Background
International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is the world’s largest, most enduring network for sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice. Founded by a group of courageous and determined women, IPPF has carried their vision of a just and equitable world, free from coercion, violence, and discrimination for nearly 75 years. Today, we are a movement of over 100 locally-led Member Associations and Affiliates in over 150+ countries.
We deliver essential sexual and reproductive health services, and we advance, defend, and celebrate rights, dignity, and pleasure. Our efforts include health services, sex education, policy change, assistance in humanitarian crises, and advocacy from grassroots communities to national and international political arenas. We work towards radical and long-term change, culturally, structurally, and politically. We advance and defend rights, and actively shape public health approaches and services. We stand up when others cannot or do not. We amplify voices of those who can. We are committed to a transformational vision of a more just future in which rights, dignity, joy, and pleasure are universal.
Purpose of the Tender
The purpose of this tender (Request for Proposals - RFP) is to contract an experienced assurance consultancy firm to provide technical assistance and capacity building to our Member Association in Sudan across key internal controls.
Scope of Work
In summary, the assignment will be as follows:
Expertise, Technical Support and Capacity Building: IPPF intends to engage an experienced consultancy firm to provide technical assistance, capacity building and coaching to the Sudan Family Planning Association (SFPA) to strengthen internal controls and embed good practice across the following areas:
- Compliance, including but not limited to controls over policies and procedures, tax obligations and payments, formal organisational registrations with authorities, and management of funding agreements.
- Finance, including but not limited to controls on bank and cash, month-end controls, budgeting, budgeting vs. actual analysis, cash flow management, and management reporting.
- Procurement, including but not limited to the design and implementation of appropriate procurement procedures (with sufficient but appropriate mitigating controls that reflect the unique challenges of procurement in the Sudan context), conflict of interest management, preferred suppliers, and value for money assurance.
- HR, including but not limited to controls on employee recruitment, onboarding controls such as reference and background checks, organisation structure in such areas as segregation and line management, exit management, and payroll.
- Inventory Management, including but not limited to storage of medical inventory, stock counts, management of purchases and disposals, reconciliation with accounting records, and suitable management of inventory in transport.
- Assets Management, including but not limited to maintenance of an asset register, coding of assets, management of purchases and disposals, and vehicle management.
- Information Technology, including security for online files, appropriate IT management protocols in areas such as laptops and emails, data backups and storage, and clarity of responsibilities.
- Whistleblowing and Safeguarding, including the design of appropriate safeguarding and whistleblowing controls, code of conduct and confidentiality protocols, staff training, and user awareness.
- Data Management, with specific focus on best practice for both physical and online data including but not limited to physical storage practices, security of physical data, and maintenance of data retention limitations.
Assurance: In addition to the technical assistance and capacity building described above, the successful consultancy firm will:
- undertake periodic sample-based assurance and compliance testing to assess whether agreed controls, procedures and recommendations have been appropriately implemented and are operating effectively. SFPA recently underwent a comprehensive audit, and the report will be shared with the successful consultant.
- provide programme management oversight and performance assurance by reviewing workplans, budgets, implementation progress, performance indicators, data and reporting systems, and alignment with donor commitments and strategic priorities. The consultant will identify implementation gaps, bottlenecks and emerging risks, and recommend practical corrective actions to strengthen programme delivery; and undertake field monitoring and verification where feasible.
In-Country Support:
- The successful consultancy firm will be expected to provide a significant proportion of the technical support through in-person engagement with SFPA in Sudan. Bidders should clearly set out their proposed approach to in-country delivery, including the anticipated number and duration of visits, proposed team composition, level of effort and any remote support arrangements. The proposed approach should take account of the operating and security context in Sudan.
Length of Contract:
- The consultant will be expected to start promptly once references and necessary background checks have been completed. The contract will initially be until 31 March 2027. The contract may be extended but the consultant should not consider that a firm offer.
The main point of contact for the work will be the IPPF Director, MA Support & Development for the Arab World Regional Office, who leads the team with primary responsibility of collaborating with and supporting our Sudanese Member Association.
Expected Deliverables
1. The successful consultant will be expected to provide regular updates to IPPF on progress, key risks, challenges and emerging themes. As a minimum, the consultant will be required to deliver:An inception report setting out the proposed approach, methodology, workplan and implementation schedule;
2. Practical tools, templates, procedures and guidance required to strengthen the relevant internal controls;
3. Monthly progress updates highlighting progress, key risks, challenges and emerging issues;
4. Quarterly written progress reports; and
5. Periodic assurance/compliance testing reports setting out findings, recommendations and agreed management actions.
Tender Timeline
The expected timeline for the evaluation and decision-making process is:
Request for Proposals Live: Friday 28 August 2026
You may request a meeting to clarify any key points of this RFP if you wish to.
Clarification Questions/ Meetings: By Friday, 04 September 2026
Request for Proposal Close: Friday, 18 September 2026
Please send your proposal before RFP closes.
Shortlisting Completed: Friday, 18 September 2026
Discussion with Potential Suppliers: Week of 21 September 2026
Decision and Contracting: Week of 28 September 2026
Anticipated commencement: October 2026
Submission Guidelines
Please ensure the following is included in the submission:
- Overview of Organisation: An overview of your organisation, its mission, its work, locations, and registrations.
- Experience with INGO Assurance: Preference will be given to those with recent previous experience of working with international non-government organisations.
- Experience in Sudan: Preference will be given to those with recent previous experience of working with organisations in the Sudan and/or similar contexts.
- Details and Location of Likely Team Members: A summary of the experience of the team members who will likely be assigned to this work.
- Insurance: Clarification on what professional insurances you hold to support your work.
- Fee: Bidders should provide a clear and itemised fee proposal, including:
- professional/daily rates by proposed team member or role;
- estimated level of effort;
- anticipated travel and accommodation costs;
- any other reimbursable expenses;
- applicable taxes; and
- the total estimated cost of the assignment through 31 March 2027.
Bidders should clearly identify any assumptions underpinning their fee proposal.
- You are welcome to supply the above information in whatever format is most appropriate for you.
Please note that your response should be honest and reasonable. The information you submit will be used as the basis of our relationship going forward, so please ensure it is accurate. Additionally, suppliers are welcome to discuss the opportunity with the IPPF Director, Risk & Assurance during the period the RFP is open.
We look forward to receiving your submission.
Please send them to:
Victoria Sadler
Director, Risk & Assurance
Email: AWRJobs@ippf.org
The successful contractor will also be required to complete due diligence where registrations and insurance cover may be verified. Also, background checks may be performed for financial crime reporting requirements.
