Public procurement notice: Contract Notice
Published: 2018-08-08
Buyer: The Police and Crime Commissioner for Kent
Country: UK
Contract type: Services
Procedure: Open procedure
CPV classification: 48782000 | 63120000 | 63121000 | 63121100 | 64216200
Estimated value: 7000000 GBP
Submission deadline: 2018-10-22
Award criteria: The most economic tender

Technical requirements: The Police and Crime Commissioner for Kent ("Kent Police") wishes to procure as the lead authority on behalf of itself and the Police, fire and crime commissioner for Essex ("Essex Police") a suitably experienced and qualified contractor to provide, utilising such contractor’s own premises at locations in the United Kingdom, secure off-site storage for a documented and auditable chain of custody, documentary, and physical evidence belonging to each of Kent Police and Essex Police (hereinafter referred to in this contract notice together as the "Authorities" and each individually as an "Authority"), as well as a service to collect such materials from each Authority and to retrieve them and deliver them to the Authorities where so required by the Authorities.
The Authorities require the provision of secure off-site storage utilising the successful tenderer’s own premises (the “Facilities”) at UK-wide locations for a documented and auditable chain of custody documentary and physical evidence belonging to each Authority (the “Materials”). Such Materials include without limitation: boxes of paper files; analogue, magnetic, and digital audiovisual media; evidential exhibits; biohazardous material; larger items, such as vehicles and plant; and irregular-shaped items, such as furniture. Each Authority requires the collection of Materials from such Authority's central distribution hub for transfer to the facilities and the retrieval of materials stored at the facilities and delivery back to such Authority's central distribution hub where required by such Authority. The appointed provider shall manage the storage, tracking, and transportation of the Materials in line with all applicable legislation (including without limitation applicable data protection legislation). The Materials must be stored at the facilities with appropriate levels of security and environmental conditions and and in a manner that delivers value for money for each Authority.
Tenderers are asked to specify whether they are able to provide additional services, including without limitation a scanning service and destruction service (the "Optional Services"). Provision of the Optional Services is not a mandatory requirement and will not be evaluated; however, where tenderers are able to provide the Optional Services, they are asked to state in their respective tenders the applicable pricing in respect of such Optional services, which pricing will apply in the event that either Authority during the term of the relevant contract chooses (at its absolute discretion) to purchase any of the Optional Services (and neither Authority shall be under an obligation to do so).
The Authorities require the provider of these services to be the same for each Authority so that each Authority can benefit from the efficiencies derived from economies of scale. As such, each Authority will award a separate bilateral contract to the appointed provider.
The contract with Essex Police shall cover, in addition to the requirements of the police service, any requirements of the fire and rescue service for the areas of the councils of the boroughs of Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock and Essex County Council. This is because the Police, fire and crime commissioner for Essex (Fire and rescue authority) Order 2017 abolished the former Essex Fire Authority, and responsibility for the fire and rescue service was brought within the remit of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex with effect from 1.10.2017.
Tenderers should note there is no guarantee of the volume of Materials to be sent for storage or retrieved and delivered under either contract.
Full details of the procurement and the Authorities' requirements are set out in the procurement documents available on the e-tendering system at https://kentpolice-essexpolice.bravosolution.co.uk (please search for project_17435 and navigate to the 'Attachments' section to find all three volumes of the Invitation to tender).
Each contract (i.e. one contract with Kent Police and one contract with Essex Police) may have up to 5 extensions of 36 months each, which extensions shall be awarded at the absolute discretion of the relevant Authority. The maximum potential duration of each contract to be awarded is therefore 240 months (20 years).
The estimated maximum value of this procurement has been stated as 10 000 000 GBP (ten million pounds sterling) on the basis that it is likely to fall in the range of 7 000 000 GBP (seven million pounds sterling) and 10 000 000 GBP (ten million pounds sterling). This range has been calculated on the basis that, in the initial 5-year period during which prices will be fixed, the combined annual estimated value of both contracts (i.e. the contracts for both Authorities together) is 350 000 GBP (three hundred and fifty thousand pounds sterling). When this figure is multiplied by twenty (20), i.e. the number of years comprising the total potential duration of each contract (if all possible extensions under both contracts are used), this comes to 7 000 000 GBP (seven million pounds sterling).
However, after the initial five5-year period, if either contract is extended, then prices will be subject to indexation based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and, as such, the combined annual estimated value of both contracts may increase. As such, the potential increase in the pricing for the remaining fifteen years of each contract (if all extensions under each contract are used) means that the total estimated value could come to £10,000,000 (ten million pounds sterling).
Tenderers who submit bids must be capable of providing the services under each contract as soon as 1 May 2019.
The Authorities intend to hold a briefing day for interested suppliers in August 2018 as set out in the procurement documents. It is recommended that all interested tenderers attend where possible. No part of the briefing day will be subject to evaluation for the purposes of the procurement. Interested suppliers who wish to attend should confirm who will be representing their organisations (including full name and position) as soon as possible using the e-tendering system in accordance with the instructions set out in the procurement documents.
The Contracting Authority will incorporate a minimum standstill period of ten (10) calendar days at the point information on the award of the contract is communicated to tenderers. This period allows unsuccessful tenderers to seek further debriefing from the Contracting Authority before the contracts to be awarded under this procurement are entered into. If an appeal regarding the award of the contracts has not been successfully resolved, the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or who are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland).

Eligibility requirements: As set out in the procurement documents.

Award value: 7000000