Relief International (RI) – Chad seeks to recruit a qualified independent, international audit firm to conduct a statutory financial audit of the fiscal years ending December 31, 2025, through December 31, 2027 (for 3 fiscal years)

Terms of Reference (TOR) for Statutory Audit – CHAD

 1.Context and Legal Background

Relief International (RI) – Chad operates as a legally registered international non-governmental organization. As an entity operating in an Organisation pour l’Harmonisation en Afrique du Droit des Affaires (OHADA) member state, RI is legally required to prepare and submit its statutory annual financial statements in accordance with the local framework, primarily the OHADA Uniform Act on Accounting and Financial Reporting (SYSCOHADA).

In this context, RI seeks to recruit a qualified independent, international audit firm to conduct a statutory financial audit of the fiscal years ending December 31, 2025, through December 31, 2027 (for 3 fiscal years).

2. Purpose and Objective

The overall purpose is to provide reasonable assurance that the annual financial statements of Relief International – Chad for the for the three financial years ending December 31, 2025, 2026, and 2027, are presented fairly, in all material respects, in accordance with the OHADA Uniform Act on Accounting and Financial Reporting (SYSCOHADA) and applicable Chad laws. The audit must comply with and produce a report as required by International Standards on Auditing (ISA).

3. Scope of the Mission

The audit will encompass all income, expenditures, assets, liabilities, and related notes recorded in RI – Chad’s books.

The Auditor shall perform procedures including, but not limited to:

• Checking and verifying whether the appropriate supporting documents, records, and books of accounts relating to all financial and project activities have been properly kept.
• Checking and verification of the existence inventory, fixed assets, and other assets as presented in the financial statements.
• Checking and verifying compliance with all local applicable laws, income and payroll tax regulations, and the OHADA legal framework.
• The audit must be carried out in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (ISA), as promulgated by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) and adopted within the framework of OHADA.
• Audit Opinion: The auditor shall issue an opinion on whether the financial statements are presented fairly in accordance with the SYSCOHADA framework.

4. Audit Methodology

In order to present a true and fair view of the financial statements, the auditor shall apply the necessary procedures as required by ISA. This will include conducting risk assessments, performing substantive procedures, tests of controls, and obtaining sufficient and appropriate audit evidence through techniques such as:

• Review vouchers, invoices, contracts, payroll, and all supporting financial documents for expenditures and income receipts.
• Inspection of key agreements, including staff contracts, rental agreements, and vendor contracts.
• Review of payroll systems and compliance with Chad’s labor and tax regulations.
• Inquiry of management and staff, observation, confirmation, recalculation, and analytical procedures.

5. Procedure (Timeline Clarity and Reporting Detail)

Following the completion of the recruitment process, the selected audit firm will execute the audit through the following phases:

 Inception/Planning Phase:

The auditor must submit a detailed audit plan and timetable in the Letter of Intent (LOI) response, outlining the scope, methodology, resources, and key milestones. Note that RI financial close process concludes on January 31^st of each year and therefore any review will need to take place after that to ensure audit of closed financial statements for Chad.

 Auditing & Reporting Milestones:

 Final Reporting Timeline:

The final audit report should be submitted to Relief International – Chad no later than the following dates:

• For the year ended December 31, 2025: Finalized and submitted no later than April 30, 2026.
• For the year ended December 31, 2026: Finalized and submitted within four months of the submission of the 2026 year-end Financial Statements.
• For the year ended December 31, 2027: Finalized and submitted within four months of the submission of the 2027 year-end Financial Statements.

The final Audited Financial Statements and Statement of Management’s Responsibility shall be submitted to Relief International – Chad with the following number of copies:

6. The Audit Report and Management Letter
7. Audit Report

The audit report shall clearly indicate the auditor’s opinion on whether the financial statements are presented fairly, in all material respects, in accordance with the SYSCOHADA framework. This would include at least the following:

• Introductory Paragraph: Identification of the financial information audited (including the period covered), and a statement of the respective responsibilities of the entity’s management and the auditor.
• Scope Paragraph: Describing the nature of the audit, referencing the International Standards on Auditing (ISA), and the SYSCOHADA framework as the applicable financial reporting standards.
• Opinion Paragraph: Clearly stating the auditor’s conclusion regarding the fair presentation of the financial statements. This paragraph must also confirm whether the funds were used for the purposes defined by the work program and that financial transactions are in accordance with financial regulations and applicable directives.
• The final Audit Report and associated statements will be provided in French and English.

1. Management Letter

The auditor shall submit a Management Letter to Relief International – Chad, covering:

• Internal Control Assessment: Comments and observations on the accounting records, procedures, systems, and internal controls, including an assessment of their efficiency.
• Internal Control Weaknesses: A description of any specific internal control weaknesses noted in the financial management, including practical and actionable recommendations to resolve/eliminate them.
• Compliance: Report on the degree of compliance with financial, legal, and contractual requirements (including those under OHADA).
• Communication of any matters that have come to their attention which might have a significant impact on the sustainability and operations of RI – Chad.
• Management comments/response to audit findings and recommendations.

7. Debriefing Meeting

The Auditor/Audit Team should conduct a debriefing meeting to the Senior Management Team of RI Chad regarding the audit in overall, response on the management letter, and auditor’s final view on the response of management.

8. Auditors Independence and Qualification

The auditor must be completely impartial and independent from all aspects of management or financial interests in the entity being audited. The auditor should not, during the period covered by the audit nor during the undertaking of the audit, be employed by, serve as director for, or have any financial or close business relationships with any senior participant in the management of Relief International – Chad. The auditor must disclose any relationship that might possibly compromise their independence.

 CLIQUEZ ICI POUR LIRE LA VERSION FRANCAISE