Jefferson Parish council approves $6.8 million increase to Deloitte contract to aid audits and ERP work

Jefferson Parish Council on Jan. 14 approved amendment No. 3 to the parish’s professional services contract with Deloitte & Touche LLP, increasing the contract cap by $6,800,000 to a new total of $15,000,000 and extending the term to Dec. 31, 2027. The work covers five distinct streams including year-end close and audit support for 2024–25, finance process and capabilities, grant management, data accuracy, and technology capacity related to the parish’s M4 ERP implementation.

Council members discussed the scope and funding during a brief public discussion. Councilman Bonanno asked whether departments would bear costs or whether the general fund would absorb audit expenses; Victor from finance confirmed the audit component would be paid from the general fund and that the parish uses a cost-allocation plan to distribute certain charges. Parish staff and council members emphasized that completing the audits and restoring consistent reporting is the top priority.

Parish leadership told the council that the $6.8 million increment would not fully complete all five work streams; Deloitte estimated it would fund about 75% of the audit-related work. Council members requested administrative prioritization so that audit support is funded first; finance staff responded that prioritization could be handled administratively and no further council action was required.

On a motion by Councilman Walker, seconded by Councilwoman Van Vranken, the council opened electronic voting and approved the amendment with six yays, zero nays, and one member absent.

The amendment is intended to accelerate audit completion, support data cleanup for the M4 ERP migration, and position the parish to restore reliable financial reporting and improve bond rating prospects. The council did not specify additional targeted milestones in the public discussion beyond administrative prioritization of audit work.