Independent Semi-Annual Financial Audit

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM‐ASIA)

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM‐ASIA)
Nonprofits / องค์กรไม่แสวงหาผลกำไร
18
26 Aug 2026
10 September 2026

FORUM-ASIA
TERMS OF REFERENCE

Independent Semi-Annual Financial Audit
Project: Holistic Security Capacity Development for Human Rights Defenders and Civil Society Organisations

1. Introduction

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) is a network of 88 member organizations across 23 countries, primarily in Asia. Founded in 1991, FORUM-ASIA works to strengthen movements for human rights and sustainable development through research, advocacy, capacity development, and solidarity actions in Asia and beyond. It holds consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council and maintains a consultative relationship with the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights.

The FORUM-ASIA Secretariat is based in Bangkok, with offices in Jakarta, Geneva, and Kathmandu. FORUM-ASIA is committed to building a peaceful, just, equitable, and sustainable community of peoples and societies in Asia, where all human rights of individuals, groups, and communities are fully realized without discrimination on any grounds, in accordance with international human rights standards and norms.

2. Project Background

FORUM-ASIA is implementing the project “Holistic security capacity development for Human Rights Defenders and Civil Society Organisations” with financial support from Katholische Zentralstelle für Globale Entwicklung e. V. (KZE e. V./Misereor e. V.). The project is co-implemented with partners in Nepal, Myanmar, the Philippines, Indonesia and Pakistan.

Award Type	Cooperation Agreement
Project Number	300-900-1500 ZG
Grant Title	Holistic security capacity development for Human Rights Defenders and Civil Society Organisations
Grant Period	1 February 2026 – 31 January 2029
Approved Budget	EUR 685,900 (Co-funding project)

3. Objective of the Audit

FORUM-ASIA seeks an independent and qualified audit firm to conduct semi-annual audits of the project in accordance with the Cooperation Agreement with KZE/Misereor, the Misereor/KZE Auditing Contract and its Annex, and applicable International Standards on Auditing (ISA).

The objective is to provide an independent assessment of compliance with the Project Contract, the use of project funds, and the Statement of Receipts and Payments for each audit period, and to identify material weaknesses, risks and recommendations for strengthening financial management and internal controls.

4. Audit Standards and Independence

The audit shall be performed independently and objectively in accordance with applicable ISA, including ISA 800/ISA 805 as applicable, and the specific requirements of the Misereor/KZE Auditing Contract. The assessments required by the donor contract shall be performed in accordance with the standards specified therein, as applicable.

The audit firm must be legally authorised/registered to perform audit work in Thailand and the audit team must have an internationally recognised professional qualification, such as Chartered Accountant, Certified Public Accountant, Chartered Certified Accountant, or an acceptable local equivalent.

The auditor shall remain independent throughout the engagement and disclose any actual, potential or perceived conflict of interest.

5. Scope of the Audit

The auditor shall audit the project for each six-month reporting period and perform sufficient procedures to provide the opinions and supplementary assessments required by the Misereor/KZE Auditing Contract and its Annex.

The scope shall include, as applicable:

Compliance with the Cooperation Agreement and applicable requirements of the Misereor/KZE Project Contract.
Use of project funds exclusively for project purposes and in accordance with the approved project budget and agreement.
Statement of Receipts and Payments for the relevant audit period, including opening balance, project receipts, credit interest and other relevant receipts, eligible payments, and closing balance.
Reconciliation of project receipts and payments with the voucher list and accounting records.
Review of the project bank account(s), authorised signatories, bank charges and foreign-currency transactions/exchange rates.
Review and risk-based/random testing of project vouchers and supporting documentation, including identification of ineligible, unsupported or incorrectly classified expenditure.
Review of the voucher list and submission of the audited/corrected voucher list in Excel, where applicable.
Assessment of internal control instruments, including significant controls and the four-eyesprinciple.
Review of procurement and contracting transactions, including transactions exceeding EUR 1,000 excluding VAT, and verification of quotations/tenders, supplier selection and required justification.
Review of project assets/inventory, including assets exceeding EUR 800 excluding VAT and physical verification where applicable.
Review of staff costs, including staff lists, salary components, employment/fee agreements, payroll taxes, social security contributions, staff allocation and supporting documentation.
Review of project events, seminars, workshops and training-related expenditure, including supporting receipts and participant lists.
Review of pro-rata allocation of overhead costs to ensure that the allocation is justified and causation-based.
Review of local contributions, third-party funds, co-financing and related project receipts/payments, where applicable.
Review of outstanding obligations, reserves, imputed costs and other accounting treatments required by the donor contract.
Review of vehicle logbooks and other supporting records, where applicable.
Review of any matters relating to insolvency, pledging/mortgaging of project assets or funds, or liquidation, where applicable.
Follow-up of recommendations and compliance issues identified in previous audit reports.

6. Donor Audit Checklist

The auditor shall complete the assessment criteria contained in Section II of the Annex to the Misereor/KZE Auditing Contract. The checklist covers project accounts, internal controls, bank accounts and signatories, receipts and payments, voucher testing, obligations and reserves, use of funds, procurement, assets, staff costs, project events, overhead allocation, co-financing and other applicable compliance requirements.

The auditor shall clearly state whether each applicable criterion is fulfilled, not fulfilled, or not applicable, and provide notes, explanations and details for the assessment.

7. Implementing Partners

As the project is co-implemented with partners in five countries, the audit shall cover project expenditure and financial information relating to implementing partners to the extent incorporated into FORUM-ASIA’s project financial reporting. The auditor shall review partner financial reports, relevant supporting documentation and controls using a risk-based approach and in accordance with the Project Contract and donor requirements.

8. Audit Deliverables

Independent audit report for each six-month audit period in the format and with the contents required by the Misereor/KZE Auditing Contract.
Audit opinion covering: (a) compliance with the Project Contract; (b) exclusive and proper use of project funds; and (c) the Statement of Receipts and Payments for the audit period.
Completed donor-required audit checklist and supplementary assessment.
Management letter identifying material weaknesses, internal control deficiencies, accounting issues, compliance observations and associated risks, together with practical recommendations.
Follow-up assessment of recommendations from previous audit reports, where applicable.
Audited/corrected voucher list in Excel, where applicable.
Information required by the donor concerning receipts, payments, cash flow, assets, staff costs, vouchers and recommendations.

9. Audit Location and Working Arrangements

The audit will be conducted at FORUM-ASIA’s office in Bangkok, Thailand.

Location: Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), S.P.D Building, 3rd Floor, 79/2 Krungthonburi Road, Khlong Ton Sai, Khlong San, Bangkok 10600, Thailand.

10. Audit Periods and Indicative Schedule

Audit	Reporting Period	Indicative Audit Period
1	1 February 2026 – 31 July 2026	October 2026
2	1 August 2026 – 31 January 2027	February–April 2027
3	1 February 2027 – 31 July 2027	August–October 2027
4	1 August 2027 – 31 January 2028	February–April 2028
5	1 February 2028 – 31 July 2028	August–October 2028
6	1 August 2028 – 31 January 2029	February–April 2029

Exact audit dates will be agreed between FORUM-ASIA and the selected audit firm based on mutual availability.

The auditor shall submit a draft audit report within 15 calendar days after completion of the audit fieldwork. Following FORUM-ASIA's comments, the auditor shall submit the final audit report within 15 calendar days. In all cases, the final audit report shall meet the donor's required deadline of within three months after the end of each audit period.

11. Required Qualifications and Experience

Valid legal registration/authorisation to conduct audit work in Thailand.
Lead auditor and audit team with relevant professional qualifications (e.g. CPA, CA, ACCA or equivalent).
Demonstrated experience auditing NGOs, non-profit organisations, international development projects or donor-funded projects.
Experience with project financial audits, donor compliance, internal controls and financial reporting.
Experience with international donor-funded projects and, preferably, familiarity with KZE/Misereor audit requirements.
Ability to conduct the assignment in English and prepare clear audit reports.
No actual, potential or perceived conflict of interest with FORUM-ASIA or the project.

12. Required Submission from Audit Firms

Interested audit firms shall submit:

Letter of Intent.
Technical proposal.
Financial proposal showing the fee for each of the six audit periods, total fee for the engagement, applicable VAT/taxes and any other costs.
Firm profile and evidence of legal registration/audit authorisation.
CVs and professional qualifications of the proposed lead auditor and key audit team members.
Details of relevant experience with NGO, development and donor-funded project audits, including references where available.

13. Confidentiality and Audit Documentation

The auditor shall maintain strict confidentiality over all information, records and documents obtained during the engagement and shall protect such information from unauthorised disclosure.

Audit documentation shall be securely maintained and handled in accordance with the Misereor/KZE Auditing Contract, including applicable requirements for digitisation, security and retention of audit documents.

14. Submission and Selection Process

Deadline for submission of proposals	10 September 2026
Selection process	11–24 September 2026
Announcement of selected audit firm	25 September 2026

Proposals should be submitted by email no later than 10 September 2026, 11:59 PM Bangkok Time (UTC+7).

Addressed to Mary Aileen Diez-Bacalso, Executive Director, FORUM-ASIA, at aileen@forum-asia.org , with a copy to wipada@forum-asia.org

Email subject line: [AUDIT FORUM-ASIA_name of the audit firm]

FORUM-ASIA reserves the right to request clarification or additional information from shortlisted audit firms during the selection process.

15. Governing Donor Requirements

The selected auditor shall comply with the Cooperation Agreement, the Misereor/KZE Auditing Contract for Project 300-900-1500 ZG and its Annex, and other applicable donor requirements provided by FORUM-ASIA. Where the donor requirements impose a more specific audit procedure, report format, assessment or deliverable than this TOR, the donor requirement shall apply.

The Misereor/KZE Auditing Contract and its Annex will be made available to the selected audit firm and shall form part of the basis for the audit engagement.

End of Terms of Reference

Contact : aileen@forum-asia.org , with a copy to wipada@forum-asia.org

ที่ปรึกษา / Consultant