Crowe Chizek and Company has announced that it intends to combine practices with Carter, Belcourt & Atkinson, a Floridian firm with offices in Lakeland and Tampa.

The two US firms have signed a non-binding letter of intent to combine practices. Discussions are taking place with plans calling for a combination agreement to be signed in the coming months.

Crowe Chizek said that Carter, Belcourt & Atkinson is one of central Florida’s largest locally owned certified public accounting and consulting firms. It has 79 associates and expertise in sectors such as professional services, not-for-profit, agriculture, and hospitality and recreation. The firm is a member of the PKF North American Network.

Nationally, Crowe Chizek has a total staff of more than 2,300 professionals working across 22 offices. It most recently reported fee income of $423 million. The group is a member of Horwath International.

The proposed deal is the latest in a series of moves the firm has undertaken recently to increase its size. In July, Crowe Chizek announced that it had completed its planned merger with New Jersey-based risk management consulting company Enterprise Financial Consulting. Last month it opened a new office in Atlanta and elected 17 new partners and five new directors to the firm.

Crowe Chizek said that the transaction to bring Carter, Belcourt & Atkinson into the fold is subject to further due diligence, execution of a combination agreement and satisfaction of customary closing conditions.