CONFIDENTIAL
EXCOM meeting in January the US announced that an acceptable formula for conducting a programme audit was being arranged by the High Commissioner, the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) and the UN Board of External Auditors, which satisfied the requirements of the US legislation.
Terms of reference for the audit were being developed by the Board of External
Auditors at the request of the ACABQ and bids for the conduct of the audit were to
be solicited from major public accounting and management consultancy firms.
5. With regard to Document A/AC.96/678, the auditors do not appear to have considered
the case for departing from normal procurement procedures in emergencies but have
merely argued that procedures should "cope" as far as possible. In relation to
procurement the issue is whether faster standard procedures are possible and if
not whether UNHCR was justified in departing from those procedures in the purchase
of 25 land cruisers, pipes and other contracts worth over US $2 million. We would
aquacy it prevent proce have liked the auditors to give us views on both these issue's ie/departing from
normal procurement procedures and whether it was justified. It is difficult to judge from the papers where the issues stand. But, we do understand the need
to take short-cuts in emergencies to ensure speedy procurement.
Commissioner is taking steps to make this "legally" possible.
We hope the High
Disaster and Refugee Unit
Bilateral Coordination Department
24 September 1986
CONFIDENTIAL