Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
National Audit Office
157-197 Buckingham Palace Road
LONDON
SW1W9SP
UK
Contact person: ima orosei
Telephone: +44 2077985343
E-mail: nao.procurement@nao.org.uk
NUTS: UKI32
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.nao.org.uk
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.nao.org.uk
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-LONDON:-Auditing-services./X8A3B4AVE5
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-LONDON:-Auditing-services./X8A3B4AVE5
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
CPT_23_11 External Audit services
Reference number: CPT_23_11 External Audit services
II.1.2) Main CPV code
79212000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
The National Audit Office (NAO) is the UK's independent public spending watchdog. We support Parliament in holding government to account and we help improve public services through our high-quality audits work.
NAO is now seeking an External Auditor who will be expected to audit the financial years ending 31 March 2025, 2026, and 2027 to an appropriate timetable. The NAO aims to have its Annual Report and Accounts (which include the financial statements) ready for publication in June each year following the 31 March year end.
The contract is anticipated to commence July 2024 for an initial period of 3 years with an option for the NAO to extend the contract for a period of up to two years subject to approval by the Public Accounts Commission (on the basis of two periods of 12 months) (potentially making it a maximum term of 5 years.
The estimated value of the contract is £700,000 inclusive of VAT for the full 5 years.
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
583 333.33
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
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The appointment of the External Auditor will be subject to approval of Parliament's Public Accounts Commission at a hearing expected to take place in early Spring 2024.
Examples of prior year studies can be found on the Commission website: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications?SearchTerm=value+for+money&DateFrom=&DateTo=&SessionId=
The selected External Auditor will be expected to provide an opinion on whether:
• the financial statements give a true and fair view for the year;
• the statements are prepared in accordance with the Government Financial Reporting Manual;
• the NAO's expenditure is within its Parliamentary Control Totals for the year (capital, resource, cash); and
• expenditure and income have been applied correctly for the purposes intended by Parliament.
The External Auditor will also be expected to:
• provide an independent review of the annual statement of financial impacts arising from the NAO's work and providing an opinion on whether the reported impacts are reasonable based on the underlying methodologies on which they are prepared.
• deliver a value for money study of an aspect of the NAO's operations when commissioned by the NAO's Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC) to an appropriate timetable. The nature of the topic may change. Examples of recent value for money studies have covered the NAO's Human Resources department, and Finance and Procurement.
• attend meetings of the NAO's ARAC Committee and, when requested to do so, meetings of the Public Accounts Commission.
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:
583 333.33
GBP
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 60
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
Consideration of renewal shall be detailed within ITT Document, Suppliers are requested to refer to the published ITT document for further information.
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:
Consideration of contract extensions shall be detailed within ITT Document, Suppliers are requested to refer to the published ITT document for further information.
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:
Please refer to Invitation to Tender (ITT) documentation for further details.
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.2.2) Contract performance conditions
Please refer to Invitation to Tender (ITT) documentation for further details.
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.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number in the OJ S:
2023/S 000-012319
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
10/10/2023
Local time: 12:00
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
Duration in months: 6 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date:
16/10/2023
Local time: 12:00
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
No
VI.3) Additional information
The NAO considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement.
Please refer to Invitation to Tender (ITT) documentation for further details.
Registering for access:
The system that NAO will use to electronically conduct this procurement exercise is Delta eSourcing system at https://login.bipsolutions.com/casDelta/login?service=https://www.delta-esourcing.com/delta/j_spring_cas_security_check.
If organisations are interested in this new contract opportunity, then register onto the system by clicking the " Register as a Supplier" link.
Once logged into the system, organisations will be able to locate this procurement by using the Access Code number X8A3B4AVE5.
Then select "Register Interest" to be able to access the documentation for this procurement and subsequently submit your response. For assistance, please contact the Delta Help Desk on 0800 923 9236
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
National Audit Office
157-197 Buckingham Palace Road
Victoria
SW1W 9SP
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
08/09/2023