Award

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

CPT_24_52 Specialist model assurance support

National Audit Office

This public procurement record has 4 releases in its history.

AwardUpdate

26 Aug 2026 at 13:44

Award Notice
AwardUpdate

09 Mar 2026 at 09:40

Award Notice
Award

20 Mar 2025 at 09:36

Award Notice
Tender

15 Jan 2025 at 10:06

Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The National Audit Office bought specialist model assurance support for its modelling portfolio. The appointed supplier is responsible for validating, verifying and testing a subset of models, reconciling model designs with their intended methodologies, and overseeing a small portfolio of assurance work so that outputs are delivered successfully. The service also supports continuous improvement of the NAO’s testing procedures. This is a professional assurance, audit and model-testing service, classified under system quality assurance assessment and review services (CPV 72225000), with auditing services as an additional classification (CPV 79212000). Delivery is across the United Kingdom. The requirement is suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community and social enterprises, and is relevant to firms with specialist quantitative modelling, independent assurance and audit capabilities.

This procurement is complete and was awarded through an open procedure below the threshold. The tender submission deadline was 10 February 2025 at 12:00 UTC, and the contract was awarded to Hartley McMaster Limited on 6 March 2025. The awarded value is £166,908.60 including VAT. The award records a contract period from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2028, while the current procurement record states that the contract is expected to expire on 3 January 2027 without further extension. The original arrangement was for 12 months from 1 April 2025, with extensions available at the NAO’s discretion, and its value was varied upwards by up to 50%. Evaluation concerned the supplier’s ability to provide the specified model assurance support through the open procedure.

For suppliers that did not win, this award is evidence that the National Audit Office uses external specialists to assure models supporting its work. A credible future competitor would need demonstrable expertise in model validation, verification and testing, including the ability to check whether implementation matches the intended methodology. It would also need to manage a portfolio of assurance assignments, coordinate delivery across multiple models, and provide dependable outputs to a public audit organisation. Experience of designing or improving testing procedures would strengthen a supplier’s position, as would the ability to combine technical model assurance with audit-quality review and reporting. The opportunity is suitable for SMEs and VCSEs, indicating that a specialist provider does not necessarily need the scale of a large consultancy if it can demonstrate the required capability and delivery capacity.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

CPT_24_52 Specialist model assurance support

Notice Description

The National Audit Office (NAO) awarded a contract to Hartley McMaster Limited who will oversee and lead the testing of a subset of models with the NAO model assurance portfolio by * validation, verification and testing models and reconciling the model design back to the intended methodology. * overseeing a small portfolio of model assurance work to ensure that outputs are successfully delivered across the NAO modelling portfolio. * supporting the NAO to continuously improve our approach to implementing testing procedures The contract is expected to commence on Tuesday 1st April 2025 and run for an initial period of 12 months until Tuesday 31st March 2026. The contract may be extended by 2, 12 months until Friday 31st March 2028 at the NAO's discretion. The estimated contract value will be PS111,272.40 inclusive of VAT over the 3 years duration. As of 1st April 2026, The current contract will also be extended for a further 12 months, from Wednesday 1 April 2026 to Wednesday 31 March 2027. Also the original contract value of PS111,272.40 inclusive of VAT has been varied up to 50% and the new value is PS166,908.60 inclusive of VAT. As of August 2026, this contract will expire in early January 2027 without further extension

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-87bd1199-5ba8-49a7-a8f0-e1658011fe90
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/98444b10-b3fc-4053-b74a-c6612a686993
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure (below threshold)
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

CPV Codes

72225000 - System quality assurance assessment and review services

79212000 - Auditing services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£166,908 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£166,908 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
26 Aug 2026Yesterday
Submission Deadline
10 Feb 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
6 Mar 20251 years ago
Contract Period
1 Apr 2025 - 31 Mar 2028 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
National Audit Office
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SW1W 9SP
Postcode Area
South West London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI35 Westminster and City of London
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
Pimlico North
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Hartley McMaster Limited

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

Loading OCDS record...