Award

The Provision of Quality Assurance Monitoring for DWP Housing Benefit Assurance Process - Awarded Contract Notice

DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

14 Jul 2021 at 21:45

Summary of the contracting process

The procurement process involved the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) seeking a supplier for the provision of Quality Assurance Monitoring related to the Housing Benefit Assurance Process. This service falls within the auditing services category, with the contract being awarded to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. The procurement was conducted through a limited method without a prior call for competition, and the contract was signed on 23rd June 2021, with a value of £157,223. The contract is intended to run for a period of 13 months, concluding with the statutory deadline for completed Housing Benefit reports on 30th November each year.

This tender presents a unique opportunity for businesses specialised in auditing and regulatory services, particularly those possessing experience in the public sector and familiarity with housing benefit assessments. The DWP's requirement for independent review and quality monitoring indicates that strong capabilities in methodology, quality management, and relevant expertise would be crucial for competition. Firms with a proven track record in delivering assurance services and a robust understanding of the Housing Benefit Assurance Process are well-positioned to engage in future opportunities stemming from DWP's ongoing needs in this sector.

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Notice Title

The Provision of Quality Assurance Monitoring for DWP Housing Benefit Assurance Process - Awarded Contract Notice

Notice Description

This notice is to inform of the award of a contract for the provision of Quality Assurance Monitoring of the Housing Benefit Assurance Process for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Lot Information

Lot 1

DWP was seeking a supplier able to access and review accountancy firms carrying out Housing Benefit Assurance Process (HBAP) engagements to provide independent challenge and bring cross sector experience of best practice to bear in support of the DWP Housing Benefit Assurance Team. The quality assurance engagement is expected to fall into two broad areas of work: - the development, issue and review of a questionnaire to test accountancy firms are using correct versions of HBAP modules, and adequate internal controls are in place within each firm to ensure the correct and consistent application of HBAP. This may involve a review of supporting evidence such as internal documentation and guidance for Reporting Accountants and management checks. The supplier may undertake visits to individual accountancy firms in order to carry out the reviews. - to sample a selection of HBAP reports and supporting working papers from the accountancy firms to ensure HBAP modules are being fully and correctly completed, and findings from the HBAP testing are being fully and accurately reflected in HBAP reports as per the DWP's testing instructions contained within HBAP Modules. This may require site visits to accountancy firms, but should not entail visits to individual Local Authorities (LAs). The intention is to run an annual exercise to review HBAP. The HBAP process concludes each year on 30th November which is the statutory deadline for completed HBAP reports and amended subsidy claims to be submitted to DWP by accountancy firms and LAs. The contract length covers a period of 1 year and 1 month - and includes audit reporting for 3 accounting periods.

Procurement Information

We believe that there is not an active market of regulatory bodies with the powers or capacity to undertake this work. We believe that the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) are the only viable supplier for this area of work, given that they are the Recognised Supervisory Body (RSB) for all of the audit firms undertaking HBAP testing, and have the delegated authority to carry out the work from the Financial Reporting Council (FRC). The FRC website states that "Monitoring of ... [these types of] statutory audits is delegated by the FRC to Recognised Supervisory Bodies under a series of Delegation Agreements". For the purposes of local audits the two bodies that hold these delegated powers are the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS), and the ICAEW. ICAS have confirmed that they do not believe they have responsibility for undertaking any quality monitoring work in respect of firms for which they are not the registered RSB. ICAEW are the registered RSB for all of the audit firms eligible to undertake HBAP testing, and for all of those who have been appointed by LAs. We issued a Voluntary Ex-Ante Transparency Notice (VEAT) notice to inform the market that we intended to award this contract to ICAEW if there were no responses from other companies. No responses were received as a result of the VEAT. We have therefore awarded this contract to The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-02c816
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/016548-2021
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Limited
Procurement Method Details
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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


CPV Codes

79212000 - Auditing services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£157,223 £100K-£500K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
14 Jul 20214 years ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
22 Jun 20214 years ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Cancelled
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
professional.services@dwp.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
LEEDS
Postcode
LS2 7UA
Post Town
Leeds
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLE Yorkshire and The Humber
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLE4 West Yorkshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLE42 Leeds
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Leeds
Electoral Ward
Little London & Woodhouse
Westminster Constituency
Leeds Central and Headingley

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

THE INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS IN ENGLAND AND WALES

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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.

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