Our Clients Say it Best!

I have been working on and off for the tribe in different capacities since the early 2000’s.

I have worked as a program Director for various federal programs we administer, have held Supervisory and Administrative roles. My most recent appointment as Deputy Director in 2012 has allowed me to work closely and in partnership with our boss Catherine, our Tribal Administrator who has been with and held key administrative positions for the ATC-for over twenty years.

As far as I know, you are the third CPA the tribe has had, since I’ve been associated with them.

Unlike the first two (CPA’s), you, your company Ribail Advisory Services, PLLC, is the first CPA/Firm that has invited our administration, including finance staff to sit in on a teleconference. As you know, we recently reviewed our indirect cost rate proposal which, at that time, was almost ready for submission to IBC.

In addition to the teleconference, you were given remote access to the computer we used to review the proposal you prepared. I was impressed as you walked us through the important pieces of the proposal. As we sat there and watched and listened, Cathy and I had a few questions. You structured the teleconference/presentation to our needs and thoroughly answered our questions making sure there was no confusion on our part.

One of the comments and questions I had, prompted you to mention your work history and experience with IBC. I was very pleased to learn that you have been doing this line of work for over 30 years and it showed in your ability and confidence.

Equally important to me was that it became clear that you are still passionate about your work and for working with the Native American Community who you have been associated with for a very long time.

Just as important is the fact that you know and are familiar with IBC staff and that they have come to know you. In my opinion, the working relationship you have developed with them has resulted in the quickest turn around for an ICRP approval for us just recently.

Before you, there was almost no communication. In a world between paid service providers and their clients, this is not good. In our short working relationship with you, you have emailed and called often. You have answered every question we had about our Indirect Cost Rate Proposals as you have done two of them for us now.

You work at a fast pace yet your work is very proficient. You have even made some recommendations as to what we can do, or how we can structure our spending or billing protocol to ensure we receive the best possible percentage rate.

Finally and all of a sudden, ICRP’s are not such a mystery to me!

As you know, there are always recommendations, complaints or criticisms with any working relationship. For you, my only complaint is:

“Where the hell were you all these years!”

John Agwiak
Asa’carsamiut Tribal Council

Since taking over the CFO position for the Coeur d’Alene Tribe in 2011,

I have been using Art to help negotiate the Tribe’s indirect cost rate agreement.  His long term working relationships with the staff at the IBC and thorough understanding of the negotiation process helped us speed up the time it took to prepare our proposal and to get through the negotiations.  Art’s ability to strategize and walk me through the various allocation methods allowed us to change our allocation method to one that allowed us to close the month faster, speed up the recovery time and stabilize the Tribe’s rate.  In hindsight, I wish we would have made the change sooner.

Jeff Oka
Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel

I have been a finance officer in Indian country for twenty five years.

I have had the good fortune to be Art Ribail’s client for nearly that entire time. I have observed him as auditor and consultant in many
different circumstances. Most recently, he has done the bulk of the work on our indirect cost proposals.
He has done that for the past ten years. The amount of work I have had to do personally has been
reduced significantly and the Tribe has been very pleased with the results. He recently made the
recommendation that we change the base on our IDC rate calculation to salary + fringe. The result has
been a major increase in the dollars we receive in IDC reimbursement from the various funding agencies.
This is just one example of the contributions he has made to our process. I would not hesitate to
recommend him and the services he provides to anyone in Indian Country finance.
Merril Burke
Chief Financial Officer Swinomish Tribe