The Department of Health (DH) provides strategic leadership for public health, the NHS and social care in England. The Department of Health's purpose is to improve England's health and well-being and in doing so achieve better health, better care, and better value for all. The Department's (core) Internal Audit function currently delivers (for the Department and some of its Arms Length Bodies [ALBs]) independent assurance on risk management, internal control and governance through a small in-house team and a co-source provision contract. From April 2013, the Internal Audit function will provide the assurance function for the core Department and its ALBs under a DH Internal Audit ‘Group Operating
Model'. The Department wishes to re-tender the required provision and the successful Bidder(s) will be expected to provide a comprehensive range of co-source assurance services which will include audit, governance, risk management and other specialist assurance services.
The assurance services are to be provided to the core DH and its ALBs.
The type of assurance service provider(s) required should be able to deliver audit services similar to those required by DH/ALBs (i.e. capability and capacity to deliver the service to a central government department).
Specialist audit skills, held by the provider(s), required to deliver the services should include (but not limited to):
— Strategic Audit;
— General Systems Audit (e.g. finance, accounting, data security/handling, operations, corporate, HR, payroll);
— Grant Audit;
— IT Audit;
— VFM Audit;
— Procurement and contract management;
— Compliance Checks (including regulatory);
— Corporate Governance audit;
— Risk Management audits (including at a strategic level);
— External/Internal risk analysis;
— Strategy development;
— Project and Programme Management (including at a strategic level);
— Third party assurance requirements
— Clinical Governance
— Quality Management (e.g. processes within a pharmaceutical manufacturing and diagnostic laboratories context)
— Fraud Investigations (including Forensic examination);
— Counter Fraud Services (advice and guidance); or
— Other ad hoc specialisms as may be agreed between the DH Contract Manager and the Contractor (for example specific business function advisers/experts).
The proposed contract will likely be on a ‘call off contract' basis with no minimum spend value. Estimated annual assurance costs (based on historical expenditure) are around GBP 1,6 m per annum for DH/ALBs. However the Department is continually reviewing its expenditure and budgets.
Some Arms Length Bodies will initially continue to deliver their own assurance function from April 2013 due to existing contracts and the expectation is that they will form part of the Group Operating Model during the course of the proposed contract with the successful Bidder(s).
Useful links:
DH website: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/index.htm
DH Public Bodies: http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/about-us/public-bodies-2/
Managing Public Money: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/psr_mpm_index.htm
Orange Book: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/orange_book.pdf
Government Internal Audit Standards: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/psr_governance_gia_guidance.htm
Ref: PZE/012/082.,
Department of Health
Quarry House, Quarry Hill
For the attention of: Paul Eagleton
LS2 7UE Leeds
UNITED KINGDOM
E-mail: supplier.helpdesk@dh.gsi.gov.uk
Internet address(es):
General address of the contracting authority: http://www.dh.gov.uk
Address of the buyer profile: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Aboutus/Procurementandproposals/BMS/index.htm
Electronic access to information: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Aboutus/Procurementandproposals/BMS/index.htm
Electronic submission of tenders and requests to participate: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Aboutus/Procurementandproposals/BMS/index.htm
Further information can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s)
Specifications and additional documents (including documents for competitive dialogue and a dynamic purchasing system) can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s)
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to: The above mentioned contact point(s)
Contract value: Precise quantities are unknown and will also depend on the number of suppliers appointed but the average annual requirement for assurance and audit services in recent years has been in excess of GBP 1 m.Estimated value excluding VAT: Range: between 1 and 6 400 000 GBP
Published: 18 Dec 2012, Receipt by: 15 Jan 2013
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