Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
LONDON COUNCILS
59 Half Southwark Street
LONDON
SE10AL
UK
Contact person: Richard Merrington
Telephone: +44 2079349722
E-mail: Richard.Merrington@londoncouncils.gov.uk
NUTS: UKI44
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
https://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/who-we-are/about-us/tenders-and-expressions-interest
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
https://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/who-we-are/about-us/tenders-and-expressions-interest
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Other: A joint committee established under section 101 and 103 of the Local Government Act
I.5) Main activity
General public services
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
External Audit Services
Reference number: LC/2022/05/20
II.1.2) Main CPV code
79212000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
London Councils represents London's 32 borough councils and the City of London. It is a cross party organisation that works on behalf of all of its member authorities regardless of political persuasion.
London Councils' joint committees are established under section 101 and 102 of the Local Government Act 1972 and other enabling legislation. London Councils' governing agreement requires the production and audit of the annual accounts for the joint committees. A similar requirement exists in the Articles of Association of London Councils Limited. As a result of this requirement, London Councils has to produce annual accounts for each of its entities. The activities of the Transport and Environment Committee, the Grants Committee and the company are incorporated into London Councils Joint Committee's consolidated accounts.
London Councils is inviting tenders for the provision of external audit services for a four year period, commencing with the audit of the 2022/23 financial statements and return and ending on the completion of the audit of the 2025/26 financial statements and employers' association return.
On the conclusion of the annual audits, the Potential Provider shall provide an independent audit opinion and report on London Councils' financial statements and employers' return. The audit should be conducted in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK).
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKI
Main site or place of performance:
59 & Half Southwark Street
London
SE1 0AL
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
London Councils' joint committees are established under section 101 and 102 of the Local Government Act 1972 and other enabling legislation. London Councils' governing agreement requires the production and audit of the annual accounts for the joint committees. A similar requirement exists in the Articles of Association of London Councils Limited. As a result of this requirement, London Councils has to produce annual accounts for each of its entities. The activities of the Transport and Environment Committee, the Grants Committee and the company are incorporated into London Councils Joint Committee's consolidated accounts.
The three joint committee accounts are prepared in accordance with proper practices set out in the CIPFA/LASAAC Code of Practice on Local Authority Accounting in the United Kingdom and the company accounts are prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Accounting Standards including FRS102.
In addition, London Councils, as an employer's association, has an obligation under the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 to submit an annual return (AR27) to the Certification Officer. The information included in the return is based on the audited financial accounts. The act imposes a duty on London Councils to appoint an auditor to audit the accounts included in the return and report on whether they give a true and fair view of the committee's affairs.
London Councils financial year runs from the 1st of April to the 31st of March.
The annual accounts are prepared by London Councils' finance section which is part of the Corporate Resources Division.
London Councils is inviting tenders for the provision of external audit services for a four year period, commencing with the audit of the 2022/23 financial statements and return and ending on the completion of the audit of the 2025/26 financial statements and employers' association return.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start:
01/12/2022
This contract is subject to renewal: No
II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted:
No
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:
No
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1) Conditions for participation
III.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
List and brief description of conditions:
The Potential Provider must be eligible for appointment as a statutory auditor under the Companies Act 2006.
III.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
III.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
III.2) Conditions related to the contract
III.2.1) Information about a particular profession
Participation is reserved to a particular profession: Yes
Reference to the relevant law, regulation or administrative provision:
The Potential Provider must be eligible for appointment as a statutory auditor under the Companies Act 2006.
Relevant accounting and auditing standards.
III.2.2) Contract performance conditions
The Potential Provider will be required to prepare an annual external audit plan detailing their scope and approach to their annual audits by the 5th of February of each year and an annual audit report that reflects the outcome of the audit by 5th of September of each year.
The Potential Provider will provide audit opinions to be inserted into the financial statements as necessary and complete the audit report included in the AR27 return.
In addition to expressing an opinion on the financial statements, the Potential Provider will be required to consider the completeness of disclosures in the Annual Governance Statements.
The Audit Committee meets three times a year and it is expected that the Potential Provider's representative will attend at least two of the meetings to present their audit plan and audit report. However, the Audit Committee may request attendance of the Potential Provider at additional meetings or the Potential Provider may seek a meeting with the Chair or member of the Committee.
The Potential Provider will be expected to liaise with London Councils internal auditors during the course of their appointment in order to avoid areas of duplicated work.
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:
No
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
15/07/2022
Local time: 12:00
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
EN
IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date:
15/07/2022
Local time: 12:01
Place:
59 & Half Southwark Street
London
SE1 0AL
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
No
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
London Councils
London
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
15/06/2022