Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON
HIGHFIELD CAMPUS,UNIVERSITY ROAD
SOUTHAMPTON
SO171BJ
Contact
Alice Mashford
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKJ32 - Southampton
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.southampton.ac.uk/
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://intendhost.co.uk/universityofsouthampton
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://intendhost.co.uk/universityofsouthampton
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Education
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
External Audit Services
Reference number
2022UoS-0436
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79212300 - Statutory audit services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The University requires an external auditor to provide the external audit of the University's annual consolidated financial statements and of the annual financial statements of its relevant UK and overseas subsidiary companies including pensions.
Tenderers must be a UK-registered auditor, registered with a relevant UK accountancy body, and a Malaysian-registered auditor. Where the University requires external audit services to be provided for its overseas subsidiaries, the Tenderer will also need to confirm they (or their subcontractor that will be fulfilling the services locally) are compliant with local auditor registration requirements.
The Tenderer will need to confirm they are compliant with the Financial Reporting Council's Code of Ethics particularly in respect of the start date of this Contract and the independence required for working with public interest entities.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £2,750,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79212000 - Auditing services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKJ32 - Southampton
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The University requires an external auditor to provide the external audit of the University's annual consolidated financial statements and of the annual financial statements of its relevant UK and overseas subsidiary companies including pensions.
Tenderers must be a UK-registered auditor, registered with a relevant UK accountancy body, and a Malaysian-registered auditor. Where the University requires external audit services to be provided for its overseas subsidiaries, the Tenderer will also need to confirm they (or their subcontractor that will be fulfilling the services locally) are compliant with local auditor registration requirements.
The Tenderer will need to confirm they are compliant with the Financial Reporting Council's Code of Ethics particularly in respect of the start date of this Contract and the independence required for working with public interest entities.
Procurement Process:
This procurement process is being conducted as an Open procedure. Tenderers will need to achieve a minimum acceptable qualitative pass mark of 50%. Tenderers who do not achieve an overall qualitative score of 50% or higher will be excluded from the competition and will not receive a Commercial score. The University will tell you that you have been excluded from the procurement and why at the award stage.
Contract Period:
The University proposes to enter into a Contract for 10 years - this will be the maximum contract period, including any potential extensions with the successful tenderer(s).
This will comprise of an initial contract period of 5 years with an option to extend by a further 5 years subject to satisfactory performance and at the discretion of the University.
Contract Value: The estimated value of the initial 5-year contract term is in the region of £875,000 - £1,375,000 GBP (excluding VAT).
The estimated value of the 5-year extension period is £875,000 - £1,375,000 GBP (excluding VAT).
It is estimated, therefore, that the total value of this contract will be between £1,750,000 and £2,750,000 GBP (excluding VAT).
Details of current expenditure or potential future uptake are given as a guide based on past purchasing and current planning to assist you in the preparation of your Tender. They should not be interpreted as an undertaking to purchase any goods or services to any particular value and do not form part of the Contract.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: UK-registered auditor / Weighting: Pass/Fail
Quality criterion - Name: Malaysian-registered auditor / Weighting: Pass/Fail
Quality criterion - Name: Confirmation of independence / Weighting: Pass/Fail
Quality criterion - Name: Resourcing / Weighting: 23%
Quality criterion - Name: Relevant Knowledge and Experience / Weighting: 18%
Quality criterion - Name: Audit Approach, Service Delivery Management and Outcomes / Weighting: 31%
Quality criterion - Name: Data Protection / Weighting: 3%
Cost criterion - Name: Commercial / Weighting: 25%
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £2,750,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
120
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
This contract is likely to be subject to renewal towards the end of this contract period.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.14) Additional information
Lots: This contract is NOT suitable for splitting into lots. The risk of dividing the requirement into Lots would render the execution of the contract excessively technically difficult, not cost effective and would undermine proper execution of the contract.
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
• The Tenderer must be a registered UK auditor, registered with a recognised UK accountancy body
• The Tenderer must comply with auditor registration requirements in Malaysia
• The Tenderer must confirm its compliance with independence requirements, as set out in the Financial Reporting Council's Code of Ethics, specifically in respect of public interest entities and the start date of this Contract.
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
List and brief description of selection criteria
To support the financial assessment, the University will obtain a Business Risk Report for all Tenderers and every organisation that is being relied on to meet this procurement, using an independent company called Creditsafe.
The University reserves the right to exclude a Tenderer or request provision of further assurances such as parent company/bank guarantee or performance bonds where a Tenderer's Business Risk Score is: "Moderate Risk"; "High Risk"; "Very High Risk"; or "Not Rated", based on the rating provided by Creditsafe
Where a Business Risk Score from our external system is not available, then an alternative method of assessing financial standing will be used. This method is detailed within the Invitation to Tender document set.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required:
Tenderers are advised that a requirement of this procurement is to have in place, or commit to obtain prior to the commencement of the contract, the following minimum insurance levels:
Employers (Compulsory) Liability: £10 million GBP per occurrence.
Public Liability: £5 million GBP per occurrence.
Professional Indemnity Insurance: £5 million GBP per occurrence.
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
List and brief description of selection criteria
Tenderers attention is drawn to the MANDATORY requirements of the award criteria :
- Grounds for mandatory exclusion
- Grounds for discretionary exclusion
- Economic & Financial Standing
- Insurance
- Compliance with equality legislation
- Health & Safety
- UK registered auditor
- Malaysia registered auditor
- Independence in relation to Financial Reporting Council's Code of Ethics
three.2) Conditions related to the contract
three.2.1) Information about a particular profession
Execution of the service is reserved to a particular profession
Reference to the relevant law, regulation or administrative provision
UK-registered auditor - tenderers must be a UK-registered auditor registered with one of the following accountancy bodies:
• Association of Authorised Public Accountants (AAPA)
• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
• Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
• Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS)
• Other equivalent accountancy body that registers auditors to practice in the United Kingdom
Tenderers must comply with auditor registration requirements in Malaysia:
1. Registered under Malaysian Institute of Accountant (MIA). A unique registration number is given to each approved registered firm.
2. Registered under Securities Commission of Malaysia.
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
6 June 2022
Local time
12:00pm
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
Duration in months: 5 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
6 June 2022
Local time
12:01pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: Yes
Estimated timing for further notices to be published: This is likely to be re-procured in 2027 or 2032, depending on whether the optional extension is used.
six.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic ordering will be used
Electronic payment will be used
six.3) Additional information
E-Tendering Portal: The University is utilising an electronic tendering tool, In-Tend (https://intendhost.co.uk/universityofsouthampton) to manage this procurement and to communicate with potential suppliers and/or tenderers (as appropriate).
All documentation in relation to this tender can be downloaded from In-Tend.
Potential suppliers/tenderers are advised that there will be no hard copy documents issued and all communications with the University, including the submission of Selection Stage and/or Invitation to Tender responses will be conducted via In-Tend.
Regular monitoring of the portal is the responsibility of the potential supplier/tenderer.
If you are not already registered as a supplier with the University of Southampton, you will need to register in In-Tend in order to access the procurement documentation.
Once you have logged in as a supplier: click on 'Tenders'; locate the relevant project; and click 'View Details'. Once you are in the project screen, you will be able to register your organisation against the project and access all documentation by clicking 'Express Interest'.
Potential suppliers/tenderers are advised that formal expressions of interest in the project must be by way of completion and return of the relevant documents via In-Tend.
Further instructions for the submission of responses are below:
To submit your return:
1. Log in
2. Click 'Tenders'
3. Locate the relevant project
4. View details
5. Click on the tab relating to the relevant project stage (e.g. 'Invitation to Tender')
6. Click on the 'Attach Documents' button and upload your return.
7. Check ALL your response documents are uploaded and displayed in the 'My Tender Return' panel. The system will only permit your organisation to make one return.
8. Click the red 'Submit Return' button.
Please note, to preserve the integrity of the procurement, all communications with the University must be made via the correspondence function within In-Tend.
Publication of Award Details: In accordance with Regulation 50, paragraph (2) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and subject to Article 5 and Annex 5, Part D (13) of Directive 2014/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (if applicable), the University intends to publish the value of any resulting contract at the award stage, and reserves the right to do so. By submitting a response, potential suppliers/tenderers are consenting to publication of this information unless otherwise agreed in advance with the University.
Costs and Expenses: Potential suppliers/tenderers are solely responsible for their costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation and submission of responses and participation in this and all future stages of this procurement. Under no circumstances will the University be liable for any costs or expenses borne by potential suppliers/tenderers or any of their supply chain, partners or advisers in this procurement process.
The University is not liable for any costs in the event of the cancellation of this procurement process.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
University of Southampton
University Road
Southampton
SO17 1BJ
Country
United Kingdom