Request for Proposal
Effectively Managing the Remote Audit Function
December 18, 2020
Issued by:
Internal Audit Foundation 1035 Greenwood Blvd., Suite 149
Lake Mary, Florida 32746 USA www.theiia.org/Foundation
1. Introduction
The Internal Audit Foundation is seeking a researcher, author, or team of researchers to collaborate with on how to effectively manage the remote audit function for this 2021 two-part whitepaper series, and is soliciting proposals in response to this Request for Proposal (RFP).
2. Project Background and Description
Given significant changes in the audit approach and management in 2020, the Foundation identified the need to provide the internal audit profession with new tools and actionable ideas related to the
following:
Paper 1 – Managing Staff Health and Wellness in Unprecedented Times (leveraging current research and existent data to examine)
o Preventing burnout — sprints vs. marathons o Ensuring personal connections
Paper 2 – Managing Remote Audit
o Effective practices for remote auditing
o Managing professional/peer and client relationships in a remote environment
3. Project Scope and Deliverable
Proposed focus areas:
Paper 1 – Managing Staff Health and Wellness in Unprecedented Times
Maintaining employee morale
o Ensuring personal connections — topics for discussion o Activities — ways of engagement and morale boost o Virtual team building meetings with activities.
o Feedback survey
o Workforce reentry considerations
Auditor fatigue
o Preventing burnout – sprints vs. marathons o Flexibility in work schedules
o Evaluation of team hours o Measurement of wellness
Professional development
o Partnerships with other organizations or teams o Virtual team and individual meetings
o Budget for training and certifications, and support for local IIA chapter involvement o Daily touch meetings with auditors using instant messaging
Paper 2 – Managing Remote Audit
Effective practices for remote auditing
o Tips in process for phases of the audit (planning, fieldwork and evidence gathering, reviewing, reporting, communication)
o Compliance with the IPPF while performing remote audits o Fraud risk identification in the remote environment.
How do auditors maintain professional skepticism?
o Any additional procedures being performed in light of remote nature of audit
o Navigating through physical counts, site inspections, and other observation procedures o Training resources
o Tools and technology used (teams, chats, smart glasses, drones, etc.)
o Hybrid approach to remote and in-person auditing — considerations on balancing
Remotely managing the audit function
o Virtually maintaining internal audit’s position in the organization o Maximizing resources in a remote environment
Planning and delivering a virtual internal audit function
Technology and budget to support remote work — Zoom, Skype, VPN, employee computer equipment
Update internal audit policies and procedures that are aligned to HR and company remote work policies
Workpaper storage to enable collaboration by auditors and supervisory review
— automated workpapers, SharePoint, etc.
Managing professional/peer and client relationships in a remote environment o Methods used to build relationships
o How does internal audit stay abreast of current and emerging risks and business initiatives? How do we engage with stakeholders and replace watercooler conversations?
Tools, techniques, and best practices on maintaining a seat at the table o Frequency and methods in communication/ways to engage with clients
Use of Zoom or Skype, rather than conference calls
Personal touch conversations in meeting
Additional Considerations:
If using a survey approach (paper 2), data collected should include duration of remote audit experience, organization size, whether audit team is centralized or dispersed, average turnover (if available), general types of audit conducted, and additional demographic questions.
Gather best practices that could be relevant and applicable for the internal audit profession.
4. Completion Date
To be determined. See also paragraph 7. below for project timeline.
5. Submission Guidelines and Requirements
The following submission guidelines and requirements apply to this RFP:
First and foremost, only qualified individuals or firms with prior experience on projects such as this should submit proposals in response to this RFP.
Proposals should include a summary page and appendices as described below, and should be organized as follows:
A. Proposal Summary Page
1) Proposal title (specific to the proposal, not the same as the name of the topic) 2) Primary author’s name, contact information, and credentials
3) Date the proposal is submitted B. Project Description and Approach
1) Approach to the scope of work 2) Description/role of team members
3) Proposed annotated table of contents: this should include potential section/chapter titles along with two to three sentences describing each
4) Projected timeline for completion 5) Project budget
C. Author(s)
1) Brief description of qualifications and experience of each author 2) A review of author’s previous works, if applicable (books, articles, etc.) D. Appendices
1) Curriculum vitae (CV) for each author (three pages maximum)
2) Previous author affiliation with The IIA or Internal Audit Foundation (previous research or educational products published, volunteer participation, chapter officer, etc.)
3) References
6. Evaluation Criteria
The Foundation will evaluate proposals based on the following factors:
a. Responsiveness to the requirements set forth in this RFP
b. Current experience and knowledge of internal audit management c. Relevant past experience
d. Samples of previous, relevant work e. Project budget and schedule
The Foundation reserves the right to award the bidder that presents the best value to the Foundation and to the internal audit profession as determined solely by the Foundation in its absolute discretion.
7. Project Timeline
The proposal award and project timeline is as follows:
Request for Proposal Issuance 12/18/2020
Questions and Clarification Period 12/21/2020 – 1/8/2021
Responses to RFP Due 1/29/2021
Selection of Top Bidders/Notification to Unsuccessful Bidders 2/12/2021
Notification of Award and Contracting 2/19/2021
Project Start 2/26/2021
Paper 1 Final Draft Submission 4/30/2021
Paper 1 Release Date 5/31/2021
Paper 2 Final Draft Submission 6/30/2021
Paper 2 Release Date 7/30/2021
8. Project Budget
Bidders should include their financial compensation expectations within their proposal. While price is a factor, other criteria will form the basis of our award decision, as more fully described in the Evaluation Criteria section above.
9. Key Contacts and Project Management
Interested parties should submit proposals by no later than January 29, 2021 to:
Internal Audit Foundation Attn: Joy Bruno
1035 Greenwood Blvd., Suite 149 Lake Mary, Florida 32746 USA Joy.bruno@theiia.org
Foundation@theiia.org
To learn more about the Internal Audit Foundation, visit www.theiia.org/Foundation.
