CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approve the award of Single Source Procurement 26-266, Government Accounting Services, to Lauterbach & Amen, LLP for an amount not to exceed $331,440 and for a three-year term
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DEPARTMENT: Finance Department
SUBMITTED BY: Traci Marrocco, Interim Finance Director
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
N/A
BACKGROUND:
Since 2016, the Finance Department has contracted with Lauterbach & Amen LLP (Lauterbach) for accounting, audit preparation and/or payroll support services. The purpose of the contract is to continue to supplement the City’s resources and knowledge in government accounting and audit preparation.
In December 2023, the City Council awarded sole source Contract 23-301, to Lauterbach for a three-year term from January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2026, to ensure continued support for accounting and auditing functions.
DISCUSSION:
Supplementing the City’s internal accounting staff with outside resources has worked well. It has provided the City with additional staffing and specialized knowledge in key areas of government accounting. The services provided under this arrangement are essential to the daily accounting work that leads to a successful year-end audit. The supplemental work must be performed by someone well-versed in government accounting and auditing.
Staff is aware of only two firms capable of meeting the City’s needs in the government accounting sector, Lauterbach and Amen and Sikich. Sikich currently serves as the City’s independent auditor, thus creating a potential conflict if they were to provide contract accounting services.
Lauterbach is familiar with the City’s financial policies and procedures, account structure and financial software systems. If the Single Source contract is not awarded, the City would either need to expand its search for qualified government accounting firms outside the local region or increase staff to support the internal accounting function. Additionally, Lauterba...
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