RFP for Offline Digital Backup Data Archival/ Storage Services

State Bank of India UK Operations invites quotations from qualified Digital Data Storage Service Providers to provide backup and restoration services of HP LTO tapes. Broad scope includes secured pick-up of HP tapes from Bank site, Uploading at the provider’s data centre and secured delivery of the tapes back at the Bank site. Broader scope is provided as

i).   Daily back up tape pickup from SBI UK 15-17 King Street London EC2V 8EA Office

ii).  Uploading of the data from LTO tape to secured digital storage at Vendor Data Centre and indexing.

iii). Returning of the previous day tape for taking backup by the bank

iv)  In case of emergency or annual restoration exercise providing the stored data in the blank LTO tape for restoration.

*The detail schedule of the tape backup and collection is mentioned in the Annexure - Detailed scope.

2.         The Service Provider should be reputed and have Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in this field.

3.         The Service Provider should comply to all the extant guidelines and regulations set by Government of UK, FCA and PRA for running the Data Storage Services but not limited to:

a)         GDPR guidelines of UK

b)         Data Protection RULES

c)         Dedicated DR/ BCP Site for this Service

d)         Controlled and restricted access the Data Storage Servers and location

e)         The Service Provider should hold the valid SOC type 2 report from AICPA and ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certificates.

4.         Bank may ask for the necessary evidence/certificate for the responses submitted as and when needed by the Bank for Audit and Regulatory compliance purpose.

5.         Service Providers should provide the Quote in a sealed envelope mentioning “Private and Confidential” by post on below address:

Head Systems, State Bank of India Systems Department 3^rd Floor 15-17 King Street London EC2V 8EA

6.         The last date of submission of quote is 5:00PM 10^th December 2024.

7.         Any query related to the RFP, please send the query to systems2.sbiuk@statebank.com

8.         SBI UK has the right to change its requirement any time during the validity of the RFP and the same will be updated on the website.

Annexure

Detailed Scope of the Back Up Services required

1.         Pick-up Schedule for Tapes

            i). Daily Back Up Tape for five working days:

*Tapes taken for the week data and month data should be returned on the very next working day of the day the tapes were collected.

ii) Weekly back-up tape on every Monday for week ending on Friday

            iii) Monthly back-up tape on the very next day of the month end day.

e.g.: If the month day ends on Monday, there will be two tapes on Tuesday say one tape for daily backup of Monday and one tape for monthly backup of the just completed month.

            iv) Yearly back-up tape on the very next working day of the year end day.

e.g.: If the Year Day ends on Monday, there will be two tapes on Tuesday say one tape for daily backup of Monday and one tape for Yearly backup of the just completed year.

2.         Off-loading of the Tapes and storing of the data in the Data Archival/ Storage in the Service Provider’s environment. Indexing of the data as per the indexing mentioned on the tape

3.         Returning of the blank Tapes for re-writing the backup data.

4.         Providing the stored data in the tape at regular intervals for conducting the restoration exercise by the bank or as and when requested by the Bank in writing, through mail or on call.

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL – APPOINTMENT OF INTERNAL AUDITORS

We, State Bank of India (SBI), London Branch and State Bank of India (UK) Ltd, invite proposals from reputable Internal Audit Firms for appointment as Internal Auditor for a period of three years (01.04.2025 to 31.03.2028), subject to annual review.

1. Proposal Requirements

The proposal should necessarily include the following information, which will be crucial for the evaluation process. Non-inclusion of any information may affect the chances of selection as Internal Auditor:

1. Brief Profile of the Audit Firm’s Operations – Globally and in UK

Include details of the firm’s experience in auditing commercial banks (internal / external), especially Foreign Banking Organizations (FBOs) in UK.

2. Profile of Proposed Team Members

Provide comprehensive profiles of team members, including names, designations, areas of specialization, professional qualifications, and experience in bank audits. Specify details of experts in Regulatory Compliance, KYC/AML/CFT, Treasury, and Commercial Credit, as well as Information Technology audits. Highlight significant achievements in audit space such as specialized audit experience, regulatory assignments, accreditations and certifications, and any specific knowledge of the UK financial regulatory environment (e.g., PRA, FCA). At least one team member should be CISA qualified with a minimum of two years’ experience in IT audits.

3. Internal Audit Methodology

Present the proposed audit methodology, emphasizing the approach to risk assessment, audit planning, reporting, and use of data analytics or technology. Include methods for  adapting to evolving scenarios and emerging risks such as cybersecurity.

4. Deliverables
   Outline the deliverables, including details on the Risk Assessment, Audit Plan, Internal Audit Reports, Best Practice Suggestions, Issue Tracking, Validation of Remediated Items, Sampling Methodology, Risk Rating Methodology, Quality Assurance, and Data Analytics usage. Also, include a proposed 3-year rolling audit plan, indicating how annual risk assessments will be integrated.
5. Sample Audit Report

Provide a sample audit report with standard sections such as Executive Summary, Scope, Risk Ratings, Findings, and Sampling Procedures, demonstrating adherence to standard auditing conventions.

6. Terms of Internal Audit Contract

Indicate any terms or conditions for undertaking the engagement as an Internal Auditor.

7. Indicative Financial Quote and Audit Hours

Include the blended hourly rate in USD as well as GBP and an estimated annual total cost for each of the three years. Taxes and out-of-pocket expenses should be indicated separately. Based on internal audit exercises from the past three years, the estimated annual audit hours are 2,000. Please provide your proposed estimate of the audit hours to be allocated annually, along with a detailed justification for any significant increases compared to the historical estimate.

2. Professional Standards

The Internal Audit services are to be performed in accordance with applicable professional standards, including the IIA’s International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing, along with adherence to UK’s regulatory expectations and SBI’s Standard Audit Scope.

3. Reporting Requirements

All reports must be submitted in English and should adhere to standard auditing conventions. The reports should include sections such as Executive Summary, Scope, Risk Ratings, Findings, Procedures Performed, Sampling Methods, Overall Rating, and any other areas as required by the Bank. The format may be adjusted based on SBI's requirements.

4. Engagement Process and Timelines

The selected Internal Audit firm (IAF) will adhere to the following timelines during the engagement:

1. Fieldwork should be completed within 4 weeks of the end of the review period.
2. The draft report should be submitted within 6 weeks of the end of the review period.
3. Management responses to the draft report are expected within 2 weeks of submission.
4. The final report should be issued within 10 weeks of the end of the review period.

A penalty of 2.5% of the audit fee will be imposed for non-adherence to any of the timelines mentioned against point (i), (ii) or (iv).

Additionally:

• Regulatory and Statutory Updates: The IAF is expected to keep SBI informed of relevant regulatory changes affecting its operations in the jurisdictions.
• Risk-Based Audit Plan: The audit firm should conduct annual risk assessments and update the audit plan accordingly, ensuring coverage of all high/medium/low-risk areas on an annual/biennial/triennial basis.

5. Evaluation Process

Proposals will undergo technical evaluation by the Internal Audit Department (IAD), State Bank of India, Hyderabad. Shortlisted firms will be invited to present their proposal to the Selection Committee.

6. Submission of Final Financial Quote

Shortlisted firms will be required to submit the final financial quote in a sealed envelope to the Procurement Committee at the SBI, London Branch and SBI (UK) Ltd.

7. Selection Process

The selection of the Internal Auditor will be based on a combined score from the initial technical evaluation, presentation before the Selection Committee, and the financial bid. The firm with the highest score will be appointed as the Internal Auditor for the London Branch and SBI (UK) Ltd for the period from 01.04.2025 to 31.03.2028.

8. Disclaimers and Reservations

Submission of any proposal does not create any obligation on SBI to accept or proceed with any further discussions. SBI reserves the right to terminate, suspend, or withdraw from the proposal process at any stage, without notice and without assigning any reason or incurring any liability to the proposing party. Submission of a proposal implies acceptance of this condition, and no claim, entitlement, or expectation of a contractual relationship arises against SBI as a result.

Bids

Quotations are to be submitted by post/courier in Sealed Envelopes marked ‘Request for Proposal (RFP): Internal Audit Services, State Bank of India, 3rd floor, 15 King Street, London, EC2V 8EA.  Any quotations received by email will not be considered.

Contact details:

State Bank of India, 3rd floor, 15 King Street, London, EC2V 8EA.  Tel: 0207 454 4475 Email: headinternalaudit.sbiuk@statebank.com  

Closing date: 5.00 pm on 8th November 2024