Public procurement notice: Contract Notice
Published: 2023-07-10
Buyer: University of Ulster
Country: UK
Contract type: Services
Procedure: Open procedure
CPV classification: 71322500
Submission deadline: 2023-07-25
Award criteria: The most economic tender

Technical requirements: Design Assurance and Project Management at the sites across Northern Ireland and outlined in the Procurement Documents
The FASTER Project has been awarded funding for the Project’s costs from the European Union’s INTERREG VA Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).
The partnership will implement the physical rollout of 73 rapid charging stations in the programme area. The Project aims to ensure that the availability of charging stations is not a major obstacle to Electric Vehicle (EV) market penetration with the proposal to carry out the design, analysis, procurement, installation, and operation of 73 Rapid Chargers across the three programme jurisdictions. There must be cross compatibility between the three jurisdictions which may be achieved using contactless card payments or other methods.
The FASTER Project is led by East Border Region Ltd. There are a total of seven project partners and 14 associate partners from across the three jurisdictions.
The following Project Partners will be directly involved in the planning and delivery of the overall Project:
The University, as the Client for the design and build phase of the Project, is seeking a suitably qualified and experienced Economic Operator to design, construct and install up to  24, 50 kW rapid chargers (or equivalent output) for public use before handing over to the Councils, as the Clients on the operational phase. Ulster University is the Client for the Project Manager and Design Assurance contract (This Contract). For the Design, Build Operate contract being overseen, Ulster University and the Councils are the Client. Ulster University for the Design and Build Component until works completion and the Councils for the Operational phase.  At Works Completion, each Local Council will then assume the role of the Client for the EV Charge points within their own jurisdiction. The programme from this contract must break the sites into batches and ensure that the DBO Contractor installs a Sub-meter at each site and the sites are left commissioned and fully functional before moving to the next series of installations. The operational phase must also be agreed with each individual Council.
Seventeen (17) site locations) have been identified by a vigorous methodology which will accommodate the 24 Charge points (10 Single Chargers and 7 Double Chargers – 24 EV Chargers total). In addition, 7 reserve sites have been identified as a contingency in case issues arise with any of the main site locations. (2 Single Chargers and 5 Double Chargers – 12 EV Chargers Total) maximum number of potential site locations, if all reserves are required equals twenty four (24).
All sites have sufficient electrical capacity for a behind the meter connection (confirmed by Northern Ireland Electricity Networks (NIEN). In a separate Competition the University is seeking to appoint on behalf of itself and the Clients a suitably qualified and experienced Design Build Operate Economic Operator for the complete design, construction and operation of up to 24 EV Chargers on separate sub-meters at the locations below (the “Sites”):-
FASTER Project. A project supported by the European Union's INTERREG VA Programme, managed by the special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB)
The University will incorporate a standstill period at the point information on the award of the contract is communicated to tenderers. The standstill period, which will be for a minimum of 10 calendar days, provides time for unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the contract is entered into. The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (Northern Ireland).

Eligibility requirements: As stated in the Procurement Documents.