Find a TenderCancelledProcurement termination notice
Published 6 Nov 2025, 11:49 GMT

Official UK procurement notice

External Audit Services · UK public procurement notice

Official notice

Authority: University of Staffordshire (Education)

ServicesOpen procedureAbove thresholdSME suitable
Published estimate£750,000≈ £250k / year · £900,000 inc. VAT · 1 value update
Submissions closed 17 Mar 2026
Next notice expected 15 Jan 2026
Contract term 3 yrsends 31 Aug 2030 · up to 31 Aug 2032 with extensions · starts 1 Sept 2027

What is being bought

Published requirement description

The University of Staffordshire is seeking bids from experience suppliers for the provision of External Audit Services

Market Engagement has previously been undertaken and indicated that an Open Tender would allow a full test of the market

The contract is for a period of three years commencing with the 2027/28 audit. There is an option to extend by up to two further years

Suppliers must have experience within the Higher Education Sector and be able to demonstrate an understanding of the risks within the sector

  • The authority expects to re-tender this requirement around 1 Feb 2029, 23:59 GMT.

CPV: Accounting review services · Financial auditing services · Statutory audit services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1AwardedRenewal 3 yrsSMEPublished value£750,000
Contract period: 1 Sept 2027 – 31 Aug 2030 (3 yrs) · up to 31 Aug 2032 with extensionsValue: £750,000 exc. VAT · £900,000 inc. VAT
Delivery: West MidlandsEligibility: SME eligible
Extensions: The contract may be extended by up to two further years This will be based upon performance

What it takes to win
i

How this buyer will score bids.

The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).

Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add more
How bids were scored
Quality: 60%Price: 30%Social value: 10%
Published sub-criteria (3)
  • Technical: 60%
  • Cost: 30%
  • Social Value: 10%
Published award criteria (3)
  • Cost
  • Technical
  • Social Value
What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 30 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 3 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.

Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Open procedure
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Cancelled
Procurement threshold
Above threshold (FTS publication)
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
Yes · next expected 1 Feb 2029
First published
6 Nov 2025, 11:49 GMT
Last source update
24 Apr 2026, 10:08 BST
Award evaluation window
Submission end – 17 Apr 2026
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-008995
Latest notice
Procurement termination notice (UK12)
Classification (CPV)
Accounting review servicesFinancial auditing servicesStatutory audit services
Delivery area
West Midlands (UKG2)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05dbb1 Find a Tender

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: ProContract (Due North) · Who buys & how to bid on ProContract
Supplier login requiredElectronic submission allowedLanguage: EN
Access & registration note: Free · short registration with manual review; public opportunity list
Submission deadline
17 Mar 2026, 12:00 GMT
Clarification deadline
2 Mar 2026, 12:00 GMT
Submission channel
Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission
Allowed
Accepted languages
en
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Timeline

6 Nov 2025 → 1 Sept 2027 · 9 dates
  1. Planning notice published355 days ago
    6 Nov 2025, 11:49 GMT
  2. Market engagement325 days ago
    5 Dec 2025, 23:59 GMT

    The engagement questionnaire can be obtained from procurement@staffs.ac.uk and can be returned to this address

  3. Next notice expected284 days ago
    15 Jan 2026, 23:59 GMT
  4. Tender notice published267 days ago
    2 Feb 2026, 14:04 GMT
  5. Clarification questions by239 days ago
    2 Mar 2026, 12:00 GMT
  6. Submission deadline224 days ago
    17 Mar 2026, 12:00 GMT
  7. Award decision expected by192 days ago
    17 Apr 2026, 23:59 BST
  8. Latest notice published186 days ago
    24 Apr 2026, 10:08 BST
  9. Today
    27 Oct 2026
  10. Contract startsin 308 days
    1 Sept 2027, 00:00 BST

Notice history

11 events · 5 releases on Find a Tender · since 6 Nov 2025
  1. Preliminary market engagement notice published
    6 Nov 2025, 11:49 GMT
    UK2
  2. Tender notice published
    2 Feb 2026, 14:04 GMT
    UK4
  3. Published value updated to £750,000
    2 Feb 2026, 14:04 GMT
    was £1,200,000
  4. Status changed to active
    2 Feb 2026, 14:04 GMT
  5. Procurement method changed
    2 Feb 2026, 14:04 GMT
  6. Deadline published: 10 Mar 2026, 12:00 GMT
    2 Feb 2026, 14:04 GMT
  7. Tender notice published
    3 Feb 2026, 12:40 GMT
    UK4
  8. Tender notice published
    25 Feb 2026, 16:09 GMT
    UK4
  9. Deadline moved to 17 Mar 2026, 12:00 GMT
    25 Feb 2026, 16:09 GMT
    +7 days · was 10 Mar 2026, 12:00 GMT
  10. Procurement termination notice published
    24 Apr 2026, 10:08 BST
    UK12
  11. Status changed to complete
    24 Apr 2026, 10:08 BST
Published amendments (2)

Updated e-procurement link to take suppliers directly to the tender opportunity

The University of Staffordshire is undergoing changes within Senior Financial Management. The University Audit and Risk Committee has expressed concern regarding continuity of understanding, managing and reporting of the University Finances during this period. They have therefore required a One Year Below Threshold Reportable Contract be put in place for a period of 12 months with our incumbent …

Routine re-releases (5)
  • 2026-02: 1 release · 2 Feb 2026
  • 2025-11: 1 release · 6 Nov 2025

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded toValueDateStatus
supplier not published—23 Apr 2026CancelledDue to the current economic climate and long lead in time to the commencement of the contract giving uncertainty the decision has been taken to not award at this time

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

University of Staffordshire

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-PPON: PGTX-1922-RJNX · GB-UKPRN: 10006299 College Road, University Quarter, stoke on Trent, West Midlands, ST4 2DEContact name, email, phone

Official documents & specifications (5)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

  • Procurement termination notice tenderProcurement termination noticeUK12Procurement termination notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender
  • Preliminary market engagement notice planningPreliminary market engagement noticeUK2Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender