Company Policies, Ethics & Compliance Standards

DEPENDCORE Procurement Policy

The DEPENDCORE Procurement Policy establishes transparent, competitive, and accountable standards for acquiring goods and services in full compliance with Bangladesh commercial laws, institutional donor rules, and ISO 9001:2015 principles.

1. Purpose & Scope

This policy applies to all departments, procurement managers, contracted suppliers, and logistics partners engaged in sourcing for DEPENDCORE and its client organizations (NGOs, INGOs, and corporates).

2. Fundamental Sourcing Principles

• Fair Competition: Equal opportunity for all eligible, pre-vetted suppliers without favoritism.
• Value for Money: Evaluation balancing technical specification, price, quality, warranty, and lifecycle performance.
• Transparent Audit Trails: Every requisition, tender evaluation, purchase order, and delivery note must be recorded and retrievable.
• Zero Compromise on Quality: Strict pre-delivery inspection ensuring 100% adherence to client Bill of Quantities (BoQs).

3. Procurement Lifecycle Workflow

1. Requisition: Formal submission of item specifications and budget authorization.
2. Competitive Bidding: Mandatory 3-quote comparison for standard procurement; formal open tendering for large-scale institutional contracts.
3. Technical & Commercial Evaluation: Rigorous evaluation matrix assessing compliance, delivery timeframe, and vendor solvency.
4. Purchase Order Issuance: Formal contract binding price, delivery schedule, warranty, and liquidated damages for delays.
5. Goods Receiving & Inspection (GRN): Quality verification at warehouse prior to final handover to client.
6. Financial Settlement: Disbursed solely against verified delivery receipts and NBR Mushak 6.3 VAT tax invoices.

4. Record Retention

All procurement dossiers are archived securely in electronic and physical formats for a minimum of 7 years, maintaining perpetual audit readiness.

DEPENDCORE Code of Conduct & Business Ethics

This Code establishes the professional and ethical standards demanded from every DEPENDCORE representative, management official, employee, and commercial partner.

1. Core Ethical Pillars

• Uncompromising Integrity: Conduct all negotiations and deliveries transparently without deceptive practices.
• Anti-Corruption & Anti-Bribery: Zero tolerance for facilitation payments, kickbacks, or gifts designed to influence procurement decisions.
• Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Mandatory disclosure of any personal, family, or financial connection with prospective vendors or clients.
• Dignity & Harassment-Free Workplace: Absolute zero tolerance for discrimination, bullying, or sexual exploitation.

2. Supplier Code of Conduct

Upstream suppliers must certify compliance with the Bangladesh Labour Act, prove zero usage of child labor or forced labor, and maintain safe, humane working environments.

DEPENDCORE Donor Compliance & Grant Management Policy

Engineered to ensure complete alignment with the strict operational and financial accountability mandates of institutional donor agencies operating in Bangladesh.

1. Aligned Frameworks

Our procedures align directly with USAID 2 CFR 200, FCDO commercial guidelines, UNGM (UN Global Marketplace) procurement protocols, World Bank procurement regulations, and Bangladesh Public Procurement Rules (PPR).

2. Key Mandates

• Ring-Fenced Project Tracking: Strict tracking of donor project allocations preventing fund intermingling.
• Full Subcontractor Vetting: All subcontractors vetted against international anti-terror, anti-fraud, and sanctions lists.
• Audit Cooperation: Unrestricted access granted to independent project auditors, donor spot-check inspectors, and evaluating authorities.
• 7-Year Audit Dossiers: Physical and digital archiving of all contracts, timesheets, delivery challans, and inspection logs.

DEPENDCORE Data Protection & Privacy Policy

Governs the secure collection, processing, transmission, and disposal of confidential organizational, financial, and personal data under Bangladesh ICT laws and international GDPR standards.

1. Principles of Data Protection

• Purpose Limitation: Data gathered solely for authorized procurement, billing, and logistics execution.
• Data Minimization: Retaining only information strictly required for contract fulfillment and regulatory retention.
• Access Controls: Role-based permissions, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and secure encrypted databases.
• Breach Notification: Mandatory incident investigation and notification to affected clients within 48 hours of detection.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) & Environmental Policy (CORE)

Branded as CORE (Contribution for Opportunity, Resilience, and Equity), our policy champions sustainable development and inclusive growth across Bangladesh.

1. Focus Dimensions

• Environmental Stewardship: Prioritizing biodegradable packaging, energy-star rated ICT equipment, and optimized transport routes to reduce carbon emissions.
• Community Health & Education: Direct contributions of emergency medical kits, hygiene packs, and educational supplies to underprivileged schools and flood-hit communities.
• Local SME Inclusion: Prioritizing grassroots manufacturers and women-led enterprises in procurement pipelines.

Human Resources & Fair Workplace Policy

Guarantees equitable, transparent employment practices upholding human dignity, fair compensation, and professional development.

1. Workplace Guarantees

• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO): Merit-based hiring regardless of gender, religion, ethnicity, or disability.
• Statutory Benefits: Full alignment with Bangladesh Labour Act regarding leave entitlements, working hours, festival bonuses, and severance settlements.
• Health & Occupational Safety (OHS): Secure, ergonomically sound work facilities and emergency safety protocols across offices and warehouses.

DEPENDCORE Whistleblower & Anti-Retaliation Policy

Provides an uncompromising, protected mechanism for personnel, vendors, and stakeholders to voice concerns regarding illegal or unethical conduct.

1. Protected Disclosures

Covers suspected bribery, financial fraud, gross negligence, safety violations, human rights abuses, or breach of donor policies.

2. Anti-Retaliation Guarantee

DEPENDCORE strictly prohibits any punitive action, demotion, termination, or harassment against any individual submitting a good-faith report. Inquiries are conducted impartially under direct oversight of senior compliance leadership.

DEPENDCORE Finance, Tax & Anti-Fraud Policy

Enforces rigorous fiduciary stewardship, regulatory transparency, and anti-fraud protocols across all commercial operations in Bangladesh.

1. Tax & VAT Compliance

• NBR Mushak 6.3 Delivery: Standard issuance of official National Board of Revenue VAT tax invoices on all transactions.
• TIN & Corporate Returns: Timely filing of annual corporate income tax returns and withholding tax reconciliations.
• Dual-Signatory Bank Governance: Segregated authorization controls and dual signatories for all banking transfers.
• Quarterly Internal & Annual External Audits: Independent audit verification ensuring strict adherence to BFRS/IFRS financial accounting standards.

IT & Digital Infrastructure Policy

Mandates security, stability, and responsible usage of company digital assets, workstations, networks, and cloud repositories.

1. Cybersecurity Mandates

• Endpoint Security: Managed antivirus, firewalls, and automated security patch deployment on all systems.
• Password & MFA Controls: Mandatory complex passwords and two-factor authentication on all administrative accounts.
• Daily Encrypted Backups: Off-site cloud replication of critical procurement records to ensure business continuity.