Accounting, auditing and fiscal services

Tender description

Portsmouth City Council, “the Authority”, acting on behalf of 11 Hampshire and Isle of Wight authorities, is seeking tenders for the annual assurance audit of Housing Benefit Subsidy claims in accordance with the guidance issued by Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The Contracting arrangements must be awarded by 2.7.2018 to comply with the DWP deadline. The deadline for submission of tender returns is 14:00 on 21.5.2018. Portsmouth City Council (“the Authority”), acting on behalf of eleven Hampshire and Isle of Wight authorities, is ideally seeking a single provider to deliver the annual Assurance of Housing Benefit Subsidy claims. The annual assurance of housing benefit must be completed in accordance with the guidance and deadlines issued by the Department of Works and Pensions (DWP) in Housing Benefit Circulars S1/2017 and S7/2018 and within the Housing Benefit Assurance Process Modules. In undertaking this procurement the Authority will establish a multi provider framework of the top 3 to 4 tenderers to provide flexibility in the award process if required and ongoing contingency. The Authorities listed below have all committed to utilising the Framework Agreement once it is established. Each authority listed will enter into its own contract with their preferred tenderer. The software solution used by each of the authorities is also as stated below: — Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council — Civica, — Eastleigh Borough Council — Capita, — Fareham Borough Council — Northgate, — Gosport Borough Council — Northgate, — Isle of Wight Council — Northgate, — New Forest District Council — Northgate, — Rushmoor Borough Council — Northgate, — Portsmouth City Council — Northgate, — Southampton City Council — Academy, — Test Valley Borough Council — Northgate, — Winchester City Council — Northgate. Each Authority will call-off from the framework and enter into contract on an individual basis using DWP Standardised Engagement Terms for a fixed term of 2 or 3 years as per current DWP guidelines with the ability to extend in increments to be agreed to a maximum term of 5 years should guidelines change. The combined audit fee of the listed authorities on the annual assurance of housing benefit subsidy claims is approximately 145 000 GBP. It is likely that each authority will enter into contract with the top ranked tenderer in order to comply with the DWP deadline of 2.7.2018. However, where significant disparities are identified and the top ranked tenderer does not meet the needs of an individual authority, each authority reserves the right to award a contract to the solution that best meets its needs. Tenderers have the opportunity to submit variant bids based upon the successful tenderer devolving some or all of the initial testing to respective local authorities. Variant bids can also be based upon the successful tenderer providing additional services or significant added value. This might include additional financial consultancy, accountancy and auditing or fiscal services. Further to the authorities listed above, the Framework may also be accessed by all other Hampshire local authorities not listed as well as local authorities within West Sussex and Surrey which have a need for housing benefit subsidy assurance, although the Authority can provide no indications or guarantee of uptake. The Framework may also be utilised by authorities to call-off related financial consultancy, auditing and accountancy services. To account for significant uptake by the authorities, of which no guarantees can be provided, an indicative non-binding value of 9 000 000 GBP is estimated for total framework value over the 4 year term covering all services. The Authority will run the procurement process in accordance with the following programme: — clarification deadline: 10.5.2018, — tender return deadline: 21.5.2018, — interviews (if required): 5.6.2018, — notification of preferred bidder: 14.6.201, — standstill period ends: 25.6.2018, — contract award: 26.6.2018.