Internal Control Framework

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Programme and Project Management
Crisis Response
Financial Resources Management
Human Resources Management
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Programme and Project Management

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Design
Implement
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Crisis Response

Standard Operating Procedure for Crisis Response and Recovery
- Standard Operating Procedure for Crisis Response and Recovery
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Financial Resources Management

Inventory Management
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  - UNDP Legal Framework for Addressing Non-Compliance with UN Standards of Conduct
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Asset Management - Property, Plant and Equipment
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Accountability System Policy
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Internal Control Framework (ICF)
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Home
Accountability
Internal Control Framework (ICF)
Internal Control Framework

Main navigation

Accountability System Policy
- Accountability System Policy
Information Disclosure
- Information Disclosure
Internal Control Framework (ICF)
- Internal Control Framework
- Anti-Fraud Policy
Risk Management
- Enterprise Risk Management
- Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Policy
Business Continuity Management
- Business Continuity Management
Delegation of Authorities
- Delegation of Authorities
- Participation and Role of UNDP Delegates at Major International Conferences and Events
Ethics
Evaluation
- Evaluation Policy
Managing Prescriptive Content
- Managing Prescriptive Content

Focal Point

Michelle Armfield

Effective Date

01/01/2022

Planned Review Date

01/01/2025

Version

7.0

About this policy

The Internal Control Framework Policy defines the purpose and objectives of internal control and outlines how UNDP utilizes industry best practices to design, apply and continuously enhance internal controls to achieve its organizational objectives. The policy also specifies the roles and responsibilities of staff and non-staff at all levels of the organization in the achievement of internal control objectives, and the ways in which UNDP monitors and assesses internal control effectiveness.

The policy is supported by, and should be read in conjunction with the Operational Guide of the Internal Control Framework, which brings together the key internal control requirements articulated throughout the POPP to help UNDP offices implement effective internal controls in both clustered and non-clustered environments.

Latest updates

February 16, 2024 -

In response to an audit recommendation, the Internal Control Framework policy has been updated to demonstrate a clearer alignment with the Three Lines Model of the Institute of Internal Auditors, issued in July 2020.

January 23, 2024 -

The Internal Control Framework policy and the Internal Control Framework Operational Guide are now available in French and in Spanish:

February 16, 2024 -

In response to an audit recommendation, the Internal Control Framework policy has been updated to demonstrate a clearer alignment with the Three Lines Model of the Institute of Internal Auditors, issued in July 2020.

January 23, 2024 -

The Internal Control Framework policy and the Internal Control Framework Operational Guide are now available in French and in Spanish:

Internal Control Framework policy: French | Spanish
Internal Control Framework Operational Guide: French | Spanish

May 09, 2023 -

The Internal Control Framework policy has been updated to clarify the roles and responsibilities of BMS/OHR versus BMS/GSSC for human resources policy versus service delivery, respectively.

May 05, 2023 -

The Internal Control Framework Operational Guide has been updated to align with new processes implemented as part of UNDP’s transition to its new cloud-based management platform, Quantum.

September 30, 2022 -

The Internal Control Framework policy and Internal Control Framework Operational Guidehave been updated to incorporate references to the new Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Policy (AML/CFT Policy). The AML/CFT Policy is referenced in the list of Supportive Tools in Annex 2, principle 1 'Integrity and Ethical Values' on page 21 of the ICF policy and a new section 2.8 'Mitigating risks associated with money laundering and terrorist financing' has been added on page 12 of the ICF Operational Guide.

January 01, 2022 -

The updated ICF Policy and the ICF Operational Guide provide clarity on roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities in the implementation of internal controls for clustered and non-clustered processes. Additionally, the ICF Policy has been aligned with industry best practices, including the COSO (the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission) framework and the Three Lines of Defense model. The COSO framework describes what we do in internal control and the three lines of defense framework describes who does it. Both frameworks have been endorsed by the High-Level Committee on Management. Additionally, the ICF policy specifies: (i) the roles and responsibilities of staff at all levels of the organization in the achievement of internal control objectives, and the ways in which UNDP monitors and assesses internal control effectiveness; and (ii) the roles and responsibilities of participants in UNDP’s shared services delivery model.
The Operational Guide of the Internal Control Framework (“ICF Operational Guide”) serves as a supplementary document to the ICF Policy. Given the complexity of UNDP’s activities and the resulting breadth and depth of POPP content, the purpose of the ICF Operational Guide is to bring together the key internal control requirements included throughout the POPP to help UNDP offices implement effective internal controls in both clustered and non-clustered environments. Specifically, the Operational Guide: (i) articulates the key day-to-day internal control roles and their associated authorities, accountabilities, and responsibilities; (ii) describes at a high level some key process control points; and (iii) identifies the supporting technology roles (i.e., ERP), rights, and available tools to affect and monitor internal control implementation. A series of “Quick Views” have been added to provide more visual content, as requested by stakeholders. This version of the Operational Guide provides guidance on who executes internal control roles (or elements thereof) with respect to both clustered and non-clustered processes. Country Offices should follow the clustered or non-clustered guidance that is relevant to their process clustering implementation status.

June 11, 2021 -

The purpose of the Internal Control Framework (ICF) policy is to help UNDP achieve its goals and to provide accountability for its activities. An effective internal control system provides reasonable assurance to UNDP regarding the achievement of its objectives in the following categories:
- Promotion of orderly, ethical, economical, efficient and effective operations;
- Meeting accountability obligations by making available reliable and relevant internal and external financial and non-financial information, through the maintenance of proper records and information flows;
- Safeguarding resources from inappropriate use, loss, or damage due to waste, abuse, mismanagement, errors, fraud and irregularities;
- Compliance with applicable regulations, rules and internal policies.

The Operational Guide to the Internal Control Framework supplements the Internal Control Framework (ICF) policy to bring together the main existing prescriptive content within the Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures (POPP) with respect to internal controls, and help UNDP offices implement effective internal controls. It draws upon acknowledged international best practices, while taking into account the characteristics of UNDP.

January 15, 2021 -

Updates to the ICF Operational Guide provide additional clarity on the responsibilities for monitoring budget overrides, and overseeing override match exception functions. Additional sentences have been added on override match exceptions to page 39 and on monitoring of budget overrides to pages 16, 22 and 23.

November 13, 2020 -

The Operational Guide to the ICF is now available in French. To access the document, click on the French language tab.

October 16, 2020 -

The Operational Guide to the ICF is now available in Spanish. To access the document, click on the Spanish language tab.

July 29, 2020 -

The Operational Guide to the ICF has been updated to incorporate some streamlining improvements, as well as address recent issues identified by audits:

1. The removal of the provision which enabled low value Requisitions and related Purchase Orders to be approved by the same individual, as communicated by the CFO to all Offices on 16th September 2019.

2. Aligning the consistency of language on vendor creation and approval, and updating it to reflect additional control processes needed when changing vendor bank account information.

3. Further streamlining the ICF, e.g. by removing a redundant control (that bank signatories cannot approve vendors, in COs where there are 2 bank signatories), and authorizing GS7 staff in COs and GS6 staff in the GSSU to perform approval functions for POs, prepayments and no-PO vouchers up to $10,000.

4. Incorporating the recently issued reforms effected through the various rounds of BMS business process streamlining. These changes include:

a. authorising three vendor approvers for large offices with delivery above $50m per year;

b. clarifying functions that must be performed by staff, and functions where other contractual modalities may now be utilized per the streamlining exercises.

5. Consolidating the list of control functions to be performed by staff within a single section of the ICF.

6. Updates to include new business process services provided by the GSSU.

October 22, 2019 -

The ICF Operational Guide has been revised to reflect the division of roles and responsibilities between country offices and GSSU with detailed guidance provided for the following 14 business processes services: bank-to-book (B2B) reconciliation; cash management; assets management; inventory management; vendor management; accounts payment processing; pay cycle; general accounting; travel processing; project financial closure and donor financial reporting; VAT processing; procurement: LTA Goods, Services and Works; and procurement: purchases over US$ 150,000 except IC; human resources services: (a) recruit, source, and select employees; (b) employee on-boarding; (c) manage employee performance, reward and retention; (d) manage employee well-being; (e) employee development and training; (f) administration of contracts, benefits and allowances; (g) administer payroll.

September 19, 2018 -

The ICF Operational Guide reflects the following changes:

1) Increase the threshold above which Purchase Orders and E- requisitions are required from $2,500 to $5,000.

2)Increase the number of vendor approvers to three staff members in offices whose previous year delivery is above $50 million per year.

July 01, 2018 -

The updated ICF Operational Guide reflects the increase of manager and senior manager thresholds in Atlas in offices whose previous year delivery is above $50 million per year.

Section on Global Shared Service Unit was updated in May 2017.

EXPAND

Relevant Regulations and Rules

UNDP Financial Regulations and Rules
Staff regulations and staff rules, including provisional staff rules, of the United Nations
UNDP accountability system (DP/2008/16/Rev.1)

Policies

Main Policy

Internal Control Framework Policy

DOCX (235.74 KB)

View Download

The Internal Control Framework Operational Guide supplements this policy.

Related Policies

Quality Standards for Programming
Service Contract
Procurement Authority and Increased Delegated Procurement Authority
Procurement Oversight and Procurement Review Committees
Authorizing Official Business Travel
Disposal and Write-Off (Furniture and Equipment)
Disposal and Write-Off (Plant and Property)
Payment and Taxes
Safe Management
Close and Transition
Protection against Retaliation
Delegation of Authorities
Enterprise Risk Management
Anti-Fraud Policy
Accountability System Policy
Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Policy

United Nations
Development Programme

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