1. Reference to general opinion

This public call for expressions of interest follows on from the General Procurement Notice published in Dgmarket.com on 09 March 2021.

2. Context of the mission

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has obtained funds from the Adaptation Fund to finance the Regional Project for the Promotion of Climate-Smart Agriculture (AIC) in West Africa, and intends to use part of these funds to make payments under the service contract (intellectual services) for the selection of an audit firm to carry out the financial audits of the Regional Project Promoting Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) in West Africa ".

3.  Projet Objective

The AIC project aims to reduce the vulnerability of farmers and pastoralists to increase climatic risk, which undermines the level of food security, income generation, and the supporting ecosystem services of poor communities. These risks imperil food security, income generation and the provision of ecosystem services in poor communities.

4. Projet components

The implementation of the AIC project is structured into three (03) components :

1. Improving knowledge and strengthening technical capacities through regional and local interactions with a view to promoting agricultural practices that are resistant to the harmful effects of climate change.
2. Strengthening best practice in adapting to climate change in agriculture and pastoralism at local and regional level.
3. Knowledge management on best agricultural practices that are resilient to climate change, in particular climate-smart agriculture.

5. The objective of the mission

The purpose of this assignment is for an independent professional to formulate a professional opinion on the financial situation of the CSA project as presented at the end of the periods, and to ensure that the resources made available to the project have been used for the purposes of the project in order to achieve its objective.

6. Deliverables

The final audit report must be received no later than four (04) months after the end of the financial year concerned. The audit report shall include an internal control letter.

The independent auditor will submit the report to the Executive Director of the Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food (RAAF).

7. Selection criteria

8. Application form

Interested candidates are invited to express their interest in providing the services described above by providing information indicating that they are legally constituted and possess the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the services

The expression of interest files must contain the following elements:

• the letter of expression of interest addressed to the Executive Director of the RAAA;
• the nature of the candidate's activities, the number of years of experience, the firm's technical and managerial organisation, the general qualifications and number of professional staff and the candidate's qualifications in the field of services, in particular references concerning the execution of similar contracts;
• the annexes (supporting documents).

Candidates are asked to provide this information in no more than 15 pages.

If the candidate is in a consortium, a copy of the consortium agreement or a letter of intent to form a consortium.

A candidate who submits more than one bid, alone or as part of a group, will be disqualified. 

The RAAF reserves the right not to consider applications that do not comply with the above conditions for submission.

9. Conflict of interest

The audit firm must not receive any remuneration for the assignment other than that provided for in the contract. No audit firm contracted to provide services for this assignment, nor any of its affiliates, may subsequently supply goods or carry out work relating to the project.

10. Selection process

The minimum score required to be shortlisted is 70 points. In the event of a tie between two candidates, the candidate with the most experience in category A will be ranked higher. If there is still a tie, the candidate with the most experience in category B will be ranked higher. If there is still a tie, the candidate with the most experience in category C will be ranked higher.

Once the responses have been analysed, a shortlist of six (06) candidates with the best skills required to perform the services will be drawn up by the RAAA; these shortlisted candidates will then be invited to submit their technical and financial proposals on the basis of the Request for Proposals file that will be provided to them for the performance of the required services; one candidate will be selected according to the selection method on the basis of the technical quality and the amount of the proposal.

The procedure for this expression of interest will be conducted in accordance with the Directives for the procurement of consultancy services financed by a loan or advance of funds from the West African Development Bank.

11. Language

All written communications for this tender procedure and contract must be in French.

12. Request for further information

Interested candidates can obtain further information by writing to the following e-mail addresses : procurement@araa.org cc : ctienon@araa.org, jndione@araa.org; adasilveira@araa.org , with the subject « AMI/004 AIC-BOAD- AUDIT FIRM».

13. Submission of expressions of interest

• Deadline for receipt of expressions of interest : 11 april 2025 à 17 h 00 PM.
• Submission links : expressions of interest should be submitted via Drive : https://bit.ly/421HJY8
• Application format : the application must be in the form of a single PDF file.