APPOINTMENT OF AUDIT SERVICES PROVIDER INVITATION TO TENDER Tenders must be received at Cricket Ireland, Unit 22, Grattan Business Park, Clonshaugh, Dublin 17 no later than 15:00 on Friday March 13 TH, 2015
CONTENTS Section Description Page Section A Background 3 Section B Statement of Requirements 4-6 Section C Documents to be Submitted 7-10 2
Section A Background Cricket Ireland ( CI ) wishes to engage an organisation to provide Audit Services. Since 2007, Ireland has been recognised as the leading non-test playing nation in world cricket. On the field of play since the 2007 World Cup, Ireland has qualified for every major ICC event; has progressed to the second stage of two of these (CWC 2007 and World T20 2009); has beaten Test countries on numerous occasions in competition or bilateral matches; holds the record for the greatest successful run-chase in World Cup history against England; has won the Intercontinental Cup four times (having lost just one fourday match since 2004); has just completed an unprecedented treble of titles in every format of the game at Associate level, and is the only Associate to hold women s ODI status. Off the field, there is growth in all the key measurable areas. Organisational turnover was just 260,000 in 2005; today it stands at circa 4 million. Participation figures stood at fewer than 13,000 at the end of 2007; today the figure is more than 40,000, trebling in just six years. In 2007, there were two full-time members of staff plus a part-time PA; today there are nearly 30 members of staff, plus consultants in specified areas. In 2007, there were no contracted cricketers; in 2014, Cricket Ireland has offered full-time or parttime contracts to 24 cricketers. Over the past few years, we ve experienced a significant increase in media profile, with the team winning major TV annual review sports awards in 2007 and 2011. Following an in-depth review in 2007, our governance structure has been recognised as one of the best in the world game as well as in Irish sport. Our Chairman and Chief Executive have regularly presented at ICC level and also to domestic and UK sports forums about Cricket Ireland s governance structure, and the benefits that positive change in this area have brought. Our medium-term goal is to be the next Test-playing country, a status we expect to gain by 2020 following the structural changes introduced during 2013, both at competition level, and in terms of our facilities. Becoming the next Test country will result in an unprecedented expansion of the game, which will place cricket squarely among the major sports in Ireland in terms of participation levels, international achievement, media exposure and public popularity. For more information, please visit www.cricketireland.ie. 3
Section B Statement of Requirements SECTION C outlines the information that must be included in tender submissions. Failure to provide all or part of the information may result in your submission being excluded from the evaluation process. Cricket Ireland, formerly the Irish Cricket Union, is a long-established sporting organisation and is the governing body for cricket throughout Ireland, whose responsibilities embrace both amateur and professional cricket. Cricket Ireland receives income and makes payments in US dollars, sterling and euro. The accounts are prepared in euro. US dollar income is hedged to euro on an annual basis. The company uses the sage accounting system and there are approximately 500 income receipts and 2500 creditors payments made annually. Staff are paid monthly as are player s expenses. A copy of the 2013 Accounts are available on request. CI requires the following from the successful applicant: An annual external audit completed on a timely basis; Production of the Annual Financial Statements for signature; Production of a report to management detailing findings in relation to internal controls and any other matters which come to the auditor s attention; Confirmation to the Irish Sports Council (ISC) that the Grants allocated by the ISC were utilised for the purposes for which they were intended; and Ad-hoc advice on areas such as taxation, compliance with relevant legislation and statutory obligations etc. The deadline for submission of tenders is 15:00 on Friday March 13 th, 2015. Applicants should submit their tender as follows: Two copies by post to the address below; and By email to edel.moloney@cricketireland.ie. Tender documents should be returned, marked Tender for Provision of Audit Services. The envelope should be addressed to: Edel Moloney Cricket Ireland Unit 22, Grattan Business Park 4
Clonshaugh Dublin 17 Cricket Ireland will not be liable for any costs incurred by the applicant firm during this tender process and all other points as noted on the Contract Notice. Cricket Ireland is keen to maximise the value obtained from the service but does not bind itself to accept the lowest tender. Any queries in connection with this tender should be addressed to Edel Moloney. Cricket Ireland reserves the right to withhold requested information or to provide it in a form which it considers appropriate. Information made available to one applicant may be made available to all interested parties at the discretion of Cricket Ireland. All quotations and payments shall be in euro only. Payment for services shall be within 45 days of receipt of invoice. The terms of the Prompt Payments of Accounts Act, 1997 shall apply. Evaluation of tenders will be carried out by a tender panel, and the evaluators will, if necessary, contact tenderers to seek clarification of any aspect of a tender. Shortlisted applicants may be asked to make a presentation on their tender. The tender panel will consist of the following; Mr Bill Cunningham, Finance Committee, Cricket Ireland; and Mrs Edel Moloney, Financial Controller, Cricket Ireland. Tenderers should identify any work they are currently carrying out or competing for which could cause a conflict of interest, and indicate how such a conflict would be avoided. 5
Section C Tender Requirements The Tenderer is required to supply the information/documentation listed below, in the following format. Section 1: The tenderer should provide a summary of its proposed methodology for carrying out the annual audit including an indication of the extent to which reliance will be placed on internal controls. The tenderer should provide an outline audit plan The tenderer should provide an indication of what communications Cricket Ireland will receive in the course of the audit process. Section 2: The tenderer should outline their capacity to perform the work in a timely fashion; The tenderer should set out a summary of their experience of auditing organizations of a similar structure and purpose to that of Cricket Ireland; The tenderer should detail their knowledge and experience of the sporting sector in general and if relevant of cricket organizations; and The tenderer should detail any factors which may impact on their actual and perceived independence as well as any potential conflicts of interest. Section 3: Personnel and employment details should be provided in section 3 of your proposal. This section should include: details of the firm's organisational structure including a listing of key personnel to be assigned to the audit of Cricket Ireland including their qualifications and experience in the sector; details of the Audit Firm s quality assurance processes; and any other relevant information in support of the proposal; Section 4: Please set out your fixed price (excluding VAT) for providing the service. This must identify the following: 6
1.1. a flat fee to cover the proposed audit programme that must be conducted in accordance with the Auditing Standards issued by the Auditing Practices Board and any potential variances; 1.2. a detailed schedule of estimated rates for ancillary costs and disbursements including travel expenses, photocopying, faxes, telephone and miscellaneous costs; and 1.3. in addition to the statutory audit requirements the Company will also require on behalf of the Irish Sports Council (ISC): 1.3.1. a confirmation that the Grants allocated by ISC were used for the purposes for which they were intended; and 1.3.2. a need for the auditors to familiarise themselves with any other accounting requirements of the ISC; 1.4. any other relevant information; The contract will be awarded in the following manner: 40% Price 10% Methodology and reporting 20% Firm s Experience in the sector 20% Key Personnel 10% Other Services Section 5: Please provide the following additional information with your proposal: Details of the firm s professional qualification to undertake the audit Details and/or a Confirmation letter relating to of any rulings against your firm in respect of equality legislation; Details and/or a Confirmation letter outlining proof of your firm s Professional Indemnity Insurance; A Bona Fide Tender Form; and The following Declaration of Fair Employment. 7
DECLARATION 1. I/We certify that the information supplied by us in our Tender is accurate to the best of my/our knowledge. I/We understand and accept that false information could result in exclusion from this Competition. 2. I/We undertake to notify Cricket Ireland (via the Representative of CI) of any changes to the information given in answer to questions in the Tender Submission that may arise during this Competition. 3. I/We confirm that I/we have not and will not canvass or solicit any officer or employee of CI in connection with this Competition and that no person employed by me/us or acting on my/our behalf has done or shall do any such act. 4. I/We undertake that I/we will not offer or agree to pay or give any sum of money, inducement of valuable consideration directly or indirectly to any person or have done so or cause or have caused to be done in relation to any other response to this Tender competition any act or omission. 5. I/We also undertake that I/we will not at any time discuss with any other person any aspect of our Tender. 6. I/We declare that I am/none of us are an unqualified person(s) as described within the appropriate legislation in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland in relation to fair employment and treatment and/or equality in the workplace. 8. We certify that this is a bona fide Tender intended to be competitive and that we have not fixed or adjusted the amount of the Tender by or under or in accordance with any agreement or arrangement with any other person. 9. I/We also certify that I/we have not:- (i) communicated to a person other than the person calling for these tenders the amount or approximate amount of the proposed Tender except where the disclosure, in confidence of the approximate amount of the Tender was necessary to obtain insurance premium quotations required for the preparation of the Tender; 8
(ii) (iii) entered into any agreement or arrangement with any other person that he shall refrain from tendering or as to the amount of any Tender to be submitted; and offered or paid or given or agreed to pay or give any sum of money or valuable consideration directly or indirectly to any person for doing or having done or causing or having caused to be done in relation to any other Tender or proposed Tender for the said work any act or thing of the sort described above. I/We undertake that I/we will not do any of the acts mentioned in paragraphs above, at any time before the date and hour specified for the return of the Tender. Our single point of contact for this Competition is [insert name and contact details]. Signed Name:.. Position:. On behalf of:. (The Tenderer) Address: Date:. 9