Invitation to Tender for External Audit Services for Banja la Mtsogolo (BLM)
Introduction
Banja La Mtsogolo (BLM) is a Malawian Non-Governmental Healthcare Organization established in 1987. BLM provides quality Family Planning and Reproductive Healthcare including HIV/AIDS information and interventions. BLM is a senior member of the Marie Stopes International (MSI) Partnership which works in 43 countries. BLM exists to improve quality of life in Malawi through family planning, other reproductive health care services and general health care. BLM serves over one million clients annually and makes a significant contribution to national family planning and other SRHR objectives. The organization has national coverage, operating through 23 static clinics, 16 outreach clinics and supporting numerous public health facilities throughout 25 districts of Malawi.
Scope of Services:
BLM wishes to appoint external auditors to carry out an independent audit of its financial statements for the year ended on 31st December 2026. The audit should be carried out in accordance with appropriate professional standards of auditing (International Auditing Standards) and any other local standard, if any.
Eligibility Criteria:
BLM invites firms of Chartered Accountants for the external audit who will meet the following criteria:
- The firm should have affiliation with top international audit firms and have satisfactory QCR rating.
- The firm should have NGO/NPO Audit experience in the last five years.
Financial Proposal:
The bidders are required to quote yearly fee in the financial proposal. The fee must be quoted in Malawi Kwacha, including all applicable Government taxes. The financial proposal must be submitted in separate sealed envelope on letterheads, indicating the name of the firm.
The sealed bids must be delivered to “The Corporate Services Director, Banja La Mtsogolo, P.O. Box 1854, LILONGWE” by 2:00 PM on July 7, 2026. Once submitted, alternative bids will not be acceptable. BLM reserves the right to accept or reject one or all the tenders or part of tenders without assigning any reason thereof.
Any undue influence of any type may disqualify the bidder, and the bid will be outright rejected.
Confidentiality:
The Chartered Accountant Firms, their partners and personnel must maintain an appropriate standard of confidentiality and must not disclose any proprietary or confidential information relating to the audit of the BLM.
Audit Deliverables:
The audit report must be addressed to the Country Director. The audit deliverables must include:
- An opinion on truth and fairness of the financial statements and whether they agree with the underlying accounting records.
- A management letter including comments and recommendations on the systems and controls in use, in particular the following
- Executive Summary.
- Key recommendations.
- An assessment of risk, identifying any control weakness as High, Medium or Low Priority
Period to be covered by Financial Statements:
The Financial Statements cover the 12 months period from 1st January 2026 to 31st December 2026.
Compliance with local tax authorities
The audit must confirm it complies with all applicable rules relating to:
- Payment of appropriate taxes (deduction of tax on suppliers, consultants, employees etc.) and
- Filing returns to relevant authorities.
Submission of final audit reports and management letters:
The deadline for submission of (signed) final audit report along with the management letter is 25 March 2027.
Fee for the audit assignment:
The audit fees will be paid as follows:
- 30% of the audit fees will be paid upon receipt of the audit plan
- 30% of the audit fees will be paid after the on-site audit work has been completed
- 40% of the audit fees will be paid upon submission of the final signed audit report and management letter.
Tender submission content:
Tenderers must provide the following:
a. Firm Overview
Provide an introduction to your firm, including:
- Your organizational structure and areas of expertise
- Your experience and commitment to working with donor-funded organizations, NGOs, and the health sector, particularly in Malawi or similar contexts.
b. Relevant Experience
Please include:
- The proportion (%) of your firm’s work relating to donor-funded, NGO, and non-profit organizations
- The number of partners leading audits in the non-profit / donor-funded sector
- Examples of relevant audit assignments, particularly those involving international donors (e.g. USAID, Global Fund, FCDO, UN agencies) and health sector programmes
- Knowledge of the health sector, NGO operations, and donor-funded programmes
c. Proposed Audit Team
Provide:
- Names, roles, and CVs of key personnel proposed for this engagement
- Details of qualifications and relevant experience
- Demonstrated expertise in areas such as risk management, internal controls, compliance, and programme evaluation, where applicable
d. Staff Continuity
Explain how your firm ensures continuity of audit staff, including:
- Staff retention strategies
- Succession planning for key team members
- Measures taken to ensure consistency and institutional knowledge across audit cycles
e. Audit Approach and Methodology
Provide a clear description of your audit approach, demonstrating how you will:
- Develop the audit strategy and plan in line with international auditing standards
- Determine audit scope and materiality
- Identify and respond to key risks, including fraud risk, donor compliance risk, operational risks, and critical audit issues
- Control, coordinate and manage the audit process efficiently
- Communicate findings and recommendations clearly to management and governance structures
- Ensure timely decision-making and escalation of critical audit matters
f. Additional Services
Outline any other services your firm provides that may be relevant to BLM, such as:
- Advisory services
- Tax compliance and advisory
- Risk and internal audit support
Note: BLM does not guarantee that such services will form part of this engagement.
g. Fees and Pricing Structure
Provide a detailed breakdown of:
- Audit fees, including estimated hours and billing rates by staff grade
- Basis for charging expenses (e.g. travel, subsistence)
- Proposed approach for agreeing and reviewing audit fees in future years.
Post expires at 2:00pm on Tuesday July 7th, 2026