| Request for proposal for: | Internal audit of the DNTF application process facilitated by Tshikululu Social Investments |
| Closing date: | 16 January 2026 |
| Anticipated start date: | 26 January 2026 |
| Expected end date: | 23 February 2026 |
Digital News Transformation Fund (DNTF)
The DNT Fund is a partnership between Google and the Association of Independent Publishers (AIP) to support the digital transformation and sustainability of South Africa’s small to medium independent news publishers. The Fund provides project-based grants and capacity building to strengthen digital operations, audience development, and revenue diversification in public-interest journalism. It is governed by an independent board of diverse industry stakeholders and experts; neither AIP nor Google has decision-making authority.
Tshikululu Social Investments (Fund Manager)
Founded in 1998, Tshikululu Social Investments is South Africa’s leading social investment manager and advisor. Tshikululu independently manages the DNT Fund’s operations, due diligence and impact reporting.
Introduction
The DNTF hereby invites qualified and experienced auditing, assurance, or ICT-governance firms to submit proposals to conduct an independent internal audit of the Fund’s application management systems and processes used during the 2025 funding cycle.
As part of the Fund’s commitment to strong governance, transparency, and continuous improvement, the Board has initiated a review of the systems and procedures that supported the application, screening, and adjudication workflow. The purpose of the audit is to assess the effectiveness, reliability, completeness, and governance controls of the end-to-end application process, including both system-based and email-based workflows, and to recommend improvements to strengthen future funding cycles.
The objectives of the internal audit are to:
- Assess whether the overall application, screening, and adjudication process complied with the Fund’s governance framework, including eligibility checks, due-diligence procedures, conflict-of-interest controls, and the roles and responsibilities of the Board and the Adjudication Committee.
- Review the procedures for handling compliance documentation to determine whether they were applied consistently and whether documentation was appropriately requested, received, recorded, and considered during decision-making.
- Evaluate the integrity, reliability, and completeness of the application management systems used during the 2025 cycle, including the transition from the online platform to email-based workflows.
- Identify control weaknesses, gaps, or failure points that contributed to application omissions, with a focus on reliability, completeness, and process integrity.
- Review data-management practices and audit trails, focusing on the accuracy and traceability of compliance checks, eligibility assessments, and decision records.
- Assess adherence to internal policies and governance standards, including alignment with best-practice grant-making protocols and assurance expectations.
- Evaluate overall risk exposure (operational, governance, reputational) and the likelihood of recurrence in future cycles.
- Provide clear, actionable recommendations to strengthen system controls, governance processes, documentation management, and adjudication procedures.
Scope of Work
The audit will include, but is not limited to, the following components:
- Systems and Workflow Assessment
- Review of the digital application platform used in Round 1.
- Review of the manual/email-based process introduced mid-cycle.
- Assessment of system configuration, user access, data flows, and audit logs.
- Process and Governance Review
- Analysis of the end-to-end application lifecycle, including:
- Receipt
- Validation
- Screening
- Due diligence
- Adjudication Pack compilation
- Review of decision-making roles, segregation of duties, and compliance with the DNTF Funding Policy.
- Analysis of the end-to-end application lifecycle, including:
- Data Integrity & Completeness
- Verification of the completeness of application records.
- Identification of discrepancies or omissions.
- Assessment of controls for preventing data loss or misrouting.
- Risk Assessment
- Identification and categorisation of risks observed across systems and processes.
- Assessment of reputational, operational, governance, and technology risks.
- Recommendations
- A prioritised list of improvements to strengthen system controls, workflow reliability, governance, and risk mitigation.
Deliverables
The appointed service provider must deliver:
- Audit Plan
- Methodology, timelines, tools, and compliance standards to be applied.
- Draft Internal Audit Report
- Findings, risks, gaps, and preliminary recommendations.
- Final Internal Audit Report
- Consolidated findings, evidence, internal-control rating, and detailed corrective action plan.
- Presentation to the Board
- Summary of findings and recommendations.
Required Qualifications
Service providers must demonstrate:
- Relevant expertise in internal auditing, ICT governance, systems audit, or grant management process auditing.
- Experience with nonprofit, grant-funding, or public-interest media environments is an advantage.
- Qualified and accredited audit/assurance professionals (e.g., CIA, CISA, CA(SA), CGEIT).
- Ability to conduct the audit independently and impartially.
Proposal Requirements
Proposals must include:
- Company profile and relevant experience
- Proposed methodology and approach
- Project team, qualifications, and roles
- Timeline and delivery schedule
- Detailed cost breakdown (VAT inclusive)
- At least two references for similar work
- Confirmation of independence and absence of conflict of interest
Submission Instructions
All proposals must be submitted electronically to:
Email: dntfrfp@tshikululu.org.za
Subject Line: RFP – Internal Audit of DNTF Application System
Deadline: 16 January 2026
Late submissions will not be considered.
Enquiries
For any clarifications regarding this RFP, please contact:
DNTF Fund Communications
Email: dntfrfp@tshikululu.org.za
ynaidoo@tshikululu.org.za
Tel: +27 11 544 0300