Accountancy Services: Accounting, data collation, validation and consolidation services.

Accountancy services are required to undertake the collation, validation, consolidation and accounting for up to 3,200 Academy Trusts’ (ATs) accounts returns in order to produce the financial statements in the Sector Annual Report and Accounts (SARA) for the academic year 2015-16. This includes the provision of associated technical accounting advice and support.

The high level activities included in the scope of this contract are:

(a) Provide accounting services capable of meeting the EFAs’ requirements.

(b) Collate submission of accounts returns from the academy trusts via EFA, by end of January 2017. These returns contain both financial and non-financial data.

(c) Follow up on outstanding accounts returns, for approximately 3 weeks after the due date, by direct enquiry with the academy trusts. It is expected that at least 15% of the returns will be outstanding on the due date and will require chasing these academy trusts.

(d) Automated validation of submitted data and further judgement manual validation by inspection of apparent errors and inconsistencies. This includes contacting the academy trusts to confirm entries and request further information in their returns.

(e) Verification of information held by the EFA, for example revenue and capital funding, to the account returns.

(f) Post any significant technical accounting entries and other adjustments under the consolidation process as required.

(g) Substitute the academy trusts’ entries for land and buildings with values obtained independently by the EFA.

(h) Plan and deliver a review and adjustment of balances once aggregated results are available.

(i) Produce the consolidated extended trial balance and the financial statements of the SARA by end of March 2017.

(j) Work as part of the wider project, attending and contributing to various meetings including project meetings, meetings with academy trusts, the DfE and EFA programme boards, technical panels and other sector representatives.

(k) Prepare and submit audit working papers required by the National Audit Office and facilitate the audit process scheduled for early April 2017.

(l) Programme management for all aspects of the consolidation work with close liaison with EFA and departmental programme management including provision of management information and key performance indicators.

(m) Provide specialist advice, quality service and guidance to the EFA and the department when required.

(n) Produce information required for the whole of government accounts return.

A procurement of these key delivery services is required to ensure business continuity and successful reporting of the academy trusts’ financial health. The contracts will be for one year. This would ensure that sufficient experienced and skilled resources would be available to deliver the required services and provide expert advice.