External Audit Services

The University requires an external auditor to provide the external audit of the University's annual consolidated financial statements and of the annual financial statements of its relevant UK and overseas subsidiary companies including pensions. Tenderers must be a UK-registered auditor, registered with a relevant UK accountancy body, and a Malaysian-registered auditor. Where the University requires external audit services to be provided for its overseas subsidiaries, the Tenderer will also need to confirm they (or their subcontractor that will be fulfilling the services locally) are compliant with local auditor registration requirements. The Tenderer will need to confirm they are compliant with the Financial Reporting Council's Code of Ethics particularly in respect of the start date of this Contract and the independence required for working with public interest entities. Procurement Process: This procurement process is being conducted as an Open procedure. Tenderers will need to achieve a minimum acceptable qualitative pass mark of 50%. Tenderers who do not achieve an overall qualitative score of 50% or higher will be excluded from the competition and will not receive a Commercial score. The University will tell you that you have been excluded from the procurement and why at the award stage. Contract Period: The University proposes to enter into a Contract for 10 years - this will be the maximum contract period, including any potential extensions with the successful tenderer(s). This will comprise of an initial contract period of 5 years with an option to extend by a further 5 years subject to satisfactory performance and at the discretion of the University. Contract Value: The estimated value of the initial 5-year contract term is in the region of £875,000 - £1,375,000 GBP (excluding VAT). The estimated value of the 5-year extension period is £875,000 - £1,375,000 GBP (excluding VAT). It is estimated, therefore, that the total value of this contract will be between £1,750,000 and £2,750,000 GBP (excluding VAT). Details of current expenditure or potential future uptake are given as a guide based on past purchasing and current planning to assist you in the preparation of your Tender. They should not be interpreted as an undertaking to purchase any goods or services to any particular value and do not form part of the Contract.

Additional information: E-Tendering Portal: The University is utilising an electronic tendering tool, In-Tend (https://intendhost.co.uk/universityofsouthampton) to manage this procurement and to communicate with potential suppliers and/or tenderers (as appropriate). All documentation in relation to this tender can be downloaded from In-Tend. Potential suppliers/tenderers are advised that there will be no hard copy documents issued and all communications with the University, including the submission of Selection Stage and/or Invitation to Tender responses will be conducted via In-Tend. Regular monitoring of the portal is the responsibility of the potential supplier/tenderer. If you are not already registered as a supplier with the University of Southampton, you will need to register in In-Tend in order to access the procurement documentation. Once you have logged in as a supplier: click on 'Tenders'; locate the relevant project; and click 'View Details'. Once you are in the project screen, you will be able to register your organisation against the project and access all documentation by clicking 'Express Interest'. Potential suppliers/tenderers are advised that formal expressions of interest in the project must be by way of completion and return of the relevant documents via In-Tend. Further instructions for the submission of responses are below: To submit your return: 1. Log in 2. Click 'Tenders' 3. Locate the relevant project 4. View details 5. Click on the tab relating to the relevant project stage (e.g. 'Invitation to Tender') 6. Click on the 'Attach Documents' button and upload your return. 7. Check ALL your response documents are uploaded and displayed in the 'My Tender Return' panel. The system will only permit your organisation to make one return. 8. Click the red 'Submit Return' button. Please note, to preserve the integrity of the procurement, all communications with the University must be made via the correspondence function within In-Tend.