Notice Information
Notice Title
The Provision of Quality Assurance Monitoring for DWP Housing Benefit Assurance Process
Notice Description
DWP is 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.
Lot Information
Lot 1
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 Authority's. (LA's) 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 2 years and 4 months - this includes 3 audit reporting periods. After consideration and due diligence, we are proposing to award this contract as a single tender to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) as 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 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 local audit work on behalf of 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.
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 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.
Notice Details
Publication & Lifecycle
- Open Contracting ID
- ocds-h6vhtk-041bdd
- Publication Source
- Find A Tender Service
- Latest Notice
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/034503-2023
- 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
79212300 - Statutory audit services
Notice Value(s)
- Tender Value
- Not specified
- Lots Value
- Not specified
- Awards Value
- Not specified
- Contracts Value
- £232,117 £100K-£500K
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
- 22 Nov 20232 years ago
- Submission Deadline
- Not specified
- Future Notice Date
- Not specified
- Award Date
- 22 Nov 20232 years ago
- Contract Period
- Not specified - Not specified
- Recurrence
- Not specified
Notice Status
- Tender Status
- Complete
- Lots Status
- Not Specified
- Awards Status
- Active
- Contracts Status
- Active
Buyer & Supplier
Contracting Authority (Buyer)
- Main Buyer
- DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS
- Contact Name
- Not specified
- Contact Email
- Not specified
- Contact Phone
- Not specified
Buyer Location
- Locality
- Not specified
- Postcode
- Not specified
- Post Town
- Not specified
- Country
- Not specified
-
- Major Region (ITL 1)
- Not specified
- Basic Region (ITL 2)
- Not specified
- Small Region (ITL 3)
- Not specified
- Delivery Location
- Not specified
-
- Local Authority
- Not specified
- Electoral Ward
- Not specified
- Westminster Constituency
- Not specified
Further Information
Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)
View full OCDS Record for this contracting process
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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