--- title: "Independent Accountant's Reports (IARs) & Grant Assurance Services" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06f0bd" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06f0bd" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f0bd.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f0bd.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "Aston University" published: "2026-09-02" --- # Independent Accountant's Reports (IARs) & Grant Assurance Services Buyer: Aston University Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06f0bd [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06f0bd) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f0bd.json) ## Summary Aston University is preparing a future procurement for independent accountant’s reports and grant assurance services. The work is aimed at assuring and certifying research and grant-funded projects, including Innovate UK, UKRI, Horizon Europe and successor programmes, as well as projects funded by charitable, governmental and other research organisations. The anticipated scope also includes agreed-upon procedures engagements and related advisory services connected with grant assurance and certification. This is professional accounting, audit, financial review and grant assurance work, with CPV classifications for accounting services, financial auditing services and accounting review services. Delivery is expected across the United Kingdom. Aston University, based in Birmingham, is the buying organisation. The procurement is at the planning stage and is currently a preliminary market engagement exercise, intended to inform the University's procurement strategy and future tender documents. Aston University expects to use supplier feedback to understand market capability, service delivery models, pricing approaches, innovation and potential routes to market. Suppliers were asked to complete an electronic questionnaire through the procurement portal by 15 September 2026 at 23:59. The anticipated contract period is 11 January 2027 to 10 January 2030. The procurement is described as above the applicable threshold and is arranged as one lot. No contract value or budget is stated. Participation in the market engagement will not affect any later procurement process. This will suit accountancy, audit and grant assurance practices that work with publicly funded research, innovation or charitable programmes. Relevant suppliers are likely to have experience preparing independent accountant’s reports, certifying grant expenditure, conducting agreed-upon procedures and advising organisations on funder compliance. Familiarity with Innovate UK, UKRI, Horizon Europe or comparable UK and international research-funding requirements would be useful, together with the ability to support several types of funding body and adapt assurance approaches to different grant conditions. The single-lot structure may suit providers able to offer a broad range of assurance and related advisory services, although the procurement is also identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community or social enterprises. The current exercise is for preparation and market intelligence, not for submitting a tender. ## Notice Aston University is undertaking a Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) exercise to inform a future procurement for the provision of Independent Accountant's Reports (IARs) and Grant Assurance Services. The University wishes to engage with suppliers active in the grant assurance, audit and accountancy sector to better understand market capability, service delivery models, pricing approaches, innovation opportunities, and routes to market. The anticipated scope may include, but is not limited to: Independent Accountant's Reports (IARs) for Innovate UK funded projects; Grant assurance and certification services for UKRI funded projects; Assurance engagements relating to Horizon Europe and successor programmes; Agreed-Upon Procedures (AUP) engagements; Grant assurance requirements arising from charitable, governmental and other research funders; Related advisory services associated with grant assurance and certification requirements. The purpose of this engagement is solely to gather market intelligence and obtain supplier feedback to help shape the University's procurement strategy and future tender documentation. Participation in this PME exercise will not confer any advantage or disadvantage in any subsequent procurement process. ### Planning Information Please use the link to ProContract to access the Specification and Questionnaire to be completed by suppliers associated. https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=3816a788-cca6-f111-813c-005056b64545&fromProjectDashboard=True Completed questionnaires should be submitted electronically via the procurement portal. Deadline submission 15 September 2025, 12:00noon ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083230-2026 | | Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | SME, VCSE | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 2 Sep 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 11 Jan 2027 - 10 Jan 2030 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planning | | Lots status | Planning | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | Aston University | | Locality | BIRMINGHAM | | Postcode area | Birmingham | | Postcode | B4 7ET | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLG West Midlands (England) | | ITL 2 | TLG3 West Midlands | | ITL 3 | TLG31 Birmingham | | Local authority | Birmingham | | Electoral ward | Nechells | | Westminster constituency | Birmingham Ladywood | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security ### Codes - 79211000 - Accounting services - 79212100 - Financial auditing services - 79212500 - Accounting review services ## Release History - 2 Sep 2026 at 17:12 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083230-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083230-2026 2nd September 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - http://www.aston.ac.uk - https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=3816a788-cca6-f111-813c-005056b64545&fromProjectDashboard=True - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents ## 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-h6vhtk-06f0bd. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f0bd.json.