Maricopa County Postpones Critical $400K Consultancy Decision for Election Review

By Staff Reporter |

Maricopa County is contemplating a significant consulting contract worth $400,000, aimed at enhancing the efficiency of its elections system. The proposed agreement involves the accounting and consulting firm BerryDunn, with the duration set for one year and options to extend for up to four additional years, including a potential six-month monthly extension after May 2026.

Initially scheduled for a vote during a Wednesday meeting, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors has chosen to postpone the decision until June 25. BerryDunn, which has worked with the county on previous elections-related projects, conducted a procurement audit of the county’s voting system in 2021 and assessed election planning activities following the 2018 elections.

Efforts to secure a consulting firm for another audit gained traction early this year, coinciding with new leadership on the board. If the contract is approved, BerryDunn will evaluate six critical areas of the elections system: chain of custody, physical security, candidate filing compliance, temporary worker hiring and training, ballot drop box management, and vote center selection and setup. BerryDunn asserts its ability to assess risks, analyze trends, and ensure compliance with state and federal regulations.

The consulting timeline consists of three phases and aims to deliver twelve outcomes, starting with planning and oversight over four weeks, followed by fourteen weeks of discovery and fieldwork, and concluding with a seven-week reporting phase.

In its proposal, BerryDunn highlights its extensive experience, boasting a client base of 650 state, local, and quasi-governmental agencies across the nation. The firm previously assisted the New Hampshire secretary of state with its CARES Act elections assistance and grant management from 2020 to 2021.

Over the past decade, BerryDunn has worked on various non-elections projects within Maricopa County, including feasibility studies, cybersecurity assessments, and audits for different departments. The firm also has a history of collaborating with numerous local and state entities in Arizona, such as the Departments of Agriculture and Economic Security, along with several counties and cities.

Recently, BerryDunn settled a $7.25 million class action lawsuit over a 2023 data breach that impacted over 1.1 million individuals, compromising sensitive personal information.