National Audit Office: External quality reviews

UK-Victoria: Business and management consultancy and related services.
Section I: Contracting Authority
      I.1) Name and addresses
             National Audit Office
             157-197 Buckingham Palace Road, Victoria, SW1W 9SP, United Kingdom
             Tel. +44 2077987000, Email: Z3-Procurement@nao.gsi.gov.uk
             Contact: Z3-Procurement@nao.gsi.gov.uk
             Main Address: http://www.nao.org.uk, Address of the buyer profile: http://nao.g2b.info/
             NUTS Code: UKI
      I.2) Joint procurement
      The contract involves joint procurement: No.
      In the case of joint procurement involving different countries, state applicable national procurement law: Not provided       
      The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body: No.
      I.3) Communication
      The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at: http://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Victoria:-Business-and-management-consultancy-and-related-services./ZAXWZ82RTX
      Additional information can be obtained from: address as in Annex A.I:
      Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically via http://www.delta-esourcing.com to the abovementioned address       
      Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at: Not provided
      I.4) Type of the contracting authority
            Body governed by public law
      I.5) Main activity
            Economic and financial affairs

Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
      II.1.1) Title: External quality reviews       
      Reference Number: GEN_17_21
      II.1.2) Main CPV Code:
      79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services.

      II.1.3) Type of contract: SERVICES
      II.1.4) Short description: As part of its quality assurance arrangements the NAO commission’s independent quality assurance reviews of the technical rigour, methodological robustness, quality of argumentation and presentation of evidence in its published non-financial audit and VFM reports. Examples of reports are available on our website www.nao.org.uk.

The NAO requires the following quality reviews to be carried out:
• a total of 12 reviews per year of individual NAO products (number to be shared between the successful suppliers).

The NAO intends to award two or three contracts for this quality assurance work, the exact allocation of which products to be reviewed will be at the discretion of the NAO.       
      II.1.5) Estimated total value:
      Value excluding VAT: 500,000       
      Currency: GBP
      II.1.6) Information about lots:
      This contract is divided into lots: No       
   
II.2) Description
      
      II.2.2) Additional CPV codes:
      Not Provided       
      II.2.3) Place of performance:
      UKI LONDON
      
      II.2.4) Description of procurement: As part of its quality assurance arrangements the NAO commission’s independent quality assurance reviews of the technical rigour, methodological robustness, quality of argumentation and presentation of evidence in its published non-financial audit and VFM reports. Examples of reports are available on our website www.nao.org.uk.

The range and variety of types of our outputs is continually evolving. Over the life of the contract the NAO is expecting to develop further the range of VFM products it produces. This is so the NAO can ensure it continues to be best placed to promote accountability, meet the needs of Parliament and help improve public services at a time when they face unprecedented challenges. The non-financial audit and VFM quality assurance arrangements may need to develop at the same time to ensure they remain fit for purpose. In the light of this, the service providers will need to take a flexible approach to fulfilling the requirements of the contract and will need to respond effectively to feedback provided by the NAO.

The NAO requires the following quality reviews to be carried out:
• a total of 12 reviews per year of individual NAO products (number to be shared between the successful suppliers).

Reviews of individual NAO products - these reviews generate a written report, commenting against an agreed set of criteria, within four weeks from receipt by you of an electronic version of the NAO draft report.

The NAO intends to award two or three contracts for this quality assurance work, the exact allocation of which products to be reviewed will be at the discretion of the NAO.

Each contract will consist of product reviews of 4-6 (depending on number of successful suppliers, minimum of 2, maximum of 3 suppliers) published non financial audit products per year, plus or minus 1, within four weeks of receiving each one, using an agreed set of evaluative criteria.

The Contractor will be required to conduct reviews of individual NAO products working to an agreed set of evaluative criteria and to discuss conclusions of the reviews with NAO study teams and senior staff as required.
      II.2.5) Award criteria:
            Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents            
      II.2.6) Estimated value:
      Value excluding VAT: 500,000       
      Currency: GBP       
      II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system:
      Duration in months: 36       
      This contract is subject to renewal: Yes       
      Description of renewals: The contract may be extended for a further period or periods of up to 2 years (1 + 1).
      
      II.2.10) Information about variants:
      Variants will be accepted: No
      II.2.11) Information about options:
      Options:       No             
      Description of options: Not provided
      II.2.12) Information about electronic catalogues:
      Tenders must be presented in the form of electronic catalogues or include an electronic catalogue: No
      II.2.13) Information about European Union funds:
      The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No       
      Identification of the project: Not provided             
      II.2.14) Additional information: Not provided       


Section III: Legal, Economic, Financial And Technical Information
   III.1) Conditions for participation
      III.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
      List and brief description of conditions:          
      Not Provided       
      III.1.2) Economic and financial standing          
      Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents       
      List and brief description of selection criteria:       
      Not Provided    
      Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required (if applicable) :       
      Not Provided    
      III.1.3) Technical and professional ability    
      Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
      List and brief description of selection criteria:       
      Not Provided      
      Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required (if applicable) :          
      Not Provided   
      III.1.5) Information about reserved contracts (if applicable)   
      The contract is reserved to sheltered workshops and economic operators aiming at the social and professional integration of disabled or disadvantaged persons: No       
      The execution of the contract is restricted to the framework of sheltered employment programmes: No    
      
   III.2) Conditions related to the contract
      III.2.1) Information about a particular profession    
      Reference to the relevant law, regulation or administrative provision:          
      Not Provided    
      III.2.2) Contract performance conditions          
      Not Provided          
      III.2.3) Information about staff responsible for the performance of the contract
      Obligation to indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff assigned to performing the contract: No

Section IV: Procedure
   IV.1) Description OPEN
      IV.1.1) Type of procedure: Open   
   
   IV.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system    
         The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement - NO    
         In the case of framework agreements justification for any duration exceeding 4 years: Not Provided    
   
   
   IV.1.6) Information about electronic auction:
      An electronic auction will be used: No
      Additional information about electronic auction: Not provided
   IV.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
      The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes       
   IV.2) Administrative information
      IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure:
         Notice number in the OJ S: Not provided       
      IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
       Date: 16/04/2018 Time: 12:00
            
      IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted: English,       
      IV.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender: Not Provided      
      IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders:
         Date: 16/04/2018
         Time: 12:05
      

Section VI: Complementary Information
   VI.1) Information about recurrence
   This is a recurrent procurement: Yes    
   Estimated timing for further notices to be published: 4.5 years if extension option of a further 2 years is utilised
   VI.2) Information about electronic workflows
   Electronic ordering will be used No       
   Electronic invoicing will be accepted Yes       
   Electronic payment will be used No       
   VI.3) Additional Information: The contracting authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement.
For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Victoria:-Business-and-management-consultancy-and-related-services./ZAXWZ82RTX

To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/ZAXWZ82RTX
   VI.4) Procedures for review
   VI.4.1) Review body:
             National Audit Office
       157-197 Buckngham Palace Road, Victoria, London, SW1W 9SP, United States Minor Outlying Islands
       Email: Z3-Procurement@nao.gsi.gov.uk
       Internet address: http://www.nao.org.uk
   VI.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures:
             National Audit Office
          157-197 Buckingham Palace Road, Victoria, United Kingdom
          Tel. +44 2077987000, Email: Z3-Procurement@nao.gsi.gov.uk
          Internet address: http://www.nao.org.uk
   VI.4.3) Review procedure
   Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:    
    Not Provided    
   VI.4.4) Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained:
          National Audit Office
       157-197 Buckingham Palace Road, Victoria, SW1W9SP, United States Minor Outlying Islands
       Tel. +44 2077987000, Email: Z3-Procurement@nao.gsi.gov.uk
       Internet address: http://www.nao.org.uk
   VI.5) Date Of Dispatch Of This Notice: 15/03/2018

Annex A
   I) Addresses and contact points from which further information can be obtained:
       National Audit Office
       157-197 Buckingham Palace Road, Victoria, SW1W 9SP, United Kingdom
       Tel. +44 2077987000, Email: Z3-Procurement@nao.gsi.gov.uk
       Contact: Central Procurement Team (CPT)
       Main Address: http://www.nao.org.uk, Address of the buyer profile: http://nao.g2b.info/index.htm
       NUTS Code: UK