The MECC Foundation is seeking an auditing firm to perform the organization’s annual audit. Information is contained below regarding proposal submissions.

 

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
TAX AND AUDITING SERVICES
MOUNTAIN EMPIRE COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION

I. PURPOSE

The Mountain Empire Community College Foundation is soliciting sealed proposals to establish a contract through competitive negotiations for tax and auditing services.

II. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The Foundation is an independent nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. Its purpose is to generate support to advance the mission Mountain Empire Community College beyond the resource support provided by the Commonwealth of Virginia. As such, annual audits and tax reporting is required and must be completed timely and accurately.

III. SCOPE OF SERVICE

The Foundation is seeking a reputable firm to provide the following services and present the final audit reports to the respective full Board each year. Therefore, your proposal should reflect your experience in providing these services. This proposal shall be for a period of five (5) years.

• Annual audit to be completed in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. The Foundation audit is required to be submitted to the VCCS (Virginia Community College System) no later than 6 months after the end of the calendar year. Thus, the Foundation audit must be received by the Foundation office before the last week of June following the calendar year end.
• Meetings with audit committee and/or board of directors, as necessary
• Preparation of 990 tax filing
• Review of the annual report to the VCCS prepared by Financial Services Specialist
• Consultation if necessary
• Notification of accounting standards that may affect either organization

IV. CONTRACT

The contract will be based on a five (5) year term. The Mountain Empire Community College Foundation reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, waive any technicalities in proposals received, negotiate and accept the proposal which may be in the best interest of the Mountain Empire Community College Foundation.

V. EVALUATION AND SELECTION CRITERIA

Respondents to this RFP must submit all data required herein in order for the proposal to be evaluated and considered for award. Failure to submit such data shall be deemed incomplete and removed from consideration. Evaluation of the proposal will be based on, but not limited to, the following items:

1. Detail your firm’s experience in providing auditing and tax services to companies in the not-for-profit sector.
2. Provide information on whether you provide services to any institutions of higher education or any other foundations.
3. Discuss the firm’s independence with respect to MECC and the MECC Foundation.
4. Discuss commitments you will make to staff continuity, including your staff turnover experience in the last three years.
5. Identify the two largest clients your firm (or office) has lost in the past three years and the reasons. Also discuss, in instances where loss of the client was due to an unresolved auditing or accounting matter, the process of attempting to resolve the issue(s).
6. Identify the partner, manager, and in-charge accountants who will be assigned to our jobs if you are successful in your bid and provide biographies.
7. Describe how your firm will approach the audit of the organization, including the use of any association or affiliate member firm personnel and the areas that will receive primary emphasis. Also discuss the firm’s use of technology in the audit. And finally, discuss the communication process used by the firm to discuss issues with leadership of the Foundation.
8. Set forth your fee estimate for the 2021 audit for the Foundation, with whatever guarantees can be given regarding increases in future years. Also, provide your estimated fees for tax preparation services.
9. Furnish standard billing rates for classes of professional personnel for each of the last three years.
10. For reference purposes, provide the names, titles, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses of other, similarly-sized clients of the partner and manager who will be assigned to our organization.
11. Describe how and why your firm is different from other firms and why our selection of your firm as our independent accountants is the best decision we could make.
12. Include a copy of your firm’s most recent peer review report, the related letter of comments and the firm’s response to the letter of comments.

VI. PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

A. Proposals should be brief – the inclusion of information not pertinent to the basic purpose of the response is discouraged.

B. Six (6) sets of the proposal must be submitted by 3:00 p.m., Friday, September 2, 2016, to the MECC Foundation Office, Attn: Donna Stanley, Executive Director, 3441 Mountain Empire Road; Big Stone Gap, VA 24219. All proposals should be clearly marked as “RFP – Auditing Services”. No other distribution of the proposal shall be made by the offeror.

C. All questions regarding this RFP should be directed to the MECC Foundation Office; 3441 Mountain Empire Road; Big Stone Gap, VA 24219; Telephone: 276-523-7466; Email: foundation@mecc.edu

Hiltons, VA – The Mountain Empire Community College Foundation will host Grammy-nominated, 2020 International Bluegrass Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year and Grand Ole Opry Stars Sister Sadie for the 2021 Diamonds and Denim Event.

Diamonds and Denim will be held Saturday, August 28 at 6:30 p.m. at the beautiful Crooked River Farm in Hiltons, Virginia. The event, now in its third year, has raised more than $100,000 to benefit the Scott County Endowed Scholarship at Mountain Empire Community College. This year’s event will feature a dinner reception, locally sourced wine, beer and refreshments, a silent auction and entertainment.

More than 70 percent of all students in Scott County that choose to attend college in Virginia, attend MECC. The scholarship will provide opportunities for those students to reach their educational and career goals while lessening the financial burden of families.

Sister Sadie originally formed after playing a sold-out show in 2012 at the legendary Station Inn, located in Nashville, TN. In 2019, they were nominated for a Grammy for their sophomore album “Sister Sadie II” for Best Bluegrass Album. That same year, they made their debut on the Grand Ole Opry & have since been regular guests on the world-famous stage. Later that same year, they were the first all-female group to be awarded Vocal Group of The Year at IBMA. Following that up at IBMA 2020, the ladies repeated that win & were also named Entertainer of the Year. The band is featured in the “American Currents: State of the Music” exhibit through March 2022 at the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum in Nashville, TN. Sister Sadie is made up of world-renowned musicians and singers Tina Adair on mandolin & vocals, Gena Britt on banjo & vocals, Hasee Ciaccio on acoustic bass, Deanie Richardson on fiddle & Jaelee Roberts on guitar & vocals.

Tickets are $75 per person and $150 per couple. Tickets can be purchased at www.meccfoundation.org/scevent and at the Scott County Farm Bureau office at 378 W Jackson St, Gate City, VA 24251.

For more information on the Scott County Endowed Scholarship or to donate to this fund, call the MECC Foundation office at 276.523.7480 or visit www.meccfoundation.org.

 

-MECC FOUNDATION-

Big Stone Gap — One lucky golfer will go home with a $500 cash prize, and other great prizes will be awarded, as well, at the Auto World – MECC Golf Classic on Friday, June 4, at Lonesome Pine Country Club with proceeds benefitting the scholarship program at Mountain Empire Community College.

All players hitting a hole-in-one on Hole #10 will win a 2021 Jeep Renegade sponsored by Auto World of Big Stone Gap. There is also a prize of $1,000 for hitting to within 12 inches of the pin on Hole #10. If more than one player accomplishes this feat, the prize money will be divided among the winners.

Registration will begin at 8 a.m., with a shotgun start at 9:15 a.m. The tournament will be a Captain’s Choice Scramble and will feature two flights and two places. There will be “most accurate drive” and “closest to the pin” prizes.

The entry fee of $100 per person includes a continental breakfast, golf shirt, cart and green fees, luncheon, goodie bag of snacks, most accurate drive and closest to the pin contests, and entry into the drawing for the $500 cash prize to be given away at the end of the tournament. Golfers must be present to win the cash prize.

A barbeque lunch will be served following the tournament. During that time, golfers may bid on unique and interesting items including art, sports memorabilia, and spa packages during the live auction. There will also be a silent auction which will begin during the breakfast and continue throughout the event.

Tournament Sponsorship is available at four levels – Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum for financial support in the amounts of $500, $1,000, and $2,500, and $5,000 and above respectively. All tournament sponsors will receive a complimentary team(s) and will be recognized during the tournament welcome and in the printed materials for the tournament.

Other sponsorships are available. Please visit the MECC Foundation website at www.meccfoundation.org for more information, to become a sponsor, or to register a team.

Registrations may be faxed to 276-523-7485, e-mailed to Jeri Bledsoe at jbledsoe@mecc.edu, or completed by phone at 276-523-2400, extension 640287.

Individuals or businesses who would like to sponsor the tournament, provide an item for the auction, or receive more information may contact Jeri Bledsoe, Tournament Coordinator, by telephone or e-mail as indicated in the previous paragraph.

 

 

Big Stone Gap — The Mountain Empire Community College Foundation is participating in a national fundraising effort, Giving Tuesday Now, to benefit MECC’s Student Emergency Assistance Fund.

More than 84% of MECC students qualify for the highest level of federal need as determine by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Often, student have financial needs beyond tuition, including books, transportation and living expenses. An emergency financial situation can impact a student’s ability to complete their educational and career goals.

The goal of the MECC Student Emergency Assistance Fund is to support students who experience a financial emergency with a goal to help them complete college. Awards are provided to students based on their completion of an application and their academic standing. Students must have a GPA of a 2.0, must have been enrolled for at least one semester, and must have a documented financial need. Students may not receive an award of more than $700 per academic year.

For more information on MECC’s Student Emergency Assistance Fund, please contact Dr. Amy Greear, Executive Director of the MECC Foundation, or Lelia Bradshaw, Dean of Student Services, at 276-523-2400.

Clintwood, VA — The Mountain Empire Community College Foundation is pleased to host Larry Sparks and the Lonesome Ramblers on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. at Clintwood’s Jettie Baker Center.

Tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased at the Clintwood Town Hall or the Ralph Stanley Museum in Clintwood (cash or check purchases) as well as online at www.meccfoundation.org/dcevent.  All proceeds will benefit the Mountain Empire Community College Foundation’s Dickenson County Endowed Scholarship.

The Dickenson County Endowed Scholarship Committee is currently seeking sponsorships to support event costs. Sponsorships range from $250 to $1000 and include tickets, branding, and special recognition. For more information on becoming an event sponsor, visit www.meccfoundation.org/dcfund.

Larry Sparks is a dedicated leader for bluegrass music and is among the most widely known and respected touring musicians in bluegrass and gospel music today. Larry began his career in the mid-1960s as a guitarist with the Stanley Brothers and later became lead vocalist for Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys. Larry went on to form his own band in 1969, The Lonesome Ramblers. He has recorded and toured with his band for nearly 50 years, releasing over 60 albums and delighting countless fans with his soulful vocals and unparalleled musicianship.

Larry’s hits include John Deere Tractor, A Face in the Crowd, Tennessee 1949, Blue Virginia Blues, I Just Want to Thank You Lord. Love of the Mountains, Goodbye Little Darlin, You Could Have Called, Tribute to Hank Williams, Green Pastures in the Sky and more. He has performed on such world famous venues as the Grand Ole Opry, Austin City Limits television show on PBS. Song of the Mountains on PBS. He has toured the United States, Canada, and Japan.

Larry has been recognized as the International Bluegrass Music Associations Male Vocalist of the Year. He was awarded Album of the Year and Recorded Event of the Year with his album Larry Sparks 40 featuring several artists such as Alison Krauss, Vince Gill, Ralph Stanley, Ricky Skaggs, Tom T. Hall and many more.

Larry has been inducted into The International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame, the Bill Monroe Bluegrass Hall of Fame, and the George D. Hays Hall of Fame, Founder of The Grand Ole Opry.

For more information on the MECC Foundation and the Dickenson County Scholarship, visit www.meccfoundation.org.