CONTRACT NOTICE – OFFICIAL JOURNAL

Section I: Contracting Authority

I.1)

Name, Address and Contact Point(s)

I.2)

Type of contracting Authority and Main Activity or Activities

Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local sub-divisions National or federal agency/Office Regional or local Authority Regional or local Agency/Office Body governed by public law European Institution/Agency or International Organisation

General public services Defence Public order and safety Environment Economic and financial affairs Health Housing and community amenities Social protection Recreation, culture and religion Education Other (Please specify) Public Procurement

Section II: Object of the Contract

II.1)

Description

II.1.1)

Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority

II.1.2(a))

Type of works contract

II.1.2(b))

Type of supplies contract

II.1.2(c))

Type of service contract

II.1.2)

Main site or location of works, place of delivery or performance

Primarily in the UK with some limited requirements overseas.

II.1.3)

This notice involves

A public contract
The setting up of a Dynamic Purchasing System
The establishment of a framework agreement

II.1.4)

Information on framework agreement (if applicable)

Framework agreement with a single operators
Framework agreement with several operators

Number of participants to the framework agreement envisaged

Duration of the framework agreement

Justification for a framework agreement the duration of which exceeds four years

Estimated total value of purchases for the entire duration of the framework agreement

Frequency and value of the contracts to be awarded

II.1.5)

Short description of the contract or purchase(s)

Government Internal Audit Agency (GIAA) (referred to hereafter as the Authority requires external expertise and flexible support to assist in the delivery of internal audit and related assurance services.

Government Internal Audit Agency (GIAA) (Authority) on behalf of HM Treasury (HMT) is seeking to establish a Framework Agreement for the provision of Internal Audit Services for GIAA and other UK Central Government Departments and their Arms Length Bodies (ALB's), for an initial period of 3 (three) years with the option to extend for a further 1 (one) year period.

The primary objective of the procurement is to combine the knowledge and expertise of GIAA with that of the successful third party providers in an effective, efficient and economic way. In addition, Suppliers shall provide advice to GIAA on best practice and up to date technology and techniques and the further enhancement of GIAA and of its audit methodology. HMT aims to deliver the best possible Internal Audit Service to its Central Government clients. There are five key (but not exclusive) scenarios for calling off work:

— Full annual internal audit;

— Specialist work;

— Individual time-limited work.

Thematic work, for example across the UK or across client entities. Work may be called off in the form of single pieces of work or multiple orders. Suppliers shall note that they will be required to provide services overseas under this Framework Agreement.

A detailed description of the Services that the Potential Provider will be required to supply under this Framework Agreement are set out in full in Part A (Services) of Framework Schedule 2 of the ITT.

II.1.6)

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

II.1.7)

Contract covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

II.1.8)

Division into lots

one lot only

one or more lots

all lots

II.1.9)

Will variants be accepted

II.2)

Quantity or Scope of the Contract

II.2.1)

Total quantity or scope

II.2.2)

Options

Provisional timetable for recourse to these options

Number of possible renewals

In the case of renewable supplies or service contracts, estimated time frame for subsequent contracts

II.3)

Duration of the contract or limit for completion

Section III: Legal, Economic, Financial and Technical Information

III.1)

Conditions Relating to the Contract

III.1.1)

Deposits and guarantees required

Potential Providers will be advised if this is necessary during the procurement. Parent company and/or other guarantees of performance and financial liability may be required by the Authority if considered appropriate.

III.1.2)

Main Terms of financing and payment and/or reference to the relevant provisions

III.1.3)

Legal form to be taken by the grouping of suppliers, contractors or service providers to whom the contract is to be awarded

No special legal form is required but if a contract is awarded to a Group of Economic Operators, the Authority may require the Group of Economic Operators to form a legal entity before entering into the Framework Agreement.

III.1.4)

Other particular conditions to which the performance of the contract is subject

III.2)

Conditions for Participation

III.2.1)

Personal situation of economic operators, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers

Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met; Potential Providers will be assessed in accordance with Section 5 of Chapter 2 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, as amended (implementing Title II, Chapter III, Section 3, Sub-section I of Directive 2014/24/EU), on the basis of information provided in response to an Invitation to Tender (‘ITT’).

This procurement will be managed electronically via the Agents e-Sourcing Suite. To participate in this procurement, participants must first be registered on the e-Sourcing Suite. If you have not yet registered on the eSourcing Suite, this can be done online at https://gpsesourcing.cabinetoffice.gov.uk by following the link ‘Register for CCS eSourcing'. Please note that, to register, you must have a valid DUNS number (as provided by Dun and Bradstreet) for the organisation which you are registering, who will be entering into a contract if invited to do so. Full instructions for registration and use of the system can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/become-a-crown-commercial-service-supplier/becoming-a-supplier-through-the-crown-commercial-service-what-you-need-to-know

Once you have registered on the eSourcing Suite, a registered user can express an interest for a specific procurement. This is done by emailing expressionofinterest@crowncommercial.gov.uk.

Your email must clearly state: the name and reference for the procurement you wish to register for; the name of the registered supplier; and the name and contact details for the registered individual sending the email. The Agent will process the email and then enable the supplier to access the procurement online via the e-Sourcing Suite. The registered user will receive a notification email to alert them once this has been done.

As a user of the e-Sourcing Suite you will have access to Emptoris email messaging service which facilitates all messages sent to you and from you in relation to any specific RFX event. Please note it is your responsibility to access these emails on a regular basis to ensure you have sight of all relevant information.

For technical assistance on use of the e-Sourcing Suite please contact Crown Commercial Service Support Desk email: eenablement@crowncommercial.gov.uk

Responses must be published by the date in IV.3.4.

III.2.2)

Economic and financial capacity

III.2.3)

Technical capacity

III.2.4)

Reserved contracts

The contract is restricted to sheltered workshops
The execution of the contract is restricted to the framework of sheltered employment programmes

III.3)

Conditions Specific to Service Contracts

III.3.1)

Is provision of the service reserved to a specific profession?

III.3.2)

Will legal entities be required to state the names and professional qualifications of the personnel responsible for the execution of the service?

Section IV: Procedure

IV.1)

Type of Procedure

Open		Restricted
Accelerated restricted		Negotiated
Accelerated negotiated		Competitive dialogue

Justification for the choice of accelerated procedure

IV.1.1)

Have candidates already been selected?

IV.1.2)

Limitations on the number of operators who will be invited to tender or to participate

Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates

IV.1.3)

Reduction of the number of operators during the negotiation or dialogue

Recourse to staged procedure to gradually reduce the number of solutions to be discussed or tenders to be negotiated

IV.2)

Award Criteria

IV.2.2)

An electronic auction will be used

IV.3 Administrative Information

IV.3.1)

Reference number attributed to the notice by the contracting authority

RM4167

IV.3.2)

Previous publication(s) concerning the same contract

Prior Information Notice
Notice on a Buyer Profile

Other previous publications

IV.3.3)

Conditions for obtaining specifications and additional documents

IV.3.4)

Time-limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

IV.3.5)

Date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates

IV.3.6)

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

IV.3.7)

Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender 

IV.3.8)

Conditions for opening tenders

Section VI: Other Information

VI.1)

Indicate whether this procurement is a recurrent one and the Estimated timing for further notices to be published

VI.2)

Does the contract relate to a Project/Programme financed by Community Funds?

VI.3)

Additional Information

Potential Providers should note that, in accordance with the UK Government's policies on transparency, the Agent intends to publish the Invitation to Tender (ITT) document and the text of any Framework Agreement awarded, subject to possible redactions at the discretion of the Agent. The terms of the proposed Framework Agreement will also permit a public sector Contracting Authority, awarding a contract under this Framework Agreement, to publish the text of that contract, subject to possible redaction's at the discretion of the Contracting Authority. Further information in transparency can be found at:http://ccs.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/about-government-procurement-service/transparency-and-accountability/ transparency-procurement.

The Agent expressly reserves the right (i) not to award any contract as a result of the procurement process commenced by publication of this notice; and (ii) to make whatever changes it may see fit to the content and structure of the tendering competition; and in no circumstances will the Authority be liable for any costs incurred by the candidates. If the Authority decides to enter into a Framework Agreement with the Potential Providers, this does not mean that there is any guarantee of subsequent contracts being awarded. Any expenditure, work or effort undertaken prior to contract award is accordingly a matter solely for the commercial judgement of Potential Providers. Any orders placed under this Framework Agreement will form a separate contract under the scope of this Framework between the Potential Provider and the specific requesting other Contracting Authority(s). The Authority and other Contracting Authority(s) utilising the Framework reserve the right to use any electronic portal during the life of the agreement. The duration referenced in Section II.1.4 is for the placing of orders.

The value provided in Section II.1.4 is only an estimate. We cannot guarantee to Potential Providers any business through this Framework Agreement.

In further reference to Section II.1.4, where the maximum number of participants envisaged is stated as 12 for the Framework Agreement, the breakdown for each Lot is as follows:

Lot 1 — 6 Suppliers, Lot 2 — 3 Suppliers, Lot 3 — 3 Suppliers

The number of Suppliers awarded in each Lot may increase only where two or more Potential Providers have tied scores and are placed in the last position in respect of each Lot. The Agent will award a Framework Agreement to additional Potential Providers where their Final Score is within 1 % of the original awarded last place position only. For the avoidance of doubt, last position is 6th for Lot 1, 3rd for Lot 2 and 3rd for Lot 3.

Potential Providers have the opportunity to bid for all or any combination of Lots, however the Agent reserves the right to award each Lot separately.

For the Authority to conclude a Framework Agreement with the Potential Provider, it will be essential for the Potential Provider to meet the requirements of the Cyber Essentials Scheme, introduced in June 2014.

This scheme defines a set of controls which, when properly implemented, provides organisations with basic protection from the most prevalent forms of threat that come from the internet.

Potential Providers can view the details of the Cyber Essentials Scheme at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cyber-essentials-scheme-overview

From 1.10.2014, suppliers must be compliant with the new Cyber Essentials controls if bidding for government contracts which involve the handling of sensitive and personal information and the provision of certain technical products and services. The easiest way to demonstrate that the Cyber Essentials requirements are met is to gain the Cyber Essentials certificate. The Cyber Essentials Assurance Framework, leading to the award of Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus certificates for organisations, has been designed in consultation with SMEs, including the Federation for Small Business, to be ‘lighttouch' and achievable at low cost. The two options give organisations a choice over the level of assurance they wish to gain and the cost of doing so. This scheme offers the right balance between providing additional assurance of an organisation's commitment to implementing cyber security to third parties, while retaining a simple and low cost mechanism for doing so. The need to meet the requirements of the Cyber Essentials Scheme will extend to Sub-Contractors of the Supplier where such Sub-Contractors are involved, on behalf of the Supplier, in the handling of sensitive and personal information and the provision of certain technical products and services. The Supplier and any Sub-Contractors will need to renew their evidence of Cyber Essentials compliance at least annually. Please refer to the ITT and its attachments for further information relating to Cyber Essentials.

The Authority wishes to establish a Framework Agreement for use by the following UK public sector bodies (and any future successors to these organisations):

UK central government bodies including departments, their executive agencies and non-department public bodies and any other public body classified as ‘central government’ from time-to-time by UK government classification guidance. As at the publication of this Contract Notice the latest list of UK central government bodies can be found in the Office for National Statistics' Public Sector Classification Guide — April 2015 (see the ‘Central Government’ worksheet in the ‘Public Sector Classification Guide — April 2015' spreadsheet found at http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-391123

VI.4)

Procedures for appeal

VI.4.1)

Body responsible for appeal procedures

Body responsible for mediation procedures

VI.4.2)

Lodging of appeals
Precise information on deadline(s) for lodging appeals:

VI.4.3)

Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained

VI.5)

Dispatch date of this Notice

ANNEX B

Information About Lots

1)

Short Description

The provision of internal audit and advisory services for GIAA and other UK Central Government Departments, including the delivery of a complete annual programme of work and opinion, in the following areas:

— IT assurance (other than ‘IT deep specialisms' listed below);

— Financial Modelling;

— Other Modelling;

— Human Resources;

— Facilities Management;

— Finance, Accounting, Shared Services:

— Finance;

— Payroll shared services;

— Including shared services assurance reporting;

— Corporate social responsibility and sustainability;

— Specific statutory audits of local government, on behalf of central government (not external audit), including under the Secretary of State's powers related to section 10 of the Local Government Act 1999 (as amended);

— Advisory work linked to and usually contributing to the annual internal audit opinion;

— Other internal audit services;

— Other assurance and similar risk advisory services;

— IT Deep specialisms (including advisory work):

— Cyber security;

— Digital;

— Agile Development;

— Other specialist IT;

— Commercial:;

— Contracting and procurement;

— Supply chain management;

— Complex operating systems;

— Spread sheet and modelling audits work, including data modelling and analysis;

— Programme Management:

— Project and Programme management;

— Change management;

— Development of GIAA:

— Setting direction of GIAA;

— Development of GIAA staff;

— Best practice approaches to the delivery of services.

Work will include: providing advice on an ad hoc basis to GIAA and Arms Length Authorities of each Department on quality assurance, audit tools and techniques, technical updates, change management in an audit context and audit management. Work may be allocated on the basis of themes.

— Client specific development, within framework of GIAA strategy.

— Each supplier contracted to provide lot 1 services may also be asked to provide client specific skills transfer, such as for a departmental group or similar clients, such as regulators.

— Client development for internal audit services outside GIAA.

— Specialism development:

— Each supplier contracted to provide services under this lot will also be required to provide knowledge and skills transfer to develop GIAA specialisms, in particular on Programme Management and Commercial work.

— Secondments:

In addition suppliers may be asked to provide secondees to GIAA and other central government authorities, at rates not more than the established rate cards for the Lot, and accept secondees from the contracting Authorities.

All work undertaken shall be in accordance with GIAA standards Public Sector Internal Audit Standards http://www.cipfa.org/policy-and-guidance/standards/public-sector-internal-audit-standards and GIAA methodology or the methology of the relevant commissioner.

2)

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

3)

Quantity or scope

Services required will include the provision of effective skills transfer, advice and services; including industry leading skills and expertise to supplement the capabilities of the in-house teams in the following primary areas which are detailed in Part A (Services) of Framework Agreement Schedule 2.

The services required within this Framework Agreement may also involve the review of private sector contractors providing services to the public sector, for example a shared payroll service and other transactional shared services. The Services may also involve the statutory investigations of local government on behalf of central government (but not the external audit of annual financial statements).

Suppliers shall be contractually required to transfer knowledge and skills to GIAA and this should cover all potential geographical locations, including the UK and Overseas (if applicable) as specified by the Authority in the Lotting structures. Staff assigned to complete audit services will require the appropriate levels of security vetting.

A significant element of the work will be to support the requirement to deliver an annual Internal Audit Opinion on the adequacy and effectiveness of the client organisation's framework of governance, risk management and control.

4)

Indication about different contract dates

5)

Additional Information about lots

ANNEX B

Information About Lots

1)

Short Description

The provision of internal audit and advisory services for GIAA and other UK central government internal audit and related services, including the delivery of a complete annual programme of work and opinion, in the following areas:

— Fraud audits.

— Advice and investigations.

— Specialism development:

— Each supplier contracted to provide services under this lot will also be required to provide knowledge and skills transfer to develop GIAA specialisms.

— Secondments:

In addition suppliers may be asked to provide secondees to GIAA and other central government authorities, at rates not more than the established rate cards for the Lot, and accept secondees from the contracting Authorities.

All work undertaken shall be in accordance with Public Sector Internal Audit Standards http://www.cipfa.org/policy-and-guidance/standards/public-sector-internal-audit-standards and GIAA methodology or the methology of the relevant commissioner.

2)

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

3)

Quantity or scope

Services required will include the provision of effective skills transfer, advice and services; including industry leading skills and expertise to supplement the capabilities of the in-house teams in the following primary areas which are detailed in Part A (Services) of Framework Agreement Schedule 2.

The services required within this Framework Agreement may also involve the review of private sector contractors providing services to the public sector, for example a shared payroll service and other transactional shared services. The Services may also involve the statutory investigations of local government on behalf of central government (but not the external audit of annual financial statements).

Suppliers shall be contractually required to transfer knowledge and skills to GIAA and this should cover all potential geographical locations, including the UK and Overseas (if applicable) as specified by the Authority in the Lotting structures. Staff assigned to complete audit services will require the appropriate levels of security vetting.

A significant element of the work will be to support the requirement to deliver an annual Internal Audit Opinion on the adequacy and effectiveness of the client organisation's framework of governance, risk management and control.

4)

Indication about different contract dates

5)

Additional Information about lots

ANNEX B

Information About Lots

1)

Short Description

The provision of internal audit and advisory services for GIAA and other UK central government internal audit and related services in the following areas:

— EU Regulations and their audit.

— Banking and financial services.

— Banking and financial services Regulations.

— Specialism development:

— Each supplier contracted to provide services under this lot will also be required to provide knowledge and skills transfer to develop GIAA specialisms.

— Secondments:

In addition suppliers may be asked to provide secondees to GIAA and other central government authorities, at rates not more than the established rate cards for the Lot, and accept secondees from the contracting Authorities.

All work undertaken shall be in accordance with GIAA standards Public Sector Internal Audit Standards http://www.cipfa.org/policy-and-guidance/standards/public-sector-internal-audit-standards and GIAA methodology or the methology of the relevant commissioner.

2)

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

3)

Quantity or scope

Services required will include the provision of effective skills transfer, advice and services; including industry leading skills and expertise to supplement the capabilities of the in-house teams in the following primary areas which are detailed in Part A (Services) of Framework Agreement Schedule 2.

The services required within this Framework Agreement may also involve the review of private sector contractors providing services to the public sector, for example a shared payroll service and other transactional shared services. The Services may also involve the statutory investigations of local government on behalf of central government (but not the external audit of annual financial statements).

Suppliers shall be contractually required to transfer knowledge and skills to GIAA and this should cover all potential geographical locations, including the UK and Overseas (if applicable) as specified by the Authority in the Lotting structures. Staff assigned to complete audit services will require the appropriate levels of security vetting.

A significant element of the work will be to support the requirement to deliver an annual Internal Audit Opinion on the adequacy and effectiveness of the client organisation's framework of governance, risk management and control.

4)

Indication about different contract dates

5)

Additional Information about lots