Background

in 2021, a new Public Procurement Law was passed in Parliament, based on international standards and following a MAPS assessment. This Law establishes a new, independent Public Procurement Authority, which was preceded by a Tender Board that had been part of the Central Inspection.

The new Public Procurement Law (PPL) was ratified by Parliament in June 2021 and entered into effect in July 2022. The National Public Procurement Reform Strategy (NPPRS) and Action Plan were launched in January 2022 by the Prime Minister in the presence of WB, EU, AFD, UN, UNDP, government stakeholders, private sector and CSO representatives, calling for coordination and further financing for implementation of the strategy. The NPPRS and its action plan (2022-2024) was approved by the Council of Ministers on May 20, 2022. The reform strategy has set four strategic objectives to guide and advance procurement reform in Lebanon:

·       Bring the regulatory and policy framework in line with good international practices.

·       Create an institutional framework for successful procurement management and build corresponding capacity.

·       Economy and efficiency in procurement operations and practices.

·       Promote accountability, integrity and transparency in public procurement.

A new Public Procurement Authority was officially established on July 29, 2022 in accordance with the law. This authority requires a lot of aid, especially as it is the first of its kind to be established in Lebanon.

Accordingly, a new EU Program Action started in November 2023 that aims to support progress in key areas of public administration reform in Lebanon through enhancing the integrity, transparency and accountability of its public administration aligned with the principles of a modern public administration. It consists of three components:

1. Safeguarding integrity of the public administration, mainly in the area of public human resources management (i.e. civil service reform);

2. Enhancing transparency in public administration systems, mainly in the area of public procurement at central and local level (i.e. public financial management reform) and access to public information (i.e. accountability);

3. Strengthening accountability of the administration by reinforcing the role of the main oversight bodies (i.e., Central Inspection Board, Court of Audits and National Anti-Corruption Commission) in implementing reform, fighting and preventing corruption.

The Outputs to be delivered contributing to the outcome 2 on public procurement reform are:

2.1. The public procurement system is regulated by an independent authority committed to the principles of transparency, fair treatment of all bidders and equal opportunities to participate;

2.2 Centralized and decentralized public procurement systems more transparent by setting up the e-procurement platform;

2.3 Skills of procurement officers and stakeholders enhanced and public procurement function created;

2.4 The role of civil society organizations in supervising and monitoring public procurement enhanced.

The component 2 is complementary with the ongoing AFD-funded project, implemented by EF, which aims to support public procurement reform in Lebanon. It has a duration of 27 months (ending date February 2024) and supports the Lebanese authorities in structuring and monitoring the reform, implementing the legal and regulatory framework at the operational level, building the capacities of institutions and public procurement agents, and improving the transparency and integrity of the system.

Needs justification

The Public Procurement Authority (PPA), with the support of international partners, has made significant progress in developing the internal audit framework for public procurement in Lebanon. This includes:

·       A risk mapping exercise;

·       A reference framework and draft regulation for internal audit in procuring entities;

·       A performance criteria guide for internal audit;

·       A practical guide for internal audit implementation.

These tools were validated by the PPA and form a solid foundation for operationalizing internal audit mechanisms within public entities. A two-day training session was conducted with 14 participants from various contracting entities and the PPA. The next step is to revise and simplify the existing frameworks and guides based on feedback and practical application and to support selected pilot administrations in the effective implementation of these tools.

II.      Objectives and desired results

1)      General objective

The objective of the assignment is to operationalize and institutionalize internal audit mechanisms for public procurement within the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) and selected pilot entities, by building on existing frameworks and strengthening the capacities of the PPA and procuring entities.

2)      Specific objectives

Under the supervision of the Team Leader, and in coordination with the head of component 2, The experts will be responsible for providing technical support to the PPA in the operationalization and institutionalization of internal audit mechanisms.

The specific objectives of the mission are:

OS1 Review and simplify the existing internal audit framework and guides to ensure clarity, usability, and alignment with the capacities of procuring entities.

OS2 Set up practical internal audit mechanisms in selected pilot entities, based on the validated tools and tailored to their institutional context.

OS3 Provide targeted training and coaching to the PPA and pilot administrations to enable them to effectively apply internal audit procedures and manage procurement audits.

OS4 Gather lessons learned and provide recommendations for scaling up the internal audit mechanism across public sector entities in Lebanon.

3)      Expected Results

Result 1 Simplified and user-friendly internal audit framework The internal audit reference documents (framework, regulation, guides) are revised and streamlined to ensure clarity, practicality, and alignment with the needs of procuring entities.

Result 2 Operational internal audit mechanisms in pilot entities Selected pilot administrations have established internal audit mechanisms tailored to their procurement activities.

Result 3 Enhanced capacities of PPA and pilot entities Staff from the PPA and pilot procuring entities demonstrate improved knowledge and practical skills in planning, conducting, and reporting on internal procurement audits.

Result 4 Consolidated feedback and practical recommendations Lessons learned from pilot implementations are documented, and clear, actionable recommendations are provided to inform the national roll-out of internal audit practices.

III.      Key Responsibilities

Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the PPA and in coordination with the project team, the experts will:

Activity 1: Review and Simplification of Frameworks

·       Review the existing internal audit documents.

·       Identify areas for simplification to enhance usability and accessibility by public entities.

·       Propose a streamlined and practical version of the tools, ensuring alignment with the Public Procurement Law.

Activity 2: Audit Mechanism Setup

·       Define a practical audit mechanism tailored to the needs and capacities of pilot administrations.

·       Develop operational procedures and templates (e.g., audit plans, checklists, reporting formats).

Activity 3: Capacity Building and On-Site Support

·       Provide hands-on support to the PPA and to 2–3 selected pilot entities in applying the internal audit framework.

·       Deliver targeted coaching sessions and guidance during the planning and execution of internal audits.

·       Organize and deliver a training session (or series of workshops) based on the revised tools.

Activity 4: Consolidation and Recommendations

·       Collect feedback and lessons learned from the PPA and from pilot entities.

·       Provide recommendations for the nationwide roll-out of the internal audit mechanism.

·       Prepare a final report summarizing key findings, recommendations, and proposed next steps.

Deliverables

The experts are expected to provide the following deliverables (in English or French, as required):

·       Revised and simplified versions of the internal audit framework documents.

·       Operational manual/toolkit for setting up and managing internal audits in procurement.

·       Training materials and agenda for pilot entity sessions.

·       Final report including pilot entity feedback, implementation challenges, and sustainability recommendations.

IV.      Place and duration

The mission period is scheduled for a period of 6 months from 1 November 2025 to 30 April 2026.

The experts will work with the PPA President and team and with pilot administrations remotely, with possible missions to Lebanon.

V.      Qualifications and Expertise

The Experts to support the PPA must have worked in local or national public administrations, in the field of implementation or control of public procurement.

They must meet the following qualifications:

Qualifications and skills

·       Advanced degree in public administration, public procurement, auditing, or related field;

·       Proven expertise in developing audit frameworks, especially in public procurement.;

·       Ability to work in a team and bring out ideas and operational solutions;

·       Excellent interpersonal and communication skills;

·       Proactive, with a sense of responsibility;

·       Organizational skills and attention to detail;

·       Analytical mindset and ability to synthesize information.

·       Diplomatic and discreet approach.

·       Excellent proficiency of French, both oral and written, essential – English is a plus.

Professional experience

·       Minimum 10 years of relevant experience in internal audit and public procurement, preferably in public sector reform or institutional capacity building.

·       Good control of issues related to the implementation of the new law on public procurement

·       Knowledge of the Lebanese context.

·       Experience working with public institutions in Lebanon or the MENA region is an asset.

VI.      How to apply

Interested applicants must send their applications to ghinwa.sarieddine@expertisefrance.fr before 12 October 2025.

The application must include the following documents:

·       Filled and signed Candidature Form

·       Signed copy of the Terms of Reference

·       Copy of the passport or ID

·       Copy of the Ministry of Finance registration/VAT Registration

·       Official bank letter

·       In case the expert are civil servant, a written approval from the relevant Minister/Authority is required.

VII.      Comparison of bids for selection of the most economically beneficial bid

Bids will be assessed separately in accordance with the following criteria by awarding a score up to the maximum number of points per criterion as set out below: 

Criterion 1: price of the services  

The financial score (FS out of a maximum of 30 points) will cover the comparison of the financial offers of all candidates having submitted a conforming bid. 

Criterion 2: Technical offer 

Each technical offer, deemed to be technically conforming, will be attributed a technical score (TS out of a maximum of 70 points) by adding up the weighted scores obtained for each sub-criterion. 

Submission deadline

All applications must be submitted no later than the 12^th of October 2025, 5 PM.