Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
Northern Ireland Audit Office
The Audit Office, 106 University Street, Belfast
Belfast
BT7 1EU
UK
Contact person: Joe Campbell
Telephone: +44 2890251097
E-mail: joe.campbell@niauditoffice.gov.uk
NUTS: UKN
Internet address(es)
Main address: www.niauditoffice.gov.uk
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Other: Regional Audit Institution
I.5) Main activity
Other: Public Sector Audit
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Re-Performance and Assessment of DAERA Paying Agency Farm and Forestry Inspections relating to the Common Agricultural Policy area-based aid schemes 2019
II.1.2) Main CPV code
79212000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
The NIAO, on behalf of the UK Certifying Body (NAO), undertakes an annual audit in Northern Ireland, in accordance with the European Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 908/, of the PA’s operation of European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF).
The NIAO is seeking to appoint a service provider to undertake the re-verification and assessment of the Paying Agency farm and forestry inspections in the area-based aid schemes.
The contract will be for a period of 1 year from September 2018 to August 2019, with the option of 2 x 1 year extensions.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
222 750.00
EUR
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKN
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The NIAO invites proposals for carrying out re-verification inspections on the original “on-the-spot checks” carried out by DAERA.
The appointed project team will be required to co-ordinate and direct an independent sample of re-verification testing of farm and forestry inspections, producing a report on their assessment of the original farm/forestry inspection. On completion of their draft report, the appointed team will liaise with the DAERA Legality and Regularity coordinators to confirm the factual accuracy of each report. The reports will then be submitted to the NIAO and form part of the EAF audit evidence.
The independent sample will consist of approximately 45 re-verifications of DAERA/forest service on-the-spot checks of claims for scheme eligibility:
— 30 re-verifications of Basic Payment Scheme OTSC inspections and
— 15 re-verifications drawn from the OTSC inspections of Environmental Farming Scheme,
— Agri-environment (NICMS) and
— Forestry Grant Schemes claims.
The re-verifications will be conducted via control with remote sensing or on-site (at the farm/forest). It is highly unlikely that a selected farm/forest will be selected for more than one re-verification.
The project will require the successful tenderer to liaise with key staff in the DAERA Countryside Management Compliance Branch (CMCB), EU Verification Unit and Forest Service to obtain information and documentation relating to the original inspection and the re-verification inspection.
We expect that the project team for the project will be led by a director/partner, with day to day responsibility delegated to a manager.
At the conclusion of each re-verification inspection, and following the project team’s partner/director review, the project team shall submit an independent report to the NIAO Manager which, as a minimum will detail:
— the findings of the original inspection,
— the findings and conclusions of the re-verification test, including a specific statement on cross compliance (ideally the findings and conclusions should be agreed with the DAERA/forest service inspector) and
— an assessment of the re-verification testing, including any variances.
It is expected that the sample re-verifications will be required during the period from October 2018 to April 2019 (the majority taking place by January 2019).
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: Quality of Services
/ Weighting: 60
Price
/ Weighting:
40
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
No
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
Yes
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number in the OJ S:
2018/S 179-405712
Section V: Award of contract
Title: Re-Performance and Assessment of DAERA Paying Agency Farm and Forestry Inspections Relating to the Common Agricultural Policy area-based aid schemes 2019
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
22/10/2018
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 4
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from EU Member States: 4
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 4
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
KPMG
1 Lanyon Place
Belfast
BT1 3LP
UK
NUTS: UKN06
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot:
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 222 750.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Northern Ireland Audit Office
The Audit Office, 106 University Street, Belfast, Co. Antrim
Belfast
BT7 1EU
UK
Telephone: +44 2890251000
E-mail: procurement@niauditoffice.gov.uk
Internet address(es)
URL: www.niauditoffice.gov.uk
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
07/01/2019