RFP 26-25 Auditing Services

MPS RFP 26-25 Auditing Services
Request for Proposal (RFP) for
Auditing Services
RFP 26-25
Minneapolis Public Schools - Special School District No. 1
1250 West Broadway Ave.
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55411-2533
Issued: June 10, 2026
NOTICE: Pursuant to section 13.591 subdivision 3(b) of the Minnesota Statutes, after a
government entity has completed negotiating a contract with the selected vendor, all
data in RFP responses are public except for trade secret information as defined in
section 13.37 subdivision 1(b). A statement that submitted data are copyrighted or
otherwise protected does not prevent public access to the data.
1 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
Template updated March 2026

MPS RFP 26-25 Auditing Services
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Overview
a. Project Objective
b. Schedule of Proposal
c. Submission of Written Questions
d. Changes to the RFP
e. Preparation of Proposal
f. Submission of Proposals
g. Withdrawal of Proposals
h. Evaluation and Selection Process
i. Effective Period of Proposals
j. Bid Reservations
k. Notifications of Unsuccessful Vendors
l. Contract Negotiations
m. Award of Contract
n. Contract Term
o. Disposition of and Public Access to Proposals
p. Cost Incurred in Responding
q. Assignment
r. Causes for Termination
II. Scope of Services
a. Project Background
b. Auditing Services Program Goals
c. Finance Organization
d. Description of Expected Services
III. General Business Information
a. General Business Requirements
b. Qualifications and Experience
c. Supplier and Employee Equity & Diversity, Sustainability and Community Engagement
d. Business Ethics
e. Service Level Expectations
f. Fees & Costs
g. Billing and Payment
IV. Project Scope
a. Audit Approach
b. Wrap up to Project Scope Information
V. Appendix Requirements
A. Financial Records
B. References
C. Pricing Information
D. MPS Reports
2 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
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MPS RFP 26-25 Auditing Services
E. Service Level Expectations
F. Additional Documents- Any additional document required by the Business Owner.
VI. MPS Appendix Documents
1. Conflict of Interest Form
2. Organization Information Cover sheet
3. MPS Sample Contract
4. Pricing Information
3 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
Template updated March 2026

MPS RFP 26-25 Auditing Services
SECTION I: OVERVIEW
A. Project Objective
Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) is seeking proposals from organizations and individuals wishing
to provide auditing services for the school district and periodic audits of the school district's radio
station (KBEM). The audit of KBEM will be performed periodically.
Minneapolis Public Schools or Special School District Number 1 (SSD #1) is a school district that is
coterminous with the City of Minneapolis, Minnesota. With authority granted by the state
legislature, the school board makes policy, selects the superintendent, and oversees the district's
budget, curriculum, personnel, and facilities. Students speak ninety different languages at home
and most school communications are printed in English, Hmong, Spanish, and Somali. The District
covers over 70 school programs at 65 sites, with approximately 29,900 students and 3,200
teaching staff.
The District's expenditures for fiscal year 2025 for the General Fund were $705,256,604, and
total governmental funds were $967,333,579. Additional financial information can be found on
the District's website at https://www.mpschools.org/departments/finance.
The District intends to select one organization to provide the necessary auditing services. To
facilitate the submission and evaluation of proposals, this proposal provides additional
background information regarding MPS that will be relevant to the proposal of the auditing
services.
RFP Primary Objective 1: Gain a thorough understanding of the firm's capability in order to
select, implement and operate audit services that will meet the needs of the district for the next
3 or more years.
RFP Primary Objective 2: Gain a thorough understanding of the audit services total proposed
costs.
B. Schedule of Proposal
1. Issue RFP: 6/10/2026
2. Written Questions Due: 6/25/2026
3. Responses to Questions: 6/29/2026
4. Proposals Due: 7/9/2026
5. Notice of intent to award: 7/16/2026
6. District Approval: 7/28/2026
7. Implementation: 8/1/2026
C. Submission of Written Questions
All questions about the RFP shall be submitted by e-mail to RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us by end of day
6/25/2026. The District will provide written responses to questions from prospective Proposers
no later than 6/29/2026 EOD. After 6/25/2026, no questions or inquiries will be allowed.
4 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
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MPS RFP 26-25 Auditing Services
D. Changes to the RFP
If any changes are issued to this RFP, they will be posted to the MPS website.
https://www.mpschools.org/departments/finance/procurement
E. Preparation of Proposal
1. Careful attention should be paid to all requested items contained in this Request for
Proposal.
2. Some questions in this RFP will require organizations to submit documents as an Appendix.
Applicants may wish to submit additional supplemental materials to support responses to
questions in Section III and IV. If an applicant intends to include supplemental materials with
responses to questions in Sections III and IV of the RFP, separate appendices for each part
must be developed. Each appendix should be clearly labeled (e.g., Appendix A: References,
etc.).
3. Additional circumstances that may lead to RFP not being reviewed and/or selected:
a. RFP was received after the deadline, which includes not on the deadline date but
also after the deadline time.
b. Applicant does not intend to complete criminal history checks on employees.
c. Applicant's previous clients have significant complaints regarding the quality of the
Title services, communication issues, or other problems.
d. Any section of the RFP is missing or incomplete.
e. The RFP does not meet length, font, or other formatting requirements.
F. Submission of Proposals
In order to be considered for selection, organizations must submit a signed electronic (.pdf)
response to this solicitation no later than end of day on 7/9/2026. The proposal must include
Appendix 1 Conflict of Interest Certification. Late proposals shall not be accepted. Electronic
copies must be submitted to: RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
No other distribution of the proposal shall be made by the organization. It is the sole
responsibility of the organization to assure that the proposal is delivered to the designated email
address, above, prior to the deadline. No proposal received after the deadline will be considered.
No unsolicited corrected or resubmitted proposals will be accepted after the proposal
submission deadline.
G. Withdrawal of Proposals
A proposal may be withdrawn by the vendor prior to the date and time for submission of
proposals by means of a written request signed by the vendor or its properly authorized
representative. Such written request must be delivered to RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us. This written
request can be either electronic or a hard copy format.
5 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
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MPS RFP 26-25 Auditing Services
H. Evaluation and Selection Process
1. The Auditing Services Evaluation Committee members will include, but not be limited to a
minimum of one member from at least two departments.
1. Proposals, responses, and references will be included as the Evaluation Committee
recommends a solution for the District. Upon approval from the authorized District signer on
7/28/2026, the District will then proceed with contract discussions with the selected
vendor(s). The District has no liability to any vendor participating in this RFP process prior to
when the authorized District signer signs a contract to that vendor.
2. Consensus on proposal selection will be determined by the Evaluation Committee reaching
consensus on the selection. The Auditing Services Evaluation Committee members will use a
rubric to evaluate the responses to the questions outlined in this RFP.
3. The Evaluation Committee shall evaluate all proposals to determine which meet the
minimum service/product requirements, without regard to price. This evaluation may, at the
Evaluation Committee's discretion, be augmented by verbal or written requests for
clarification, or additional information as necessary to determine whether the technical
requirements can be met. The Evaluation Committee can contact references supplied in
vendor proposals. Findings from these inquiries will be included in the assessment of
products for selecting finalists.
4. The Evaluation Committee will then only consider those proposals that meet the minimum
service requirements for further evaluation. The Evaluation Committee will evaluate and
score the vendor with regard to a scoring rubric.
I. Effective Period of Proposals
Proposals must state the period for which the proposal shall remain in effect (i.e., how much
time does the District have to accept or reject the proposal under the terms proposed). Such
period shall not be less than 120 days from the proposal date.
J. Bid Reservations
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this RFP, the District reserves the right to award this
contract to the organization(s) that best meets the requirements of the RFP, and not necessarily,
to the lowest cost Proposer. Further, the District reserves the right to reject any or all bids, to
award in whole or part, and to waive minor immaterial defects in bids. The District may consider,
at its sole discretion, any alternative bid.
K. Notifications of Unsuccessful Vendors
The Evaluation Committee through the Procurement Department shall notify all Vendors no later
than the award recommendation and approval to proceed being placed on the School Board
agenda on 7/28/2026.
L. Contract Negotiations
Negotiations may include all aspects of services and fees. After a review of the proposals, the
District intends to enter into contract negotiations with the selected organization(s). If a contract
with the selected organization is not finalized within 90 days, the District reserves the right to
open negotiations with the next ranked organization(s).
6 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
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MPS RFP 26-25 Auditing Services
M. Award of Contract
The District reserves the right to award by Service Area or as a whole, whichever is deemed most
advantageous to the District.
The selected firm(s) shall be required to enter into a written contract or contracts with the
District in a form approved by legal counsel for the District. This RFP and the proposal, or any
part thereof, may be incorporated into and made a part of the final contract(s). The District
reserves the right to negotiate the terms and conditions of the contract(s) with the selected
Proposer(s).
N. Contract Term
It is the intent to award the contract(s) for an initial 3 year period with the option to renew it for
2, one-year periods for a possible total contract term of 5 years. The decision to renew the
contract(s) will be at the sole discretion of the District and agreed upon by both parties.
Proposers must agree to fix contract fees for the first 3 years. If the organization intends to revise
its fee schedule after the initial 3-year period, it must give written notice to the District 90 days in
advance of any fee change. Fees may be changed only by notice within 90 days of the contract
expiration date. These fees are subject to negotiation and approval by the District.
O. Disposition of and Public Access to Proposals
All materials submitted in response to this RFP will become the property of the District. Pursuant
to section 13.591 subdivision 3(b) of the Minnesota Statutes, virtually all information submitted
is considered public and may be disclosed to third parties. The exception is trade secret
information, as defined and classified in section 13.37 subdivision 1(b). Trade secret information
should not be included in a response unless absolutely necessary.
P. Cost Incurred in Responding
This solicitation does not commit the District to pay any costs incurred in the preparation and
submission of proposals or in making necessary studies for the preparation thereof, nor to
procure or contract for services.
Q. Assignment
The successful proposer shall not assign, transfer, convey, or otherwise dispose of the contract,
or right, title of interest, or power to execute such a contract to any person, firm, or corporation
without the previous consent in writing by the District.
R. Causes for Termination
Causes for termination of the agreement may include any of the following: Failure to promptly
and faithfully provide the services required at the prices indicated in the Proposal; violation of
any law governing services provided to the District; failure to cooperate upon receiving any
reasonable request for information or service; or improper actions of the officers or employees,
which in the opinion of the District, would adversely affect its interest, or endanger the structure
of the proposing organization such as a spin off or merger which materially affects the terms of
7 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
Template updated March 2026

MPS RFP 26-25 Auditing Services
this agreement. The District may terminate the agreement without cause with a 90-day notice.
The District may terminate the agreement with cause with a 30-day notice.
8 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
Template updated March 2026

MPS RFP 26-25 Auditing Services
SECTION II: SCOPE OF SERVICES
A. Project Background
This section begins with some background information on the Minneapolis Public School District
and then discusses the overall expectations for the auditing services, as well as the district's specific
needs. It also describes existing services and equipment that the Vendor may wish to incorporate
into its design and the issues that need to be considered.
The Minneapolis Public Schools is the third largest K-12 District in Minnesota. Minneapolis,
located in Hennepin County, is the largest city in the state of Minnesota, and is the 48th largest in
the United States. The District covers 70 school programs at 65 sites, with approximately 29,900
students and 3,200 teaching staff.
70 school programs include:
K-5 Schools: 19
K-8 Schools: 17
Middle Schools (6-8): 5
High Schools (9-12): 7
Special Education Schools: 2
Specialty Schools: 1
District Alternative Schools: 4
Contract Alternative Schools: 12
Growth projection: Stable
Superintendent: Dr. Lisa Sayles-Adams
Senior Executive Officer: Ryan Strack
Director, Procurement and Supply Chain Mgt: Chris Boyce
Current Auditing Services Environment
Secure online interface for audit documentation.
Detailed audit plan and list of schedules (PBC) (normally) to be completed by the
District, shall be provided by June 30th
Schedule of audit interim and field work dates shall be given to SSD 1's by May 15th
Review all completed audits during year prepared by our Internal Auditor
Conduct Audit Fraud meeting prior to fieldwork with members of Audit & Finance
Committee to determine Board perspective for additional scope of work.
During fieldwork conduct weekly review meetings with Manager of Accounting and
Finance and Executive Director
Meet with Senior Financial Officer, Executive Director of Finance and Manager of
Accounting and Finance to review audit open items and proposed findings towards end
of fieldwork
Field work shall be completed by October 21st
Draft reports of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report shall be completed by
November 15th.
Final audit report will be available to MDE and MPS December 21st.
9 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
Template updated March 2026

MPS RFP 26-25 Auditing Services
Present audit results and findings to Finance & Audit Committee- November
Present audit results and findings to Board at formal Board meeting- December
There is a high level of interest among all user groups in a comprehensive audit services with
enhanced capabilities and functionality. The highest interest is in:
Requests the selected auditing firm to express an opinion on the fair presentation of the
District's financial statements and schedules in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles. General fixed asset testing will be included in the MPS audit.
Requests the selected auditing firm to express an opinion on the fair presentation of the
District's radio station's financial statements in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles.
The selected auditing firm will perform a Single Audit and report on the Schedule of
Federal Financial Assistance and on SSD 1's compliance with laws and regulations and its
internal controls as required by the Single Audit Act and 2 CFR part 200, subpart F.
The selected firm will have experience in assisting in the preparation of and review of an
Annual Comprehensive Financial Report
The selected auditing firm will be available during the school year to provide
consultation and recommendations to the District on matters that pertain to the
financial operations of the District. These services would be provided without charge
unless significant auditors' time would be necessary to assist the District staff.
The selected auditing firm will present the audit results to the Board of Education.
Audit Services Stakeholders
Users of the Audit Services include:
Federal & State Governments
Minnesota Department of Education
MPS Board of Directors
Superintendent, Executive Officer and Senior Financial Officer
Banking Institutions
Insurance Entities
Community
Rating Agencies
Finance Division
B. Auditing Services Goals
Primary Components:
The proposed audit services must include, but not limited to, the following components:
To meet the requirements of this request for proposals, the audit shall be performed in
accordance with generally accepted auditing standards as set forth by the American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the standards for financial audits set forth in
the US General Accounting Office's, "Government Auditing Standards" (2003), the
provisions of the Single Audit Act of 1996 and provisions of 2 CFR part 200, subpart F.
10 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
Template updated March 2026