Skills Programmes External Audit and Assurance Reviews

This specification forms the basis for submissions from potential applicant organisations to deliver funding assurance reviews, other targeted funding assurance reviews and investigative reviews with colleges and providers in receipt of LCRCA Adult Skills, Free Courses for Jobs and Skills Bootcamps funding.

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) is looking to procure assurance reviews for devolved Further Education Post age 19 Funding that has been devolved or delegated to LCRCA. This will include the Adult Skills Fund (previously the Adult Education Budget), Level 3 Free Courses for Jobs and potentially Skills Bootcamps and Multiply. The scope of assurance reviews and the approach can be amended from time to time to account for changes in funding rules or other requirements of the LCRCA.

Audit firms should be experienced in undertaking audits for the skills sector and have relevant knowledge and understanding of ESFA Audit Code of Practice and processes along with experience of adult skills and Further Education assurance, audit, and investigation work

⬢ A minimum of three Adult Skills Fund assurance reviews per academic year for the duration of the contract period aligned to the continued administration of delegated Adult Skills Funding (previously the Adult Education Budget). It is anticipated that each review would be based on a learner record sample of 30 learners.

⬢ Additional assurance reviews for programmes such as Skills Bootcamps, Multiply, Free Courses for Jobs and other future programmes. These would be conducted on a similar scale to that described above and will be based on a call off basis as and when required.

⬢ Additional investigation works as and when required. The scope of this work cannot be anticipated. LCRCA requires applicants to provide a quote for a daily rate for both on-site and remote work in these circumstances and to produce a summary report of findings.

⬢ LCRCA reserves the right without prior notice not to follow up on additional work outlined in this specification. In such cases, LCRCA will not reimburse any expenses incurred by the successful applicant. Any costs associated with responses, proposals and submissions relating to this request for quotes will not be reimbursed.

Additional information:

This procurement is being procured via the online portal, The Chest: www.the-chest.org.uk It is being published via our Merseytravel account.