Request for Proposal (RFP) – Consultancy for Audit Services for the Civil Society Support Program Phase 2 (CSSP2) Grant Recipients for the British Council Ethiopia 38 views

Request for Proposal (RFP)

For: Consultancy for Audit Services for the Civil Society Support Program Phase 2 (CSSP2)  Grant Recipients for the British Council Ethiopia

Overview of the British Council

• The British Council builds connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and other countries through arts and culture, education and the English language. We work in two ways – directly with individuals to transform their lives, and with governments and partners to make a bigger difference for the longer term, creating benefit for millions of people all over the world. We help young people to gain the skills, confidence and connections they are looking for to realise their potential and to participate in strong and inclusive communities. We support them to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications. Our work in arts and culture stimulates creative expression and exchange and nurtures creative enterprise.
• We connect the best of the UK with the world and the best of the world with the UK. These connections lead to an understanding of each other’s strengths and of the challenges and values that we share. This builds trust between people in the UK and other nations which endures even when official relations may be strained.
• We work on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2019-20 we connected with 80 million people directly and with 791 million overall, including online and through our broadcasts and publications. Founded in 1934, we are a UK charity governed by Royal Charter and a UK public body.

Introduction and Background to the Project / Programme

The Civil Society Support Program Phase 2 (CSSP2) is a capacity development programme designed to support the development of Ethiopia’s civil society to “contribute to inclusive and accountable governance; and an improved environment for the promotion and
protection of the human rights of all Ethiopians”. To achieve this grand objective, the
programme has identified four thematic areas (gender transformation, young people and
citizen-state engagement, conflict and peacebuilding ) and has taken a human rights-based approach as its key strategic
approach. In addition to funding local CSOs, the programme provides technical and capacity development support through various means to CSOs, Networks, Coalitions, and Consortiums. CSSP2 also works with relevant government stakeholders such as the Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO) by supporting thematic and organizational capacity development, so as to enhance the Authority’s supportive, coordinating and effective oversight role.

CSSP2 is funded by the people of United Kingdom, Ireland, Sweden, and Norway. The value of the fund is approximately £24.5m for programme and its duration is extended to August 2023. The programme is managed by the British Council, in consortium with Pact UK and Social Development Direct. To provide closer support to CSOs, the programme has regional and roving Hubs in addition to its secretariat base in Addis Ababa.

The British Council wishes to engage the services of an audit firm, ‘the Auditor’, for auditing the grantees/downstream partners contracted under the Civil Society Support Program Phase Two (CSSP2), ‘the Project’. An agreement was signed between the British Council Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and British Council, the Technical Service Provider, to provide technical assistance to the Programme (Contract Reference PO 8165), hereafter ‘the Management Agent’. CSSP2 has been under implementation with management consortium partners namely British Council Pact UK and Social Development Direct (SDD) where British Council as a lead organisation. British Council has contracted Ethiopian Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to undertake activities through grant awards in which British Council and the respective CSOs signed grant contracts.

Required Qualification and Experience for the Audit Service Provider (80%):

• By agreeing these ToRs, the audit and expenditure verifier confirms meeting at least one of the following conditions:
  • Is a member of a national accounting or auditing body or institution which in turn is a member of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC).
  • Is a member of a national accounting or auditing body or institution. Although this organisation is not member of the IFAC, the Expenditure Verifier commits to undertake this expenditure verification in accordance with the IFAC standards and ethics set out in these ToR.
  • Is registered as a statutory auditor in the public register of a public oversight body in an EU member state in accordance with the principles of public oversight set out in Directive 2006/43/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (this applies to auditors and audit firms based in an EU member state)[.
  • Is registered as a statutory auditor in the public register of a public oversight body in Ethiopia or any third country and this register is subject to principles of public oversight as set out in the legislation of the country concerned (this applies to auditors and audit firms based in a third country).
• Suitable and qualified personnel to under the audit services: must have:
  • Professional qualification in the accountancy and audit services
  • Must be members of a professional body either within Ethiopia or global certification equivalent
• Must have undertaken a similar service to an entity implementing either UK, EU or multilateral funding in Ethiopia in the last 2 years.
• Grant management expertise
• Programme and Project management expertise
• Understanding of the Ethiopian civil society sector and civil society organisations along with the legal framework, challenges
• The auditors should have the required level of writing skills in English and experience of preparing high quality reports and recommendations
• Cost of the assignment (financial proposal/offer): This will account for 20% of the total selection criteria. Please complete the pricing approach form.  The cost should be in Birr inclusive of all costs.

The British Council will cover travel related costs on reimbursement basis for the Audit firm or agree different arrangement during negotiation and hence don’t need to be included in the cost Audit fee.