San Bernardino County Employees Retirement Association
File #: 24-078    Name:
Type: Action Item
File created: 3/12/2024 In control: BOARD OF RETIREMENT
On agenda: 4/4/2024 Final action: 4/4/2024
Title: Approve the engagement of Brown Armstrong Accountancy Corporation in the sum of $39,800 for agreed upon procedures reports in Fiscal Year 2023-24.
Attachments: 1. Exhibit A: Proposal from Brown Armstrong, 2. Exhibit B: Proposal from TAP Financials, LLC

FROM: Amy McInerny, Chief Financial Officer

SUBJECT: Selection of Accounting Firm to Perform Agreed Upon Procedures for FY 2023-24

RECOMMENDATION:
title
Approve the engagement of Brown Armstrong Accountancy Corporation in the sum of $39,800 for agreed upon procedures reports in Fiscal Year 2023-24.
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BACKGROUND:
In June 2023, the Board approved an FY 2023-24 Audit Workplan with three specific areas for Agreed Upon Procedures reports to be prepared by an independent accounting firm or firms. Those reports cover the following areas:

1. Benefits and Customer Service - Death Benefit Processes - Payments to Beneficiaries and Member Death Verification
2. Financial and Investment Operations - Accounts Payable Process
3. Financial and Investment Operations - Payroll Process (SBCERA Employees).

In February 2024, staff released a Request for Proposals (RFP), which was posted on sbcera.org and publicized through social media. The RFP indicated that one or more firms could be selected to perform the three separate reports, and requested that pricing be broken down between the three areas.

SBCERA received two proposals in response to the RFP:

1. Brown Armstrong Accountancy Corporation: $39,800

a. Death Benefits $15,200 145 hours $104.83/hr average
b. Accounts Payable $11,900 115 hours $103.48/hr average
c. Payroll $12,700 125 hours $101.60/hr average

2. TAP Financials, LLP: $168,060

a. Death Benefits $65,220 330 hours $197.64/hr average
b. Accounts Payable $48,080 248 hours $197.90/hr average
c. Payroll $53,760 272 hours $197.65/hr average

Both proposals are in compliance with the requirements of the RFP; both firms are well-qualified to perform the requested agreed upon procedures reports. Given the wide difference in cost between the proposals, staff recommends that Brown Armstrong Accountancy Corporation be selected for all three agreed upon procedures reports.

The death benefits report is a re-test of the report issued in 2022 by B...

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