The accounting and financial audit of the annual accounts
Terms of Reference for the Accounting and Financial Audit of the Annual Accounts of the NGO Caritas Mauritanie: Fiscal Year from January 1 to December 31, 2024
Caritas Mauritanie was established on December 8, 1972 and authorized on the 30th of the same month by the Ministry of the Interior, via note number 02.137/M.INT. It complies with the new associations law No. 2021-004 of February 10, 2021. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs granted it a new registration receipt, bearing No. OFA 010000241411202204268 dated November 24, 2022, published in the Official Journal.
Furthermore, Caritas Mauritanie signed a general cooperation agreement protocol with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania on April 12, 1980. This protocol was ratified by the President of the Mauritanian State on October 21, 1980, under ordinance No. 80.277, published in the Official Journal.
Caritas Mauritanie is affiliated with the Caritas Internationalis network.
Caritas Mauritanie carefully ensures the credibility of its management and financial transparency towards its financial partners and target groups. A set of organizational and operational mechanisms is in place to achieve this objective. The NGO Caritas Mauritanie is audited annually by an external audit firm. Specific audits are conducted on projects at the request of financial partners.
Caritas Mauritanie aims for the emergence of a "more just world where people develop their potential and gain greater dignity" based fundamentally on trust in the human person.
II- Objective
The objective of the accounting and financial audit is to enable the auditor to express an opinion on the financial statements of Caritas Mauritanie and to ensure that the financial resources received from partners have been used in accordance with the established management rules and procedures. This audit will be conducted in accordance with standard auditing standards and based on the controls deemed necessary by the auditor.
III- Information for Candidates
3.1- Conflict of Interest
Caritas requires consultants to provide objective and impartial professional advice, that under all circumstances they prioritize their client's interests, and that they scrupulously avoid any possibility of conflict with other activities or with the interests of their firm.
3.2- Language
Bids, correspondence, and documents associated with the bids exchanged between the bidder and the contracting authority must be drafted in the language of the procedure, which is French.
3.3- Validity of the Bids
Bidders will remain bound by their offers for a period of at least 60 days from the date of submission.
3.4- Currency of the Bid
The candidate must quote the price of its services in the new ouguiya currency (MRU).
3.5- Taxes and Other Duties
This contract is tax-exempt due to Caritas’s VAT exemption.
3.6- Form and Content of Proposals
A- Technical Proposals
Bidders are required to submit a technical offer containing the information listed in items (a) to (f) below:
a- The presentation of the bidder,
b- A description of the design, methodology, and work plan proposed to carry out the mission on the following subjects: the technical approach and methodology, the work plan, the organization, and the assignment of personnel. The work plan must conform to the work schedule
c- The composition of the proposed team, by specialty (if applicable), as well as the role and tasks assigned to each member.
d- Time estimates for the personnel required to execute the mission.
e- Signed Curricula Vitae of the proposed personnel
f- Certificates of good performance,
The technical offer must not include any financial information.
B- Financial Offer
The financial offer must list all costs, without exception, related to the mission.
3.7- Audited Period
The audit covers the fiscal year 2024, from January 1 to December 31, 2024. There is the possibility to renew the audit contract for future fiscal years.
3.8- Evaluation of Financial Proposals
3.8.1- During the period from the opening of proposals to the awarding of the contract, candidates must refrain from contacting the contracting authority regarding any questions related to their proposals. Any attempt to influence the contracting authority regarding the review, evaluation, or ranking of the proposals or any recommendation aimed at influencing the contract award may result in the rejection of the candidate’s proposal.
3.8.2- Selection will be based on the quality-cost ratio. A negotiation phase is possible with the candidates, following the ranking order, to reach an agreement.
3.9- Transparency
Any candidate who has submitted an unsuccessful offer may request in writing an explanation from Caritas regarding the reasons why their offer was not selected. Caritas will respond in writing to the candidate within five (5) business days from the date of receipt of the request.
3.10- Negotiation
In the event that all offers exceed the available budget, Caritas reserves the right to enter into negotiations with the candidates, according to the ranking order resulting from the evaluation of the offers (i.e., starting with the candidate ranked first, and if necessary, the subsequent ones).
3.11- Submission, Receipt, Opening of Proposals and Publication of Results
Offers must be received before the specified deadline. They must include all the documents specified in these Terms of Reference and be submitted to the following address:
Caritas Mauritanie,
Block L, NOT MD L No.109, Tevragh Zéina, Nouakchott
BP 515 Nouakchott
Tel: +222 42 22 39 40/ 36 35 20 55
« Behind the residence of the Ambassador of Palestine, on the television axis towards the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in front of Dare Tata »
• All offers must reach the above address no later than Monday, March 24, 2025 at 16:00. An attendance list is used to record the offers on the date of their receipt.
• All offers must be submitted in a sealed envelope containing only:
Caritas Mauritanie,
“External Audit of the Accounts of Caritas Mauritanie: Fiscal Year from January 1 to December 31, 2024”
« Name of the Bidder »
• Deadline for Receipt of Offers
Offers must be submitted no later than March 24, 2025 at 16:00. An attendance list is used to record the offers on the date of their receipt.
Any offer submitted after this date will not be considered.
Candidates are invited to provide their email address to subsequently receive the publication of the results.
Candidates who have submitted their proposals are invited, on Tuesday, March 25, 2025 at 10:00, to the envelope opening at the Caritas office. Each candidate or candidate’s representative will present their financial offer. In the absence of a candidate, the financial offer will be presented by a member of the Caritas tender committee.
IV- Scope of Application
The auditor shall:
4.1- On the organizational level:
• Ensure compliance with and application of the administrative, accounting, and financial procedures (purchases, tenders, human resources, fixed assets, etc.) in force within Caritas Mauritanie;
• Ensure compliance with Mauritanian labor law;
• Ensure the independence of functions;
• Ensure that the current accounting system allows for the comprehensive recording of revenues and expenses and that the resulting accounting journals conform to the official chart of accounts in force in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.
4.2- On the accounting level
• Verify the actual existence and eligibility of the expenses incurred;
• Verify the compliance of the accounting documents;
• Certify the accuracy of the accounts;
• Examine the regularity of the accounting books and bank reconciliations;
• Verify the consistency of the bank statements with all flows (revenues and expenses) and bank charges or interest.
4.3- Conclusion and Recommendations:
The auditor will make observations and recommendations, particularly those that have a significant impact on the management of the organization:
• Any necessary corrections following the controls performed;
• A statement of expenses that the auditor deems ineligible;
• Recommendations for potential improvements to the procedures and systems employed.
V- Reference Documents to be Made Available to the Auditor
Caritas will make available to the auditor all accounting records as well as all documents and records that contributed to the preparation of the accounts.
VI- Methodology
The audit will be conducted in accordance with the International Standards on Auditing (ISA) issued by the IFAC and will include audit tests and procedures as well as all verifications and controls that the auditor deems necessary given the circumstances.
VII- Quality of the Consultant
The Consultant must be an Audit and Accounting Firm of international reputation, whose regular profession is to audit accounts, duly registered with the Mauritanian Order of Accountants, and with confirmed experience in the accounting and financial audit of non-governmental organizations. It must have carried out at least 2 similar assignments in the last 5 years.
The key personnel for the assignment must include at least one Certified Public Accountant with at least 10 years of experience in accounting and financial audits and with a good knowledge of fiduciary management procedures and project audits.
VIII- Expected Outcome of the Audit
The assignment is expected to produce an audit report.
The audit report will be based on the draft report. It will incorporate any necessary corrections as well as Caritas Mauritanie’s comments upon reviewing the draft report.
The reports (draft report and final report) are written in French.
8.1- Reports:
The external audit must specify whether all revenues and expenses have been recorded in such a manner as to provide a true and fair view of the financial situation regarding the funds received.
The audit reports produced will be the draft report and the final report. They are addressed to Caritas Mauritanie and must include a report on compliance with procedures and the internal control system (the Management Letter) as well as a report on the accounts (The Report).
8.2- Deadline for Submission of Audit Reports:
The final audit report must be submitted to Caritas Mauritanie no later than June 20, 2025.
IX- Duration of the Assignment
The audit assignment will commence on May 5, 2025 and will conclude on June 20, 2025 with the production of the final report. This period includes a field mission at the Caritas Mauritanie office from May 5 to May 16, 2025.
Any changes to the schedule must be agreed upon in writing by both parties.
X- Location of the Assignment
The assignment is scheduled to take place at the headquarters of Caritas Mauritanie.