Tax Consultancy Contract
The Carbon Trust Group Statutory Audit, Assurance Services and Tax Consultancy Contract.
United Kingdom-London: Tax consultancy services
2013/S 218-379430
Contract notice
Services
Directive 2004/18/EC
Section I: Contracting authority
I.1)Name, addresses and contact point(s)
The Carbon Trust
4th Floor, Dorset House, 27-45 Stamford Street
For the attention of: David Higham
SE1 9NT London
UNITED KINGDOM
Telephone: +44 2071707000
E-mail: audit-tender@carbontrust.com
Fax: +44 201707020
Internet address(es):
General address of the contracting authority: www.carbontrust.com
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)
I.2)Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
I.3)Main activity
Environment
I.4)Contract award on behalf of other contracting authorities
The contracting authority is purchasing on behalf of other contracting authorities: no
Section II: Object of the contract
II.1)Description
II.1.1)Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority:
The Carbon Trust Group Statutory Audit, Assurance Services and Tax Consultancy Contract.
II.1.2)Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance
Services
Service category No 9: Accounting, auditing and bookkeeping services
Main site or location of works, place of delivery or of performance: 4th Floor, Dorset House, 27-45 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NT, UK.
NUTS code UK
Service category No 9: Accounting, auditing and bookkeeping services
Main site or location of works, place of delivery or of performance: 4th Floor, Dorset House, 27-45 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NT, UK.
NUTS code UK
II.1.3)Information about a public contract, a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system (DPS)
The notice involves a public contract
II.1.4)Information on framework agreement
II.1.5)Short description of the contract or purchase(s)
The statutory audit, assurance services and tax consultancy contract covers:
(1) the procurement of statutory audit on behalf of the Carbon Trust and its subsidiaries. The appointment will be made annually, although the expectation is that the selected audit firm would be reappointed, subject to audit committee / board and shareholder agreement, each year. The current intention is therefore that the selected audit firm would be in place for 5 years, with an option to reappoint annually up to a further 5 years. The service provider will be aware of the shareholders’ and members’ statutory right to appoint and change their auditor on an annual basis;
(2) the assurance services portion of the contract covers related reporting to government and/or other grant funders and FCA for various group companies and other work as required and will be completed by the statutory auditor;
(3) the tax consultancy covers provision of general taxation advice and preparation and completion of the group companies’ corporate tax returns.
(1) the procurement of statutory audit on behalf of the Carbon Trust and its subsidiaries. The appointment will be made annually, although the expectation is that the selected audit firm would be reappointed, subject to audit committee / board and shareholder agreement, each year. The current intention is therefore that the selected audit firm would be in place for 5 years, with an option to reappoint annually up to a further 5 years. The service provider will be aware of the shareholders’ and members’ statutory right to appoint and change their auditor on an annual basis;
(2) the assurance services portion of the contract covers related reporting to government and/or other grant funders and FCA for various group companies and other work as required and will be completed by the statutory auditor;
(3) the tax consultancy covers provision of general taxation advice and preparation and completion of the group companies’ corporate tax returns.
II.1.6)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
79221000, 79212300, 79212000, 79211000
II.1.7)Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The contract is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA): no
II.1.8)Lots
This contract is divided into lots: no
II.1.9)Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: yes
II.2)Quantity or scope of the contract
II.2.1)Total quantity or scope:
The current intention is that the contract will be let annually but with the expectation of an initial term of 5 years (as described above), subject to termination rights. The contract can be extended by the Carbon Trust by annual appointments with the effect of the appointment being renewed to a maximum of 10 years (in total).
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 700 000 and 800 000 GBP
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 700 000 and 800 000 GBP
II.2.2)Information about options
Options: yes
Description of these options: The Carbon Trust will have the option of extending the contract from an initial intended term of 5 years (as described above) by annual increments for up to a maximum of 10 years (as further described above).
Description of these options: The Carbon Trust will have the option of extending the contract from an initial intended term of 5 years (as described above) by annual increments for up to a maximum of 10 years (as further described above).
II.2.3)Information about renewals
This contract is subject to renewal: yes
Number of possible renewals: 2
Number of possible renewals: 2
II.3)Duration of the contract or time limit for completion
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1)Conditions relating to the contract
III.1.1)Deposits and guarantees required:
III.1.2)Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them:
Further details will be set out in contractual documentation.
III.1.3)Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded:
III.1.4)Other particular conditions
The performance of the contract is subject to particular conditions: no
III.2)Conditions for participation
III.2.1)Personal situation of economic operators, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Background information about the service provider including full name, address, telephone number and principal contact. Details of the company’s corporate registration or equivalent, corporate structure and main areas of activity.
III.2.2)Economic and financial ability
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: 1. Evidence of professional risk indemnity insurance.
2. A statement covering the 3 previous financial years of the bidder of the overall turnover of the bidder’s business.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required: 1. The service provider has adequate professional risk indemnity insurance.
2. Evidence of service provider’s ability to perform the services required.
2. A statement covering the 3 previous financial years of the bidder of the overall turnover of the bidder’s business.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required: 1. The service provider has adequate professional risk indemnity insurance.
2. Evidence of service provider’s ability to perform the services required.
III.2.3)Technical capacity
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met:
1. The service provider’s technical ability, taking into account in particular that bidder’s skills, efficiency, experience and reliability.
2. A statement of the principal services provided by the service provider in the past 3 years.
3. A statement of the technicians or technical services available to the service provider to:
(a) carry out the work under the contract; or
(b) be involved in the provision of the services under the contract.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required:
1. Evidence of service provider’s ability to perform the services required.
2. Experience of working with third sector clients, government clients, energy and utility company clients, and venture capital clients.
3. Statutory audit qualification under the Companies Act 2006 (particularly those responsible for quality control, and whether or not they are independent of the economic operator).
4. Evidence of international coverage explaining the service provider’s capability to support services in China, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, and the U.S.
5. A brief explanation of the service provider’s model to prepare corporation tax returns and audit the corporation tax position.
6. The service provider’s ability to attend to meetings at the Carbon Trust at low cost and on short notice.
1. The service provider’s technical ability, taking into account in particular that bidder’s skills, efficiency, experience and reliability.
2. A statement of the principal services provided by the service provider in the past 3 years.
3. A statement of the technicians or technical services available to the service provider to:
(a) carry out the work under the contract; or
(b) be involved in the provision of the services under the contract.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required:
1. Evidence of service provider’s ability to perform the services required.
2. Experience of working with third sector clients, government clients, energy and utility company clients, and venture capital clients.
3. Statutory audit qualification under the Companies Act 2006 (particularly those responsible for quality control, and whether or not they are independent of the economic operator).
4. Evidence of international coverage explaining the service provider’s capability to support services in China, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, and the U.S.
5. A brief explanation of the service provider’s model to prepare corporation tax returns and audit the corporation tax position.
6. The service provider’s ability to attend to meetings at the Carbon Trust at low cost and on short notice.
III.2.4)Information about reserved contracts
III.3)Conditions specific to services contracts
III.3.1)Information about a particular profession
Execution of the service is reserved to a particular profession: yes
Reference to the relevant law, regulation or administrative provision: All service providers must be statutory auditors for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006. This is a pre-condition to being able to participate in this tender process.
Reference to the relevant law, regulation or administrative provision: All service providers must be statutory auditors for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006. This is a pre-condition to being able to participate in this tender process.
III.3.2)Staff responsible for the execution of the service
Legal persons should indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff responsible for the execution of the service: yes
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1)Type of procedure
IV.1.1)Type of procedure
Restricted
IV.1.2)Limitations on the number of operators who will be invited to tender or to participate
IV.1.3)Reduction of the number of operators during the negotiation or dialogue
IV.2)Award criteria
IV.2.1)Award criteria
The most economically advantageous tender in terms of the criteria stated below
1. Technical capacity.. Weighting 90
2. Economic and financial ability.. Weighting 10
IV.2.2)Information about electronic auction
An electronic auction will be used: no
IV.3)Administrative information
IV.3.1)File reference number attributed by the contracting authority:
IV.3.2)Previous publication(s) concerning the same contract
no
IV.3.3)Conditions for obtaining specifications and additional documents or descriptive document
Payable documents: no
IV.3.4)Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
8.12.2013 – 23:59
IV.3.5)Date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
IV.3.6)Language(s) in which tenders or requests to participate may be drawn up
English.
IV.3.7)Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
IV.3.8)Conditions for opening of tenders
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1)Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: no
VI.2)Information about European Union funds
The contract is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no
VI.3)Additional information
The tender must be open for acceptance for a minimum of 90 days.
Tenderers must respond to Section III.2 (Conditions for participation) by midnight on 8.12.2013. The Carbon Trust will evaluate the responses to Section III.2 in order to select the entities who will be sent the Invitation to Tender. The responses to Section III.2.1 – III.2.3 will be weighed as set out below.
Information giving in respect of Section III.3.2 will fall within Section III.2.3.
Section III.3.1 is a precondition to being considered. If Section III.3.1 is not satisfied, you will not be permitted to participate further in the tender process and your responses to Section III will not be further considered.
Tenderers must respond to Section III.2 (Conditions for participation) by midnight on 8.12.2013. The Carbon Trust will evaluate the responses to Section III.2 in order to select the entities who will be sent the Invitation to Tender. The responses to Section III.2.1 – III.2.3 will be weighed as set out below.
Information giving in respect of Section III.3.2 will fall within Section III.2.3.
Section III.3.1 is a precondition to being considered. If Section III.3.1 is not satisfied, you will not be permitted to participate further in the tender process and your responses to Section III will not be further considered.
VI.4)Procedures for appeal
VI.4.1)Body responsible for appeal procedures
The High Court
The Royal Courts of Justice, Strand
WC2A 2LL London
UNITED KINGDOM
Telephone: +44 2079476000
Internet address: http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk
VI.4.2)Lodging of appeals
Precise information on deadline(s) for lodging appeals: The Carbon Trust will incorporate a standstill period in accordance with the Public Contract Regulations at the point information on the award of the contract(s) is communicated to tenderers. That notification will provide full information on the award decision. The standstill period, which will be for a minimum of 10 calendar days, provides time for unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the contract is entered into The Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (SI 2006 No 5) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland).
VI.4.3)Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained
VI.5)Date of dispatch of this notice:7.11.2013