Public procurement notice: Additional Information
Published: 2016-07-09
Buyer: Department for Education, Standards and Testing Agency (STA)
Country: UK
Region: Coventry
Contract type: Services
Procedure: Competitive dialogue
CPV classification: 48190000 | 48311100 | 48810000: Information systems | 60100000 | 60161000
Submission deadline: 2016-07-24
Award criteria: The most economic tender

Technical requirements: Set-Up to commence in September 2016 and be completed by 31.8.2017 (a period of 1 year) followed by 5 consecutive test cycles commencing September 2017 with option to extend at STA's sole discretion by up to 2 further test cycle periods.
The STA will accept variant bids but only in the [limited] circumstances set out in Document 6 (Invitation to Participate in Competitive Dialogue) and Document 7 (Detailed Proposal Review and Award Criteria) which form part of the suite of documents for this procurement.
The previous estimated value of the TOpS contract was stated to be exclusive of VAT, but was inclusive of VAT.
The contract value for the entire duration of the Agreement is estimated to be in the region of 225 000 000 GBP inclusive of VAT for the duration of 1 year Set-Up and up to 7 test cycles. The initial award will be for up to 5 Test Cycles with the option to extend by up to 2 further test cycles. This sum also includes funding to cover future developments in Government policy affecting National Curriculum tests and assessments which are anticipated as a matter of course during the potential whole life of the Agreement that this procurement process may result in. Such policy developments may affect existing and future National Curriculum Tests and assessments and as a result the service requirements for the TOpS contract may be amended and/or be increased.
Set-Up to commence in September 2017 and be completed by 31.8.2018 (a period of 1 year) followed by 5 consecutive test cycles commencing September 2018 with option to extend at STA's sole discretion by up to 2 further test cycle periods.
The changes made by the STA to this procurement process have necessitated the reopening of the competition in order to comply with the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) Principles of transparency and equal treatment.
Arrangements for the additional Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) selection stage to facilitate the reopening of the competition and consequential changes to later stages of the competitive dialogue process arising as a result of changes made to the procurement process are as set out in the suite of tender documents. These are available through the Department for Education's online electronic procurement portal REDIMO2, which can be accessed via the link below. Please pay particular attention to the guidance document at the following link which will guide you through the registration and application process: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/447105/Redimo_Commercial_guidance_Registering_in_Redimo2_v3.pdf
If you have any issues or problems in registering on REDIMO2, please contact commercial.contactpoint@education.gsi.gov.uk or Proactis directly via the ‘help’ facility.
The revised suite of tender documents will be accessible from the date of the publication of this OJEU Corrigendum and you are recommended to register as a supplier of REDIMO2 with immediate effect. A summary of the changes to the original suite of tender documents issued following the publication of the OJEU Notice 2015/S 204-370727 will be made available by the STA on request.
PQQ responses must be returned to STA electronically via REDIMO2 by 12:00 noon BST on 23.8.2016. Existing pre-qualified bidders will not be required to re-qualify and will remain in the procurement process. Subject to the receipt and evaluation of any PQQ responses that may have been submitted in response to this Corrigendum Notice, it is the STA's intention to issue an Invitation to Participate in Competitive Dialogue on 2.9.2016 for up to 1 additional economic operator in accordance with the rules of the PQQ stage of the procurement process as set out in the suite of tender documents. Any additional economic operator that is selected will join the existing pre-qualified bidders in the procurement process.
This notice involves amendment to a public contract issued 21.10.2015 OJEU reference 2015/S 204-370727 which can be accessed here http://ted.europa.eu/udl?uri=TED:NOTICE:370727-2015:TEXT:EN:HTML&src=0
Set-Up to commence in September 2016 and be completed by 31.8.2017 (a period of 1 year) followed by 5 consecutive test cycles commencing September 2017 with option to extend at STA's sole discretion by up to 2 further test cycle periods.
The STA will accept variant bids but only in the [limited] circumstances set out in Document 6 (Invitation to Participate in Competitive Dialogue) and Document 7 (Detailed Proposal Review and Award Criteria) which form part of the suite of documents for this procurement.
The previous estimated value of the TOpS contract was stated to be exclusive of VAT, but was inclusive of VAT.
The contract value for the entire duration of the Agreement is estimated to be in the region of 225 000 000 GBP inclusive of VAT for the duration of 1 year Set-Up and up to 7 test cycles. The initial award will be for up to 5 Test Cycles with the option to extend by up to 2 further test cycles. This sum also includes funding to cover future developments in Government policy affecting National Curriculum tests and assessments which are anticipated as a matter of course during the potential whole life of the Agreement that this procurement process may result in. Such policy developments may affect existing and future National Curriculum Tests and assessments and as a result the service requirements for the TOpS contract may be amended and/or be increased.