REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

(Consulting Firms)

Maldives

Maldives Agribusiness Programme

Assignment Title: Consultancy Service for Internal Audit of Maldives Agribusiness Programme

Reference No.: (IUL)30-MAP/30/2022/24

The Government of Maldives (GoM) through the Minqistry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture (MoFMRA) is implementing the Maldives Agribusiness Programme (MAP), which is jointly financed by GOM and International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD).

The consulting services (“the services”) include conducting an Internal Audit of Maldives Agribusiness Programme.

The Project Implementation Unit of Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture (“the client”) now invites eligible consulting firms (“consultants”) to submit their proposals. Interested consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the services.

The attention of interested consultants is drawn to IFAD’s Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Policy[1] and the Revised IFAD Policy on Preventing Fraud and Corruption its Activities and Operations[2]. The latter sets forth IFAD’s provisions on prohibited practices. IFAD further strives to ensure a safe working environment free of harassment, including sexual harassment, and free of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) in its activities and operations as detailed in its IFAD Policy to Preventing and Responding to Sexual Harassment, Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.[3]

The consultant shall not have any actual, potential or reasonably perceived conflict of interest. A consultant with an actual, potential or reasonably perceived conflict of interest shall be disqualified unless otherwise explicitly approved by the Fund. A consultant including their respective personnel and affiliates are considered to have a conflict of interest if they a) have a relationship that provides them with undue or undisclosed information about or influence over the selection process and the execution of the contract, b) participate in more than one EOI under this procurement action, c) have a business or family relationship with a member of the Purchaser’s board of directors or its personnel, the Fund or its personnel, or any other individual that was, has been or might reasonably be directly or indirectly involved in any part of (i) the preparation of this proposal, (ii) the shortlisting or selection process for this procurement, or (iii) execution of the contract. The consultant has an ongoing obligation to disclose any situation of actual, potential or reasonably perceived conflict of interest during preparation of the EOI, the selection process or the contract execution. Failure to properly disclose any of said situations may lead to appropriate actions, including the disqualification of the consultant, the termination of the contract and any other as appropriate under the IFAD Policy on Preventing Fraud and Corruption in its Projects and Operations.

A consultant will be selected in accordance with the Public Finance Regulation of the Maldives.

Consultants may associate with other firms in the form of a joint venture or a sub-consultancy to enhance their qualifications.

Any request for clarification on this RFP should be sent via e-mail to the address below no later than 1^st February 2022, 10:00hrs. The client will provide responses to all clarification requests by 02^nd February 2022, 15:00hrs.

The requested proposal should be submitted no later than 08^th February 2022, Tuesday, 1200hrs, local time, to the below address.

The proposal must remain valid for 90 (ninety) days after the above submission date. During this period, the consultant shall maintain the availability of professional staff nominated in the proposal.

Maldives Agribusiness Programme

Project Implementation Unit

Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture

Attn: Mohamed Jailam Rafeeg / Procurement Specialist

5^th Floor, M. Hazaarumaage, Fareedhee Magu,

Male’, Republic of Maldives

Tel: +960 3033410

Fax: +960 3326558

E-mail: [email protected]