Empowered Pathways, Inc. is accepting proposals from qualified accounting firms and independent accounting professionals to provide nonprofit accounting and financial management services beginning in 2027.
Empowered Pathways is seeking a long-term accounting partner with experience in nonprofit accounting, government-funded contracts, grant accounting, financial reporting, and QuickBooks Online. The engagement will include ongoing accounting services and support for the organization’s transition from Fund EZ to QuickBooks Online.
Key Dates
- RFP Issued: August 24, 2026
- Questions Due: September 4, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. ET
- Proposals Due: September 11, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. ET
- Anticipated Transition Start: October 1, 2026
Click Here to Download the complete RFP and submission instructions
Questions and proposals must be submitted electronically to Tim Lyon at tlyon@empcny.org. Please refer to the complete RFP for all requirements and submission instructions.
Please share this opportunity with qualified firms or accounting professionals who may be interested.
RFP Questions & Answers
Final Q&A – Updated September 4, 2026 at 4:48 PM. The question period for this RFP is now closed.
Answer: The engagement may be performed entirely remotely. Empowered Pathways does not anticipate requiring regular or occasional onsite services for accounts payable processing, document handling, meetings, or other routine functions. Virtual meetings may be required on an as-needed basis.
Workspace at Empowered Pathways can be provided if onsite work is ever mutually determined to be beneficial, but onsite presence is not a requirement of the engagement.
Answer: Prior nonprofit accounting engagements and nonprofit client references are not standalone minimum eligibility requirements that will automatically disqualify a proposer. They are, however, important factors in the overall evaluation of proposals.
Firms and accounting professionals expanding into the nonprofit sector are welcome to submit proposals. Proposers should address each requirement as fully as possible and clearly explain how their experience, qualifications, and proposed approach would support Empowered Pathways’ nonprofit accounting, government contract, grant reporting, budgeting, and financial-management needs.
If a proposer does not have nonprofit client references, it should state that in its proposal and provide the most relevant client or professional references available. All proposals will be evaluated based on the proposer’s overall qualifications, experience, approach, capacity, references, and value to the organization.
Answer: Yes. Empowered Pathways will consider proposals from fully remote international accounting service providers. A provider’s location will not automatically make it ineligible, and all proposals will be evaluated using the criteria identified in the RFP.
International proposers should clearly describe their ability to meet Empowered Pathways’ U.S. nonprofit accounting, government contract, grant reporting, and financial-management needs; maintain reliable availability during Eastern Time business hours; protect confidential information involving cross-border data access or storage; and provide consistent staffing, communication, and service continuity.
Answer: Empowered Pathways currently manages approximately six core government-funded contracts/awards, along with a small number of additional local agreements and fee-for-service arrangements. The number may fluctuate somewhat during the year as new agreements are established or existing agreements conclude.
Answer: Reporting and reimbursement frequency varies by funding source. Empowered Pathways currently has approximately three primary monthly reimbursement or fiscal-reporting processes, including the Department of Labor/DHP program and two Oneida County-funded programs.
Two of the organization’s larger state-funded programs, CDRC and SDMC, generally operate on quarterly reimbursement or fiscal-reporting cycles.
Smaller agreements may generate additional periodic reporting or invoicing. For proposal-sizing purposes, proposers should anticipate approximately three recurring monthly processes, two recurring quarterly processes, and occasional additional submissions.
Answer: Empowered Pathways still utilizes physical checks for certain approved expenditures. Accounting records are currently maintained in Fund EZ, and the existing bookkeeping process includes preparation of checks for authorized organizational expenses. Empowered Pathways staff maintain responsibility for reviewing and approving expenditures, and authorized signers execute the checks.
Empowered Pathways uses Ramp for the agency credit card and Airbase for employee reimbursements and mileage. The organization does not use Bill.com to issue payments, although some payments are received through Bill.com. Payments associated with primary New York State contracts are generally received through the Statewide Financial System (SFS).
Empowered Pathways is open to recommendations from the selected provider regarding improvements or efficiencies to the payment and accounts-payable process as part of the transition to QuickBooks Online.
Answer: Empowered Pathways has an existing methodology for allocating shared expenses among contracts and programs; however, not every aspect of the current methodology is as clearly defined or standardized as the organization would like.
The selected provider will be expected to review the existing methodology, identify areas where additional clarification or standardization is needed, and support the organization in establishing clearly defined and usable allocation formulas.
The goal is to establish allocation processes that can be automated to the greatest extent reasonably possible and that do not depend on any one individual’s intimate knowledge of particular contracts or funding sources.
Final allocation methodologies will be developed collaboratively with organizational leadership to ensure that they are reasonable, consistent, appropriately documented, and compliant with applicable funding requirements.
Answer: Empowered Pathways anticipates formal projections being updated at least quarterly, with additional updates when there are significant changes in funding, staffing, expenditures, or other circumstances that materially affect the organization’s financial outlook.
Routine financial reporting should include budget-to-actual information. A complete organizational reforecast would not necessarily be expected every month unless circumstances warranted it.
Answer: The selected provider will not assume routine bookkeeping responsibilities during the October–December 2026 transition period. Empowered Pathways’ current bookkeeping provider will continue routine accounting operations through December 31, 2026, with Fund EZ remaining the system of record for the 2026 fiscal year.
The outgoing provider is expected to support completion of the 2026 year-end close and provide the final reports, reconciled balances, exports, and other information necessary for the transition.
The selected provider’s work during October–December will primarily involve discovery, planning, system design, configuration, testing, migration preparation, and other implementation activities. Beginning January 1, 2027, the selected provider will assume ongoing accounting operations in QuickBooks Online. Final opening balances will be imported and reconciled once the 2026 year-end close is completed.
Answer: Empowered Pathways anticipates that the current bookkeeping provider will provide reasonable transition assistance, including providing necessary reports, exports, and other accounting information from Fund EZ and supporting the close-out of 2026 accounting activity.
The selected provider will be expected to lead the QuickBooks Online conversion and implementation process. This includes identifying the specific information and exports needed from Fund EZ, establishing the QuickBooks Online environment and chart of accounts, importing or entering the appropriate data, and reconciling and verifying converted balances.
The outgoing provider is not expected to build or implement the new QuickBooks Online system. The selected provider should anticipate coordinating with Empowered Pathways and, as needed, the outgoing bookkeeping provider to ensure an orderly transition.
Answer: The primary expectation is that QuickBooks Online will be appropriately configured with the necessary master data and accurate, fully reconciled opening balances as of January 1, 2027. Empowered Pathways does not require a complete transaction-level migration of all historical activity from Fund EZ.
The organization would, however, prefer sufficient 2026 historical information to support useful comparative reporting and continuity if there is a practical and cost-effective way to accomplish that. Proposers may recommend the appropriate level of historical detail to migrate, summarize, or retain outside of QuickBooks Online while maintaining an appropriate accounting and audit trail.
Answer: Empowered Pathways is using this opportunity to competitively procure its accounting services as part of a broader transition in the organization’s financial-management systems. The organization is preparing to transition from Fund EZ to QuickBooks Online for the 2027 fiscal year and is seeking a provider who can support both that implementation and its ongoing accounting, government contract, grant reporting, budgeting, and financial-management needs.
The organization’s goal is to establish accounting systems and processes that are well documented, efficient, sustainable, and able to support continued organizational growth.
Answer: Empowered Pathways has not established a publicly stated target contract value for this procurement. We are asking proposers to provide pricing that reflects their proposed scope, staffing model, and approach to meeting the requirements identified in the RFP.
Cost will be considered as part of the overall evaluation, along with qualifications, experience, proposed approach, capacity, and overall value to the organization.
Answer: No. Empowered Pathways’ annual Form 990 is prepared by its independent CPA/auditor as part of the organization’s annual audit and tax-compliance engagement.
The accounting services provider is responsible for preparing the organization’s annual 1099s. The selected provider will also be expected to maintain accurate financial records and provide schedules, reports, reconciliations, and other information reasonably required to support the annual audit and Form 990 preparation.
Answer: Based on a review of 2025 general ledger activity, Empowered Pathways averages approximately 60 distinct accounting transactions or posting events per month, with monthly volume generally ranging from approximately 40 to 80.
This is intended as a reasonable estimate for proposal-sizing purposes. Actual volume varies by month, and individual transactions may generate multiple general-ledger lines because of program and funding-source allocations. Payroll is processed internally and is not part of the accounting services engagement, although the resulting payroll activity and allocations must be recorded in the accounting system.
Answer: Empowered Pathways anticipates the initial engagement including the October–December 2026 transition and implementation period and the full 2027 calendar year of recurring accounting services. The organization is seeking a long-term accounting partner, with continuation beyond the initial engagement subject to satisfactory performance and mutual agreement.
Proposers may recommend the pricing structure they believe is most appropriate. However, proposals should clearly distinguish one-time transition and implementation costs from recurring accounting-service costs beginning January 2027 and should identify any additional or optional fees.
Answer: No. A CPA license is not a minimum eligibility requirement for this engagement. Accounting firms and independent accounting professionals with relevant accounting and financial-management experience may submit proposals.
Proposers should clearly describe the qualifications, credentials, and experience of the individuals who would be assigned to the engagement. Proposals will be evaluated based on the criteria identified in the RFP, including nonprofit and government-contract accounting experience, financial reporting capabilities, QuickBooks Online experience, the proposed transition approach, references, organizational experience, and overall value.
Empowered Pathways’ annual independent audit and Form 990 preparation are performed separately by an independent CPA/auditor and are not part of the selected accounting services provider’s responsibilities.
Answer: Empowered Pathways has not selected a specific QuickBooks Online subscription level. The selected provider will be expected to recommend the subscription level and configuration that best meet the organization’s accounting, contract-tracking, allocation, reporting, and internal-control needs.
Current related systems include Ramp for the agency credit card and Airbase for employee reimbursements and mileage. Payroll is processed internally. Empowered Pathways is open to recommendations regarding integrations or additional tools where they would meaningfully improve efficiency, reporting, or controls.
Proposers should clearly identify any anticipated third-party software, subscription, implementation, or other technology costs in their proposals.
Answer: Empowered Pathways is open to either a dedicated-individual or team-based service model. The organization does not require all components of the engagement to be performed by a single person.
For a team-based approach, proposals should clearly identify the individuals assigned to the engagement, their respective responsibilities, and a primary relationship lead or point of accountability for Empowered Pathways.
Regardless of staffing model, continuity, communication, responsiveness, and preservation of organizational knowledge will be important considerations.
Answer: At a high level, the current outsourced bookkeeping provider performs core bookkeeping functions in Fund EZ, including general-ledger maintenance, transaction recording and classification, account reconciliations, check preparation, vendor accounting, annual 1099 preparation, routine financial reporting, and audit support.
Empowered Pathways staff retain responsibility for operational and management functions including payroll processing, review and approval of expenditures, check authorization/signature, employee reimbursement and mileage processes, credit-card approvals, preparation and submission of contract reimbursement vouchers, and decisions regarding staffing, programs, organizational priorities, and contract budgets.
The selected provider is not necessarily expected to replicate the current workflow exactly. Empowered Pathways is open to recommendations that improve efficiency, reporting, and coordination while maintaining appropriate internal controls and separation of duties.
Answer: Empowered Pathways is seeking a provider that offers more than transactional bookkeeping. The selected provider should provide financial information and analysis that helps management understand the organization’s financial position and make informed decisions.
This is expected to include identifying and explaining significant budget variances, contract over- or under-spending, cash-flow considerations, financial trends, and other matters requiring management attention; assisting with projections and budget development; and recommending improvements to financial processes and reporting.
The provider will be expected to prepare monthly financial reports suitable for management and Finance Committee review. Routine attendance at every Finance Committee meeting is not currently anticipated as a standing requirement, but the provider should be available to participate when requested, particularly for budgeting, year-end matters, significant financial developments, or other circumstances in which financial expertise would be beneficial.
Management and the Board will retain responsibility for organizational priorities, program decisions, staffing levels, and governance decisions.
Answer: Empowered Pathways’ target is to receive routine monthly financial statements and management reporting within approximately 10 business days after month-end.
Reports should also be available sufficiently in advance of scheduled Finance Committee review to allow management and committee members to review the information and raise questions as needed. If a particular month requires additional closing or reconciliation work, the provider should communicate any anticipated delay promptly.
Answer: Empowered Pathways is not currently aware of any material audit finding requiring remediation by the selected provider. There are, however, areas where the organization expects the transition process to include review, reconciliation, and strengthening of existing practices.
These include continued refinement and documentation of shared-expense allocation methodologies, review of certain program-level payroll and related payroll-tax allocations, confirmation that expenses are consistently coded in accordance with approved contract budgets, and reconciliation of final 2026 balances before conversion to QuickBooks Online.
During 2026, some reimbursement vouchers were also delayed while contract budget modifications were processed to align approved budget lines with revised staffing allocations. Those approval issues have been resolved and are not expected to represent an ongoing structural problem.
The selected provider should therefore anticipate a normal but substantive transition review rather than assuming that the existing Fund EZ structure and all current allocation practices will simply be reproduced in QuickBooks Online. Empowered Pathways views the transition as an opportunity to establish cleaner, more clearly documented, and more sustainable accounting processes.
