CONTRACT NOTICE – NATIONAL

1 Authority Details

1.1

Authority Name and Address

1.2

Address from which documentation may be obtained

As in 1.1

1.3

Completed documents must be returned to:

As in 1.1

2 Contract Details

2.1

Title

Next Generation Access Broadband Wales Programme Audit

2.2

Description of the goods or services required

While 95 per cent of homes and businesses across Wales have access to fast and reliable broadband, there are a small proportion that cannot enjoy the connectivity they need.

Despite telecommunications not being devolved to Wales, a range of solutions to support those without access to fast and reliable broadband is being provided by the Welsh Government. This includes working with Openreach to bring gigabit capable, full fibre broadband to a further 39,000 properties across Wales using £56m of public funding - made up of Welsh Government and EU funds with some extra funding from the UK Government. These interventions will help to achieve the Welsh Governments Digital Strategy for Wales.

This work builds upon our previous Superfast Cymru roll-out which brought superfast broadband coverage across Wales up to 95% with a public sector investment of over £200m.

A grant agreement is in place between BT and Welsh Government which is being delivered by Openreach. The 39,000 premises are split across three lots covering areas in North Wales, East Wales and the South West and the Valleys. Rigorous testing and verification ensures that the Superfast Cymru project only pays for premises which exceed the speed thresholds, and are eligible for payment under the contract. This process is a key mechanism to ensure the programme delivers value for money

An audit exercise is needed until the end of the programme to provide financial assurance to the Welsh Government and other stakeholders.

The overall function of the audit will be to provide assurance to the WG that funding has been correctly spent and allocated in accordance with funding regulations and the contract. Commissioning an audit within the life of the project will mitigate the risk of funding having to be returned as any issues identified will be resolved prior to final claims being submitted.

The Welsh Government is looking to appoint a supplier to undertake an audit of the current Next Generation Access Broadband Wales Programme (NGABW), the requirements of which are:

• Audit and assure the defrayment of monies paid to the supplier on the programme.

• Assure that all costs incurred relate solely to the Wales programme and fall in line with the programme time scale.

• Ensure that all costs are eligible to the programme

• Carry out periodic site visits to the supplier and complete desk based assurances on the above requirements.

• Carry out desk based sensitivity analyses exercises along with other checks and comparison exercises using both financial and structural datasets.

• To complete “deep dive” exercises as and when requested.

• Carry out any other ad hoc audit requirements within the course of the programme.

• Maintain and update an actions log that details all relevant findings, actions, owners and ineligible expenditure.

• Produce periodic audit reports highlighting findings and attend meetings as and when required.

NOTE: The authority is using eTenderwales to carry out this procurement process. To obtain further information record your interest on Sell2Wales at https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/search_switch.aspx?ID=115818

2.3

Notice Coding and Classification

2.4

Total quantity or scope of tender

3 Conditions for Participation

3.1

Minimum standards and qualification required

E-TENDER INFORMATION:

https://etenderwales.bravosolution.co.uk

- The first person from your Organisation to use the Platform will be required to register on behalf of the

Organisation.

- Registration involves accepting a User Agreement, and providing basic information about your

Organisation and about the User performing the Registration.

- The User who performs the Registration becomes the Super User for the Organisation.

- On registering on the Platform the Super User will select a Username and will receive a password.

- The Password will be sent by e-mail to the email address that was specified in the User Details section of

the Registration page.

- In order to log-in to the Platform please enter your Username and Password.

- Note: If you forget your Password then visit the homepage and click “Forgot your password?”

- Registration should only be performed once for each Organisation.

- If you think that someone in your Organisation may have already registered on this Platform then you

must not register again.

- Please contact the person who Registered (i.e. the Super User) in order to arrange access to the Platform.

- Contact the Helpdesk immediately if you are unable to contact the Super User (for example if they have

left your Organisation).

- Note: If your Organisation is already registered on the Platform then you must not make any additional

registration. Please contact the Helpdesk to gain access to the Platform.3.1

- Tenders must be uploaded to the BravoSolution portal by 2pm

HOW TO FIND THE ITT:

- Once logged in you must click on ‘ITT’s Open to all Suppliers’

- The etender references for this contract are: Project,48858 and

ITT _91194

- Click on the title to access summary details of the contract. If you are still interested in submitting a

tender, click the ‘Express an Interest button’. This will move the ITT from the ‘Open to all Suppliers’ area

to the ‘My ITT’s’ on the home page.

- You will then see the full details of the ITT in the qualification and technical envelopes along with any

relevant documents in the ‘Attachments’ area.

- Should you have any questions on the ITT, please use the ‘Messages’ area to contact the buyer directly –

Please do not contact the named person at the top of this notice.

4 Administrative Information

4.1

Type of Procedure

Single stage

4.2

Reference number attributed to the notice by the contracting authority

C067/2021/2022

4.3

Time Limits

4.5

Language or languages in which tenders or requests to participate can be drawn up

4.6

Tender Submission Postbox

5 Other Information

5.1

Additional Information

(WA Ref:115818)

5.2

Additional Documentation

5.3

Publication date of this notice