Contract

External Audit Services

  • University of Ulster

F20: Modification notice

Notice identifier: 2023/S 000-025156

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-03f72e

Published 25 August 2023, 3:57pm



Section one: Contracting authority/entity

one.1) Name and addresses

University of Ulster

Block X Room X031, Cromore Road

Coleraine

BT52 1SA

Email

a.gray@ulster.ac.uk

Telephone

+44 2870123456

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UKN - Northern Ireland

National registration number

NIC100166

Internet address(es)

Main address

www.ulster.ac.uk


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

External Audit Services

Reference number

project_27542

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 79212000 - Auditing services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

External Audit Services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKN - Northern Ireland

two.2.4) Description of the procurement at the time of conclusion of the contract:

Provision of External Audit Services to the University.

two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement, dynamic purchasing system or concession

Start date

1 August 2018

End date

31 July 2023

two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds

The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No


Section four. Procedure

four.2) Administrative information

four.2.1) Contract award notice concerning this contract

Notice number: 2018/S 078-174238


Section five. Award of contract/concession

Contract No

project_27542

Lot No

1

Title

External Audit Services

five.2) Award of contract/concession

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract/concession award decision:

1 August 2018

five.2.2) Information about tenders

The contract/concession has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire

Ernst & Young LLP

1 More London Place

London

SE1 2AF

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UKI - London
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME

No

five.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot/concession (at the time of conclusion of the contract;excluding VAT)

Total value of the procurement: £240,000


Section six. Complementary information

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

High Court of Justice in Northern Ireland

Royal Courts of Justice, Chichester Street

Belfast

BT1 3JY

Country

United Kingdom

six.4.3) Review procedure

Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures

Any proceedings alleging that the University is in breach of its duties under the Public Contract Regulations 2015 must be started in the High Court of Northern Ireland, in accordance with the time limits set out therein (including the requirement to start proceedings within 30 days beginning with the date when the economic operator first knew or ought to have known that grounds for starting proceedings had arisen). The University will not enter into the modifications proposed herein before the end of a period of at least 30 days beginning with the day after the date on which this notice is published in the Official Journal.


Section seven: Modifications to the contract/concession

seven.1) Description of the procurement after the modifications

seven.1.1) Main CPV code

  • 79212000 - Auditing services

seven.1.3) Place of performance

NUTS code
  • UKN - Northern Ireland

seven.1.4) Description of the procurement:

Provision of External Audit Services to the University

seven.1.5) Duration of the contract, framework agreement, dynamic purchasing system or concession

Start date

1 August 2018

End date

31 July 2023

seven.1.6) Information on value of the contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)

Total value of the contract/lot/concession:

£772,500

seven.1.7) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire

Ernst & Young LLP

1 More London Place

London

SE1 2AF

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UK - United Kingdom
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME

No

seven.2) Information about modifications

seven.2.1) Description of the modifications

Nature and extent of the modifications (with indication of possible earlier changes to the contract):

Contract duration extended by 12 months

seven.2.2) Reasons for modification

Need for modification brought about by circumstances which a diligent contracting authority/entity could not foresee.

Description of the circumstances which rendered the modification necessary and explanation of the unforeseen nature of these circumstances:

The University ran a secondary competition under the Crown Commercial Services framework agreement for Audit & Assurance Services RM6188. No tenders were received by the closing date. Tenderer feedback indicated that a lack of resources in the sector and the timing of the tender were contributing factors. This feedback indicated that there was a significant risk that a new contract could not be awarded before expiry of the existing contract. It was decided to extend the existing contract for another year to provide cover for this critical service, with a new tender competition to commence in late 2023.

seven.2.3) Increase in price

Updated total contract value before the modifications (taking into account possible earlier contract modifications, price adaptions and average inflation)

Value excluding VAT: £240,000

Total contract value after the modifications

Value excluding VAT: £346,600