Professional Accounting Services

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW

A nonprofit policy advocacy and powerbuilding organization based in Los Angeles is seeking proposals from qualified accounting firms to provide comprehensive accounting and financial management services. Our organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with an annual operating budget of approximately $3.5-4 million and a staff of 14 employees.

Funding Sources: The organization’s revenue is primarily derived from foundation grants, with some government funding, event revenue, individual contributions, and investment returns. A strategic goal is diversification of revenue sources.

Fiscal Year: July 1 through June 30

SCOPE OF SERVICES

The selected firm will be expected to provide the following services:

Core Accounting Services

• Monthly bookkeeping and financial statement preparation (accrual basis)
• Accounts payable and receivable management
• Payroll processing; benefits and tax compliance
• General ledger maintenance
• Bank and credit card reconciliations
• Investment account reconciliations
• Grant accounting and tracking by funder/program
• Budget preparation and monitoring support

Financial Reporting & Compliance

• Monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements in accordance with GAAP
• Cash flow projections and monitoring
• Financial reports for board meetings
• Support for annual independent audit and 990 filings
• Compliance with federal, state, and local tax requirements
• Assistance with grant reporting requirements

Advisory Services

• Strategic financial planning and analysis
• Internal controls review and recommendations
• Policy and procedure development
• Staff training on financial systems and processes
• Ad hoc financial consulting as needed

CURRENT SYSTEMS & OPERATIONS

Accounting Software: Xero

Payroll System: ADP

AP: Bill.com

Reimbursements: Bill.com Spend & Expense (Divvy)

Donation Platform: Give Lively

Number of Grants/Contracts: Approximately 20 active grants at any given time outside of special projects

Number of Monthly Transactions: Approximately 1,000

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Proposals should include the following information:

Firm Qualifications

• Firm history, size, and structure
• Experience serving nonprofit organizations of similar size and funding structure
• Experience with investments
• Relevant certifications (CPA, expertise in nonprofit accounting)
• Professional liability insurance coverage

Team Composition

• Identification of team members who would work with our organization
• Resumes and relevant experience of key personnel
• Availability and response time commitments

Service Approach

• Detailed description of services you would provide
• Proposed schedule for deliverables
• Communication protocols and reporting procedures
• Technology platforms and systems you utilize
  • If a transition to a new system is recommended, provide detailed plan for migration and estimated timeline to completion
• Approach to grant compliance and restricted fund accounting

References

• Minimum of three client references
• Include organization name, contact person, phone, email, and length of service relationship

Fee Structure

• Detailed pricing for proposed services (monthly retainer, hourly rates, or other structure)
• Any additional fees or expenses not included in base pricing
• Payment terms and schedule
• Process for adjusting fees over time

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

• Experience with nonprofit organizations (30%)
• Understanding of foundation grant compliance and reporting (20%)
• Qualifications and experience of assigned team (20%)
• Cost and value of services proposed (20%)
• References and reputation (10%)

TIMELINE

• RFP Released: January 14, 2026
• Proposals Due: February 4, 2026
• Finalist Interviews: February 9-20, 2026
• Selection Decision: March 1, 2026
• Anticipated Start Date: March 2, 2026

TERMS & CONDITIONS

• We reserve the right to reject any or all proposals
• We reserve the right to request additional information from any respondent
• This RFP does not commit our organization to award a contract
• All costs incurred in preparing and submitting proposals are the responsibility of the respondent
• The selected firm will be required to sign a professional services agreement

Thank you for your interest in working with us. We look forward to receiving your proposal.