Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Department of Finance
303 Airport Road West
BELFAST
BT3 9ED
ssdadmin.cpd@finance-ni.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
Buyer's address
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
ID 5537570 - DoF - Provision of Internal Audit Services
Reference number
ID 5537570
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79212000 - Auditing services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Internal Audit Services (IAS) intends to establish a Framework Agreement for the provision of internal auditors to carry out risk-based Internal Audit assignments which will contribute towards the completion of agreed Internal Audit Strategies and associated Internal Audit Plans on a call-off as required basis. The Framework Agreement will contain 2 (two) Lots: Lot 1 – General Internal Audit Services and Lot 2 – ICT Internal Audit Services. Full details of requirements are set out in the Specification document (ID 5537870 – Specification).
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: Yes
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £2,000,000
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot 1 – General Internal Audit Services
Lot No
1
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79212200 - Internal audit services
- 79212300 - Statutory audit services
- 79212400 - Fraud audit services
- 79200000 - Accounting, auditing and fiscal services
- 79210000 - Accounting and auditing services
- 79212100 - Financial auditing services
- 79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
- 79212110 - Corporate governance rating services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKN - Northern Ireland
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Internal Audit Services (IAS) intends to establish a Framework Agreement for the provision of internal auditors to carry out risk-based Internal Audit assignments which will contribute towards the completion of agreed Internal Audit Strategies and associated Internal Audit Plans on a call-off as required basis. The Framework Agreement will contain 2 (two) Lots: Lot 1 – General Internal Audit Services and Lot 2 – ICT Internal Audit Services. Full details of requirements are set out in the Specification document (ID 5537870 – Specification).
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: AC1 - Methodology and Contingency / Weighting: 40
Quality criterion - Name: AC2 - Personnel Skills and Experience / Weighting: 29.6
Quality criterion - Name: AC3 - Social Value / Weighting: 10.4
Cost criterion - Name: AC4 - Cost Daily Rate / Weighting: 20
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
Following the initial term, there are 3 options to extend for any period of up to and including12 months each.
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
This is a demand driven Framework, there is no guarantee of work given. The figure indicated in Section II.1.5 represents an estimated value. This value reflects the potential scale and takes into account potential optional extension periods and the uptake of potential optional services as detailed in the tender documents. This figure does not however take into accountthe application of indexation. Neither CPD nor the Authority can provide any guarantee as. tothe level of business under this Framework. The Contracting Authority does not bind itself to accept the lowest or any tender. Economic Operators remain responsible for all costs and expenses incurred by them or by any third party acting under instructions from the Economic Operator in connection with taking part in this procurement process regardless of whether such costs arise as a consequence, directly or indirectly of any amendments made to the procurement documents by the Contracting Authority at any time. No legally binding contract shall arise and an Economic Operator shall have no legitimate expectation that a contract will be entered into until such time as entry into the Contract has been confirmedby the Contracting Authority. Economic Operators should note that all dates, time periods and figures in relation to values and volumes specified in this notice and the procurement documents are approximate only and the Contracting Authority reserves the right to change any or all of them.
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot 2 – ICT Internal Audit Services
Lot No
2
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79212200 - Internal audit services
- 79212300 - Statutory audit services
- 79212400 - Fraud audit services
- 79200000 - Accounting, auditing and fiscal services
- 79210000 - Accounting and auditing services
- 79212100 - Financial auditing services
- 79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
- 79212110 - Corporate governance rating services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKN - Northern Ireland
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Internal Audit Services (IAS) intends to establish a Framework Agreement for the provision of internal auditors to carry out risk-based Internal Audit assignments which will contribute towards the completion of agreed Internal Audit Strategies and associated Internal Audit Plans on a call-off as required basis. The Framework Agreement will contain 2 (two) Lots: Lot 1 – General Internal Audit Services and Lot 2 – ICT Internal Audit Services. Full details of requirements are set out in the Specification document (ID 5537870 – Specification).
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: AC1 -Methodology and Contingency / Weighting: 48
Quality criterion - Name: AC2 -Personnel Skills and Experience / Weighting: 32
Cost criterion - Name: AC3 - Cost Daily Rate / Weighting: 20
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
Following the initial term, there are 3 options to extend for any period of up to and including 12 months each.
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
This is a demand driven Framework, there is no guarantee of work given. The figure indicated in Section II.1.5 represents an estimated value. This value reflects the potential scale and takes into account potential optional extension periods and the uptake of potential optional services as detailed in the tender documents. This figure does not however take into accountthe application of indexation. Neither CPD nor the Authority can provide any guarantee as. tothe level of business under this Framework. The Contracting Authority does not bind itself to accept the lowest or any tender. Economic Operators remain responsible for all costs and expenses incurred by them or by any third party acting under instructions from the Economic Operator in connection with taking part in this procurement process regardless of whether such costs arise as a consequence, directly or indirectly of any amendments made to the procurement documents by the Contracting Authority at any time. No legally binding contract shall arise and an Economic Operator shall have no legitimate expectation that a contract will be entered into until such time as entry into the Contract has been confirmedby the Contracting Authority. Economic Operators should note that all dates, time periods and figures in relation to values and volumes specified in this notice and the procurement documents are approximate only and the Contracting Authority reserves the right to change any or all of them.
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
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: 2025/S 000-004219
Section five. Award of contract
Contract No
1
Lot No
1
Title
Lot 1 – General Internal Audit Services
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
30 May 2025
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 5
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 1
Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 3
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 5
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: Yes
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Sumer Accountants NI Ltd
Glendinning House
BELFAST
BT1 6DN
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
Internet address
https://sumerni.co.uk/contact/
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Deloitte - Main Account MCS/LLP
Hill House
LONDON
EC4A 3JR
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
Internet address
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
ERNST YOUNG LLP
1 More Place
LONDON
SE1 7EU
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
Internet address
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £1,500,000
Total value of the contract/lot: £1,500,000
Section five. Award of contract
Contract No
2
Lot No
2
Title
Lot 2 – ICT Internal Audit Services
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
30 May 2025
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 1
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
ERNST YOUNG LLP
1 More Place
LONDON
SE1 7EU
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
Internet address
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £500,000
Total value of the contract/lot: £500,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
Contract Monitoring. The successful contractor’s performance on the contract will be regularly monitored in line with the tender documentation. Contractors not delivering on contract requirements is a serious matter. It means the public purse is not getting what it is paying for. If a contractor fails to reach satisfactory levels of contract performance they will be given a specified time to improve. If, after the specified time, they still fail to reach satisfactory levels of contract performance, the matter will be escalated to senior management in CPD for further action. If this occurs and their performance still does not improve to satisfactory levels within the specified period, it may be regarded as an act of grave professional misconduct and they may be issued with a Notice of Unsatisfactory Performance and the contract may be terminated. The issue of a Notice of Unsatisfactory Performance can result in the Contractor being excluded from all procurement competitions being undertaken by Centres of Procurement Expertise on behalf of bodies covered by the Northern Ireland Procurement Policy for a period of three years from the date of issue.. .
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The UK does not have any such bodies with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures. Instead; any challenges are dealt with by the High Court, Commercial Division, to which proceedings may be issued regarding alleged breaches of the PCR 2015 as amended.
Belfast
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
CPD complied with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and incorporated a standstill period (i.e. a minimum of 10 calendar days) at the point information on the award of contract was communicated to tenderers. That notification provided full information on the award decision. This provided time for the unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the contract was entered into.