SUSTAINABLE GROWERS RWANDA

P.O BOX 864 Kigali, Rwanda

INVITATION TO BID

Title of Tender: Provision of external financial audit services for FY2025

Tender Reference Number: SGR/OT/07-2025

Procurement Method: Open Tender

Date of Issue: 7th February 2025

Submission Deadline: 18th February 2025

INTRODUCTION

Sustainable Growers Rwanda (SGR) is a local NGO having a goal of improving the livelihoods of low-income women farmers and their families through collective training that creates the basis for more transparent trade, improved quality and higher prices in the coffee sector.

In this perspective, Sustainable Growers is looking for potential qualified companies to provide external financial audit services for FY2025.

GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

1.The bidder shall send the following documents:

• Detailed Technical Proposal
• Financial Proposal
• Quality assurance measures

2.The following administrative documents should also be provided along with the requirements above mentioned:

1. Copy of certificate of incorporation from RDB indicating company shareholders
2. Valid tax clearance certificate from Rwanda Revenue Authority [RRA]
3. Valid Social Security clearance certificate from RSSB
4. Must have an experience of not less than five years, at least (3) original or notarized references required
5. A confirmation that the bidder has Electronic Billing Machine [EBM]
6. A summary of the company profile and partners’ CV
7. Valid status/ approval from RRA for certifying certify tax declarations & financial statements

3.Other Requirements:

• Detailed breakdown of prices must be provided in Rwandan Francs (RWF) and must include all taxes and costs related to delivery to SGR offices, where applicable
• Prices shall not change for the duration of the contract

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

The objective of the audit is to audit and produce certified financial statements for Sustainable Growers Rwanda based on its operations and transactions for the period of January 1^st – December 31^st, 2025.

The contract will be awarded to the successful bidder for the period of one year renewable twice upon successful delivery of the services to Sustainable Growers Rwanda. The main scope of work ande expected deliverables will include the following elements.

• Evaluating the financial statements and assessing accounts for accuracy and compliance with local and international financial reporting standards, and applicable legal, regulatory requirements
• Investigating internal control systems of Sustainable Growers Rwanda and assessing their effectiveness
• Performing audits for all other departments of the organization, as needed
• Provision of assurance that financial records and statements are free from material mistakes, whether due to fraud or error
• Provision of final opinion and certified accounts
• In addition to the financial audit, the audit firm will assist Sustainable Growers Rwanda in reviwing the filing of income tax return and any related appendices as provided by the applicable laws and regulations

• Provision of the Management letter spelling out audit findings, and the appropriate auditor’s recommendations

STANDARD PROVISIONS

Guidelines, policies and ethics

All bidders must commit to the guidelines in the SGR Procurement Procedures Manual. The procedures followed by Sustainable Growers Rwanda in making any award and contract resulting from this tender, will be in accordance with the:

• SGR Procurement Manual,
• SGR Anti-terrorism and Anti-money laundering Policy
• SGR Anti-fraud, bribery and corruption Policy

Conflict of Interest and Disqualification Provisions

Bidders shall not have a conflict of interest, such as submission of more than one bid in the same process, except as alternative offers permitted under the rules; association with a staff member involved in the awarding of the bids and also a bidder must disclose any relation with a staff member

Sustainable Growers Rwanda encourages all bidders to conduct themselves with integrity.

Sustainable Growers Rwanda will automatically disqualify the bidder that attempts to:

• Change or omit any information related to this RFQ
• Inappropriately influence this Procurement Process;
• Enter into an arrangement with any other party that such party shall refrain from submitting a tender response;
• Enter into any arrangement with any other party (other than another party that forms part of your consortium bid or is your proposed sub-contractor) as to the prices submitted
• Engage in direct or indirect bribery, corruption or canvassing by you or your appointed advisers in relation to this Procurement Process
• Obtain information from any of the employees, agents or advisors of the Sustainable Growers Rwanda concerning this Procurement Process (other than as set out in these RFQ Conditions) or from another potential supplier or another tender response,

Additionally, Sustainable Growers Rwanda will automatically disqualify the bidder that:

• Are currently blacklisted by the Rwanda Public Procurement Authority or Sustainable Growers Rwanda itself
• Have received corruption-related convictons in Rwanda or elsewhere
• Have unresolved disputes with previous service contracts
• Are in bankruptcy proceedings
• Are excluded under applicable regional or international conventions
• Is received after the submission deadline
• Contains omissions, gaps, misrepresentations, errors and/or uncompleted sections
• Contains handwritten amendments with no initial of the authorized signatory
• Contains ambiguous information that might mislead the tender evaluators
• Is not submitted in a manner consistent with the provisions set out in this RFQ

Evaluation Criteria and award

The agreement will be signed between Sustainable Growers Rwanda and the bidder whose offer follows the RFQ instructions, meets eligibility requirements, and receives the highest score out of a determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria. If required, the bidder will also present the samples of tools for evaluating that are complying with specification required. 

The best bidder will be chosen through a quality acost-based selection method in accordance with SGR procedures. Sustainable Growers may conduct negotiations with and/or request clarifications from any offer prior to award.

Please note that if there are significant deficiencies regarding responsiveness to the requirements of this RFQ, an offer may be deemed “non-responsive” and thereby disqualified from consideration. It is anticipated that award will be made solely on the basis of the original proposals.

Withdrawal

Sustainable Growers Rwanda reserves the right to withdraw this tender at any time and without notice and liability. Sustainable Growers Rwanda, reserves the right to accept or reject any quotation without being obliged to give any reasons in this respect.

Tender costs

You are responsible for obtaining all information necessary for preparation of your tender response and for all costs and expenses incurred in preparation of the tender response. Sustainable Growers Rwanda will not be responsible of any cost you incurred during the preparation of this procurement, irrespective of whether or not your tender response is successful.

Confidentiality and Information Governance

All documents related to this RFQ shall remain the property of Sustainable Growers Rwanda. Sustainable Growers Rwanda reserves the right to disclose all documents relating to this Procurement Process, including without limitation your tender response, to any employee, third party agent, adviser, or other third party involved in the procurement in support of, and/or in collaboration with Sustainable Growers.

Notification of tender award

In accordance with the evaluation criteria in this RFQ, all bidders shall receive formal notification of bidding outcomes. Successful bidders shall receive detailed award documentation.

RFQ Validity period

The bid validity period shall be 60 days.

GUIDELINE FOR BID SUBMISSION

Interested and qualified companies must submit their bid documents electronically via: recruitment@sustainablegrowers.org not later than 18th February 2025 at 5:00 PM (17h00) local time. Late bids will be automatically rejected. 

Questions regarding the technical or administrative requirements of this RFQ may be submitted by email to: recruitment@sustainablegrowers.org by 11^th February 2025, 05:00pm.

Only the written answers issued by Sustainable Growers Rwanda will be considered official and carry weight in the RFQ process and subsequent evaluation. Any verbal information received from employees of Sustainable Growers Rwanda or any other entity should not be considered as an official response to any questions regarding this RFQ.

Sustainable Growers Rwanda may at any time request further information from potential suppliers to verify or clarify any aspects of their tender response or other information they may have provided. In case you do not provide supplementary information or clarifications to Sustainable Growers Rwanda by any deadline notified to you, your tender response may be rejected in full and you may be disqualified from this Procurement Process.