Consent* I the "client" agree to the engagement terms & disclose of my tax return information by checking the box and signing below.
This letter is to confirm our understanding of the terms and objectives of our engagement and the nature and limitations of the services we will provide. Please read this letter carefully as it is important to both MBE CPAs, LLP and you to understand and accept the terms under which we have agreed to perform our services, as well as Management’s responsibilities under this agreement.
Consulting Services
It is our understanding that you have received a loan from a lender approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) under the Payroll Protection Program (“PPP” or “Program”) established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. You have requested that MBE CPAs, LLP assist you with questions related to the Program as well as Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness Application issued by SBA (hereinafter, the “Application”). Additionally, we may assist you in the collection and organization of supporting documentation required to be submitted with your Application and documentation required to be maintained by you.
The scope of the services is limited to the foregoing. We will not be responsible for the submission of your Application to your lender. The scope of the services also does not include responding to or assisting with inquiries or audits of your PPP loan from either your lender or the SBA.
The rules, regulations and guidance related to this engagement and the preparation and submission of your Application are governed by federal regulations. Such federal regulations are subject to change, and therefore, may affect advice provided by us as part of this engagement. These effects may be material. You are responsible for understanding all forgiveness requirements and restrictions applicable to your PPP loan. You are encouraged to seek the advice of your own legal counsel before and during the entirety of the loan forgiveness process.
Our services are dependent upon the accuracy, completeness and timeliness of the representations and information that we receive from you. We will not verify or audit this information. Inaccurate, incomplete or untimely representations may result in an inaccurate submission of the Application by you and/or a loan forgiveness decision adverse to your interests.
This engagement is limited to the professional services outlined above. You may request that we perform additional services not contemplated by this engagement letter. If so, we will communicate the scope and estimated cost of these additional services in an amendment to this letter or a separate engagement letter to reflect the scope of such obligations and the obligations of both parties.
This engagement does not contemplate the preparation or reporting on financial statements. If an accountant’s report is required or desired, such services will be covered under a separate engagement letter.
Given the limited nature of our services, our firm will not be responsible for the SBA’s ultimate forgiveness decision, or any loan funds the SBA deems ineligible for forgiveness. We will use our best judgment when interpreting the SBA’s promulgated forgiveness rules when our services are
rendered. There may be subsequent SBA pronouncements regarding loan forgiveness that may affect the information we previously provided to you, and these effects may be material. There is no guarantee that the SBA will grant your application for loan forgiveness. As such, by your signature below you understand and agree that we assume no liability for any subsequent pronouncements by the SBA or your lender or the SBA’s ultimate decisions regarding the forgiveness of your PPP loan.
Our Firm will not act as your “agent” for purposes of this Program, nor will our firm accept responsibility for or sign documents as an “authorized representative” of your company. By your signature below, you understand and agree that Management is responsible for the accuracy, completeness and timeliness of all certifications and information required by your lender and the SBA as part of the loan forgiveness process.
It is our understanding that Management has designated qualified individuals with suitable skills, knowledge and/or experience, preferably within senior management, to be responsible and accountable for overseeing the specified consulting services performed as part of this engagement. By your signature below, you acknowledge that Management agrees to evaluate the adequacy of, and accept responsibility for, the results of all the services performed as part of this agreement.
By your signature below, you represent and warrant to MBE CPAs, LLP that all information provided to us will be accurate and complete to the best of your knowledge; and agree that our firm will be able to rely, without independent verification, on the accuracy and completeness of the information provided. As our services are limited in nature, our engagement cannot be relied on to disclose errors, fraud, or noncompliance with laws and regulations that may exist.
Any work product prepared by us is intended solely for your use in accordance with the terms of this agreement. Therefore, you agree not to distribute our work to any other parties, for any other purpose, without our written permission.
Further, the client understands and acknowledges that our firm will not be rendering any legal advice as part of this engagement. Therefore, you should engage separate legal counsel to assist as appropriate in addressing any legal issues that may arise.
Fees
Under a separate agreement between MBE CPAs, LLP and Peoples State Bank, these services will be provided at no charge to you. As a customer of Peoples State Bank, the Bank has provided for you to receive a certain amount of services from MBE CPAs, LLP. If your needs exceed the amount provided for by Peoples State Bank, you may have the opportunity to work directly with MBE CPAs, LLP under a separate agreement.
Other Matters
Because of the importance of oral and written management representations to the effective performance of our services, the client releases and indemnifies our firm and its personnel from any and all claims, liabilities, costs and expenses attributable to any misrepresentation by Management and its representatives.
In recognition of the relative risks and benefits of this agreement to both the client and the accounting firm, the client and the accounting firm have discussed and have agreed on the fair
allocation of risk between them given that the firm will be providing services under this agreement at no charge to the client. As such, the client agrees, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to hold the accounting firm harmless and limit the firm’s liability from any and all claims, losses, costs, and damages of any nature whatsoever, so that the total aggregate liability of the accounting firm to the client shall be one dollar ($1.00). The client and the accounting firm intend and agree that this limitation shall apply to any and all liability or cause of action against the accounting firm, however alleged or arising, unless otherwise prohibited by law.
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless MBE CPAs, LLP and any of its partners, principals, shareholders, officers, directors, members, employees, agents or assigns with respect to any and all claims made by third parties arising from this engagement, regardless of the nature of the claim, and including the negligence of any party, excepting claims arising from the gross negligence or intentional acts of the MBE CPAs, LLP.
We may from time to time, and depending on the circumstances and nature of the services we are providing, share your confidential information with third-party service providers, some of whom may be cloud-based, but we remain committed to maintaining the confidentiality and security of your information. Accordingly, we maintain internal policies, procedures and safeguards to protect the confidentiality of your personal information. In addition, we will secure confidentiality terms with all service providers to maintain the confidentiality of your information and will take reasonable precautions to determine that they have appropriate procedures in place to prevent the unauthorized release of your confidential information to others. In the event that we are unable to secure appropriate confidentiality terms with a third-party service provider, you will be asked to provide your consent prior to the sharing of your confidential information with the third-party service provider. Although we will use our best efforts to make the sharing of your information with such third parties secure from unauthorized access, no completely secure system for electronic data transfer exists. As such, by your signature below, you understand that the firm makes no warranty, expressed or implied, on the security of electronic data transfers.
In accordance with the confidentiality rules under §7216 of the Internal Revenue Code, we will require your specific written consent to disclose any tax return information to the Lender, who is considered a third party under these rules. As such, we ask that you sign and return both the copy of this engagement letter and the attached consent form.
In connection with this engagement, we may communicate with you or others via email transmission. We take reasonable measures to secure your confidential information in our email transmissions. However, as emails can be intercepted and read, disclosed, or otherwise used or communicated by an unintended third party, or may not be delivered to each of the parties to whom they are directed and only to such parties, we cannot guarantee or warrant that emails from us will be properly delivered and read only by the addressee. Therefore, we specifically disclaim and waive any liability or responsibility whatsoever for interception or unintentional disclosure or communication of email transmissions, or for the unauthorized use or failed delivery of emails transmitted by us in connection with the performance of this engagement. In that regard, you agree that we shall have no liability for any loss or damage to any person or entity resulting from the use of email transmissions, including any consequential, incidental, direct, indirect, or special damages, such as loss of sales or anticipated profits, or disclosure or communication of confidential or proprietary information.
It is our policy to keep records related to this engagement for seven years. However, MBE CPAs, LLP does not keep any original client records, so we will return those to you at the completion of the services rendered under this engagement. It is your responsibility to retain and protect your records (which includes any work product we provide to you as well as any records that we return) for possible future use, including potential examination by any government or regulatory agencies. MBE CPAs, LLP does not accept responsibility for hosting client information; therefore, you have the sole responsibility for ensuring you retain and maintain in your possession all your financial and non-financial information, data and records.
By your signature below, you acknowledge and agree that upon the expiration of the seven-year period, MBE CPAs, LLP shall be free to destroy our records related to this engagement.
If any dispute arises among the parties hereto, the parties agree to first try in good faith to settle the dispute by mediation administered by the American Arbitration Association under its applicable rules for resolving professional accounting and related services disputes before resorting to litigation. The costs of any mediation proceeding shall be shared equally by all parties.
We appreciate the opportunity to be of service to your company and believe this letter accurately summarizes the significant terms of our engagement. If you have any questions, please let us know.
If the foregoing is acceptable to you, please sign this letter and the attached client consent where indicated.
Client Consent
Federal law requires this consent form be provided to you. Unless authorized by law, MBE CPAs, LLP cannot disclose your tax return information to third parties for purposes other than the preparation and filing of your tax return without your consent. If you consent to the disclosure of your tax return information, federal law may not protect your tax return information from further use or distribution.
You are not required to complete this form. If we obtain your signature on this form by conditioning our services on your consent, your consent will not be valid. If you agree to the disclosure of your tax return information, your consent is valid for the amount of time that you specify. If you do not specify the duration of your consent, your consent is valid for one year from the date of your signature.
By your authorization below, you confirm that you have requested our firm to disclose your tax return information to Peoples State Bank so that they may provide assistance to you with your Paycheck Protection Program loan. The information disclosed may include all information contained within, or derived from, your current or prior tax return(s), as well as information that may be contained within, or derived from, your individual current or prior tax return(s), unless you request in writing a more limited disclosure.
Very truly yours,
MBE CPAs, LLP