TAX COMPLIANCE ASSESSMENT AT COALITION ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

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:

1. 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;
2. To address and mitigate any non-compliance to tax legislation within an agreed time period.
3. 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;
4. 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:

1. A report on the findings of the tax assessment, as well as a tax compliance certificate from KRA;
2. A handbook on accounting and administrative processes that require tax compliance based on recommendations from the assessment and how this should be applied;
3. 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.**