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External Assurance Reviews of Local Authorities

MINISTRY OF HOUSING, COMMUNITIES & LOCAL GOVERNMENT

This public procurement record has 7 releases in its history.

Implementation

30 Sep 2026 at 12:13

UK9 - Contract Performance Notice
Implementation

16 Jun 2026 at 11:46

UK9 - Contract Performance Notice
Implementation

08 Apr 2026 at 10:33

UK9 - Contract Performance Notice
Award

03 Dec 2025 at 13:21

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

23 Oct 2025 at 14:23

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

05 Sep 2025 at 14:17

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

23 Jun 2025 at 16:05

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government commissioned external assurance reviews of local authorities identified as carrying significant risk or showing evidence of failure. The work covers financial consultancy and assessment of governance, financial management and sustainability, commercial activity, companies, procurement and contract management. Reviews may be broad, finance-focused, governance-focused or rapid, and can examine links between these issues as well as particular local pressures, investments or companies. The supplier is expected to identify risks and recommend practical steps for authorities to address them. The reviews are delivered across the United Kingdom. The requirement combines investigation and expert analysis with clear written findings that can support the department’s decisions and local authorities’ improvement work.

The procurement is complete and awarded following an open procedure. CIPFA Business Limited was selected from two valid bids. The award was made on 22 October 2025, and the contract was signed on 25 November 2025. The contract runs from 28 November 2025 to 1 December 2026, with two optional one-year extensions, potentially ending on 1 December 2028. Its maximum value is £4.5 million excluding VAT (£5.4 million including VAT); the initial 12-month cap is £1.5 million excluding VAT, and optional extensions are capped at £3 million excluding VAT. Bids closed on 3 October 2025, with an award decision scheduled by 31 October 2025. There was one lot. Evaluation was based entirely on the quality of the technical response.

For firms considering similar local-authority assurance work, the requirement points to a multidisciplinary team able to assess finance, governance, leadership, culture and service delivery, and to understand how these areas interact. Credible suppliers need demonstrable local-government sector experience, relevant expertise and qualifications, and the ability to mobilise quickly and flexibly when several reviews run at once. They must produce robust, consistent, well-written analysis and practical recommendations to demanding timescales, while working constructively with councils and the department. Managing conflicts of interest and legal risks, including where findings concern identifiable individuals, is also central. The selected supplier’s performance measures underline the importance of timely reviews, cost control and expert-quality findings; the contract also includes community workshops and other social-value activity. This is a substantial, specialist consultancy requirement that rewards quality and delivery capacity.»

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Notice Information

Notice Title

External Assurance Reviews of Local Authorities

Notice Description

To appoint an external Supplier that can quickly mobilise resources to coordinate and conduct external assurance reviews of local authorities where those local authorities are identified as carrying significant risk and / or exhibiting evidence of failure. The reviews may cover a range of subject areas that include but are not limited to: governance processes, financial management, financial sustainability, commercial and companies, and procurement and contract management. Reviews will include recommendations on appropriate steps local authorities could take to address the issues / risks identified. It is expected that the areas of focus for each review will not be mutually exclusive, and the Supplier is expected to consider the interdependencies across the different areas as required. There may be additional focuses for specific local authorities that may be included in review scopes, for instance, specific demand pressures or investments / companies that are driving financial pressures. External Assurance Reviews will be categorised as either (but not limited to) "in depth assessment (finance and governance)" - will encompass a wide scope across a range of subject areas "in depth assessment (finance)" - scopes which are principally focused on financial management & sustainability and/ or capital / debt & investments / assets, and improvement only "in depth assessment (governance)" - reviews focused on the governance, culture and leadership of organisation or service delivery (and improvement) - with only limited focus on financial elements of the authority under view "rapid review" (which could be financial or governance focused in nature) Under this contract the Supplier will be expected to deliver against the following objectives: Objective 1 - Delivering Reviews: To deliver to MHCLG completed external assurance reviews of local authorities to an agreed timeframe to enable timely actions to be taken in response to their findings; Objective 2 - Consistency and Quality: To ensure consistency of quality, depth, and presentation of external assurance reviews, and that all reviews meet a good standard of written English; Objective 3 - Constructive Working Relationships: To work constructively with local authorities subject to an external assurance review to ensure review analysis and findings are robust, and maintain as far as possible a collaborative working relationship between local authority, Supplier and MHCLG; Objective 4 - Due Diligence to Reduce Legal Risk: To ensure that conflicts of interest are managed appropriately, and that the Supplier undertakes due diligence to reduce legal risk in all respects, this includes ensuring appropriate due diligence where a review implicates an identifiable individual. Objective 5 - Resource Capacity: To ensure resource capacity and flexibility is provided so that reviews can continue to be delivered to the agreed timeframes, particularly where reviews are occurring concurrently. Objective 6 - Expertise: To ensure Supplier reviewers / review teams have the necessary experience, expertise, qualifications and understanding of the local authority sector, reflecting the review scope may flex subject to the issues identified in individual local authorities.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: There will be an optional extension period of two years (+1+1). The financial cap for the initial 12 months will be a maximum of PS1,500,000 ex VAT. Any extension period would be subject to requirements, a variation process, funding approval and performance of the supplier up to a maximum value of PS3,000,000 ex VAT (for the optional extension years). The maximum value of the contract including any extension years is PS4,500,000 ex VAT.

Planning Information

To request a copy of the PME document please email the below address ensuring to insert 'CPD4128021 - Local Assurance Reviews" into the subject header of the email. Commercialtenders.gov.uk Specific questions from the Authority are detailed in section 8 of the PME document.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0551fe
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/092313-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK9 - Contract Performance Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

66 - Financial and insurance services

CPV Codes

66171000 - Financial consultancy services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£4,500,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£4,500,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
£4,500,000 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
£4,500,000 £1M-£10M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
30 Sep 20263 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
3 Oct 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
22 Oct 20251 years ago
Contract Period
28 Nov 2025 - 1 Dec 2026 1-2 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
MINISTRY OF HOUSING, COMMUNITIES & LOCAL GOVERNMENT
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 UNITED KINGDOM
Postcode
SW1P 4DF
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
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

CIPFA BUSINESS LIMITED

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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