News

United Kingdom-Cambridge: Statutory Audit and Multi-Specialty Audit Services and Advisory Consultancy Services

Type of document: Invitation to tender
Country: United Kingdom
OJEU Ref: (2019/S 153-377590/EN)
Nature of contract: Service contract
Procedure: Open procedure
Regulation of procurement: EU – with participation by GPA countries
Type of bid required: Global bid

Contract notice
Services

Section I: Contracting authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Official name: East Of England NHS Collaborative Hub
Postal address: Victoria House, Capital Business Park, Fulbourn
Town: Cambridge
Postal code: CB21 5XB
Country: United Kingdom
Contact Person: Sandra Atik
Telephone: +44 7983339079
Email: phc@eoecph.nhs.uk
Internet address(es):
Main address:

The contract is awarded by central purchasing body
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge,at:
Additional information can be obtained from:
the above mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted:
electronically via:
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity
Health

Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title: Statutory Audit and Multi-Specialty Audit Services and Advisory Consultancy Services

Reference number: project_18893
II.1.2) Main CPV code: 79200000
II.1.3) Type of contract: Services
II.1.4) Short Description: EOECPH is seeking experienced, proven, innovative and agile providers to deliver multi-speciality audit services relevant to publicly funded bodies including but not limited to NHS.
This will include supply of external audit, internal audit, counter fraud services, internal audit and counter fraud services, workforce audit services, VAT audit services, local security management specialists and business/consultancy audit and financial services to compliment and support all other lots on the framework
This framework is for the benefit of publicly funded (wholly or partially funded) service delivery arenas, such as but not limited to (including combinations and variations) of:
— core public services (central and sub-central authorities),
— patient/user-centric service development,
— NHS delivered health services,
— other delivered health services,
— social services,
— local government services,
— local authority services,
— health and social care services, who are, or become customers of EoECPH or alliances.
II.1.6) Information about lots:
The contract is divided into lots: Yes
Tenders may be submitted for all lots
II.2) Description
II.2.1) Title: External Audit

Lot No:1
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
79200000, 79210000, 79212000, 79212100, 79212300, 79212500

II.2.3) Place of performance
Nuts code: UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement:
External Audit’s objectives are to review and report on:
(a) the financial aspects of the audited body’s corporate governance arrangements, as they relate to:
(i) the legality of transactions that might have significant financial consequences;
(ii) the financial standing of the audited body;
(iii) systems of internal financial control;
(iv) standards of financial conduct; and
(v) the prevention and detection of fraud and corruption;
(b) the audited body’s financial statements; and
(c) aspects of the audited body’s arrangements to manage its performance, as they relate to economy, efficiency and effectiveness in the use of resources.
II.2.5) Award criteria

II.2.7) Duration of the contract,framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 48
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
II.2.1) Title: Internal Audit

Lot No:2
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
79200000, 79210000, 79212000, 79212100, 79212200, 79212300, 79212400, 79212500

II.2.3) Place of performance
Nuts code: UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement:
The provider will be expected to provide a full internal audit service, undertaking systems-based audits where feasible. The main responsibility of that service will be to provide the board (through its audit committee) with assessments of the effectiveness of the contracting authority’s system of internal control which can be relied on by external auditors for their annual governance statement.
The internal auditors will report to the Director of finance and performance but will also have direct access to the audit committee. It is recognised that an effective control system reduces the likelihood that errors or irregularities will occur and remain undetected; however, it does not eliminate that possibility. It is also recognised that the provider’s work does not guarantee that errors or irregularities will not occur and may not detect errors or irregularities which do occur.
II.2.5) Award criteria

Lot No:3
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
79200000, 79210000, 79212000, 79212100, 79212400

II.2.3) Place of performance
Nuts code: UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement:
All publicly funded contracting bodies require high quality counter fraud services, which meet the service delivery and reporting requirements specifically relevant to their organisation, ensuring that the publicly funded entity as contracting authority, obtains value for money whilst providing its core role and responsibilities.
The provider will be expected to take on any additional duties during the contract period arising from legislative changes and directives relating to counter fraud, subject to the agreement as to the impact of new requirements on the agreed counter fraud plan, and will ensure the necessary levels of professional independence and objectivity.
II.2.5) Award criteria

Lot No:4
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
79200000, 79210000, 79212000, 79212100, 79212200, 79212300, 79212400

II.2.3) Place of performance
Nuts code: UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement:
Provision of combined internal audit and counter fraud services will not be directly evaluated. A tenderer’s scores for Lot 2 and Lot 3 will be combined to calculate the tenderers Lot 4 score. Providers whose bid submission is suitable for award in their own right for Lot 2 and Lot 3 will be considered for Lot 4, where so identified by the bidder as part of their submission.
II.2.5) Award criteria

Lot No:5
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
79212200

II.2.3) Place of performance
Nuts code: UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement:
The workforce audit lot will comprise of service delivery requirements, including but not limited to the following areas:
— temporary and permanent clinical staffing,
— temporary, fixed term and permanent staffing including non-clinical, temporary and fixed-term staff,
— staff bank suppliers including both technology and practical delivery and flexible resource pool — staff bank,
— international recruitment staffing programmes including international healthcare professionals recruitment and associated services,
— NHS Workforce focussed technology solutions,
— NHS Workforce focussed consultancy solutions.
The scope and extent of the audit requirements will be defined by the contracting authority. Audits may include but are not limited to the following areas of staffing supplier operations or company credentials:
— financial stability including for bidders of new framework agreements,
— operational or any other business functions as required e.g. framework compliance checks,
— mandatory assessment, either annual or as specified by the contracting authority,
— reviewing operations against compliance with NHS pre-employment checks and employers employment checks and or as detailed by the contracting authority,
— reactionary assessments as a result of information learnt or accusations made.
Provisionally and in consideration of the requirements specified above, the remit of the work can be categorised as, but is not limited, the following:
— pre or post award audit,
— rolling/periodic/scheduled audit,
— ad hoc/reactionary audit.
II.2.5) Award criteria

Lot No:6
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
66171000, 79200000, 79210000, 79212000, 79212100, 79212200, 79212300, 79221000

II.2.3) Place of performance
Nuts code: UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement:
Contracting authorities, when set as a VAT registered body, are required to comply with the VAT rules and procedures as enforced by HMRC. Along with mainstream businesses the organisation has a duty to consider how VAT affects all of its income and expenditure, including any secondary income sources. For this VAT advisory service, the main elements captured are:
—VAT compliance/recovery,
—capital programme,
—business input calculation and optional ad-hoc consultancy project work.
Project work can consist of planned work for VAT advice as well as unforeseen requirements, which may become apparent during the life of the contract.
The contracting authority requires the provision of VAT advisory services, to cover all of their activities including, but not exclusive to the review of contracted out services, VAT attributable to business activities (including car parking, catering, capital purchases, and charitable services), reviews of partial exemptions (monthly including annual adjustment), including any liaison with HMRC should this be required.
It is expected that the provider will ensure all and any requirements, in relation to VAT, will be supplied to the contracting authority ensuring a comprehensive VAT advisory service. The provider, when undertaking delivery of the VAT advisory services, will in consultation with the Contracting Authority as to their exact requirements,
II.2.5) Award criteria

Lot No:7
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
66171000, 79212000, 79700000

II.2.3) Place of performance
Nuts code: UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement:
The role of the LSMS is to implement at a local level, the national policy for security management, and to work proactively and reactively with the NHS contracting authorities accessing these services. Providers will be required to assist with the development and implementation of services as well as assisting trusts review their security strategies to ensure that staff and patients along with trust and personal assets are protected as far as is reasonably practicable, allowing the trust to focus on providing and delivering high quality healthcare.
The provider will be responsible for:
— providing security management and or assurance services,
— assisting the organisation in reviewing and addressing security risks,
— ensuring there are effective policies and procedures in place in terms of physical and procedural security,
— enabling a safe and secure environment where staff and visitors are as safe as is reasonably practicable,
— for NHS organisations enabling a safe and secure environment where staff, patients and visitors so that the highest standards of clinical care can be made available to service users,
— developing appropriate training to support security standards,
— provide advice and guidance through working in close partnership with Trust stakeholders and external organisations such as the Police, Crown Prosecution Services (CPS), auditors/other professional bodies and trade unions,
— enabling and promoting a pro-security culture within the organisation,
— monitoring and investigating violence and security incidents,
— ensuring the organisation is taking appropriate and proportional action in respect to incidents, and
— to actively work to reduce incidents of violence and aggression in the organisation through proactive work streams such as physical, technical and procedural controls to provide a balanced and appropriate security approach that meets the needs and circumstances of any service/locality.
II.2.5) Award criteria

Lot No:8
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
79200000, 79210000, 79212000, 79212100, 79212200, 79212300, 79212400

II.2.3) Place of performance
Nuts code: UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement:
Lot 8 is a locked lot and will not be evaluated; it is intended that inclusion to this lot will only be available to those providers awarded to the framework. Consultancy audit services can either supplement the lot or lots a provider has been awarded to, complimenting services detailed against the lot, or alternatively they can be stand alone to provide independent review and scrutiny for governance requirements applicable to the wider audit environment, or services and advice which ties back to the wider requirements of the Trust.
Consultancy services requirements may change during the life of the framework; from changes in requirements from legislation, or individual Trust needs, staff turnover and organisational transition, etc.
The types of consultancy services available under Lot 8 could be but are not restricted to the following types of services:
— business/service reviews,
— due diligence reviews,
— standard training and development,
— CCG board evaluation and development,
— Governance for Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs),
— ‘Critical Friend’ support,
— IT Health checks, managing risks and securing value,
— information governance in practice,
— data analysis, Computer assisted auditing techniques (CAATs),
— bribery act and counter fraud training,
— conflict resolution and security management,
— charitable funds training and development,
— clinical commissioning groups board and evaluation,
— financial recovery and tracking,
— facilitation workshops for boards,
— training on the role of audit committees for non-executive directors,
— support in developing governance arrangements,
— ‘deep dive’ financial account checks this could be a review on invoicing to ensure appropriate payments have been made e.g. HMRC, supplier invoicing, etc.,
— cyber security assessments and testing on systems.
II.2.5) Award criteria

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

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
Framework agreement with several operators
IV.1.8) Information about the 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: 2019-09-03 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 tender must maintain the tender
Duration in months:3(from the date stated for receipt of tender)
IV.2.7) Conditions for opening tenders
Date: 2019-09-03 Local time: 12:00

Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence:
This is a recurrent procurement: yes
Estimated timing for further notices to be published:Four years.
VI.2) Information about electronic workflows
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Official name: NHS Resolution
Town: London
Country: United Kingdom
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice:2019-08-07