There was a combination of remote and on site.
The auditors were on-site for approximately 3 days in total.

How long as the current CPA firm been auditing the Center?
3 years

If available, what were the fees charged for the audit engagement?
We choose not to disclose current fees.

Does the audit also include the Foundation? Is there a reason that the Foundation is not included within the Center’s financial statements?
No the audit does not include the Foundation and has been the case since inception.

This training series is brought to you by the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE), Bureau of Special Education in partnership with the State Education Resource Center (SERC).

Program Information

This innovative training, targeted for all educators involved in the Planning and Placement Team (PPT) process, is differentiated into three levels to meet the diverse needs of Connecticut school districts. Focused on five key principles, the training addresses special education laws and procedures, improving student outcomes, improving quality of individualized education programs (IEPs), strengthening school and family partnerships, and decreasing number of state complaints.

Target Audience:

• Building Administrators
• Special Education Administrators
• Related Services Professionals
• Special Education Staff
• Reading Specialists
• Other General Education Staff who are part of the PPT Process

Learner Outcomes:

• Prepare PPT members to effectively participate in the PPT process.
• Prepare PPT chairs to effectively manage PPT meetings.
• Demonstrate basic knowledge to plan for implementation of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requirements.
• Demonstrate effective communication skills between PPT members (staff AND families).

Training Structure: 8 Days, 3 Levels

*REQUIRED for all participants

• Level 1: Special Education Laws, Policies and Procedures (3 Days)*
• Level 2: PPT Team Training (3 Days)*
  
  In addition, the following is REQUIRED for those who are or will be serving in the PPT Chair Role:
• Level 3: PPT Chair Training (2 Days)

Training Availability: For 2019-20, this training series will be offered through district consortia or in-district compacts only, on a first-come basis, based on the availability of the trainers.

Response Deadline for 2019/2020 Training Requests: September 30, 2019

District Commitment:Districts are responsible for providing space and food, selecting training dates, and guaranteeing and committing to 40-50 participants.

CSDE Commitment: The CT State Department of Education (CSDE) will fund the training and training resources.

For More Information

Please contact SERC to discuss the development of a compact which will require Superintendent endorsement.

Virginia Babcock
Consultant
860-632-1485, ext. 318 or
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Stephen Proffitt
Director for Special Education Programs and Instructional Design
860-632-1485, ext. 322 or
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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