Official UK procurement notice
T142 - Internal Audit Resource
Authority: NORTHERN IRELAND WATER LIMITED (Central government)·Consortium: 2 public authorities
Sectors: Business Services & Consultancy (79) Delivery: Northern Ireland (UKN)
Published estimate£1,687,500≈ £422k / year · £1,687,500 inc. VAT · 1 value update42.2% above published estimate
Submissions closed 12 Feb 2026awarded 27 May 2026
Awarded to ERNST & YOUNG LLP
Contract term 4 yrsends 31 Mar 2030 · up to 31 Mar 2032 with extensions · starts 1 Apr 2026
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThis Contract is for the following services:
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- General audit resource to provide assistance or lead on general (non-IT) audits. Ability
to complete professional standard working papers including preparing detailed process
documentation, identification of relevant risks and controls, use of appropriate testing
techniques, and documentation of audit findings.
- Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) in areas of specialism that would be of most relevance
to NI Water, based on understanding of the NI Water business. This may be to support
delivery of assurance or advisory services, or ad hoc investigations.
- Specialist IT / Cyber Audit Resource expertise at consultant and manager / senior
manager level.
- The authority expects to re-tender this requirement around 12 Jan 2032, 23:59 GMT.
- How the procedure runs: ITT with the option of Negotiation and BaFO if required.
CPV: Accounting and auditing services · Accounting, auditing and fiscal services · Internal audit services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1AwardedRenewalPublished value£1,687,500
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).
How bids were scored
Published sub-criteria (2)
- Award Criteria - Quality: 70%
- Award Criteria - Price: 30%
Published award criteria (2)
- Award Criteria - Quality: Award criteria, as detailed in the ITT and Specification documents.
- Award Criteria - Price: Price criteria, as detailed in the ITT and Specification documents.
What this means for your bid
- Price carries 30 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 3 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Competitive flexible procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Utilities
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Yes · next expected 12 Jan 2032
- First published
- 5 Sept 2025, 13:46 BST
- Last source update
- 9 Jun 2026, 15:58 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 1 Mar 2026
- Authority reference
T142- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-002432- Latest notice
- Contract award notice (UK6)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-0594f7Find a Tender
- How it runs
ITT with the option of Negotiation and BaFO if required.
How it was run
Official noticeRun through: eTendersNI · Who buys & how to bid on eTendersNI
Access & registration note: Free Northern Ireland registration
- Submission deadline
- 12 Feb 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release
Timeline
5 Sept 2025 → 9 Jun 2026 · 8 dates- Planning notice published5 Sept 2025, 13:46 BST
- Market engagement328 days ago1 Dec 2025, 23:59 GMT
Engagement deadline may be subject to change.
An initial Request for Information is required, to be submitted by 26th September 2025. Supplier meetings should take place w/c 6th October 2025. The RFI must be submitted via eTendersNI.
- Tender notice published286 days ago12 Jan 2026, 17:00 GMT
- Submission deadline256 days ago12 Feb 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Award decision expected by238 days ago1 Mar 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Contract starts208 days ago1 Apr 2026, 00:00 BST
- Assessment summaries sent152 days ago27 May 2026, 00:00 BST
- Latest notice published139 days ago9 Jun 2026, 15:58 BST
Notice history
10 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 5 Sept 2025- Preliminary market engagement notice published5 Sept 2025, 13:46 BSTUK2
- Tender notice published12 Jan 2026, 17:00 GMTUK4
- Published value updated12 Jan 2026, 17:00 GMT
- Status changed to active12 Jan 2026, 17:00 GMT
- Procurement method changed12 Jan 2026, 17:00 GMT
- Deadline published: 12 Feb 2026, 12:00 GMT12 Jan 2026, 17:00 GMT
- Contract award notice published9 Jun 2026, 15:58 BSTUK6
- Status changed to complete9 Jun 2026, 15:58 BST
- Buyer details updated9 Jun 2026, 15:58 BST
- Contract signature expected20 Jun 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecastAwards 1
Awarded value £2,000,0001 award exc. VAT
Bids received 2
| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ERNST & YOUNG LLP20 Jun 2026 – 9 Jun 2030 · up to 9 Jun 2032Extensions: Optional extensions of 1+1 years. The Award notice was sent for publication on 27th May 2026 alongside the intent to award and regret letters to the relevant suppliers. Unfortunately, due to an issue with the eSender's system, the Award notice was not published on this date. The Contract was awarded with a start date of 10th June 2026 as per the intent to award and regret letters and the relevant supplier's were informed. · Options: The Client reserves the right to purchase the following additional Services under this Contract during the Contract Period, the cumulative effect of these additional Services will not increase the Contract's value to more than 1.5 times the value advertised in the contract notice. • Professional and advisory expertise to support ad hoc investigations or reviews not included within the annual Audit Plan. | £2,000,000 | 27 May 2026 | Awarded |
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2final-stage tenders · 3 at stage one | 0 | 0 | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
2 public bodies on the noticeConsortium members and other public bodies
- Northern Ireland WaterContracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central governmentNorthern Irish devolved regulations apply
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- Ernst & Young LLPAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (3)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender