Request for Proposal for Accounting Services

The Florida Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Association (the Association) is accepting proposals from qualified CPA firms to provide audit and tax services beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 2010.

The Association was created by the Florida Legislature pursuant to Section 766.315, Florida Statutes. The Association is an instrumentality of the State that administers the Florida Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Plan (“Plan”). The Plan was created by the Florida Legislature in 1988 to provide compensation to a limited class of children who suffered catastrophic neurological injuries at birth.

The Plan’s financial statements are reported as a component unit of the State of Florida. The deadline for submission of the statements to the State is August 31st of each year.

The selected firm would be responsible for conducting the following minimum activities:

1.     Audit the basic financial statements of the Association and the basic financial statements of the Plan which have a fiscal year end of June 30.

2.     Perform limited procedures consisting primarily of inquiries of management on the following supplementary information:

        Management’s Discussion and Analysis (Association and Plan)

        Subject the Schedule of General and Administrative Expenses – Budget and Actual (Association) to the auditing procedures applied in the audit of the basic financial statements of the Association.

3.     Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting and on Compliance and Other Matters Based on an Audit of Financial Statements Performed in Accordance with Government Auditing Standards. (Association and Plan)

4.     Preparation of the Association’s Form 1120.

5.     Present the audit reports of both the Association and the Plan to the Finance Committee and Board of Directors.

Interested parties should submit a proposal that includes the following elements:

1.     General background information on the firm, relevant experience and references for five current clients.

2.     Identification of personnel that would be involved and the qualifications and/or curriculum vitae of each person.

3.     Confirmation that the firm is not de-barred from doing business with the State of Florida or the federal government and a copy of the firm’s most recent peer review report.

4.     Identification of any current clients which may present a conflict of interest with conducting work on behalf of the Association or Plan.

5.     A brief outline of how the firm would conduct its scope of services, including a timeline for completion of the audit.

6.     Estimated costs for the annual financial audit and tax services as well as any pricing schedules by level of personnel for additional services that may be required.

7.     A detailed description and plan for an orderly transition should be provided as a part of any response.

8.     Any other information deemed relevant or important for NICA to consider.

Additional information may be requested for any or all of the responding entities.

The Association reserves the right to reject any or all proposals. Selection of any firm is solely at the discretion of the Association. The Association is not subject to the bid requirements of the State of Florida.

Proposals will be reviewed as received and interested parties are encouraged to submit such no later than August 21, 2009.

Five copies of the proposal should be sent to:

Tim Daughtry

Deputy Director

NICA

P. O. Box 14567

Tallahassee, Florida 32317-4567

Or via email to:

tdaughtry@nica.com

If you have any questions or would like additional information, please feel free to contact: NICA’s Executive Director, Kenney Shipley at kshipley@nica.com or (850)488-8191.