--- title: "VTN - DIRECT AWARD - NOT OPEN - Contract for Potentially Fraudulent COVID Loan Application Investigation (open cases)" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-84b5ce38-7189-4ce0-8582-8089551dc61e" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-84b5ce38-7189-4ce0-8582-8089551dc61e" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-84b5ce38-7189-4ce0-8582-8089551dc61e.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-84b5ce38-7189-4ce0-8582-8089551dc61e.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS AND TRADE" published: "2024-12-10" --- # VTN - DIRECT AWARD - NOT OPEN - Contract for Potentially Fraudulent COVID Loan Application Investigation (open cases) Buyer: DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS AND TRADE Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-b5fd17-84b5ce38-7189-4ce0-8582-8089551dc61e [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-84b5ce38-7189-4ce0-8582-8089551dc61e) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-84b5ce38-7189-4ce0-8582-8089551dc61e.json) ## Summary The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is set to award a contract to the National Investigation Service (NATIS) to continue investigating potentially fraudulent COVID-19 loan applications, specifically Bounce Back Loans (BBLS), which were provided during the pandemic. This tender focuses on the enforcement function provided by NATIS to handle 169 open cases, some involving Serious Organised Crime. The contract, classified under "Fraud audit services," is valued at £45,000,000 and utilises a limited negotiated procedure without prior publication, justified by technical reasons. Key dates include the tender period ending on 7 January 2025, with the contract commencing from 1 April 2025 and lasting until 30 September 2029, including possible extensions. This tender represents a significant opportunity for businesses specialising in fraud investigation services, particularly those with the capability to handle complex cases involving serious organised crime. Companies with expertise in forensic accounting, private investigation, and court processes will find this contract aligns well with their service offerings. Given the technical requirements and the extended contract duration, only suppliers listed in Schedule 1 of The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 are eligible. This provides a specialised and lucrative opportunity for qualified firms, ensuring continuity in the investigation and potential for substantial business growth within the public sector's fraud enforcement domain. ## Notice Following a Request for Proposal, Submission, Review and Negotiation DBT intends to direct award a contract to NATIS (The National Investigation Service) to continue to deliver an enforcement function for DBT in relation to Bounce Back Loans. During the Covid-19 pandemic, DBT (formerly BEIS) guaranteed ~PS46bn through the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) via the British Business Bank. Ministers are keen to see action taken to recover the fraudulently taken loans. Natis currently provide the service and DBT is looking to award a new contract from expiry of the current one 31st March 2025 to NATIS to ensure continuation of the services in respect of cases which are already open. This contract will not include submitting new cases to NATIS. Options in respect of new cases or cases where investigations have not yet begun are being considered by DBT. The requirement covered by the new contract will be for 3 further years activity (plus 3 options of 6 month consecutive extensions). There are 169 open cases, some of which include Serious Organised Crime (SOC). DBT requires NATIS to continue with the existing caseload and recover funds that have been fraudulently obtained in the BBLS. This procurement is for a contract to cover a three-year service provision (plus 3 options of 6 month consecutive extensions) for continuation of investigations into cases already opened (169) of potentially fraudulent COVID loan applications. The service provided by NATIS under this requirement constitutes the following activity sets: * Assessment of high graded potentially fraudulent loans to identify potential for investigation * Investigation of those loans, including forensic accounting, private investigation and compilation of cases with evidence to support a prosecution (or identify no fraud) * Submission of cases identified as fraudulent through the investigations to the Crown Prosecution Service * Support cases through court * Report on outcome of court cases * Receive money due as a result of court instructions * Issue Account Freezing Orders as required. * Undertake POCA confiscation activity for cases which end in a guilty verdict, where appropriate * Share intelligence with other government departments and law enforcement agencies as necessary to support wider disruption. Additional information: DBT proposes to award the contract to NATIS, a department of Thurrock Council using the Direct Award with Negotiation procedure without prior publication of a contract notice under regulation 32(2)(b)(ii) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 because competition is absent for technical reasons. DBT considers that it is able to rely on this ground for the following reasons: * NATIS is key to the enforcement of wrongdoing for Bounce Bank Loans; they build evidence for CPS-led prosecutions of people who are suspected of committing fraud on BBLS, including a focus on Serious Organised Crime. * The provider of the required services needs to be listed in Schedule 1 of The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (References to Financial Investigators) (England and Wales and Northern Ireland) Order 2021 limiting the pool of providers available. * DBT reasonably believe that there are no alternative suppliers listed in Schedule 1 with the capability or capacity to deliver this requirement which relates only to cases where investigations have already started * DBT informally approached a number of the Schedule 1 organisations who confirmed they would not be able to deliver the required services because of the risks involved in taking on live cases part way through the enforcement process. * Acceptance of cases for prosecution by CPS is less likely with interrupted or transferred lines of investigation as would be the case with the introduction of a new supplier. * DBT reasonably believes that a new supplier would need to recommence investigations from zero in order to establish continuity of investigation which would impact delivery of service and recovery of the fraudulent loans. Having consulted the Public Sector Fraud Authority and others DBT is of the view that introducing a new supplier at this stage would carry serious risk to the continuity of evidence and risks serious difficulties in DBT and/or NATIS complying with its legal obligations under the disclosure regime under the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996. If case failures were to take place the Department is at financial risk of paying compensation claims for restrained or frozen accounts and adverse legal costs in failed or otherwise impacted prosecutions (including wasted costs). DBT consider these technical reasons to justify the use of the Direct Award with Negotiation procedure without prior publication of a contract notice under regulation 32(2)(b)(ii) ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/23b77a9c-6a7c-4708-bcd6-46b386780d49 | | Notice type | Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Limited | | Procurement method details | Negotiated procedure without prior publication (above threshold) | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 10 Dec 2024 | | Submission deadline | 7 Jan 2025 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 31 Mar 2025 - 30 Sep 2029 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £45,000,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Active | | Lots status | Not specified | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS AND TRADE | | Locality | LONDON | | Post town | South West London | | Postcode | SW1A 2AH | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLI London | | ITL 2 | TLI3 Inner London - West | | ITL 3 | TLI35 Westminster and City of London | | Local authority | Westminster | | Electoral ward | St James's | | Westminster constituency | Cities of London and Westminster | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security ### Codes - 79212400 - Fraud audit services ## Release History - 10 Dec 2024 at 16:37 - TenderAmendment - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/23b77a9c-6a7c-4708-bcd6-46b386780d49 - 10 Dec 2024 at 16:35 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/23b77a9c-6a7c-4708-bcd6-46b386780d49 ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/23b77a9c-6a7c-4708-bcd6-46b386780d49 10th December 2024 - Opportunity notice on Contracts Finder ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-84b5ce38-7189-4ce0-8582-8089551dc61e. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-84b5ce38-7189-4ce0-8582-8089551dc61e.json.