External Auditors for World Bank Financed Projects

COUNTRY: Southern African Power Pool region

NAME OF PROJECT: Southern African Power Pool Program for Accelerating Transformational Energy

Projects Grant No.: H9890

Assignment Title: Southern African Power Pool External Audit

The Southern African Power Pool (“the SAPP”) was established on the 8th of December 1995 to organize and coordinate the planning and development of the electricity interconnections between members’ respective networks and expand the Interconnected Power Systems and electricity trading in the region.

Through the World Bank funding the SAPP opened a branch in South Africa, Projects Advisory Unit (“PAU”). The objective of the Project is to advance the preparation of selected priority regional energy projects in the SAPP Participating Countries.

The establishment of the PAU was one of implementation arrangements of the World Bank funding amongst the other arrangements which foresaw the adoption of a project implementation manual which sets rules, methods and guidelines for carrying out the Project.

The TOR address the requirement for external audit of financial statements of the PAU and the SAPP Coordination Centre (SAPP CC) as the Project of Implementing Agency for three financial years starting from 2019/2020 and ending 2021/2022, with the financial year commencing on 1 April and ending 31 March.

Objectives of consultancy assignment

The objective of the audit of the Project Financial Statements (PFSs) is to enable the auditor to express a professional opinion(s) on the financial position of the project at the end of each financial year, and on funds received and expenditures incurred for the relevant accounting period.

The project books of accounts provide the basis for preparation of the PFSs by the project implementing agency and are established to reflect the financial transactions in respect of the project. The implementing agency maintains adequate internal controls and supporting documentation for transactions.

Required Qualifications and Experience

The audit firm must be a Chartered Accountant and registered with a recognized accountancy professional body. The firm must have at least five years of relevant and diversified professional experience in auditing with sizeable portfolio and experience in the audit of donor funded project, development sector and NGOs. The auditor must employ adequate staff with appropriate professional qualifications and suitable experience with International Standard of Auditing including experience in auditing the accounts of entities comparable in size and complexity to SAPP. The audit manager must have at least 10 years’ experience in auditing and with a sound knowledge of donor-financed projects. In addition, he/she should be a member of a recognized accountancy professional body.

It is highly desirable that the auditor becomes familiar with the World Bank’s Guidelines on Annual Financial Reporting for World Bank-Financed Activities, June 30, 2003, which summarizes the World Bank’s financial reporting and auditing requirements. The auditor should be familiar with World Bank Procurement Guidelines, which can be obtained from the project implementing agency. The auditor should also be familiar with the World Bank’s Disbursement Handbook for World Bank Clients, Disbursement Guidelines for Projects: May 2006.

The SAPP now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services.

The shortlisting criteria are:

• Years in business,

• Number of qualified staff,

• Number of donor-financed project audit,

• Number of relevant audits in the Southern African Region,

Consultants may associate with other firms in the form of a joint venture or a sub-consultancy to enhance their qualifications.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the QCBS method set out in the Consultant Guidelines.

Further information can be obtained from the Procurement Specialist on the email provided below.

Expressions of interest must be delivered by mail, on or before 24 April 2020 at 15:00 hours Central African time and mention " Expression of Interest for Consultancy Services for the Southern African Power Pool External Audit “

Contact:

Southern African Power Pool

Attention: Thembekani Luthuli, SAPP Procurement Specialist

Tel: +27 10 446 9600/+27 72 709 7252

Email Address: [email protected]