Empanelment of CA Firm for Internal Audit of State Project Implementation Unit

State Project Implementation Unit (STRIVE), Dehradun intends to empanelment of the ‘Chartered Accountancy Firm’, under the STRIVE project funded by Govt. of India under World Bank Assisted Project, to conduct integrated procurement and financial management of internal audit on a half-yearly basis of the Project. The operational area of the project is Uttarakhand State. The interested firms may visit the ‘Tender Notice’ tab of our website http://dsde.uk.gov.in for further details/scope of work. The last date for submission of EOI in a sealed envelope is 14-04-2022

Background

Skills Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement (STRIVE) is a national project of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) to incentivize critical institutional reforms in the formal ITI and apprenticeship training system aimed toward supporting the Government’s commitment to developing a globally competitive workforce and to provide skilling opportunities for economically disadvantaged and underserved communities. The project is scheduled to run over five years from 2017-18 to November 2022 and is an Externally Aided Plan (EAP) supported by the World Bank. At the national level, long-term skills development is coordinated by the Directorate General of Training (DGT) in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE). Apprenticeship training is managed under the aegis of the MSDE with Regional Directorates of Apprenticeship Training (RDATs) and state apprenticeship advisers driving implementation at the ground ITIs are under state governments, which own, run, and fund government ITIs and supervise private ITI’s. STRIVE Project for its implementation through the National Project Implementation Unit (NPIU), consisting of government staff that is now an0 integrated unit of the MSDE and in charge of managing all major reform projects in the space of long-term training. The responsibility to coordinate and facilitate the implementation of STRIVE and provide overall fiduciary guidance at the ministerial level rests with the existing NPIU.

Similarly, at the state level, SPIUs will be responsible for providing fiduciary guidance, implementation, monitoring, and facilitation of STRIVE. The ITIs will be monitored continually by the National Steering Committee (NSC) and by State Steering Committees (SSCs), which prepare semi-annual progress reports. Under STRIVE, the NPIU and SPIUs will therefore be supported through a dedicated PMC funded respectively through STRIVE’s TA and TS component. For Industry Clusters (ICs), the State Apprenticeship Monitoring Committee (SAMC) will be the nodal point for the selection, evaluation and monitoring of ICs. The SAMC exists within SPIU but liaises with SPIU and SSC for all matters related to ICs. The PMC is a consultancy team comprising key experts in project management, M&E, skills development, and apprenticeship training.

Objectives of Internal Audit:

The essence of the STRIVE project audit policy is to ensure that the STRIVE Project implementation agencies receive adequate, independent, professional, audit assurance that the proceeds of STRIVE project funds were used for the purposes intended, that the audit reports are free from material mismanagement and that terms of the loan agreement are complied with in all material respects. The objective of STRIVE is to improve the quality and market relevance of vocational training provided in ITIs and apprenticeships. The objectives of the internal audit are to enable the auditor to express a professional opinion on the effectiveness of the overall financial management and procurement arrangements. It has to be ensured that the overall financial management and arrangements including the system of internal controls as documented as per the Financial Management Section & Procurement Section of the STRIVE Operations Manual. It is expected that the process of audit shall be in position to provide to project management with timely information on financial management and procurement aspects of the project, including internal controls and compliance with financing agreements, to enable follow-up action.

Scope

Internal Audit

• In conducting the internal audit, special attention should be paid to assessing whether adequate control has been established and complied with to ensure that:
• GoI funds have been provided and used in accordance with the relevant agreements with States, Govt. ITIs, and Industry Clusters with due attention to economy and efficiency, and only for the purposes for which they were provided; 
• Goods and services financed have been procured in accordance with the relevant financing agreement and procurement norms as laid out in the operations manual
• All necessary supporting documents, records, and accounts have been kept in respect of all project ventures including expenditures reported via Statement of Expenditures.
• The project accounts have been prepared in accordance with consistently applied Indian Government Accounting Standards in this respect and give a true and fair view of the financial situation of the project at the year-end and of resources and expenditures for the year ended on that date.
• The Internal Auditor would require to verify the procurement processes being followed at the ITIs, ICs and State Societies are as per Procurement Guidelines under STRIVE
  the project as per para 4.2 of the OM.

Supporting Documents for Eligibility Criteria:

Following supporting documents must be submitted by the firm along with the technical proposal:

1. A self-attested copy of the latest empanelment intimation letter issued by the ICAI
2. A certificate from the firm to the effect that no partner of the firm has been found guilty of professional/other misconduct by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India under the First or Second Schedule of the Chartered Accountants Act,1949 or is one against whom disciplinary sanction orders have been passed by the Public Companies Accounting Oversight Board. In case the firm has such partners, the firm provides details of such partners and certifies that they will not be associated with the audit in any manner
3. A Declaration signed by an authorized partner of the audit firm verifying that the applicant is independent of the entity to be audited that they have no relationship with the entity to be audited (in particular, the auditor should not be employed by, serve as director for, or have any financial or close business relationship with the entity during the period(s) covered by the auditor immediately thereafter for a period of two years).
4. A self-attested copy of the latest firm constitution certificate issued by the ICAI (this certificate shall also act as evidence for verifying the Date of Constitution of the firm).
5. A copy of the balance sheet for the last three years
6. A copy of the appointment letters from the auditee organizations.

To Read More Details Download PDF Given Below: