R -- Nicaragua Audit Services

Subject to final approval, the Bureau of the Public Debt, Administrative Resource Center intends to issue a sole source purchase order to Porras Ruiz Brown and Company for a seven month period. The Inter-American Foundation (IAF) requires a sole source contract with Porras Ruiz Brown and Company for this project. They are the only qualified entity that can carry out the multiple tasks described herein. (1) The scope of this contract and the audits to be conducted in country will be in conformity with the Audit Manual for Use by Independent Auditors in the Examination of Foundation Grants (version 2004) or Audit Manual, provided as Addendum 1, to this Statement of Work. Audits performed under this contract will include, in part, a review of the grantee’s books and records to determine whether the grantee is in compliance with the requirements as set forth in the grant agreement executed between the Foundation and the grantee, and to render an opinion on the results of the audit. (2) The audit will include a review of grantee’s use of grant funds as well as its receipt of counterpart resources, in the context of the grant agreement. The audit will require the auditor to review, evaluate, and analyze actual incurred costs and compare the costs with budgeted and proposed line items. Included in the audit report shall be a comparative analysis between the actual incurred costs (the disbursed budgeted amount) and the overall total budgeted amount. Included with the analysis is a narrative on any significant variances and/or issues. (3) The audit reports shall be submitted to the Foundation as an e-mail attachment. All audit reports shall be submitted in Spanish. The form, content and timing of submission of the audit report shall be in accordance with the criteria specified by the Audit Manual established by the Foundation. The Porras, Ruiz, Brown & Co. audit firm is the incumbent contractor currently providing audit services to the IAF in Nicaragua. The IAF has a need to continue receiving Porras, Ruiz, Brown & Co.’s audit services in Nicaragua to avoid a break in audit services until a new five-year competitive contract is awarded. Grant audits are an essential element of the decision making process related to grant disbursements and a critical component of the monitoring program. IAF needs to award a sole source contract to a qualified auditor to perform these audits for the remainder of the existing contract period. Porras, Ruiz, Brown & Co. has an audit process in place that can quickly and expeditiously accommodate the IAF’s needs without having to set up a costly or time-consuming infrastructure; once Porras, Ruiz, Brown & Co. receives the purchase order, they can immediately carry out the required tasks. There is no current Foundation Auditor in place who would be available to conduct a search and interviews and provide adequate orientation for a new contractor. NO SOLICITATION DOCUMENT IS AVAILABLE. Public Debt-Administrative Resource Center will consider all affirmative responses received no later than June 24, 2005. Affirmative responses shall reference TPD IAF 05 00025 and shall be accompanied by sufficient documentation to clearly show the ability to provide the required services or functional equivalent at terms more advantageous to the Government. Requests for more information or a copy of the solicitation will not be considered affirmative responses. If no affirmative response is received that clearly demonstrates the ability to meet all requirements and that it is more advantageous to the Government, a purchase order will be awarded to Porras Ruiz Brown and Company.