- Lot 1. Financial and Accounting Advisory Projects, and Tax advisory Projects
- Lot 2. Tax Advisory and Financial Advisory 'Helplines'
- Lot 3. Corporate and Income Tax Compliance
- Lot 4. Service Charge Audits
- Lot 5. Sustainability Audit and Assurance
- Lot 6. Sustainability Reporting Advisory and Projects
- Lot 7. Sustainability Reporting Helpline & Training
- Lot 8. Internal Audit and Risk Management Assurance
- Lot 9. Financial Crime Compliance Advisory Engagements
- Lot 10. Ad hoc Forensic Investigations
- Lot 11. Gender and Ethnicity Pay Gap audit
Scope
Description
The Crown Estate is looking to establish am internal audit and finance services framework across 11 lots. Full scope is at Appendix A - Scope of Services.
Commercial tool
Establishes a framework
Total value (estimated)
- £6,000,000 excluding VAT
- £7,200,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 November 2025 to 31 October 2029
- 4 years
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 79212200 - Internal audit services
- 79212300 - Statutory audit services
- 79221000 - Tax consultancy services
Contract locations
- UKI - London
Lot 1. Financial and Accounting Advisory Projects, and Tax advisory Projects
Description
A supplier appointed to this lot may be required to provide one or more of the following services:
• Tax advisory: Advice on the VAT liability of redevelopment works
• VAT recoverability on development projects, regeneration projects, new streams of income, investment activity
• Complexities arising from the option to tax
• Stamp duty land tax (SDLT) and VAT advice on acquisitions and disposals of property interests held throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland (see Asset map | Asset map )
• SDLT and VAT consequences of complex lease negotiations, potentially involving non-monetary consideration
• Employment tax advice relating to various benefits in kind, termination payments and PAYE Settlement Agreements
• Advice on National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage issues
• Assistance on and recommendations with tax processes, controls and procedures
• Tax efficient structuring of partnering arrangements
• Ad hoc queries arising from various entities registered for the Construction Industry Scheme
• Tax due diligence in relation to projects, acquisitions or investments (including in equity, debt or real estate) - to include all relevant taxes
• Tax and other general advice on structuring advice in relation to projects, acquisitions or investments
Finance and Accounting Advisory:
• Interpretation of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and their application to specific scenarios or transactions
• Finance training including Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
• Examples of projects have included:
• Advice the valuation of the seabed and data
• Financial due diligence in relation to projects, acquisitions or investments (including in equity, debt or real estate)
• Provision of secondees to support on specific projects for periods of 3-12 months
• Cost benchmarking
• Review of internally produced financial models
• Writing accounting policies
• Debt advisory and debt structuring in relation to existing assets as well as projects, acquisitions or investments
• Due diligence support in relation to acquisitions, disposals and other corporate transactions.
• Advice on systems, change and finance/business transformation
Lot value (estimated)
- £124,000 excluding VAT
- £148,800 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 2. Tax Advisory and Financial Advisory 'Helplines'
Description
The Crown Estate shall require the successful supplier to provide a tax advisory and financial advisory 'helpline' service. This will be a 'helpdesk' function, with queries being directed by phone or email. All queries shall be resolved by a qualified, experienced specialist during the call or with minimal levels of research.
Lot value (estimated)
- £120,000 excluding VAT
- £144,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 3. Corporate and Income Tax Compliance
Description
The supplier appointed to this Lot shall be required to provide assistance to The Crown Estate with the preparation and submission of the 26 group entities that require corporation and partnership tax returns, including the preparation of the computations, iXBRL tagging and providing advice on the corporation tax payments when these are due. Copies of a sample of prior year returns can be provided on request.
Lot value (estimated)
- £360,000 excluding VAT
- £432,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 4. Service Charge Audits
Description
The Crown Estate requires an independent audit of service charge accounts in accordance with the latest Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Professional Statement and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) guidance for 105 Commercial Properties and 30 Residential properties all within The Crown Estate's London portfolio. Quarterly Budget Cycles consist of reconciliations with year ends for the following periods:
• December
• March
• June
• September
Lot value (estimated)
- £2,484,000 excluding VAT
- £2,980,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 5. Sustainability Audit and Assurance
Description
The Crown Estate's annual audit runs alongside the audit of its financial indicators, and The Crown Estate typically seeks clearance on its non-financial indicators around the end of May ahead of the Audit Committee meeting in early June. The Crown Estate currently completes an interim audit in late February or early March, and the final fieldwork needs to be completed in late April and early May.
The Crown Estate requires limited assurance over its non-financial indicators at group level only, on a 'no surprises basis'. The Crown Estate currently has 20 non-financial indicators assured broken down as follows, with a full list in Appendix A.2 below, complete with an estimate of the level of effort involved for each one:
• Environmental, particularly energy and emissions (15)
• Health & Safety (3)
• Offshore wind (e.g. operational renewable energy capacity) (2)
Lot value (estimated)
- £480,000 excluding VAT
- £576,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 6. Sustainability Reporting Advisory and Projects
Description
A supplier appointed to this lot may be required to provide one or more of the services set out below.
Sustainability reporting advisory may include queries in the following areas
• Advice on sustainability reporting, including, but not limited to, the following frameworks: Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR), International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), TCFD, TNFD, Taskforce on Inequality and Social-related Financial Disclosures (TISFD), and Forest, Land, and Agriculture (FLAG)
• Advice on sustainability methodologies, processes, controls, evolving assurance approaches, reporting criteria
• Sustainability reporting training (extra ad hoc training that is not covered by Lot 7)
• Projects, which might include:
o Developing sustainability reporting roadmaps covering environmental, biodiversity and social impact; covering reporting content and assurance levels
o Provision of secondees to support on specific projects for periods of 3-12 months
o Support establishing TNFD and other reporting frameworks within The Crown Estate
o Reviewing the sustainability reporting operating model
The Crown Estate may require advice for more complex queries or projects, which can be covered by an individual or project team. It is important that these individuals demonstrate their experience relating to the activities of The Crown Estate.
Lot value (estimated)
- £200,000 excluding VAT
- £240,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 7. Sustainability Reporting Helpline & Training
Description
With respect to the helpline function, queries will typically be directed by phone or email. Examples of the type of advice falling within this service include: one-off and straight-forward queries, second opinions on simple areas of policy or legislation, and practical guidance on best practice. Such queries can be resolved by a qualified, experienced specialist during the call or with minimal levels of research. Any advice provided under this arrangement will be confirmed in writing and a log of these queries maintained by the supplier appointed to this lot.
Lot value (estimated)
- £20,000 excluding VAT
- £24,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 8. Internal Audit and Risk Management Assurance
Description
Requirement:
1. Delivery of Internal Audit Services: The co-source partner is expected to deliver internal audit services in various areas, including the following:
• Strategy Development
• Organisational Change & Transformation
• Renewable Energy, Infrastructure Projects, and Nature & Environment
• Major Construction Projects
• Real Estate Investment Activity
• Joint Ventures
• Asset Management
• Health & Safety
• Sustainability and Net Zero
• Organisational Culture
• Strategic Workforce Planning
• Digital & Data
2. Additional Advisory Services: The co-source partner may also provide advice on:
• Risk Management
• Crisis Management/Resilience
• Project and Programme Management
• Fraud Risk/Investigations
The co-source partner may also be required to provide one or more secondees as part of its provision of internal audit or risk management services under this Lot at times of resource need from the Head of Internal Audit, Risk and Assurance. These are likely to be 3-9 month secondments, to be agreed based on the skills of available secondees.
3. Estimated Input: As a guide, the estimated days input required from the co-source partner range from 300 to 600 audit days per year.
4. Audit Assignments: The co-source partner's staff will be responsible for delivering internal audits in line with international internal audit standards:
• Providing detailed budget before the start of the audit assignment to the Head of Internal Audit for approval.
• Scoping, fieldwork, and reporting of internal audit assignments.
• Ensuring all audit work follows robust quality assurance methodology, to ensure high quality audit fieldwork and documentation.
• Reporting to the Head of Internal Audit, through The Crown weekly and monthly meetings to manage the internal audit programme and any other related work.
• Producing audit reports issued as The Crown Estate Internal Audit products, subject to review by the Head of Internal Audit. The Crown Estate will provide template terms of reference, audit reports and any other reporting requirements.
5. General Advice: The co-source partner may be called upon to provide general advice on assurance aspects related to the above areas.
6. Thought Leadership: The co-source partner will provide relevant thought leadership / insight material to support the development and knowledge transfer within the Internal Audit team.
Lot value (estimated)
- £1,800,000 excluding VAT
- £2,160,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 9. Financial Crime Compliance Advisory Engagements
Description
• Assessment of financial crime related policies and procedures assessed against regulatory requirements and market practices taking into account the risk profile of The Crown Estate.
• Designing and/ or delivery of financial crime compliance training
• Designing third party monitoring plans e.g. for managing agents or joint venture partners, in relation to financial crime risks and controls
• Designing monitoring plans for specific risks and controls e.g. gifts and hospitality, conflicts of interest, customer due diligence etc.
• Testing operational effectiveness of specific financial crime controls
• Secondments to deliver financial crime compliance activities for 3-6 months.
Lot value (estimated)
- £400,000 excluding VAT
- £480,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 10. Ad hoc Forensic Investigations
Description
Delivery of internal investigations across a range of financial matters including fraud, bribery and corruption and non-financial matters including employee misconduct and conflicts of interest. Investigations may require forensic accounting, data analysis, interviews and e-discovery services. Expected deliverables for each investigation will vary but should include regular progress updates and with a final report at the conclusion of each matter.
Lot value (estimated)
- £80,000 excluding VAT
- £96,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 11. Gender and Ethnicity Pay Gap audit
Description
1. The supplier appointed to this lot shall be required to plan and conduct a limited assurance engagement annually, in accordance with the International Standard on Assurance Engagements (UK) 3000 Assurance Engagements other than Audits of Reviews of Historical Financial Information ("ISAE (UK) 3000") issued by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) Code of Ethics, and any other relevant professional standards.
2. The supplier appointed to this lot shall perform the necessary procedures to provide the required assurance. These procedures may include independently assessing the 'Selected Information' against the Gender Pay Gap Criteria and Ethnicity Pay Gap Criteria (the "Reporting Criteria"), the implementation of the methodology specified by the Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2017 for the UK Gender Pay Gap calculation and disclosure, and the implementation of the methodology specified by the Ethnicity Pay Reporting Guidance for Employers 2023 for the UK Ethnicity Pay Gap calculation and disclosure.
3. This supplier appointed to this lot shall be required to provide limited assurance on The Crown Estate's Gender Pay Gap and Ethnicity Pay Gap Report. The service provider is expected to provide an Independent Limited Assurance Report to The Crown Estate Commissioners on The Crown Estate Commissioner's Gender Pay Gap and Ethnicity Pay Gap for the period ending 5 April.
Lot value (estimated)
- £186,000 excluding VAT
- £223,200 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Framework
Maximum number of suppliers
Unlimited
Maximum percentage fee charged to suppliers
0%
Framework operation description
Please see ITT documentation.
Award method when using the framework
Either with or without competition
Contracting authorities that may use the framework
Establishing party only
Participation
Particular suitability
Lot 1. Financial and Accounting Advisory Projects, and Tax advisory Projects
Lot 2. Tax Advisory and Financial Advisory 'Helplines'
Lot 3. Corporate and Income Tax Compliance
Lot 4. Service Charge Audits
Lot 5. Sustainability Audit and Assurance
Lot 6. Sustainability Reporting Advisory and Projects
Lot 7. Sustainability Reporting Helpline & Training
Lot 8. Internal Audit and Risk Management Assurance
Lot 9. Financial Crime Compliance Advisory Engagements
Lot 10. Ad hoc Forensic Investigations
Lot 11. Gender and Ethnicity Pay Gap audit
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Submission
Enquiry deadline
12 September 2025, 11:59pm
Tender submission deadline
30 September 2025, 12:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
15 October 2025
Award criteria
| Name | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | Quality | 60% |
| Price | Price | 30% |
| Social value | Quality | 10% |
Other information
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Open procedure
Documents
Associated tender documents
https://secure.sourcedogg.com/profile/676e86f0-50b5-4563-b7b6-529dcfeb28b7/requests/71003
Contracting authority
The Crown Estate
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PYYN-4743-GYVQ
1 St James Market
London
SW1Y 4AH
United Kingdom
Email: tenders@thecrownestate.co.uk
Region: UKI32 - Westminster
Organisation type: Public authority - central government