Reform Options Business Case Audit

WMCA (the "Authority") is currently preparing an assessment of a proposed bus franchising scheme in accordance with section 123B of the Transport Act 2000 as amended by the Bus Services Act 2017 (the "Act"), and is producing a franchising assessment ('the Assessment"). As part of meeting the requirements under the Act, the Authority requires a suitably qualified organisation to undertake an audit of the Assessment (the "Auditor"), to provide an independent assurance report (the "Report") and to express an opinion in relation to the following areas required by section 123D of the Act:

Whether the information relied upon by the Authority in considering the matters referred to in section 123B(3)(d) of the Act (the affordability of the scheme) or section 123B(3)(e) of the Act (the value for money of the proposed scheme) is of sufficient quality;

Whether the analysis of that information in the Assessment is of sufficient quality; and

Whether the Authority had due regard to the guidance issued under section 123B of the Act in preparing the Assessment.