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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02082021 City Council Work Session Packet - Forensic AuditSeward City Council Work Session Packet Topic: Discuss the Request for Proposal (RFP) for a Forensic Audit Virtual Meeting February 8, 2021 City Council Chambers Immediately following the adjournment of the WaterlSewer Rate Study Work Session Instructions For CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT DURING CITY COUNCIL Virtual WORK SESSIONS Due to COVID-19, alternate methods for citizen involvement during City Council work sessions have been created to allow public interaction while keeping everyone safe and healthy. Although there is no in person public attendance allowed, council wants to encourage citizen participation. If you wish to participate in a work session, please follow these simple steps: STEP 1: Sign up on the city clerk's contact list. Send an email to clerk2cityofseward.net and request to be included on the contact list AND provide your phone number. Sign up by 4:00 p.m. on the day of the work session. You'll receive a confirmation email from the city clerk that you're on the list; if you don't receive the confirmation, please call 224-4045 to confirm. STEP 2: Keep your phone handy throughout the work session. When answering your phone, please mute any background noise so you can be heard by council clearly. How it will work: During regular intervals throughout the work session, the proceedings will be halted and the city clerk will call citizens who have signed up. After all citizens have been contacted, council will continue the work session. Citizens sign up one time per work session, and will be contacted at every interval during the work session. Each time you are called, the city clerk will ask if you wish to be contacted at the next interval during that work session. How to watch or listen to a work session: Watch Live Streaming on the city's YouTube page. Log onto YouTube and type "City of Seward Alaska" into the search bar or go to: 2. httDs://www.voutube.com/channel/UCWzsXcDwdvklHKGavYS UNO 3. Listen on the radio. Tune to KIBH-FM 91.7 4. Watch on television. Tune into GCI Cable Channel 9. Attending via ZOOM Enter the following information in the Zoom App or www.zoom.us Webinar ID: 968 9320 5754 Passcode: 506050 or Telephone: US: +1 408 638 0968 or 833 548 0282 (Toll Free) CITY OF SEWARD REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FORENSIC AUDIT SERVICES Issue Date: February 2021 Bid Opening: March 2021 1. INTENT AND GENERAL INFORMATION At the request of the City of Seward Council, the following request for proposal (RFP) is to contract forensic audit services to be provided to the City of Seward. The audit will focus on examining, reviewing, and recalculating every City of Seward utility bill for calendar years 2018, 2019 and 2020. Each utility is accounted for as an enterprise fund. The rates for each utility are set by tariffs approved by the City Council. Rates are set based on customer classifications. Each utility also has policies which can impact how a customer is classified and whether (for water and sewer utilities) usage is metered or charged at a flat rate. All electric utility customers are billed based on meter readings and actual usage. All electric meter readings are collected by drive -by radio frequencies and a handheld collection device. Meters for those water utility customers whose service is metered is done manually. Other water and sewer utility customers are billed at flat monthly rates. There are approximately 970 sewer customers, 996 water customers and 2,900 electric meters read each month. Billings for all utilities are combined in a monthly statement issued by the City's Finance Department. 2. WHO MAY RESPOND: Only firms or individuals qualified to perform independent audits of municipalities in the State of Alaska and have certification in financial forensics (CFF) or as a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE). The respondent must have been engaged during the last five years in Alaska or elsewhere as independent Forensic Auditors. The individual or firm must be a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. The firm is not required to maintain an office within the State of Alaska. 3. SUBMISSION AND DEADLINE: Offeror's responding to this RFP are hereby notified that all proposals submitted, and information contained herein and attached thereto will not become public information until selection of the successful auditor/firm. Except as otherwise provided above, no trade secrets or commercial or financial information shall be accepted in confidence unless, and then only to the extent, the City Manager specifically agrees in writing to the contrary. All proposals must be received mailed or hand -delivered by 1:00 p.m. local time on February , 2021. Four (4) original hard copies and one (1) electronic copy (flash drive or disk) shall be submitted in one package to: Brenda Ballou, City Clerk City of Seward 410 Adams Street PO Box 167 Seward, AK 99664 Forensic Audit Services RFP- 1 Clerk's note: The public opening needs to be scheduled and included in the notice. Questions regarding this RFP should be directed to Stephen Sowell, Assistant City Manager, at ssowellgcityofseward.net . Questions must be received at least five (5) days prior to date fixed for opening of proposals to be given consideration. Prospective respondents are requested to limit their contact with the City regarding the RFP to the person(s) named herein. All offeror's who are furnished a copy of this RFP, but who decide not to offer a proposal to the City of Seward for this project are kindly requested to submit a negative reply. The original proposal shall be placed along with the electronic copy in one sealed envelope bearing the name and address of the respondent and clearly marked with the words "RFP for Forensic Audit Services". 4. SCOPE OF SERVICES: The selected firm shall be retained for the express purpose of: 1. Performing such forensic accounting procedures as are necessary to identify and quantify any and all irregular procedures, policies and practices impacting the accuracy of invoices issued to customers of the City of Seward water, sewer and electric utilities during calendar years 2018, 2019 and 2020 including the following issues: a. are invoices consistent with applicable tariff provisions? b. are invoices consistent with meter reading records? c. have the classifications of rate payers for billing purposes been correctly and consistently performed? d. has the policy for placement of demand meters been correctly and consistently applied? e. has the calculation of equivalent residential units (ERU's) for purposes of invoicing for water and sewer services been consistently and correctly performed? A comprehensive review of every monthly invoice issued to residential, commercial, and industrial customers during calendar years 2018, 2019 and 2020 is requested. 2. During the course of the initial investigation the scope of work may be further expanded or altered at the recommendation of the auditor with written approval of the City Council. 3. Following completion of the forensic audit, the auditor shall issue a written report communicating all discovered abnormal activity, past or present, its quantification, cause, and consequence. 4. The auditor shall orally report its findings to the City Council. For the forensic activity so engaged, the auditor will be required to quantify and document its results to a level consistent with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and Government Auditing Standards. 6. It is further expected that the auditor will advise the City Council and recommend to the City Council appropriate actions to prevent further irregular activities relating to invoicing, standard operating procedures for customer billing, and billing policies. Forensic Audit Services RFP- 2 5. TIMEFRAMES 5.1 RFP Schedule is as follows: Proposals due: March 81h, 2021 Proposal Review Completed: March 15th 2021 Recommendation and Selection: Following March 22nd, 2021 5.2 Term of Contract: All work to be completed within 120 days from award of contract. 6. CONTRACT MANAGEMENT: The contact person for this contract shall be the City Manager or his / her designee. The selected offeror will identify one person who is to be the contact for this RFP. 7. EVALUATION AND AWARD: 7.1 Selection Criteria The contract will be awarded in the best interest of the City to the offeror who submits a response which is deemed to provide for the highest quality of service at a fair and competitive price which is most advantageous to the City, price and other factors considered. Selection criteria include: Capability to perform the Scope of Work in a timely manner Past Experience in performing similar work. Proposed Hourly Rates It is expected that a decision selecting the successful offeror will be made within four (4) weeks of the closing date for the receipt of proposals. Upon conclusion of final negotiations with the successful offeror, all Offerors submitting proposals in response to this RFP will be informed, in writing, of the name of the successful consultant. Selection Procedures: 7.1.1 The City of Seward reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or parts thereof for any reason to negotiate changes to proposal terms and to waive minor inconsistencies with the RFP. The City of Seward reserves the right to select based on qualifications, experience in providing similar services elsewhere, the proposal's responsiveness to the Request for Proposals requirements; and to negotiate a contract with the consultant. 7.1.2 Proposals in response to this RFP will be reviewed against the criteria listed above and award of the contract shall be made in accordance with standard purchasing procedures. 7.1.3 The Seward City Council and Seward City Manager and Assistant City Manager will review the proposals. 7.1.4 The City may enter into a contract with the most responsible respondent whose proposal is Forensic Audit Services RFP- 3 determined to be in the best interest of the City. 8. ALTERNATIVES AND EXCEPTIONS: The City may accept proposals which take exceptions to any requirements in the RFP, or which offer any alternative to a requirement herein. Any exception or alternative must be clearly delineated and cannot materially affect the substance of the RFP. 9. PROPOSALS: The City will not be liable for costs incurred in the preparation of the responses to the RFP or in connection with any presentation before a selection committee. Proposals submitted must be bound, paginated, indexed and numbered consecutively. Respondents shall submit as their proposal the following: 9.1 Organization and Content: 9.1.1 Letter of Transmittal: A letter of transmittal addressed to Norm Regis, Acting City Manager, which includes a statement by the respondent accepting all terms and conditions and requirements contained in the RFP. The letter should also include a brief discussion of the respondent's background, experience, and ability to perform this contract in accordance with the Scope of Services. Also, to be provided is a listing of clients for whom similar services were performed, and the nature of the project. 9.1.2 Proiect Understanding: Please provide a written discussion in enough detail to demonstrate an understanding of the contract's scope and the service required. 9.1.3 Experience: Please provide a detailed written summary of the firm's history in similar roles. 9.1.4 Staff Plan: The proposal should state the size of the firm, the size of the firm's forensic governmental audit staff, the location of the office(s) from which the work on this engagement is to be performed and the number and nature of the staff to be employed on this engagement. Please identify key personnel whom the firm may designate to perform forensic audit services for the City of Seward, their certifications, their background, and experience in similar roles. 9.1.5 References: Must provide a list of three references. Please include names, titles, addresses, and telephone numbers as to allow the City to contact these references. The firm shall also provide information on the results of the firm's latest federal or state desk reviews or field reviews of its audits. 9.1.6 Service Plan: Forensic Audit Services RFP- 4 Provide a detailed itemized plan of proposed services and methods that will be employed to conduct the forensic audit. 9.1.8 Services Expected of the Citv: Define the nature and scope of all services to be provided by the City. 9.1.9 Fee Proposal: The Offeror's proposed price should include information on the hourly billing rates of each person who is expected to work on this project and charges for expenses, if any, such as copies, and faxes. The proposal should also estimate the number of hours anticipated to be required to complete all tasks identified in the Scope of Work. 9.2 Required Forms to be Submitted with Proposal: Fair Employment Practice Qualifications for Bidders Non -collusive Affidavit Alaska Business License City of Seward Business License Independence - The firm should provide an affirmative statement that it is independent of the City of Seward as defined by generally accepted accounting standards and the U.S. Comptroller General's Government Auditing Standards. 10. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND CONDITIONS Insurance Indemnification: The contractor shall procure and maintain at its own expense, the following insurance: (See Appendix _ for a more detailed explanation of the City's Insurance and Indemnification requirements). Note: Insurance Certificates in accordance with the requirements contained herein must be submitted to the City prior to the issuance of a Purchase Order. Conditions: Respondents to this RFP will be expected to adhere to the following conditions and must make a positive statement to that effect in its proposal submitted: 1. Have personnel/resources reserve enough to assure task continuity. 2. Agree that the resultant contract may be terminated in the event of non - appropriation of funds. 3. Agree to conform to all applicable laws and ordinances and statutes of the Federal Government, State of Alaska and City of Seward, including but not limited to the Forensic Audit Services RFP- 5 following: `Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended `Civil Rights Act of 1991, as amended `The Municipal Code of the City of Seward 4. Agree that if the City cannot in good faith negotiate a written contract within a reasonable time with the selected respondent, the City may unilaterally cancel its selection of that respondent. 5. Agree that periodic payments to the Auditor will be made as agreed upon in the signed contract with the City. 6. Agree that the contract between the City and the respondent shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Alaska and the ordinances of the City of Seward. 11. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER As a condition of doing business with the City, Offerors' must be certified by the City as an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The Fair Employment Practice Qualifications for Bidders is enclosed for this purpose and is made an integral part of this proposal. Please complete the form in its entirety and return it, with all necessary attachments and an authorized original signature affixed, with the proposal submitted. 12. TAX STATUS In accordance with the Municipal Code of the City of Seward, the selected respondent must be current in all tax obligations to the City of Seward. A respondent found to be delin pent in the payment of personal or real property taxes or found to be the owner of an interest of twenty tive percent (25%) or more in a corporation that is delinquent in the payment of personal or real property taxes shall not be considered for RFP award. 12. TAXPAYER'S IDENTIFICATION NUMBER Each respondent, whether an individual, propprietor, ppartnership or anon -profit corporation or organization must provide a completed Form W-9 to the Z'ity indicating its Taxpayer Identification Number. 13. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND REVISIONS TO PROPOSALS Information may be provided to potential respondents for the purpose of clarification to assure full understanding of, and responsiveness to the Request for Proposals requirements. Prospective respondents shall be afforded fair and equal treatment with respect to access to additional information and revision of proposals. 14. NON -RESPONSIBLE PROPOSER Pursuant to Seward Code of Ordinance Section 6.10.135, any respondent who is found to have previously held a contract with the City which was terminated for default, or who has previously been involved in litigation with the City as an opponent of the City, may be deemed non -responsible and not eligible for contract award. 15. NO GUARANTEES This Request for Proposals, and any responses thereto, does not constitute a contract of any kind. The City makes no guarantees with respect to a grant of award and/or contract to any responsible and responsive respondent to this Request for Proposals. 16. BID SECURITY Because this proposal does not request fixed -price bids, the requirements of a bid security is waived. See Seward Code of 'Ordinances Section 6.10.226. Forensic Audit Services RFP- 6 FAIR EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES FOR QUALIFICATIONS OF BIDDERS CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA THIS QUESTIONNAIRE ON FAIR EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES FOR THE QUALIFICATIONS OF BIDDERS IS PART OF THIS BID DOCUMENT AND MUST BE RETURNED WITH YOUR BID. FAILURE TO COMPLETE THIS FORM MAY BE SUFFICIENT CAUSE FOR REJECTION OF YOUR BID. IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO SUBMIT THIS FORM ON AN ANNUAL BASIS IN ORDER FOR THE CITY TO MAINTAIN AND UP-TO-DATE FILE ON YOUR PROGRESS IN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT. AS REQUIRED BY FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS AND REGULATIONS, THE CITY MAY REQUEST ADDITIONAL EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY INFORMATION FROM YOU. "FAIR" OR "EQUAL EMPLOYMENT" MEANS THE PRACTICE OF NOT DISCRIMINATING AMONG PERSONS ON THE BASIS OF RACE, COLOR, SEX, NATIONAL ORIGIN OR AGE. THIS QUESTIONNAIRE WILL BE EVALUATED BY THE PURCHASING AGENT AND HIS RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE A FACTOR IN DETERMINING WHETHER YOUR FIRM IS TO BE RETAINED ON THE CITY' S BID LIST. SECTION PLEASE ANSWER ALL THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: A NAME OF FIRM ADDRESS TELEPHONE NUMBER NATURE OF BUSINESS NUMBER OF FULL TIME EMPLOYEES PERSON FILLING OUT FORM TITLE SECTION DO YOU HAVE A WRITTEN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT POLICY? YES NO B IF YES, PLEASE ATTACH COPY IF NO, DO YOU PLAN TO ADOPT ONE IN THE NEAR FUTURE? YES NO SECTION DO YOU HAVE A WRITTEN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION POLICY? YES NO C IF YES, PLEASE ATTACH COPY IF NO, DO YOU PLAN TO ADOPT ONE IN THE NEAR FUTURE? YES NO SECTION DO YOU UTILIZE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES, SUCH Forensic Audit Services RFP- 7 AS ADVERTISING ALL POSITIONS WITH THE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY D CLAUSE, MAKING SPECIAL EFFORTS TO RECRUIT MINORITY AND FEMALE JOB APPLICANTS AND REVIEWING JOB -TESTING PROCECURES TO ENSURE THAT NO DISCRIMINATORY BIASES EXIST? YES NO SECTION NAME OF OFFICER OF FIRM E SIGNATURE OF OFFICER DATE CITY OF SEWARD NON -COLLUSIVE AFFIDAVIT OF PROPOSER The undersigned proposer, having fully informed themselves regarding the accuracy of the statements made herein certifies that: (1) the proposer developed the bid independently and submitted it without collusion with, and without any agreement, understanding, or planned common course of action with any other entity designed to limit independent bidding or competition, and (2) the proposer, its employees and agents have not communicated the contents of the bid to any person not an employee or agent of the proposer and will not communicate the proposal to any such person prior to the official opening of the proposal. The undersigned proposer further certifies that this statement is executed for the purpose of inducing the City of Seward to consider the proposal and make an award in accordance therewith. Legal Name of Proposer/Firm Business Address Signature and Title Date Printed Name of Title Person Subscribed and sworn to me this day of , 20 Notary Public My Commission Expires CITY OF SEWARD Forensic Audit Services RFP- 8 City Clerk's Office 410 Adams Street P.O. Box 167 Seward, AK 99664 "NO BID" RESPONSE Name of Bid/RFP/RFO: Date of Bid Opening: For tracking, audit, and record -keeping purposes, we would very much appreciate knowing the reason why you have chosen not to submit a proposal for the above -referenced Public Bid, RFP or RFQ. Would you please take a moment to provide a brief explanation below for not submitting a proposal to us for this project? Please also indicate if you would like to continue to receive bids and quotes from us in the future for above - referenced related purchases. If we do not receive this form back, we will assume you are no longer interested in receiving bids and quotes from us. Please continue to send me bids, quotes, and RFPs. Yes No Company name Mailing address Email address Your name This form may be mailed, faxed, or e-mailed back to us at: Date City of Seward Attn: City Clerk 410 Adams Street P.O. Box 167 Seward, AK 99664 Fax: 907 - E-mail: BBalloukcilyofseward.net Thank you for your response Forensic Audit Services RFP- 9 1 /26/2021 Forensic Audit vs. Internal Audit: What's the Difference? Eide {.ii.1y Y,-N 4T IminRr3 YOU, IMSPI:iis US, Subscribe Contact Us Client Access SERVICES INDUSTRIES PEOPLE LOCATIONS INSIGHTS EVENTS ABOUT US CAREERS Forensic Audit vs. Internal Audit: Difference? By Doug Cash Related Solutions: What's the Internal Audit11 Forensic Data Analytics Audit Forensic Accounting Fraud Prevention Casino Internal Audit Outsourcing When it comes to auditing your organization, many think it's simply a financial requirement to ensure compliance. However, this type of financial audit is just one of many types of audits your organization can go through. Other types of audits can be used to review the health or your organization, uncover potential areas of vulnerability and ensure proper controls are in place. Understanding the difference between different types of audits is essential to knowing which is the right type for your organization. Learn more about the different type of audits. WATCH THE VIDEO 10 https://www.eidebailly.com/insights/articles/2019/3/forensic-audit-vs-internal-audit 1 /6 Forensic Audit vs. Internal Audit: What's the Difference? Forensic Audit vs. Internal Audit: Understanding the Difference An audit is defined as "a formal examination of an organization's or individual's accounts or financial situation" It is conducted by a public accounting firm for the purpose of providing "comfort" in relation to an organization's financial statements. In many organizations, members of the audit committee, board of directors, owners, managers or other individuals in supervisor positions have limited (if any) experience with other types of audits, including forensic or internal audits. If they are unsure of which direction to turn, they may go seeking the wrong solution. Let's look at the differences between these two audits. To start, what is a forensic accountant? A forensic accountant is defined as "someone whosejob is examining financial records to help find out whether a crime has been committed, or help with a legal case" An internal auditor is defined as "a person who does internal audits for a company." Taking it a step further, the definition of a forensic audit is "an examination of financial records to find any illegal financial activity," while an internal audit is defined as "an examination of a company's accounts or activities by its own accountants or managers" The word "forensic" is often misunderstood in the context of an audit. Forensic simply means "suitable to courts of judicature or to public discussion and debate" When you compare that to the definition of an audit, you will see a major difference between the two. The objective of a forensic audit is to investigate the matter with the intention it will appear in court for some type of trial or mediation. An audit, on the other hand, is prepared to be presented to the company's governing body or owners to discuss the financial health of the organization. The Meaning of a Forensic Audit Forensic audits are conducted with the understanding the matter will appear in court. This could be in relation to a trial or some form of mediation. 11 https://www.eidebailly.com/insights/articles/2019/3/forensic-audit-vs-internal-audit 2/6 liFWANIN Forensic Audit vs. Internal Audit: What's the Difference? Most of forensic audits and forensic examinations are conducted by Certified Fraud Examiners (CFEs), or forensic accountants who are normally considered experts in a specific field of forensic accounting. Internal audits are often conducted by either Certified Internal Auditors (CIAs) or other accounting professionals. How to Determine if You Need a Forensic or Internal Audit To determine the need for an internal audit or a forensic audit/examination, consider the following: Your organization may need an internal audit if: Ethical or accuracy lapses have occurred and/or accountability is lacking. Specialized expertise is required to accomplish projects beyond regular operations. Risks in operations, compliance and reporting are unrecognized or are increasing due to significant changes in the industry, technology, laws and regulations. Existing policies and procedures are not being followed. nformation technology data breaches have occurred or there is significant concern that such risk exists. Compliance with laws and regulations is a significant burden; noncompliance may become a serious issue if not monitored and evaluated. Those charged with governance are focused on the "big picture," but remain concerned about what they may not know about the specifics (or vice versa). Communications internally have led to morale and turnover issues, and/or externa communication quality has led to an air of skepticism from stakeholders about operations. On the other hand, your organization may need a forensic audit/examination if: Suspicions of fraud or theft arise. 12 https://www.eidebailly.com/insights/articles/2019/3/forensic-audit-vs-internal-audit 3/6 1 /26/2021 Forensic Audit vs. Internal Audit: What's the Difference? Turnover has occurred and account balances are not what they should be (positively or negatively). Accounts that were thought to be in your entity's name are not really owned by your entity. Reconciliation procedures result in timing differences or unidentified differences, or they don't reconcile at all. Vendors that should have been paid have not been paid, and/or customers that should have paid have not. Theft of personally identifiable information has occurred or business systems have been hacked. Labor and materials have resulted in poor quality products that are not selling (or worse, are out of compliance with laws and regulations). A whistleblower hotline identified issues such as assets stolen or other defalcations. The Importance of Knowing the Difference Between Forensic vs. Internal Audit While some matters require both a forensic audit/examination and an internal audit, the key to determining which service to use is to determine the time and objectives of the project(s). Aforensic audit/examination is designed to focus on reconstructing past financial transactions for a specific purpose, such as concerns of fraud, whereas an internal audit is typically focused more on compliance and/or the performance of the organization. When in doubt, your organization should reach out to both a forensic accountant (also known as forensic auditor) and an internal auditor to further discuss your needs. These professionals can assist you with determining which service offering is more appropriate for the scope of the matter as well as ensure that the most qualified person(s) are on your engagement team. 13 https://www.eidebailly.com/insights/articles/2019/3/forensic-audit-vs-internal-audit 4/6 liFWANIN Forensic Audit vs. Internal Audit: What's the Difference? Want to learn more? We recommend these resources: • Listen to Eide Bailly's senior manager + Fraud Investigator discuss how to prevent, detect and respond to dishonest employees during the Monday_ Morning Radio podcast. • How Forensic Accounting Uncovers the Secrets Behind Fraud • Internal Audit Risk Assessment Checklist • Forensic Audit vs. Financial Audit: What's the Difference? Learn More See what more we can bring to organizations just like yours. Assurance Services Gaming Nonprofit Take a deeper dive into this Insight's subject matter. Audit & Assurance Risk Advisory Litigation & Dispute Advisory Fraud & Forensic Advisory Related Insights Why You Need to Understand the Importance of Forensic Accounting Controlling Fraud with Forensic Data Analytics People 1 Locations I Contact Us I Disclaimer I Eide Bailly Privacy Statement 14 https://www.eidebailly.com/insights/articles/2019/3/forensic-audit-vs-internal-audit 5/6 2,893 bills per month x 36 months = 104,148 transactions 104,148 total transaction population 104,148 total 104,148 total 20 transactions per hour (3 minutes each) 15 (4 minutes) 12 (5 minutes) 5,207 hours 6,943 hours 8,679 hours ** $ 125.00 estimated hourly rate $ 125.00 $ 125.00 $ 650,925 $ 867,900 $ 1,084,875 This is only an estimate of cost/time to review samples. This does not account for planning, interviews, report writing, and other miscellaneous time that I would assume to increase the fee by another 25-50%. ** This is a rough average of estimated hourly rates. Our firm's rates are $110 per hour for staff accountants, $120-125 for in -charge accountants, and $130-150 for senior accountants. W