ADVISORY
SERVICES
Director:
Brad Rafish
Our Advisory Services Team has more than 50 years of direct services to small business and government, providing business process solutions that are both practical and implementable. We can help achieve your organizational and economic goals through our expertise in:
- Organizational structure and dynamics
- Operational efficiency and effectiveness
- Budget and financial strategies
- Strategic planning and performance
Assisting an organization in the efficiency and effectiveness of management, control, and governance processes. We provide recommendations for improvements to internal controls and procedures pertaining to the businesses processes to improve efficiencies and to mitigate any identified risks or weaknesses.
An organization-wide review of current and potential operational risks. We analyze each potential risk based on the significance of the activity’s risk and the likelihood of it occurring. Once defined, each risk is weighted and prioritized.
Review and assessment of day-to-day activities to identify key controls for each business process. We evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of key controls and make recommendations to improve effectiveness.
Review and assessment of organizational and/or program operations, processes, and procedures to identify whether an organization is acquiring, managing, and utilizing its resources (personnel, property, physical space) efficiently and effectively. Emphasis is given to day-to-day operations and the appropriate resource levels required to perform these functions.
Performance audits provide an objective analysis to assist management and those charged with governance and oversight to improve program performance and operations, reduce costs, facilitate decision making by parties with responsibility to oversee or initiate corrective action, and contribute to public accountability. We follow Government Accountability Office (GAO) “Yellow Book” guidance for performance audits, providing findings or conclusions based on an evaluation of sufficient, appropriate evidence against pre-determined criteria.
To accurately determine costs associated with producing a certain product or rendering a certain service, separately measuring those costs becomes important. We identify, aggregate, and assign costs to those activities or items to allow for the assignment of costs on a reasonable basis.
We provide specific experience and expertise in municipal accounting, reporting, and a background in auditing that allows us the ability to independently review, access, and reach conclusions on any number of issues. We have provided expert testimony and reports related to pre-litigation and litigation for municipal fraud investigations, labor disputes, and accounting and reporting issues.
‘I took your advice regarding “grouping” or “categorizing” in the M&O Business Principles into like themes. As I was going through that exercise it occurred to me that there was a nexus to 4 Perspectives that the County has adopted… The Goal = Agreed upon business principles that we, the M&O management team, can hold each other “accountable” to.’
-Terry Soden, Maintenance & Operations Manager
Sewer Division, Pierce County