General Optical Council External Audit services

1.1 The General Optical Council (GOC) is conducting a Procurement for External Audit Services. This procurement is run on behalf of the GOC, referred to as 'the Authority'.

1.2 This procurement is being run under the Public Contract Regulation 2015 Open Procedure.

1.3 The Authority is looking to commence Contracts in April 2024. The Contract will be for an initial period of 3 years, with the option for the Contract to be extended in increments of at least 12 months, with a maximum Contract duration of five (5) years in total.

1.4 The Authority is looking to award Contracts to one Supplier

2.1 The GOC is the UK-wide statutory regulator for the optical professions in the UK and our mission is to protect and promote the health and safety of the public. We currently register around 33,000 optometrists, dispensing opticians, student optometrists, student dispensing opticians and optical businesses. For more information, please visit our website: https://www.optical.org.

2.2 The GOC is a registered charity and is overseen by a Council of 12 members, 6 lay and 6 optical professionals.

2.3 Our charitable purpose and statutory role are to protect and promote the health and safety of members of the public by promoting high standards of professional education, conduct and performance among optometrists and dispensing opticians and those training to be optometrists and dispensing opticians. We have four core functions:

- setting standards for optical education and tra... ensure that there are regular liaison meetings between the Auditors team and the GOC's lead contact.

2.6 Whilst audit activity is to be based on the Supplier's audit risk assessment in any year, the excepted annual audit activity that will support this requirement is expected to be in the region of:

Activity (Days)

Planning meeting (0.5)

Attendance at Audit and Risk Committee (4.0)

Interim Audit fieldwork (1 week) (5.0)

Final Audit fieldwork (circa 2-3 weeks) (15.0)

Interim and Final Completion meetings (0.5)

GOC Offices

2.7 The Authority has one office at 10 Old Bailey, London EC4M 7NG. The Finance team is located here. Although we work in a hybrid fashion, it is our expectation that any onsite fieldwork will take place at our office.

Sources of information

2.8 The following sources of information may support your knowledge of GOC and the requirement:

- The GOC Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22

- The GOC Strategic Plan 2020-25

- The GOC Business Plan and Budget 2023-24

- The GOC Contract and Procurement Policy

Management arrangements

2.9 The Supplier is required to provide a representative who will be responsible for the delivery of the Service. The Supplier's Manager will liaise with GOC's Authority's Manager.

2.10 The GOC will provide access to the necessary staff, systems, and financial records in facilitation of the Contract.

2.11 Quarterly Contract management meetings between the Supplier's Manager and the Authority's Manger are required.