Public procurement notice: Prior Information Notice Without Call For Competition
Published: 2020-06-03
Buyer: Association of North East Councils Ltd trading as NEPO (Central Purchasing Body)
Country: UK
Contract type: Services
CPV classification: 30160000 | 30162000 | 48812000: Financial information systems | 66000000 | 66100000
Estimated value: 3000000000 GBP

Technical requirements: NEPO seeks to establish a multi-supplier, multi-lot framework agreement for the provision of prepaid card accounts, commercial cards, procurement cards, virtual card accounts, financial innovation technology and other related services provided by payment solution providers. The future framework agreement will replace the existing NEPO505 prepaid card accounts framework which expires 31 March 2021.
Prepaid card accounts operate similar to a standard UK bank account, including sort codes and account numbers as well as the option to withdraw cash from an ATM, make regular payments, pay vendors and receive regular statements. The cards operate much in the same way as a standard debit card whereby funds are preloaded by contracting authorities, carers or third parties and then used by the cardholder until the balance is exhausted. The purpose of the prior information notice (PIN) is to provide advance notice to the market place for the future opportunity and the intentions of NEPO to hold market consultation meetings with suppliers to help shape the future framework agreement. NEPO are not advertising this PIN as a mechanism to reduce future procurement timescales. The market consultation meetings are advertised openly via this PIN but are limited to a particular number. Market consultation meetings are to take place across 16 June 2020,18 June 2020 and 19 June 2020. Suppliers wishing to register attendance must do so in writing to Nick McDonald (Nick.Mcdonald@nepo.org) by no later than 12 p.m. on 8 June 2020. Each appointment will be no longer than 1 hour. NEPO intend to conduct these sessions virtually through online meeting platform applications to ensure the safety of those wishing to attend, taking into account potential social distancing measures, and current government guidance. NEPO anticipates these virtual meeting sessions will take place on microsoft teams or other secure meeting platforms. The time and location of each appointment will be confirmed following the registration deadline. Places will be secured on a first come first serve basis. Suppliers wishing to attend the virtual market consultation meetings should be capable of meeting the requirements under any of the applicable lots as a whole within section 2.1.4 and above. NEPO reserves the right to seek assurances from interested suppliers prior to allocating a place. Attendance at the market consultation is optional and does not provide suppliers with an advantage in any future related procurement. Attendance also does not constitute as an intention to tender for any future related procurement. Please note the above dates may be subject to change depending on availability and supplier uptake.
In addition to the market consultation meetings, NEPO also intends to publish a soft market testing questionnaire via the NEPO eTendering portal. The questionnaire will allow a further opportunity for those suppliers unable to attend the market consultation meetings to contribute towards shaping the future NEPO505 framework agreement design. The soft market testing questionnaire will be made accessible via the NEPO eTenderportal. Suppliers wishing to access and complete must first register on the portal using the following link
The estimated value included in this prior information notice is based on current volumes per annum and extrapolated across the future framework agreement period. The value may however be subject to change on the basis of design development between publication of the PIN and contract notice.
Commercial procurement cards are charge cards which operate in a similar way to a credit card and provide contracting authorities with a method to purchase goods or services .The purpose of the prior information notice (PIN) is to provide advance notice to the market place for the future opportunity and the intentions of NEPO to hold market consultation meetings with suppliers to help shape the future framework agreement. NEPO are not advertising this PIN as a mechanism to reduce future procurement timescales. The market consultation meetings are advertised openly via this PIN but are limited to a particular number. Market consultation meetings are to take place across 16 June 2020,18 June 2020 and 19 June 2020. Suppliers wishing to register attendance must do so in writing to Nick McDonald (Nick.Mcdonald@nepo.org) by no later than 12 p.m. on 8 June 2020. Each appointment will be no longer than 1 hour. NEPO intend to conduct these sessions virtually through online meeting platform applications to ensure the safety of those wishing to attend, taking into account potential social distancing measures, and current government guidance. NEPO anticipates these virtual meeting sessions will take place on microsoft teams or other secure meeting platforms. The time and location of each appointment will be confirmed following the registration deadline. Suppliers wishing to attend the virtual market consultation meetings should be capable of meeting the requirements under any of the applicable lots as a whole within section 2.1.4 and above. NEPO reserves the right to seek assurances from interested suppliers prior to allocating a place. Attendance at the market consultation is optional and does not provide suppliers with an advantage in any future related procurement. Attendance also does not constitute as an intention to tender for any future related procurement. Please note the above dates may be subject to change depending on availability and supplier uptake.
In addition to the market consultation meetings, NEPO also intends to publish a soft market testing questionnaire via the NEPO eTendering portal. The questionnaire will allow a further opportunity for those suppliers unable to attend the market consultation meetings to contribute towards shaping the future NEPO505 framework agreement design. The soft market testing questionnaire will be made accessible via the NEPO eTenderportal. Suppliers wishing to access and complete must first register on the portal using the following link
The estimated value included in this prior information notice is based on current volumes per annum and extrapolated across the future framework agreement period. The value may however be subject to change on the basis of design development between publication of the PIN and contract notice.
NEPO envisage that lot 3 will provide a full offering of financial services and alternative payment solutions to those mentioned above. This can include, but not be limited to; blockchain, digital finance, e-money, e-vouchers, financial innovation and fund disbursement services. The purpose of the prior information notice (PIN) is to provide advance notice to the market place for the future opportunity and the intentions of NEPO to hold market consultation meetings with suppliers to help shape the future framework agreement. NEPO are not advertising this PIN as a mechanism to reduce future procurement timescales. The market consultation meetings are advertised openly via this PIN but are limited to a particular number. Market consultation meetings are to take place across 16 June 2020,18 June 2020 and 19 June 2020. Suppliers wishing to register attendance must do so in writing to Nick McDonald (Nick.Mcdonald@nepo.org) by no later than 12 p.m. on 8 June 2020. Each appointment will be no longer than 1 hour. NEPO intend to conduct these sessions virtually through online meeting platform applications to ensure the safety of those wishing to attend, taking into account potential social distancing measures, and current government guidance. NEPO anticipates these virtual meeting sessions will take place on Microsoft Teams or other secure meeting platforms. The time and location of each appointment will be confirmed following the registration deadline. Places will be secured on a first come first serve basis. Suppliers wishing to attend the virtual market consultation meetings should be capable of meeting the requirements under any of the applicable lots as a whole within section 2.1.4 and above. NEPO reserves the right to seek assurances from interested suppliers prior to allocating a place. Attendance at the market consultation is optional and does not provide suppliers with an advantage in any future related procurement. Attendance also does not constitute as an intention to tender for any future related procurement. Please note the above dates may be subject to change depending on availability and supplier uptake.
In addition to the market consultation meetings, NEPO also intends to publish a soft market testing questionnaire via the NEPO eTendering portal. The questionnaire will allow a further opportunity for those suppliers unable to attend the market consultation meetings to contribute towards shaping the future NEPO505 framework agreement design. The soft market testing questionnaire will be made accessible via the NEPO eTenderportal. Suppliers wishing to access and complete must first register on the portal using the following link
The estimated value included in this prior information notice is based on current volumes per annum and extrapolated across the future framework agreement period. The value may however be subject to change on the basis of design development between publication of the PIN and contract notice.
NEPO is a Central Purchasing Body as defined in the Public Contract Regulations 2015 (PCR15). As a Central Purchasing Body NEPO may provide central purchasing activity on behalf of contracting authorities (as defined by PCR15).NEPO intends to make the future framework agreement available for use by all contracting authorities throughout all administrative regions of the UK including but not limited to: central government departments and their agencies, local government departments and their agencies, non-departmental public bodies, central government, NHS and HSC bodies (including ambulance services), local authorities, emergency services (including police and fire rescue), coastguard emergency services, educational establishments (including academies), registered social landlords, registered charities and any public body established by or under the Scotland Act 1998 or any Act of the Scottish Parliament.
https://gov.wales/topics/housing-and-regeneration/publications/registered-social-landlords-in-wales/?lang=en
http://www.communities.gov.uk/newsroom/factsandfigures/housingplanning1/facts/socialhousing/?id=1822644
Organisations wishing to access the NEPO agreement will be required to register as a NEPO Associate Member in the first instance. Further information can be found at:


Award value: 3000000000