ThaiNGO

The Freedom Fund seeks a Technical Service Provider (TSP) for the provision of Financial review, monitoring and training activities in support of Partners that are engaged to deliver Freedom Fund projects in Thailand. Specific activity requirements are detailed in the ‘Scope of Work’ section below.

How to apply: If you are interested in being considered for this service, please review the details below and prepare a submission, with supporting evidence, as detailed in the ‘Proposal Submission’ section. Please submit all proposal materials to Adrian Storey, Program Finance Manager, The Freedom Fund, London by email at astorey@freedomfund.org and copy to the Freedom Fund Program Manager, Ni Ni Aung at naung@freedomfund.org. Any queries or informal inquiries are also welcome via email to Roisai Wongsuban.

The Freedom Fund’s Hotspot Program in Thailand is currently in the third phase of the program, which started on 01 April 2021. Through the Thailand Hotspot Program, the Freedom Fund is dedicated to preventing and addressing labour exploitation within the seafood sector. The Thailand Hotspot works with partner organisations to deliver projects that support migrant workers to claim their rights and advocate for improved regulations and systems to promote the welfare of migrant workers working within Thailand.

The third phase of the program will support six NGO partners based in Samutsakorn, Songkhla, Phang Nga, and Pattani. These organisations have been assessed against the Freedom Fund’s mandatory standards and are each in receipt of a cost-reimubursable grant. This contract relates to the financial monitoring of expenditure under the grants and provision of any capacity building that may be required for partners to comply with grant conditions or The Freedom Fund policies and standards.  

The TSP is required to undertake the following activities on request from The Freedom Fund. Activities may be requested for all or some of the four Partners within Thailand:

1. Provide Capacity Building support to Partners

The assessments carried out before awarding grant agreements has revealed areas where Partner staff needs to improve understanding of and compliance with FF mandatory standards and/or reporting requirements. In certain cases, to be confirmed by the Freedom Fund, the TSP will support these Partners to develop and implement appropriate systems, processes and controls, as required to complete the recommended actions and close identified compliance gaps. Structured training may also be needed to enhance the Partner staff’s understanding of key requirements and the necessary processes and controls; the TSP will develop and deliver these training packages to financial and program staff members in an effective manner to assist with project delivery and to improve the longer-term sustainability of the Partner organisation.

In addition, ad hoc mentoring and ongoing training support may be necessary to assist the Partner to deliver essential finance and administration activities.

2. Perform monitoring visits

During the operation of the partnership, Partners will carry out project activities and report progress to FF using standard reporting templates; one of the templates is a Partner Financial Report that shows the expenditure incurred against the agreed budget.

The TSP is required to arrange and undertake monitoring visits to each Partner (at an agreed time and frequency) to review the Partner Financial Report to ensure:

• it is accurately completed (i.e. in agreement to the Partner finance system);
• expenditure complies with FF standards and Partner policies and processes;

expenditure is supported by appropriate evidence (e.g. contracts, invoices, receipts)
Monitoring visits will also be used to review and confirm continued compliance with the most important mandatory standards and to confirm that identified compliance gaps have been addressed by the Partner.

A defined scope exists for Partner monitoring visits and requires completion of a standard report template (Appendix I to this RFP)

3. Perform investigations into financial irregularities

Occasionally FF may become aware of an allegation of fraud or financial irregularity within a Partner organisation. If this happens, the TSP is required to urgently investigate the allegation, determine the facts and report the outcome to FF with recommendations for action to be taken. The investigation will include confidential interviews with connected Partner staff and other stakeholders and the review of relevant documents leading to a conclusion that the allegation is either valid or not valid.

A separate Terms of Reference will be provided to the TSP for any required investigations.

Further details of the specific activities required under each section will be agreed as part of the TSP Agreement that will be set up with the successful proposer.

In order to deliver the Scope of Work detailed above, the Technical Service Provider is expected to meet the following specification. Please include details of the extent to which you meet the criteria, with supporting evidence if appropriate:

• Registered in Thailand as a financial services or accounting firm
• Experience in planning and delivering internal audit or financial reviews of small program delivery organisations in the NGO sector throughout the country/region
• Detailed knowledge of national financial (including taxation) laws, regulations and reporting requirements
• No known conflicts of interest with other Freedom Fund partners or consultants.
  (Any potential conflicts of interest are to be declared as part of the proposal so that they can be considered as part of the proposal review.)
• Knowledge of the Governance, HR and Administration requirements for small organisations
• Experience of developing and delivering technical training in financial processes and controls
• Fluency in English and Thai, both written and spoken, including for technical and business applications
• Capacity to support multiple organisations through delivery of the scope of work described above, including the ability to respond to and manage urgent requests (e.g. investigations) within a maximum of 5 working days.

If you are interested in being considered for this service provision please submit your detailed proposal, including the following sections:

1. Executive Summary

Brief summary (no more than 1 page) of why you are best placed to fulfil the requirements of this service. This should include the main strengths you can provide to FF and how this will support the Hotspot activities in Thailand. If there are any services you are unable to provide, please indicate any alternative solutions you can recommend.

2. Activities to be performed

Description of how you will deliver the services specified in the Scope of Work. The description should demonstrate your ability and experience in performing similar activities to the level necessary for achievement of FF objectives.

3. Qualifications and experience

Details of your fit to the TSP Specification described above. Copies of documentary evidence (e.g. registration certificate) should be included where appropriate.
If there are requirements that you are unable to meet, please describe alternative solutions or explain why this will not affect achievement of FF objectives.

4. Cost indications for the Scope of Work

Indicative daily rates and other costs (e.g. travel rates) for each service/deliverable in the Scope of Work. The rate should be based on the cost to support one Partner. A range can be provided where the cost may vary (e.g. depending on travel distance from your office location).

As an indication, it is our experience and expectation that monitoring visits will require no more than 2 days fieldwork at each Partner office.

Deadline for appliation: Submissions are required to be received by the Freedom Fund at its London office no later than Friday 27 August 2021. Applicants should be ready to begin undertaking the work from mid to late September 2021.