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Resident CPA urges clarity on West Orange "forensic" audit RFP; administration says two viable bids remain
Summary
A resident CPA told council the RFP labeled a "forensic audit" reads like a revenue review and asked who was selected, cost, and measurable benefits. Finance said three firms responded and two submissions are viable; a formal selection and scoring are planned before August.
Kenneth Gibbons, a West Orange resident who said he is a CPA, told the council he reviewed the request-for-proposals labeled a "forensic audit" and concluded the document appears to describe a revenue review, not the kind of allegation-driven engagement typically called forensic.
"Based on my review, this RFP covers 2021 through 2023 years and primarily compares projected revenue to actual revenue collected," Gibbons said. "That's a legitimate analysis we do in my field, but in my professional opinion, it's not a forensic audit. A forensic engagement is typically driven by specific allegations such as fraud, misappropriation of funds, or material weaknesses and internal controls. This RFP does not identify those types of allegations." He asked whether a firm had been selected, how many proposals were received, what the maximum cost would be, and how success would be measured.
Finance director Mister Detiniak responded that the township received three submissions, one of which had a "fatal flaw," leaving two viable proposals to be scored. "We did receive 3 submissions, and 1 had a fatal flaw," he said, adding that the administration expects to convene a review group prior to the August meeting to score submissions and select a firm.
Gibbons told the council that the label and stated scope matter because the engagement determines deliverables and cost to taxpayers, particularly in a year when the budget may require revenue changes. Council members requested that administration publish the scoring timeline and provide a clear description of the final scope before the contract is awarded so that residents can see whether the engagement will include allegation-driven forensic work or only a comparative revenue review.
Administration said it will bring the two viable proposals forward for a formal review and will provide the council with more detailed timelines and cost estimates once scoring is complete.
