Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Broxtowe Borough Council
Beeston
NOTTINGHAM
NG91AB
Telephone
+44 1159177777
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKF1 - Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire
Justification for not providing organisation identifier
Not on any register
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
https://www.eastmidstenders.org
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://www.eastmidstenders.org
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://www.eastmidstenders.org
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
BP1031 - Housing Benefit Subsidy Assurance Services
Reference number
BP1031
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79212000 - Auditing services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Broxtowe Borough Council is conducting the procurement exercise on behalf of the Council's listed below, to establish contracts for the supply of Housing Benefit Assurance Services.
• Broxtowe Borough Council
• Gedling Borough Council
• Newark and Sherwood District Council
• Rushcliffe Borough Council
(The Council/s)
Each of the participating Councils will award contracts separately and day-to-day transactions under the agreement will be conducted between the appointed Service Provider (Auditor) and the particular Council concerned. In any event, any formal contracts which emerge from this process will be entered into separately with the Service Provider by each council, with no relationship of joint or several liabilities between them.
The Council requires a Service Provider (Auditor) to audit their Housing Benefit (HB) Subsidy Grant claims in England, commencing with the subsidy period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. (equivalent dates for any extension period), to meet the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) requirements to give the DWP assurance of a valid and true claim. The Service Provider will conduct testing of all Housing Benefit Assurance Procedure (HBAP) aspects of the audit.
Bidders must be currently registered on the Local Public Audit Register and available to facilitate the HBAP in respect of the FYE ending March 2023 and FYE March 2024, as detailed in the LA Welfare Direct Bulletin - LAWD 12/2022, otherwise your bid will fail.
The initial contract period is 12 months. The contract is estimated to commence 1 April 2024 and expire 31 March 2025.
There will be an option to extend the contract for 24 months in 12 month increments, subject to satisfactory performance and business needs. Maximum contract period is 36 months, covering 2023, 2024 and 2025 audit requirements
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKF15 - North Nottinghamshire
- UKF16 - South Nottinghamshire
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Council requires a Service Provider (Auditor) to audit their Housing Benefit (HB) Subsidy Grant claims in England, commencing with the subsidy period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. (equivalent dates for any extension period), to meet the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) requirements to give the DWP assurance of a valid and true claim. The Service Provider will conduct testing of all Housing Benefit Assurance Procedure (HBAP) aspects of the audit.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
12
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
up to a further 24 months
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
up to a further 24 months
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
Bidders must be currently registered on the Local Public Audit Register and available to facilitate the HBAP in respect of the FYE ending March 2023 and FYE March 2024, as detailed in the LA Welfare Direct Bulletin - LAWD 12/2022, otherwise your bid will fail.
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
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.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
17 March 2023
Local time
10:00am
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
Duration in months: 4 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
17 March 2023
Local time
11:00am
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: Yes
Estimated timing for further notices to be published: 01/11/2026
six.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic ordering will be used
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Electronic payment will be used
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Broxtowe Borough Council
Nottingham
NG9 1AB
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
Precise information on deadline(s) for lodging appeals:
The contracting authority will incorporate a minimum 10 calendar day standstill period following electronic notification (minimum of 15 calendar days for any other means of communication) to tenderers of the award decision. This period allows unsuccessful tenderers to seek further debriefing from the contracting authority before the contract is entered into. If an appeal regarding the award of a contract has not been successfully resolved the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Si 2015 No 102) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland). Any such action must be brought promptly (generally within 3 months). Where a contract has not been entered into the Court may order the setting aside of the award decision or order the authority to amend any document and may award damages. If the contract has been entered into the Court may only award damages. The purpose of the standstill period referred to above is to allow parties to apply to the Courts to set aside the award decision before the contract is entered into.