Financial Consulting Services

The vendor is required to provide to, assistance in budgeting, forecasting, rate making, management accounting assistance, business valuations and acquisitions, financing activities assistance, and financial analysis of systems.
1. Rate studies:
• Review and redesign based on the cost of services, the potable water, wastewater, bulk water, and reuse rates, landfill tipping fees, solid waste collection fees, recycling fees, and other service fees, and miscellaneous charges. 
• Investigate, evaluate, and develop potential water, wastewater, and reclaimed water rates associated with the provision of such type of service. 
• Create a multi-year financial forecast model for the water and wastewater system (the “system”) to determine the overall sufficiency of the system's revenues and financial resources to meet identified system expenditures and funding requirements. 
• Revenue and revenue requirements will be projected separately for water, wastewater, and reclaimed water. 
• Rate study analysis will include, but will not be limited to, the number of customers and usage, a projection of revenues and operating expenses, a capital funding analysis, evaluation of financial targets and compliance requirements, design of monthly rates, development of presentations and participation in the public hearing process for rate approval. 
• Assist the county in the development of water and wastewater impact fees to evaluate the adequacy of the recovery of the respective capital and carrying costs from new development. 
• Identify the allocable net revenue requirements associated with providing wholesale potable water service and design a wholesale potable water rate for the recovery of such costs. 
• Development of rate comparisons and surveys. 
• Review of master plan to ensure consistency with the rate studies. 
• Provide analysis and recommendations of enterprise and disaster planning/resiliency fund reserve levels.
2. Other revenue sources 
• Review and design appropriate fees for other miscellaneous services as provided by water and wastewater utility systems and other county divisions. 
• Review operations of the water and wastewater utility and landfill systems and other county financial services to determine if additional services, charges, and revenue enhancements are appropriate.
3. Acquisitions 
• Perform financial due diligence activities related to the acquisition of utility systems, service areas, or other county acquisitions.
4. County documents 
• Aid in the development and review of county contracts, policies, and agreements. 
• such contracts and documents include, but are not limited to, rate ordinances and resolutions, service agreements, franchise agreements, acquisition contracts, extension and development agreements, reclaimed water usage agreements, and inter-local agreements between the county and other entities. 
• Services may involve drafting agreements, review of documents, negotiating among affected parties, and of economic analyses required for evaluation.
5. Financing and funding 
• Preparation of financial feasibility reports in support of the issuance of revenue bonds, including preparation for and attendance at presentations before rating agencies, bond insurance companies, potential investors and purchasers of instruments of debt, and other required parties. 
• Assist in the preparation of loan documents to obtain funds from agencies such as the department of environmental protection, rural development, department of community affairs, and others
• Perform financial modeling of financing plans and capital improvement plan affordability.
6. General financial services 
• Perform financial sensitivity analyses on utility and other operations, considering such factors as capital program implementation, regulatory changes, and other such issues that may cause a need to review financial operations
• Review and benchmark operations and performance by the public utilities department and other county departments. 
• Prepare or evaluate cost allocations, financial forecasts, and analyses related to the public utilities department or other county departments as prepared by staff and other vendors. 
• Assist in organizational and operations assessments and strategic planning activities with the public utilities department and other county departments.
• Assist, perform, or evaluate solid waste collection routing, disposal process planning, sustainable material management, and insourcing/outsourcing of services studies. 
• Assist and guidance in the development of accounting, financial, customer, risk management, organizational structure, human resources, and business policies. 
• Assist with privatization and managed competition activities, as well as cost evaluations. 
• Assist with the development and analysis of program and enterprise fund performance measures.
- Contract Period/Term: 3 years
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: July 28, 2025