Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
The Minister for the Cabinet Office acting through Crown Commercial Service
9th Floor, The Capital, Old Hall Street
Liverpool
L3 9PP
supplier@crowncommercial.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 345410222
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://crowncommercialservice.bravosolution.co.uk
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://crowncommercialservice.bravosolution.co.uk
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Audit and Assurance Services Two (A&AS2)
Reference number
RM6310
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79212000 - Auditing services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Crown Commercial Service (CCS), hereby known as the Authority, is seeking to establish a multi-supplier Framework Contract for the supply of audit and assurance services.
Audit and Assurance Services Two (A&AS2) (RM6310) will be available for use by organisations, and their successors, listed in the authorised customer list cited at VI.3 (Additional Information) of this Notice.
Services will be delivered primarily within the United Kingdom, with some limited requirements overseas.
A&AS2 will replace Audit and Assurance Services (RM6188).
A&AS2 will have 4 lots -
Lot 1 - Internal audit and assurance
Lot 2 - External audit
Lot 3 - Counter-fraud and investigation
Lot 4 - Other independent assurance
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £500,000,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: Yes
Tenders may be submitted for all lots
Maximum number of lots that may be awarded to one tenderer: 4
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Internal audit and assurance
Lot No
1
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 72224200 - System quality assurance planning services
- 72225000 - System quality assurance assessment and review services
- 72810000 - Computer audit services
- 75211200 - Foreign economic-aid-related services
- 79200000 - Accounting, auditing and fiscal services
- 79210000 - Accounting and auditing services
- 79212000 - Auditing services
- 79212100 - Financial auditing services
- 79212110 - Corporate governance rating services
- 79212200 - Internal audit services
- 79313000 - Performance review services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Provision of services relating to all aspects of internal audit to provide independent and objective assurance and consulting activity on the effectiveness of governance, risk management and controls in line with public sector internal audit standards and other Standards.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 70
Price - Weighting: 30
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £200,000,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
48
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
The initial duration of the Framework is 36 months, with an option to extend for a further 12 months
CCS reserve the right to extend lots by varying durations
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2.14) Additional information
100 places are available on this lot.
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
External audit
Lot No
2
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 66113000 - Credit granting services
- 66113100 - Micro-credit granting services
- 66151000 - Financial market operational services
- 66152000 - Financial market regulatory services
- 75211200 - Foreign economic-aid-related services
- 79200000 - Accounting, auditing and fiscal services
- 79210000 - Accounting and auditing services
- 79212000 - Auditing services
- 79212100 - Financial auditing services
- 79212300 - Statutory audit services
- 79212500 - Accounting review services
- 79311410 - Economic impact assessment
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Provision of services relating to all aspects of external audits including inspecting documents, re-performing calculations and reviewing and reporting on controls and systems. Statutory audits requested by grant providers are included.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 70
Price - Weighting: 30
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £100,000,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
48
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
The initial duration of the Framework is 36 months, with an option to extend for 12 months
CCS reserve the right to extend lots by varying durations
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2.14) Additional information
100 places are available on this lot.
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Counter-fraud and investigation
Lot No
3
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 72810000 - Computer audit services
- 75211200 - Foreign economic-aid-related services
- 79200000 - Accounting, auditing and fiscal services
- 79210000 - Accounting and auditing services
- 79212000 - Auditing services
- 79212100 - Financial auditing services
- 79212400 - Fraud audit services
- 79311410 - Economic impact assessment
- 79313000 - Performance review services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Provision of services relating to proactive counter-fraud work and reactive investigations including forensics.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 70
Price - Weighting: 30
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £125,000,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
48
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
The initial duration of the Framework is 36 months, with an option to extend for 12 months
CCS reserve the right to extend lots by varying durations.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2.14) Additional information
100 places are available on this lot.
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Other Independent assurance
Lot No
4
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 66113000 - Credit granting services
- 66113100 - Micro-credit granting services
- 72224200 - System quality assurance planning services
- 72225000 - System quality assurance assessment and review services
- 72810000 - Computer audit services
- 75211200 - Foreign economic-aid-related services
- 79200000 - Accounting, auditing and fiscal services
- 79210000 - Accounting and auditing services
- 79212000 - Auditing services
- 79212100 - Financial auditing services
- 79212110 - Corporate governance rating services
- 79212400 - Fraud audit services
- 79311410 - Economic impact assessment
- 79313000 - Performance review services
- 90714000 - Environmental auditing
- 90714200 - Corporate environmental auditing services
- 90714300 - Sectoral environmental auditing services
- 90714400 - Activity specific environmental auditing services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Provision of services relating to assurance over aspects of organisational, operational and programme performance, benefiting from objective examination and assessment.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 70
Price - Weighting: 30
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £75,000,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
48
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
The initial duration of the Framework is 36 months, with an option to extend for 12 months
CCS reserve the right to extend lots by varying durations.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2.14) Additional information
100 places are available on this lot.
Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions for participation
three.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
List and brief description of conditions
Candidates will be assessed in accordance with Section 5 of the 2015 Public Contract Regulations (implementing the directive) on the basis of information provided in response to an invitation to tender (ITT) registering for access.
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
four.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
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2023/S 000-025601
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
18 March 2025
Local time
3:00pm
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
four.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
Tender must be valid until: 14 September 2025
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
18 March 2025
Local time
3:01pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic ordering will be used
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Electronic payment will be used
six.3) Additional information
As part of this contract notice the following documents can be accessed at: [https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/2231fcbd-cb4a-4ee3-a9a6-961a16b3a138]
1) Contract notice transparency information for the agreement;
2) Contract notice authorised customer list;
3) Rights reserved for CCS framework.
The Government Security Classifications (GSC) Policy came into force on 2 April 2014 and describes how HM Government classifies information assets to ensure they are appropriately protected. It applies to all information that Government collects, stores, processes, generates or shares to deliver services and conduct business.
Cyber Essentials is a mandatory requirement for Central Government contracts which involve handling personal information or provide certain ICT products/services. Government is taking steps to reduce the levels of cyber security risk in its supply chain through the Cyber Essentials scheme. The scheme defines a set of controls which, when implemented, will provide organisations with basic protection from the most prevalent forms of threat coming from the internet. To participate in this procurement, bidders must be able to demonstrate they comply with the technical requirements prescribed by Cyber Essentials, for services under and in connection with this procurement.
Refer to https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/information/cyber-essentials-faqs for more information.
Some purchases under this framework Agreement may have requirements that can be met under this Framework Agreement but the purchase of which may be exempt from the Procurement Regulations (as defined in Attachment 1 – About the framework within the invitation to tender documentation). In such cases, Call-offs from this Framework will be unregulated purchases for the purposes of the Procurement Regulations, and the buyers may, at their discretion, modify the terms of the Framework and any Call-off Contracts to reflect that buyer’s specific needs.
In each Lot, CCS reserves the right to award a framework to any bidder whose final score is within 1% of the last awarded position.
Minimum standards of reliability:
CCS may also assess whether the selection criteria (in respect of III.1.3 Technical and professional ability), as set out in the procurement documents, is met on request from a buyer prior to the proposed conclusion of a call-off contract with a value in excess of 20 000 000 GBP.
Registering for access:
This procurement will be managed electronically via the eSourcing suite. This will be the route for sharing all information and communicating with bidders. If you have recently registered on the eSourcing suite for another CCS procurement you can use the same account for this new procurement. If not, you will first need to register your organisation on the portal.
Use the following link for information on how register and use the eSourcing tool: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esourcing-tool-guidance-for-suppliers
For assistance please contact the eSourcing Help desk operated by email at eEnablement@crowncommercial.gov.uk or call 0345 410 2222.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The Minister for the Cabinet Office acting through Crown Commercial Service
9th Floor, The Capital, Old Hall Street
Liverpool
L3 9PP
supplier@crowncommercial.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 3454102222
Country
United Kingdom