Contracts awarded

Date of publication Simap: 17.01.2024

1. Contracting authority

1.1 Official name and address of the contracting authority

Contracting authority/Authority of assignment: Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC
Procurement authority/Organizer: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC
Chair SDC Group Audit Committee,  attn Margaretha Glanzmann, Eichenweg 5,  3003  Berne,  Switzerland,  Telephone:  +41 58 462 34 64,  E-mail:  margaretha.glanzmann@eda.admin.ch

1.2 Type of contracting authority

Confederation (Central federal administration)

1.3 Type of procedure

Open procedure

1.4 Type of order

Order for services

1.5 Scope of international treaties

Yes

2. Objects of procurement

2.1 Project title of the acquisition

'External examination of SDC Transfer Credit' in 50 Swiss Representations with IC component Core Services: 15.02.2024 – 31.12.2026 for the financial years 2023 – 2025 Optional Services: 01.01.2027 – 31.12.2028 for the financial years 2026 – 2027

Subject and scope of the contract :  The present tendering procedure aims to award the external examination of the Transfer Credit (TC) of 50 Swiss Representations with IC component (SRs) in total based on ISRS 4400 for the financial years 2023 to 2025 (core services: 15.02.2024-31.12.2026) and 2026 to 2027 (optional services: 01.01.2027-31.12.2028).

To fulfil its International Development and Cooperation mission, the FDFA maintains at present 50 SR in the partner countries.
For the financial years 2023 to 2027 the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation Group Audit Committee of the FDFA (SDC GAC) invites audit firms to tender for the examination of the SDC Transfer Credit on
1. adequacy and effectiveness of the organizational structure for the implementation and management of the Cooperation Programme
2. risk oriented approach and necessary quality assurance within the Project Cycle Management (PCM)
3. compliance of rules and regulations within the PCM

2.2 Service category

Service category CPC:  [9] Book-keeping and auditing

2.3 Common Procurement Vocabulary

CPV:	79212000 - Auditing services

3. Decision of acceptance

3.1 Award criteria

According to the invitation to tender

3.2 Tenderer considered

Name: BDO AG, Hodlerstrasse 5,  3011  Bern,  Switzerland,  Telephone:  032 624 62 46,  E-mail:  sekretariat-unternehmensberatung@bdo.ch
Price (total price):  CHF 2'646'125.00 without VAT
Additional information: The total costs including VAT of 8.1% is CHF 2'860'461.15: composed by Core services of CHF 1'561.234.25 for the financial years 2023-2025 and CHF 1'299'226.90 for optional services for the financial years 2026-2027

3.3 Reasons for the decision to award

Reasons: After assessment of all evaluation criteria mentioned in tender document (qualitative criteria and price) the winning tenderer has received the most utility points among all the submitted bids. The offer of the winning tenderer convinced above all regarding:
•Best value for money.
•Overall best ratings for qualitative criteria: experience and expertise of Central and Local Teams (focus on International Cooperation), the most convincing understanding of the specifies of the mandate and the reporting concept.

4. Other information

4.1 Invitation to tender

Publications from: 23.10.2023
Organ of publication: www.simap.ch
Number of publication 1369153

4.2 Date of the award

Date: 12.01.2024

4.3 Number of offers received

Number of offers: 4

4.5 Procedures for appeal

In accordance with Article 56 paragraph 1 of the Public Procurement Act (PPA), a written appeal against this decision can be lodged with the Federal Administrative Court, P.O. Box, 9023 St. Gallen, Switzerland, within 20 days of notification. Any appeal is to be submitted in duplicate and must include what is being sought, the grounds for appeal, evidence and the signature of the person lodging the appeal or his or her representative. A copy of this decision and available evidence must be included.
The provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) on legal holidays do not apply in accordance with Article 56 paragraph 2 of the PPA.