Special Audit of Cash Transfer Program for Sri Lanka's Welfare Benefits Board

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRM SELECTION Country: Sri Lanka Name of the Project: Social Protection Project Welfare Benefits Board Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Sri Lanka Project ID: P178973 Credit No.7363-LK Assignment Title: Hiring of a Firm for the Special Audit of Cash Transfer Program of Welfare Benefits Board Procurement Plan Reference No: LK-WBB-528807-CS-LCS 1.The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka has received financing from the World Bank towards the cost of the Social Protection Project, and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.

• The consulting services (“the Services”) include conducting a comprehensive review of the efficiency and effectiveness of the cash transfer mechanism implemented by the Welfare Benefits Board (WBB) under the Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme (WBPS), and identifying areas for improvement. The audit period will cover 1st January 2024 to 31ST December 2024.

The review will focus on the following areas:

• Data Entry and Verification
• Confirmation of Cash Transfer Benefit Amount
• Eligibility Duration
• Generating Payment List
• Transfer of Beneficiary Payment Details
• Reconciliation Process
• Physical verification of beneficiary payments

The duration of the assignment is two (2) months, during which a total of thirty-nine (39) key professionals—including one Audit Manager, two Financial Management Specialists, one Data Analyst, and thirty (35) Field Auditors including supervisors—are expected to be deployed. The assignment is anticipated to commence in June 2026, ensuring full consistency with the Terms of Reference (TOR) referred to in this REOI. The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignments can be found at the following website: https://www.wbb.gov.lk and https://www.promise.lk.

• The Social Protection Project, Welfare Benefits Board, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The shortlisting criteria are:
• General experience as a registered software development/Quality Assurance/ Cyber Security firm.
• Specific experience in handling similar assignments
• Technical, Financial and Organizational capability of the Firm

Key Experts will not be evaluated at the shortlisting stage. 4.The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” fifth edition, September 2023 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. In addition, please refer to the following specific information on conflict of interest related to this assignment: “A firm that has been engaged by the Client to develop the Integrated Welfare Management Information System (IWMS), or any affiliate that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with such a firm, shall be disqualified from providing consulting services for this assignment.” 5.Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications, but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub-consultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected. 6.A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Least Cost Selection (LCS) method set out in the “The World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers- Procurement in Investment Project Financing- Goods, Works, Non-Consulting and Consulting Services, Fifth Edition, September 2023. 7.Further information can be obtained address below during the office hours (9.00 to 16.00 hours) 8.Expression of Interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below in person, or by mail, or by email) on or before 2.00 pm on 02.02.2026. Chairman- Project Consultant Procurement Committee Social Protection Project Welfare Benefits Board J.R. Jayawardena Centre No: 191, Dharmapala Mawatha Colombo 07 Sri Lanka E- mail: ajanthagalhena5@gmail.com Tel: +94 77-3914120v Agency: Welfare Benefits Board Procurement method: Least Cost Selection Notice type: Request for Expression of Interest Status: Published Value: 78440.0 USD