Official UK procurement notice
Audit and Assurance Services Dynamic Purchasing System
Authority: Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (Central government)·Consortium: 6 public authorities
What is being bought5 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionThe DPS includes all forms of independent audit for UK public sector bodies,
including statutory external audit requirements.
Also in scope are are governance requirements including counter-fraud services and other independent assurance such as:
- Assurance over non-financial information including but not limited to strategy, risk and corporate governance
- Assurance over KPIs including but not limited to environmental reporting, sustainability reporting and workforce reporting
- Compliance monitoring and risk management
- Grant funding assurance including but not limited to programme reviews and impact
assessments
- Service auditor reports including but not limited to ISAE 3402 standards
- Special purpose reviews and investigations
- Tax compliance
- Third party risk management including supply chain assurance
- Well led governance reviews
- Workforce audit services including but not limited to temporary, fixed term or permanent staffing (clinical and non-clinical)
CPV: Accounting, auditing and fiscal services · Auditing services · Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security · Fraud audit services · Internal audit services · Investigation and security services · Statutory audit services
How this dynamic market works
From the published notice- Type
- Dynamic market (open)
- Bids received
- 1 bids received · 1 suppliers appointed
- Electronic auction
- Electronic auctions may be used in further competitions.
Lots and requirements (5)Procurement structure
5 lots · 4 with a published valueEvery one of these 4 lots carries the same published figure, £2,000,000: it is the dynamic market's maximum for the whole notice, not each lot's own budget, and no share per lot is published. The cards below say ceiling above rather than repeat it.
Lot #1The Trust wishes to agree a contract for external audit services covering the next…Awarded East of EnglandLot estimate not published
The Trust wishes to agree a contract for external audit services covering the next three years from 2022/23 to 2024/2025 with the possibility to extend for a further two years beyond that. Included in the tender response should be an indicative plan for Year 1.<br/><br/>The auditor will be required to meet all requirements, including but not limited to, the accounting and reporting requirements as set out in the Comptroller and Auditor General’s Code of Audit Practice which applies for 2020-21 audits and beyond – The Audit Office Code of Audit Practice (the code), the NHS Foundation Trust Code of Governance (updated July 2014), the NHS Foundation Trust Annual Reporting Manual and the National Health Service Act 2006 as amended.
Lot #2Lot 1 Core Services UKceiling above
Lot 1 Core Services
- Advice on governance, risk management and controls including but not limited to
o IT
o Finance
o Human resources; and
o Facilities management
- Benchmarking and quality assurance review of internal audit performance including external quality assessment
- Development of internal audit strategy and/or methodologies
- Outsourced, co-sourced or one-off internal audit services
Lot #3Lot 2 Core Services UKceiling above
Lot 2 Core Services
- External statutory audit to provide an independent assessment of financial statements
- Advice on financial statements and related documents
- Grant audits and certification
Lot #4Lot 3 Core Services UKceiling above
Lot 3 Core Services
- Advice and/or assessment of:
o fraud awareness training and/or changes to legislation
o fraud risk plan and/or support in improving risk management
o fraud prevention and detection strategy
o whistleblowing policies and procedures
o approach to proactive testing in high risk areas
- Fraud risk assessment and fraud maturity matrix
- Use of technology including but not limited to data analytics to support the delivery of proactive counter-fraud services including fraud detection
- Counter-fraud investigation
Optional non-core Services in addition to the Core Services:
- Corporate intelligence techniques
- Financial irregularity investigations
- Investigation of non-financial irregularities incl. regulatory breaches & misconduct
- Investigation of suspected fraud, bribery or corruption
- Investigation of whistleblower allegations and tip offs
- Forensic extraction and review of structured and unstructured digital evidence
- Support to deliver criminal investigations in counter-fraud including capability to conduct interviews that are compliant with police & criminal evidence legislation
- Expert witness services
- Use of data analytical technology tools and techniques to investigate fraud
- Upskilling of new technology and techniques of fraud detection
Lot #5Lot 4 Core Services UKceiling above
Lot 4 Core Services
- Assurance over non-financial information including but not limited to strategy, risk and corporate governance
- Assurance over KPIs including but not limited to environmental reporting, sustainability reporting and workforce reporting
- Compliance monitoring and risk management
- Grant funding assurance including but not limited to programme reviews and impact assessments
- Service auditor reports including but not limited to ISAE 3402 standards
- Special purpose reviews and investigations
- Tax compliance
- Third party risk management including supply chain assurance
- Well led governance reviews
- Workforce audit services including but not limited to temporary, fixed term or permanent staffing (clinical and non-clinical)
What it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
- Suitability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
- “Audit and Assurance Services Dynamic Purchasing System” is a dynamic market: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record · publisher note attached- Procedure method
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Dynamic market
- Who may use this agreement
- Any qualifying supplier may apply while the market is open
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- No (one-off requirement)
- First published
- 5 Feb 2021, 22:56 GMT
- Last source update
- 29 May 2025, 10:42 BST
- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-028368- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-0290d7Find a Tender
- Electronic trading
- e-invoicing allowed · electronic ordering · electronic payment
Publisher note: How to express interest and apply to this DPS: 1) browse to the esourcing portal https://www.nhssourcing.co.uk and click on view current opportunities. 2) select the title of the DPS. 3) review the Introduction and instructions, outline specification, pre-requisites and list of eligible users (you may do this without registering). 4) register your organisation on the eSourcing portal (this is only required once). 5) accept the portal terms and conditions and click ‘continue’, enter your organisation and user details; note the username you chose and click ‘Save’ when complete. You will shortly receive an email with your unique password (please keep this secure). 6) login to the portal with the username/password. 7) click the ‘PQQs/ITTs Open To All Suppliers’ link. (These are pre-qualification questionnaires or invitations to tender open to any registered supplier). 8) click on the relevant PQQ/ITT to access the content. 9) click the ‘Express Interest’ button at the top of the page. This will move the PQQ/ITT into your ‘My PQQs/My ITTs’ page. (This is a secure area reserved for your projects only). You can now access any attachments by clicking ‘Buyer Attachments’ in the ‘PQQ/ITT Details’ box. 10) Responding to the PQQ. Click ‘My Response’ under ‘PQQ/ITT Details’, you can choose to ‘Create Response’ or to ‘Decline to Respond’ (please give a reason if declining). You can now use the messages function to communicate with the buyer and seek any clarification. Note the deadline for completion, then follow the on-screen instructions to complete the PQQ. There may be a mixture of online and offline actions for you to perform (there is detailed online help available). You must then submit your reply using the ‘Submit Response’ button at the top of the page. If you require any further assistance please consult the online help, or contact the eTendering help desk.
How it was run
Official notice- Admission period ends
- 8 Mar 2021, 23:59 GMT
- Submission channel
- {"electronicSubmission","written"}
- Accepted languages
- en
Timeline
8 Mar 2021 → 29 May 2025 · 2 dates- Admission / appointment period endsperiod end, not a bid countdown8 Mar 2021, 23:59 GMT
- Notice published29 May 2025, 10:42 BST
Notice history
4 events · 7 releases on Find a Tender · since 10 Mar 2023- Status changed to complete10 Mar 2023, 20:04 GMT
- Procurement method changed10 Mar 2023, 20:04 GMT
- Buyer details updated10 Mar 2023, 20:04 GMT
- Buyer details updated15 Dec 2023, 10:55 GMT
Published amendments (5 · 2 deadline changes)
| When | What | Before | After | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | TextV.2.3 | AZETS HOLDINGS LIMITED20 Hatherton StreetWALSALLWS4 2LA | Azets Audit Services LimitedHSBC Bank plc130 New StreetBirminghamB2 4JU | |
| — | TextII.1.5 | Value excluding VAT: £2,000,000 | Value excluding VAT: £26,000,000 | |
| — | TextII.2.6 | Value excluding VAT: £2,000,000 | Value excluding VAT: £20,000,000 | |
| — | DeadlineIV.2.2 | 8 Mar 2021 | 21 Mar 2025 | +1474 d |
| — | TextII.2.5 | Value excluding VAT: £26,000,000 | Value excluding VAT: £40,000,000 | |
| — | TextII.2.6 | Value excluding VAT: £20,000,000 | Value excluding VAT: £34,000,000 | |
| — | TextII.2.7 | Duration in months 48 | Duration in months 95 | |
| — | TextII.2.7 | Duration in months 48 | Duration in months 95 | |
| — | TextII.2.7 | Duration in months 48 | Duration in months 95 | |
| — | TextII.2.7 | Duration in months 48 | Duration in months 95 | |
| — | TextIV.1.3 | — | The period of validity of the DPS will be extended by up to an additional 47 months, subject to the DPS ending no later than midnight at the end of 23rd February 2029. | |
| — | DeadlineIV.2.2 | 21 Mar 2025 | 23 Feb 2029 | +1435 d |
| — | TextVI.3 | How to express interest and apply to this DPS: 1) browse to the esourcing portal https://www.nhssourcing.co.uk and click on view current opportunities. 2) select the title of the DPS. 3) review the Introduction and instructions, outline specification, pre-requisites and list of eligible users (you may do this without registering). 4) register your organisation on the eSourcing portal (this is only… | Supplier instructions how to express interest and bid: 1) Browse to the esourcing portal https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome and click on view Live Opportunities 2) Register your organisation on the eSourcing portal (this is only required once); 3) Accept the portal terms and conditions and click 'continue', enter your organisation and user details; note the username you chose and click 'Sav… |
Awarded Supplier Name and Address Changed fromAZETS HOLDINGS LIMITED20 Hatherton StreetWALSALLWS4 2LAAwarded Supplier Name and address changed toAzets Audit Services Limited2nd Floor Regis House45 King William StreetLondonEnglandEC4R 9AN
We have transitioned to the Atamis e-tendering portal. Future applications will have to be made through that system. I have enclosed a link to Atamis, and their User Guide. https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome User Guide: https://services.atamis.co.uk/docs/Supplier_User_Guide.pdf
3 amendments published without a description.
Routine re-releases (7)
- 2023-11: 2 releases · 17 Nov 2023, 20 Nov 2023
- 2023-03: 1 release · 10 Mar 2023
- 2021-02: 1 release · 5 Feb 2021
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast1 suppliers are admitted to this dynamic market without individual award values or dates, see the supplier list below.
Contracts
Contract 007150-2023-1
- Signed
- 31 Jan 2023
- Value
- £557,456
- Status
- active
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Lot | Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · The Trust wishes to agree a contract for external audit services covering the next… | 1bids | — | — | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
6 public bodies on the noticeConsortium members and other public bodies
- Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Foundation TrustContracting authorityBody governed by public lawHealth
- The eligible users of the dynamic purchasing system are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at: https://www.coch-cps.co.uk/Contracting authority
- The eligible users of the proposed dynamic purchasing system are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at: https://www.coch-cps.co.uk/Contracting authority
- The eligible users of the proposed dynamic purchasing system are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at: https://www.coch-cps.co.uk/frameworks/corporate-services/#DPS07Contracting authority
- The eligible users of the proposed dynamic purchasing system are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at: www.nhssourcing.co.ukContracting authority
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- NHS Shared Business Services LimitedReview body
- Royal Courts of JusticeReview body
Suppliers admitted to the dynamic market
1 commercial party on the notice- AZETS HOLDINGS LIMITEDAdmitted to the market
Official documents & specifications (2)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Economic and financial selection criteria
- Technical selection criteria