Public procurement notice: Contract Notice
Published: 2017-01-10
Buyer: Ministry of Defence, Ships, Commercially Supported Shipping (CSS) Team
Country: UK
Region: Bristol, City of
Contract type: Services
Procedure: Negotiated procedure
CPV classification: 50241000
Estimated value: 150000000 GBP
Submission deadline: 2017-05-31
Award criteria: The most economic tender

Technical requirements: Commercially Supported Shipping (CSS) Future In-Service Support (FISS) — Asset Availability Service (on Balance Sheet) [AAS on (B/S)] requirement.
The Commercially Supported Shipping (CSS) Team manages the In-Service Support of a diverse range of platforms which includes the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) flotilla and the Royal Navy (RN) Hydrographic and Patrol (H&P) including Survey Ships. The majority of contracts which support these platforms will expire in 2018.
The Contracting authority has a potential requirement for an Asset Availability Service (on balance sheet) solution (previously known as Contracting for Availability (CFA); hereafter referred to as AAS) for the RN Survey Vessel Hydrographic Oceanographic (SVHO) Class Vessels HMS ECHO, HMS ENTERPRISE and the Ice Patrol Ship (IPS) HMS PROTECTOR. The Authority will look to best utilise learning from experience whilst ensuring competition and Value for Money are achieved. Post contract award, the successful bidder will be required to support all requirements under the Contract over the planned 10-year duration of the contract.
The planned contract period is ten (10) years with a mid-term Value for Money review. The Authority will have the option, at its sole discretion, to break the contract at the five (5) year point if it believes Value for Money is not being achieved.
Years one (1) to five (5) will be firm price i.e. not subject to variation, and years six (6) to ten (10) will be fixed price, subject to the price index / indices stated in the contract.
For operational reasons, expressions of interest will only be considered from economic operators based in member states of the European Union (EU).
An Industry Day is being held on January 19th, 2017 in Bristol UK to present the FISS strategy and plans for this requirement. Suppliers who are interested in attending the Industry Day are encouraged to submit their expression of interest to DESShipsComrcl-CSS-FISS-Group@mod.uk no later than January 12th 2017. Expressions of interest received after this time may be rejected owing to restrictions in numbers of attendees.
1. The Contract will be for ten (10) years with a mid-term Value for Money review. The estimated value ex VAT is between 150 000 and 200 000 GBP.
2. HMS PROTECTOR (formerly ‘MV Polar Bjorn’) was designed and built in 2001 and provides a UK sovereign presence in the British Antarctic Territory and their surrounding maritime areas. This is in order to meet the UK Treaty obligations under the Antarctic treaty system through inspections, hydrographical charting and support to scientific research during the Austral Summer. The Platform will also be required to transit to and from the UK and may be tasked to operate in the Tropics outside this period. The Platform basic details are as follows:
3. Survey Vessel Hydrographic Oceanographic (SVHO) HMS ECHO, HMS ENTERPRISE were designed and built in 2003 and deliver defence, global environmental data-gathering requirements and associated war roles. The Platforms' basic details are:
4. Post contract award, the AAS arrangement will require the successful bidder to deliver a high level of reliability, availability and maintainability on a global basis in order to achieve the defined Platform Available Days (PAD). The Royal Navy operates a three-watch crew rotation system of both classes. The Platforms will be crewed by Royal Navy (RN) personnel, who will undertake certain basic maintenance.
5. Post contract award, the main elements of the AAS requirement to be undertaken by the successful bidder are as follows:
a. Availability Management — Managing Class support and delivering PAD through defect rectification, safety management, special-to-type training, Class and MOD Naval Authority certification.
b. Safety and Environmental Management — Support to the Ship's Safety and Environmental Case, CSES and Naval Authority Key Hazard certification in accordance with DSA02-DMR — MOD Shipping Regulations for Safety and Environmental Protection. Potential Providers can access the Regulations at: http://www.bmtdsl.r.mil.uk/NAS/Default.aspx
c. Class Management — Responsibility for maintaining the Platform in Class (including Emergency Response) and undertaking the planned maintenance to achieve this.

Eligibility requirements: (a) Appropriate statements from the economic operator's bankers or where appropriate, evidence of relevant professional risk indemnity insurance Two (2) years audited accounts (if available) or equivalent information, which will be sought through Pre-Qualification Questionnaire.
The estimated average annual contract value is 15-20 000 000 GBP excl VAT. If the estimated average annual contract value is greater than 40 % of the Potential Providers turnover, the Authority reserves the right to exclude them from being selected to tender except where the Potential Provider provides, to the satisfaction of the Authority, evidence showing it has sufficient economic and financial capability. Such evidence may include: (1) Any additional information proving it has sufficient economic and financial resources to deliver the requirement; and (2) State whether the Potential Provider is willing to provide the Authority with an indemnity, guarantee or bank bond. A financial assessment will be undertaken on the Potential Providers financial status. An overall pass / fail judgement will be made after considering areas such as turnover, profit, net assets, liquidity, gearing and capacity. This assessment will include the Parent company where applicable. An independent financial assessment obtained from a reputable credit rating organisation will be utilised as part of this process.
See Pre-Qualification Questionnaire and Guidance document.