Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Department of Finance
303 Airport Road West
BELFAST
BT3 9ED
UK
E-mail: ssdadmin.cpd@finance-ni.gov.uk
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.finance-ni.gov.uk/
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.finance-ni.gov.uk/topics/procurement
I.2) Joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to the abovementioned address
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity
General public services
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
ID 5537570 - DoF - Provision of Internal Audit Services
Reference number: ID 5537570
II.1.2) Main CPV code
79212000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
Internal Audit Services (IAS) intends to establish a Framework Agreement for the provision of internal auditors to carry out risk-based Internal Audit assignments which will contribute towards the completion of agreed Internal Audit Strategies and associated Internal Audit Plans on a call-off as required basis. The Framework Agreement will contain 2 (two) Lots: Lot 1 – General Internal Audit Services and Lot 2 – ICT Internal Audit Services. Full details of requirements are set out in the Specification document (ID 5537870 – Specification).
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
2 000 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
Yes
Tenders may be submitted for maximum 2 lots
II.2) Description
Lot No: 1
II.2.1) Title
Lot 1 – General Internal Audit Services
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
79212200
79212300
79212400
79200000
79210000
79212100
79000000
79212110
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKN
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Internal Audit Services (IAS) intends to establish a Framework Agreement for the provision of internal auditors to carry out risk-based Internal Audit assignments which will contribute towards the completion of agreed Internal Audit Strategies and associated Internal Audit Plans on a call-off as required basis. The Framework Agreement will contain 2 (two) Lots: Lot 1 – General Internal Audit Services and Lot 2 – ICT Internal Audit Services. Full details of requirements are set out in the Specification document (ID 5537870 – Specification).
II.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
II.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT:
1 500 000.00
GBP
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 12
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
The Framework Agreement shall commence on award (expected to be 1 April 2025) and will continue until the end of the Initial Term (31 March 2026), with three options to extend for any period of up to and including 12 months each.
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:
Yes
Description of options:
Following the initial term, there are 3 options to extend for any period of up to and including 12 months each.
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
II.2.14) Additional information
This is a demand driven Framework, there is no guarantee of work given. The figure indicated in Section II.1.5 represents an estimated value. This value reflects the potential scale and takes into account potential optional extension periods and the uptake of potential optional services as detailed in the tender documents. This figure does not however take into account the application of indexation. Neither CPD nor the Authority can provide any guarantee as. to the level of business under this Framework. The Contracting Authority does not bind itself to accept the lowest or any tender. Economic Operators remain responsible for all costs and expenses incurred by them or by any third party acting under instructions from the Economic Operator in connection with taking part in this procurement process regardless of whether such costs arise as a consequence, directly or indirectly of any amendments made to the procurement documents by the Contracting Authority at any time. No legally binding contract shall arise (and an Economic Operator shall have no legitimate expectation that a contract will be entered into) until such time as entry into the Contract has been confirmed by the Contracting Authority. Economic Operators should note that all dates, time periods and figures in relation to values and volumes specified in this notice and the procurement documents are approximate only and the Contracting Authority reserves the right to change any or all of them.
Lot No: 2
II.2.1) Title
Lot 2 – ICT Internal Audit Services
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
79212200
79212300
79212400
79200000
79210000
79212100
79000000
79212110
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKN
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Internal Audit Services (IAS) intends to establish a Framework Agreement for the provision of internal auditors to carry out risk-based Internal Audit assignments which will contribute towards the completion of agreed Internal Audit Strategies and associated Internal Audit Plans on a call-off as required basis. The Framework Agreement will contain 2 (two) Lots: Lot 1 – General Internal Audit Services and Lot 2 – ICT Internal Audit Services. Full details of requirements are set out in the Specification document (ID 5537870 – Specification).
II.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
II.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT:
500 000.00
GBP
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 12
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
The Framework Agreement shall commence on award (expected to be 1 April 2025) and will continue until the end of the Initial Term (31 March 2026), with three options to extend for any period of up to and including 12 months each.
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:
Yes
Description of options:
Following the initial term, there are 3 options to extend for any period of up to and including 12 months each.
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
II.2.14) Additional information
This is a demand driven Framework, there is no guarantee of work given. The figure indicated in Section II.1.5 represents an estimated value. This value reflects the potential scale and takes into account potential optional extension periods and the uptake of potential optional services as detailed in the tender documents. This figure does not however take into account the application of indexation. Neither CPD nor the Authority can provide any guarantee as to the level of business under this Framework. The Contracting Authority does not bind itself to accept the lowest or any tender. Economic Operators remain responsible for all costs and expenses incurred by them or by any third party acting under instructions from the Economic Operator in connection with taking part in this procurement process regardless of whether such costs arise as a consequence, directly or indirectly of any amendments made to the procurement documents by the Contracting Authority at any time. No legally binding contract shall arise (and an Economic Operator shall have no legitimate expectation that a contract will be entered into) until such time as entry into the Contract has been confirmed by the Contracting Authority. Economic Operators should note that all dates, time periods and figures in relation to values and volumes specified in this notice and the procurement documents are approximate only and the Contracting Authority reserves the right to change any or all of them.
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1) Conditions for participation
III.1.2) Economic and financial standing
List and brief description of selection criteria:
As per Tender documentation.
III.1.3) Technical and professional ability
List and brief description of selection criteria:
As per Tender documentation.
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:
As per Tender documentation.
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
IV.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement with several operators.
Envisaged maximum number of participants to the framework agreement: 5
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
10/03/2025
Local time: 15:00
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
EN
IV.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
Tender must be valid until:
08/06/2025
IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date:
10/03/2025
Local time: 15:30
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
No
VI.3) Additional information
Contract Monitoring - The successful supplier’s performance on the Framework will be regularly monitored in line with the tender. documentation. Suppliers not delivering on contract requirements is a serious matter. It means the public purse is not getting what it is paying for. If a supplier fails to reach satisfactory levels of contract performance they will be given a specified time to improve. If, after the specified time, they still fail to reach satisfactory levels of contract performance, the matter will be escalated to senior management in CPD for further action. If this occurs and their performance still does not improve to satisfactory levels within the specified period, it may be regarded as an act of grave professional misconduct and they may be issued with a Notice of Unsatisfactory Performance and the contract may be terminated. The issue of a Notice of Unsatisfactory Performance can result in the supplier being excluded from all procurement competitions being undertaken by Centres of Procurement Expertise on behalf of bodies covered by the Northern Ireland Procurement Policy for a period of three years from the date of issue. The Authority expressly reserves the rights: (I). not to award any contract as a result of the procurement process commenced by publication of this notice; (II). to make whatever changes it may see fit to the content and structure of the tendering Competition; (III). to award (a) contract(s) in respect of any part(s) of the services covered by this notice; and (IV). to award contract(s) in stages. In no circumstances will the Authority be liable for any costs incurred by candidates. This project will be used to progress the Government’s wider social, economic and environmental objectives.
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
The UK does not have any such bodies with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures. Instead; any challenges are dealt with by the High Court, Commercial Division, to which proceedings may be issued regarding alleged breaches of the PCR 2015 as amended.
Belfast
UK
VI.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:
CPD will comply with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and, where appropriate, will incorporate a standstill period (i.e. a minimum of 10 calendar days) at the point information on the award of contract is communicated to tenderers. That notification will provide full information on the award decision. This provides time for the unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the contract is entered into.
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
07/02/2025