Contract notice – utilities
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
NATIONAL ENERGY SYSTEM OPERATOR LIMITED
ocds-h6vhtk-04d52d
ADDRESS
TOWN
POSTCODE
UK
Contact person: Tennille Madigan
Telephone: +44 7795483583
E-mail: tennille.madigan@nationalenergyso.com
NUTS: UKK
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.neso.energy/
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
https://www.ariba.com
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
https://www.ariba.com
I.6) Main activity
Electricity
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Financial Audit Services
II.1.2) Main CPV code
79212100
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
National Energy System Operator (NESO) makes sure that Great Britain has the essential energy it needs by ensuring supply meets demand every second of every day.
The UK's 2023 Energy Act established an independent system planner and operator to help accelerate Great Britain's energy transition; creating NESO.
NESO is built on our previous experience as the National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO), where we had extensive expertise in balancing electricity supply and demand 24/7, whilst making sure the networks we operated and the markets we served were prepared for the future.
NESO was sold by National Grid to the UK Government on 1st October 2024 , becoming a public sector organisation from this date. We require comprehensive financial audit services compliant with International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions (ISSAI). The objective is to ensure NESO's financial, performance, and regulatory operations are conducted with transparency, accountability, and efficiency. This specification provides the framework for the required audit services, including scope, planning, reporting, accountability, and SLAs.
Scope of Services
The audit firm will be responsible for delivering the following detailed services:
Financial Audit
o Provide reasonable assurance over NESO's financial records in accordance with applicable accounting standards (IFRS ).
o Verify that financial statements are free from material misstatements due to fraud, error, or irregularities.
o Evaluate internal financial controls, focusing on risks associated with financial misreporting, operational inefficiencies, or compliance failures.
o Provide an audit opinion on the true and fair representation of NESO's financial position, performance, and cash flow.
o Conduct testing of key accounts to provide reasonable assurance over the financial assertions.
o Update NESO leadership and Audit & Risk Committee (ARC) regarding relevant changes in legislation and regulation.
o Report on external audit progress to NESO leadership, including attendance at bi-monthly ARC meetings and other board or committee meetings as required.
o Provide guidance to NESO leadership in particular the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), chair of ARC, director of financial control, and the accounting & reporting lead on accounting and financial matters.
o Liaise and coordinate with the CFO, director of financial control and accounting & reporting lead via a monthly progress meeting to ensure full exchange of information.
o Produce an annual SOC1 report evaluating the effectiveness of NESO financial controls in relation to transmission revenue charging, for external distribution to UK transmission owners, including National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET).
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
5 000 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
Main site or place of performance:
UK Wide - any NESO Site
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
NESO was sold by National Grid to the UK Government on 1st October 2024 , becoming a public sector organisation from this date. We require comprehensive financial audit services compliant with International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions (ISSAI). The objective is to ensure NESO's financial, performance, and regulatory operations are conducted with transparency, accountability, and efficiency. This specification provides the framework for the required audit services, including scope, planning, reporting, accountability, and SLAs.
________________________________________
4. Scope of Services (Detailed)
The audit firm is responsible for delivering the following detailed services:
Financial Audit
o Provide reasonable assurance over NESO's financial records in accordance with applicable accounting standards (IFRS ).
o Verify that financial statements are free from material misstatements due to fraud, error, or irregularities.
o Evaluate internal financial controls, focusing on risks associated with financial misreporting, operational inefficiencies, or compliance failures.
o Provide an audit opinion on the true and fair representation of NESO's financial position, performance, and cash flow.
o Conduct testing of key accounts to provide reasonable assurance over the financial assertions.
o Update NESO leadership and Audit & Risk Committee (ARC) regarding relevant changes in legislation and regulation.
o Report on external audit progress to NESO leadership, including attendance at bi-monthly ARC meetings and other board or committee meetings as required.
o Provide guidance to NESO leadership in particular the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), chair of ARC, director of financial control, and the accounting & reporting lead on accounting and financial matters.
o Liaise and coordinate with the CFO, director of financial control and accounting & reporting lead via a monthly progress meeting to ensure full exchange of information.
o Produce an annual SOC1 report evaluating the effectiveness of NESO financial controls in relation to transmission revenue charging, for external distribution to UK transmission owners, including National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET).
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
Duration in months: 60
This contract is subject to renewal: No
II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted:
No
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
Yes
Description of options:
Extension would be within the allowable regulations only
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.1.2) 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
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Negotiated with call for competition
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:
11/03/2025
IV.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
Date:
01/04/2025
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
Duration in months: 6 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
No
VI.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic ordering will be used
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Electronic payment will be used
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
05/03/2025