If your organization may require consulting help, consider the consulting capabilities that many audit firms offer. Insufficient staff can lead to delays or poor performance. If your audit will be staffed from out of town, travel expenses may add to your bill. While price should not be the sole determining factor in your auditor choice, it is certainly a valid consideration. Be sure to evaluate both what you are being asked to pay and what the auditors propose to do for their fee.
Information technology plays an increasingly important role in the accounting profession.
Your auditors will have to work with electronic data from your systems. An ability to use technology allows the auditor to work more effectively and efficiently with less disruption of your staff. The audit committee, management, and people throughout your organization will all have to work closely with your auditors. The personal chemistry between key personnel in your organization and the partners, managers, and staff of your auditors should not be ignored. The RFP spells out the scope of services your organization requires, as well as specific questions that management would like proposing firms to answer.