“Quality is never an accident it is always the result of intelligent effort.”
~ John Ruskin
RAiN offers probity audit or probity advisory services to public, and occasionally private sector, organisations that conduct tender processes, and that require assistance in ensuring the “integrity and uprightness” of the procurement process. RAiN’s specialist probity advisory and assurance services and comprehensive probity audits are of the highest ethical standards and adhere to professional best practices. We collaborate with clients to undertake a comprehensive analysis of their internal policies and procedures with the aim of making sure the procurement process is equitable, conducted with integrity and that due process is followed. By way of careful observation and review, we provide advice on issues that may arise before and during the procurement process. Particular attention is given to the complexity, contentiousness and political sensitivity of each particular procurement in ensuring compliance with all applicable legislation, regulations and guidelines. The requirements of accountability and transparency have come to occupy ever-increasing shares of public attention and close official scrutiny alike. Thus, RAiN appreciates that the procurement or tender management process must be conducted independently and in a professional manner. We therefore provide clients with relevant, studious and pragmatic advice on tender procurement processes and issues to ensure they are fair, equitable and most notably, defensible. Furthermore, the probity audit ensures that the procurement process is conducted in a manner that is fair, impartial, accountable and cost effective.
The probity team at RAiN has been involved in several large probity audits across various industries. This has imparted them with the adept technical proficiency and advisory acumen required to assist clients effectively, throughout the procurement lifecycle, to ensure that all specifications/requirements are met and the correct procedures are followed.
A brief description of the procedures carried out in each stage of the tender process is included below:
Stage 1: Desktop review
- Review of the specifications or terms-of-reference and provide advice on areas of improvement
- Ensure alignment of advert to approved specifications
- Conduct audit meetings with the Head of PSCM
- Provide the Specifications Report
Stage 2: Evaluation
- Review of briefing session minutes
- Review attendance and tender closing registers
- Audit the evaluation process:
- Inform the BEC of errors / weaknesses / non-compliance at each stage of evaluation process
- Review, verify and ensure all mandatory documents are submitted and completed according to the requirements of the specification
- Admin Evaluation — observe and review all bids and ensure bidders are correctly eliminated or advanced.
- Audit/review the authenticity of bidders’ B-BBEE certificates and ensure correct levels of B-BBEE status
- Ensure consistency in evaluation criteria is applied by BEC
- Non-mandatory documents must be verified: B-BBEE report, risk profile of bidders, etc.
- Cast and cross cast the scores by BEC
- Interpret and ensure accurate application of prescripts applicable to the tender
- Attend ad hoc evaluation processes (if applicable)
- Audit the final BEC report and BAC submission to ensure the outcomes of each evaluation stage is reported correctly
Stage 3: Reporting
- Attend weekly audit meetings with GPT PSCM
- Provide weekly progress reports to GPT PSCM
- Daily events of the tender process
- Weekly progress on the audit of the tender process
- Provide a final Probity Audit Report
