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The Provision of External Audit Services

Buckinghamshire New University

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

05 Aug 2026 at 10:39

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

27 Mar 2026 at 16:41

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Buckinghamshire New University procured external audit services to provide independent examination of its financial statements and regulatory compliance reporting. The requirement covers one service lot and is classified as auditing services. The work supports the university’s statutory external audit programme and requires a supplier able to deliver robust, independent assurance. The buyer is Buckinghamshire New University, based on Queen Alexandra Road in High Wycombe. Delivery covers England, including the North East, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London, South East and South West. The procurement is therefore relevant to audit firms with public-sector or higher-education experience, national delivery capability and the capacity to support regulatory and financial reporting requirements.

The procurement is complete and was awarded to KPMG LLP on 24 March 2026. It used a limited direct award to the incumbent supplier, justified by continuity, accumulated knowledge of the university’s operations, value for money, limited market capacity and the operational risks of changing auditor during the audit cycle. The award is active and valued at £394,200 excluding VAT, or £473,040 including VAT. The contract period runs from 17 August 2026 to 1 February 2027, with an option for a 12-month extension; the maximum recorded end date is 25 April 2028. There was one completed lot. The award was above the relevant threshold. The published rationale indicates that the service was evaluated on sector qualifications, relevant experience, service quality, efficiency and continuity rather than through an open competition.

This award demonstrates established demand from a UK higher-education institution for independent external audit covering financial statements and regulatory compliance reporting. A credible future competitor would need suitably qualified and experienced audit professionals, with demonstrable understanding of university operations, statutory audit obligations and the regulatory environment affecting higher-education institutions. The buyer’s rationale places particular weight on continuity, efficiency, value for money and accumulated organisational knowledge, so firms would need to show how they can manage onboarding without disrupting an audit cycle. National delivery capability is relevant because the requirement covers institutions or activity across England. Larger audit practices, or specialist firms with sufficient capacity and public-sector assurance expertise, are best placed to compete when the requirement next reaches the market.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

The Provision of External Audit Services

Notice Description

Buckinghamshire New University intends to renew its current contract for the provision of external audit services.

Procurement Information

The University is committed to maintaining a robust programme of external audits, delivered by a suitably sector qualified and experienced supplier, to provide independent examination of its financial statements and regulatory compliance reporting. The incumbent supplier has consistently demonstrated value for money and efficiency, supported by their accumulated knowledge of the University's operations. Returning to the market in the current time (market volatility and documented limited capacity in the market) stage would not only incur significant cost increases but also create operational risk through loss of efficiency and additional onboarding requirements part-way through the current audit cycle. To ensure continuity of service and maintain the integrity of the University's external audit requirements, a limited direct award (initial 12 months with an option to extend by a further 12 months (if required)) to the incumbent supplier is therefore recommended. This approach will avoid disruption, sustain statutory external audit quality, and provide a stable platform from which the University will be able to undertake a new competitive procurement exercise before the commencement of the next audit cycle.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-067712
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/074038-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
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
£394,200 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
5 Aug 20262 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
24 Mar 20266 months ago
Contract Period
17 Aug 2026 - 1 Feb 2027 1-6 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Buckinghamshire New University
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
HIGH WYCOMBE
Postcode
HP11 2JZ
Postcode Area
Hemel Hempstead
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ13 Buckinghamshire
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Buckinghamshire
Electoral Ward
Abbey
Westminster Constituency
Wycombe

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

KPMG LLP

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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