RFP: Hiring of an International Audit Firm

Date 

14 January 2026

Hiring of an international audit firm

Background 

The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), an International Organization, recognized vide Gazette Notification F. No. D-II/451/16(3)/2021 by the Government of India,  is a multi-stakeholder global partnership of national governments, UN agencies and programmes, multilateral development banks and financing mechanisms, the private sector, and academic and knowledge institutions that aims to promote the resilience of new and existing infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks in support of sustainable development. The vision, mission, goal, and objectives of CDRI are explicitly linked to the post-2015 development agendas. CDRI promotes its Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (DRI) mandate through knowledge exchange and bolstering technical capacities among member countries and partners through the following key Strategic Priorities:  

• Advocacy and Partnerships
• Research, Knowledge Management, and Capacity Building
• Program Support and Technical Assistance

The CDRI Secretariat, based in New Delhi, India, serves as the operational and administrative arm of the coalition. It is responsible for executing the decisions of the CDRI Governing Council and Executive Committee.

CDRI operates through contributions from multiple stakeholders, including government donors and international development partners. Given the scale of operations, diversity of funding sources, and its commitment to financial accountability and transparency, CDRI requires the services of a qualified and experienced international audit firm to conduct annual independent audits of the financial statements and internal controls of the CDRI Secretariat in accordance with international standards

CDRI seeks an independent external auditor for three consecutive financial years to provide assurance to the Executive Committee and the Finance & Audit Committee. The audit services will include three separate audits for the financial years April 2025 to March 2026, April 2026 to March 2027, and April 2027 to March 2028.

Objectives of the assignment 

The main objective of the assignment is to:

• Provide an independent professional opinion on the CDRI Secretariat’s financial statements and confirm that they present a true and fair view of its financial position.
• Assess the adequacy and effectiveness of internal financial controls and accounting systems.
• Verify compliance with applicable financial regulations, donor requirements, grant agreements, and internal policies.
• Identify potential areas of risk and control weaknesses and offer practical recommendations for improvement.
• Strengthen CDRI’s credibility among donors, partners, and stakeholders by ensuring the integrity and transparency of the CDRI Secretariat’s financial and operational management and controls.

Scope of work

The scope of the audit assignment will include, but is not limited to, the following areas:

3.1 Financial statement audit

• Audit of the annual financial statements prepared by the CDRI Secretariat in accordance with applicable accounting standards (International Public Sector Accounting Standard - IPSAS).
• Review and validation of financial disclosures, notes, schedules, and reconciliations.
• Examination of supporting documents and records related to income, expenditure, assets, and liabilities.
• Verification of grant income recognition and utilization.

Review of internal controls

• Evaluate the design and operational effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting, procurement, payroll, asset & Inventory management, Information Technology systems and grants management.

• Assess the implementation of risk mitigation strategies and financial management systems.

  1. Compliance audit

• Assess compliance with:

1. Applicable laws and regulations.
2. CDRI’s internal Policies and procedures

3. Donor agreements and conditions attached to funding.

   2. Management letter

• Prepare a detailed Management Letter outlining;
• Report any observation and findings that include material irregularities, suspected fraud, or non-compliance observed during the audit period.

1. Weaknesses or gaps in internal controls;
2. Recommendations for operational and financial improvements;

3. Management’s response and proposed action plan.

   3. Coordination with governance committees

• Engage with CDRI’s Finance and Audit Committee, Executive Committee, and other oversight bodies as required.
• Present the audit findings and respond to queries from the Executive Committee members.

Deliverables

The following deliverables are to be submitted as part of the assignment. 

Timeline

Detailed audit methodology, risk assessment, timeline, and team composition within 4 weeks of the end of the financial year (31 March).

Recommendations for internal review by 30 June

Final Audit Report Signed the audit opinionand audited financial statements By 31 July

Management Letter Detailed reporton internal controls, compliance, and recommendations Alongside Final Report (By 31 July).

Duration and period of engagement

• The appointment will be for a period of three (3) years.
• The audit shall be conducted annually, covering each financial year (April–March), with the final reports due by July 31 of the year.

Reporting and oversight

• The audit firm will report to the CDRI Executive Committee and will coordinate each audit assignment with the Deputy Director General (COO) of CDRI on behalf of the Executive Committee.
• The assignment will be overseen by the Finance and Audit Committee and coordinated through the CDRI Secretariat Operations function.
• A focal point from the CDRI Secretariat will be assigned for all communications, document access and logistics.