1.0 About COVAW The Coalition on Violence Against Women (COVAW) is a national Kenyan not-for-profit women’s rights organization. We are committed to advancing women’s rights; and work towards achieving a society free from all forms of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). COVAW was founded in 1995 as a response to the silence of the Kenyan society to addressing VAWG. Over the years, COVAW has invested in empowering women and girls to claim their rights; enabling equitable access to services, resources and opportunities; facilitating greater access to justice for survivors of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV); and supporting change agents opposed to and committed to eradication of all forms of VAWG. **
COVAW’s interventions deliberately address norms, attitudes, laws, policies and practices that affect women and girl’s safety and wellbeing in general. This is done through supporting development and implementation of gender progressive laws, policies and guidelines and consistent engagement with different actors to prevent and respond to VAWG and to hold perpetrators of these violations accountable. Our key actors are the community, civil society, government and private sector.
In its delivery of programs COVAW strives to uphold the highest levels of accountability guided by related finance management policies, practices and standards. To this end, COVAW would like to engage a reputable tax consultant to review its accounting and administrative processes and advise on tax compliance practices that COVAW needs to adhere to at all times.
2.0 Objectives
The objectives of this assignment are:
To carry out assessment detailed tax audit of COVAW’s accounting, operational and administrative functions and identify ALL tax and legal obligations in line with Kenya’s tax legislation that COVAW as an NGO should be adhering to;
To address and mitigate any non-compliance to tax legislation within an agreed time period.
To identify gaps in practice, develop systems and procedures to ensure compliance on required interventions in addition to developing day to day procedures, aimed at ensuring COVAW’s tax compliance at all times;
Undertake the process to obtain any applicable tax waivers including tax exemption certificate for COVAW from the Kenya Revenue Authority(KRA).
3.0 KEY DELIVERABLES
The tax consultant is expected to deliver three (3) key deliverables, at the end of the assignment:
A report on the findings of the tax assessment, as well as a tax compliance certificate from KRA;
A handbook on accounting and administrative processes that require tax compliance based on recommendations from the assessment and how this should be applied;
A tax exemption certificate for any applicable waivers or exemptions that may be available to COVAW.
4.0 GENERAL
The tax consultant will be given access to all legal documents, correspondence and any other information that may reasonably be deemed necessary to enable him/her to carry out the assignment. This should include, but not be limited to, copies of all organisational policies, copies of the previous annual audit reports, and the relevant finance management and procurement guidelines.
5.0 Duration of the assignment
The assignment shall be completed within one (1) month from the date of commencement, as well as ongoing support for one year.
6.0 Qualifications of the consultant/firm
The individual/firm MUST meet the following qualifications to be considered;
· Demonstrate that the firm holds the requisite knowledge, skills and competencies required to perform its responsibilities with due professional care.
· The firm must have been in operation continuously for the last seven years carrying out taxation duties in Kenya. **
· The firm must be registered in Kenya and adhere to all legal requirements to operate in Kenya. **
· The firm must be registered by the relevant regulating body registered in Kenya. **
· The firm and staff must be independent of COVAW.**
How to apply
7 .0 Expression of Interest
Interested and qualified (individual or institutional) consultants are invited to submit their proposal comprising the following:
I. An understanding of the consultancy requirements;
II. Methodology and work plan for performing the assignment;
III. Detailed reference list indicating the scope and magnitude of similar assignments;
IV. Relevant services undertaken in the past five (5) years;
V. Registration and other relevant statutory documents as follows;
· A copy of Certificate of Registration/Incorporation.
· A copy of PIN Certificate.
· Valid Tax Compliance Certificate.
· Company Profile and detailed CVs of the firm’s Partners.
· ICPAK Membership and Certificate of Good standing.
VI. Financial proposal showing clearly the budgeted cost for the work to be conducted by the consultant under the scope of work above.
Applications will be reviewed as they are received, by a selection committee based on the above pre-determined objective criteria. Upon shortlisting, the consultant(s)/ consulting firm will be invited for an interview. The successful applicant will be expected to submit a detailed inception report and work plan prior to starting on other deliverables. The proposal should be submitted through ********** with subject “EOI: TAX COMPLIANCE CONSULTANCY” by 7th May 2021.
