Appointment of External Auditor for FY 2026-27 by Universal Service Fund (USF) Islamabad

The Universal Service Fund (USF) Procurement Wing in Islamabad Capital Territory invites bids for the appointment of an External Auditor for the financial year 2026-27 ending June 30, 2027. This procurement is conducted under Tender ID USF/TDRS/FIN/2026-27/11 with contract reference P134059. Bidders registered on EPADS v2.0 are invited to submit proposals for Non-Consultancy Services related to auditing. Items being procured: - Annual audit of interim financial statements for six months ending December 31, 2026 - Annual audit of financial statements for year ending June 30, 2027 - Bi-annual audit of interim financial statements - Review and certification of SOE Act 2023 and SOE Management Policy 2023 compliance (if applicable) - Attendance at USF board, committee, and annual general meetings as required - Out of pocket expenses capped to a specified level The scope includes auditing in compliance with SECP rules and regulations, preparation of reports, and participation in meetings. The assignment completion period is 5 weeks for annual audit and reviews, and 3 weeks for bi-annual audit, counted from deputation of audit team to initial report date. Delays beyond stipulated periods (excluding delays caused by USF) will incur liquidated damages at 0.15% per day of the fee payable. Eligibility criteria require firms to be active taxpayers registered with FBR, compliant with IFAC ethics, registered with Audit Oversight Board, have satisfactory QCR rating by ICAP, and be on State Bank of Pakistan panel of auditors in category A. Bids must be submitted online via EPADS v2.0 by 11:00 AM on November 23, 2026, with bid opening at 11:30 AM the same day. Manual submissions are not accepted. Bid security of PKR 50,000 in the form of Pay Order, Call Deposit, or Demand Draft is required. The procurement will follow Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS) with 80% technical and 20% financial evaluation weightage. The contract period is one year with possible extension. Payment will be made after issuance of final audit reports. Bidders are advised to carefully review the bidding documents and submit complete proposals through EPADS. One practical tip: Ensure timely submission of original bid security to avoid disqualification, and register early on EPADS v2.0 if not already registered to avoid last-minute issues.