Public procurement notice: Contract Notice
Published: 2017-03-07
Buyer: The Minister for the Cabinet Office acting through Crown Commercial Service
Country: UK
Region: UNITED KINGDOM
Contract type: Services
Procedure: Open procedure
CPV classification: 48000000 | 48100000 | 48211000 | 48980000 | 50324100
Estimated value: 1000000000 GBP
Submission deadline: 2017-04-03
Award criteria: The most economic tender

Technical requirements: Crown Commercial Service as the Authority is putting in place a Pan Government Collaborative Framework Agreement for use by UK public sector bodies identified at V1.3) (and any future successors to these organisations), which include Central Government Departments and their Arm's Length Bodies and Agencies, Non Departmental Public Bodies, NHS Bodies and Local Authorities and the wider public sector.
Potential Providers have the opportunity to bid for both of the two (2) Lots. However if a Potential Provider is successful on both Lots they will only be awarded a place on the Lot that they have indicated in the Tender as their preferred Lot. For clarity, Potential Providers are not allowed to be awarded a Framework Agreement for both Lot 1 and Lot 2.
The duration of the Contact Centre Services Framework Agreement shall be for a period of four (4) years.
The provision of Specialist Contact Centre Consultancy Services throughout the United Kingdom to Contracting Authorities.
Suppliers of Lot 1 shall provide advice and assurance on different delivery options to the Contracting Authority with a clear assessment of each option including, but not limited to, the practicality, timescales, cost, comparative value for money and risk. This shall include producing reports, outlining strategies, identifying programs of work and associated project plans to achieve the required efficiencies and outcomes.
The Supplier shall be able to provide consultancy services for Contacting Authority's :This will include but not limited to;
The Supplier may be required to work collaboratively on projects with other suppliers and Contracting Authority personnel, to ensure greater value for money and results.
Contracting Authorities may require other similar Services, which will be detailed in the Call Off Contract award procedure.
The individual Contracting Authorities shall confirm the scope of Services required within Call Off, in accordance with the Further Competition Procedure, detailed within the ITT.
The Authority considers that the transfer of undertakings (protection of employment) regulations 2006 (‘TUPE’) will not apply at the Framework level, but may apply at Call Off Agreement level. However, it is the responsibility of Potential Providers to take their own advice and consider whether TUPE is likely to apply in the particular circumstances of the Call Off Contract and to act accordingly. The Potential Provider is encouraged to carry out its own due diligence. In the event that TUPE applies in respect of a Call Off Agreement, Contracting Authorities will provide all relevant information as part of the Further Competition Process.
— if a Supplier is successful on both Lots they will only be awarded a place on the Lot that they have indicated in their tender as their preference. For clarity, Potential Providers are not allowed to be awarded a Framework Agreement for both Lot 1 and 2; and
— in order to ensure that the competition on the Framework Agreement is not distorted, Potential Providers are not permitted to submit more than one Tender for each Lot, regardless of whether that Tender is submitted in their own name or as part of a Group of Economic Operators. If a Potential Provider submits more than one Tender for a Lot, the Authority is entitled to disqualify one or all of the Tenders submitted by the Potential Provider in respect of the relevant Lot. For the avoidance of doubt, a Potential Provider may bid for a Lot and also be named as a Key Sub-Contractor by another Potential Provider bidding for the same Lot, but Potential Providers who are part of the same group of companies are not allowed to submit separate bids within the same Lot.
The Contracting Authority intends to use an eTendering system in this procurement exercise and reserves the right to use an electronic auction.
In reference to II.1.4 the Authority will award a Framework Agrement to 6 successful Potential Providers for Lot 1, please note the Authority will award a Framework Agreement to additional Potential Providers where their Final Score is within 1 % of the original awarded last place position only. For avoidance of doubt, last position is 6th for Lot 1.
The provision of Contact Centre Services throughout the United Kingdom to Contracting Authorities which will meet the requirements of Contracting Authorities.

Eligibility requirements: Potential Providers will be assessed in accordance with Section 5 of Chapter 2 of the Public Contract Regulations 2015, as amended (implementing Title II, Chapter III, Section 3, Sub section i of Directive 2014/24/EU), on the basis of information provided in response to an Invitation to Tender (‘ITT’). This procurement will be managed electronically via the Authority's eSourcing Suite. To participate in this Procurement, Potential Providers must first be registered on the eSourcing Suite. If you have not yet registered on the eSourcing Suite, this can be done online at https:// gpsesourcing.cabinetoffice.gov.uk by following the link ‘Register for CCS eSourcing’. Please note that, to register, you must have a valid DUNS number (as provided by Dun and Bradstreet) for the organisation which you are registering, who will be entering into a contract if invited to do so. Full instructions for registration and use of the system can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/become-a-crown-commercial-service-supplier/becoming-a-supplier-through-the-crown-commercial-service-what-you-need-to-know Once you have registered on the eSourcing Suite, a registered user can express an interest for a specific procurement. This is done by emailing expressionofinterest@crowncommercial.gov.uk. Your email must clearly state: the name and reference for the procurement you wish to register; the name of the Potential Provider; and the name and contact details for the registered individual sending the email. The Authority will process the email and then enable the Potential Provider to access the procurement online via the eSourcing Suite. The registered user will receive a notification email to alert them once this has been done. As a user of the eSourcing Suite you will have access to Emptoris messaging service, which facilitates all messages sent to you and from you in relation to any specific RFX event. Please note it is your responsibility to access these messages on a regular basis by logging on to the Emptoris system and checking your message inbox to ensure you have sight of all relevant information. Please see the Procurement Timetable at Paragraph 4.2 of Attachment 1 — Invitation to Tender and ensure you are aware of the dates your procurement documents need to be submitted. For technical assistance on use of the eSourcing Suite please contact Crown Commercial Service Helpdesk email: eenablement@crowncommercial.gov.uk A full copy of the ITT documentation for this procurement will be available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge via Crown Commercial Service website from the date of this publication of the contract notice: http://ccs-agreements.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/procurement-pipeline The Cyber Essentials scheme is mandatory for Central Government Contracts which involve handling personal information and providing certain ICT products and services. The Government is taking steps to further reduce the levels of cyber security risk in its supply chain through the Cyber Essentials scheme. The scheme defines a set of controls which, when properly implemented, will provide organisations with basic protection from the most prevalent forms of threat coming from the internet. To participate in this Procurement, Potential Providers must be able to demonstrate that you comply with the technical requirements prescribed by Cyber Essentials Plus for Services under and in connection with this Procurement. The Potential Provider may be awarded a place on the Framework Agreement but shall not enter into any Call Off Procedure and/or any Call Off Contracts with Contracting Authorities until they are able to demonstrate to the Authority that they meet the technical requirements prescribed by the Cyber Essentials Scheme for Services under and in connection with this Procurement. The service arises from a Framework and will involve the Potential Provider holding material that has been assigned a protective marking under the Government Security Classifications Scheme (April 2014) of OFFICIAL. It is a condition of this contract that this material must be protected. Baseline protection controls are defined in ISO27001:2013 and further defined by the Security Policy Framework https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-security. Potential Providers will be assessed on the basis of information provided in response to an ITT. The ITT can be accessed at: https://gpsesourcing.cabinetoffice.gov.uk using the instructions detailed in III.2.1. The Authority may take into account any of the following information a) a copy of audited accounts for the most recent two years if available and/or b) a statement of your turnover profit and loss account and cash flow for the most recent year of trading for the organisation; c) a statement of your cash flow forecast for the current year and a bank letter outlining the current cash and credit position; and/or d) an alternative means of demonstrating financial status. The ITT can be accessed at: https://gpsesourcing.cabinetoffice.gov.uk using the instructions detailed in III.2.1. Potential Providers will be assessed in accordance with Section 5 of the Regulations implementing the Directive, on the basis of information provided in response to an ITT. The Authority may take into account the following information: a) A copy of audited accounts for the most recent 2 years, b) Certificate in the form attached to the ITT (titled ‘Certificate of Past Performance’) from those to whom services were provided; or c) If any such Certification cannot be obtained, you must self-certify performance using the form set out tin Attachment 2a Certificate of Past Performance as well as stating the reasons why it is Self-Certified on the form. If any Certification does not state that the Good and Services have been provided satisfactorily in accordance with the terms of the contract in question, you must provide additional information to demonstrate that any reason why there were not so provided, will not reoccur in the performance of the Goods and Services to be provided under this Framework Agreement. The Authority will also assess whether this selection criterion is met on request from the framework agreement user prior to the proposed conclusion of a call-off agreement with a value of £20 million or greater (excluding VAT). Failure to meet the selection criterion set will render the supplier ineligible for that call-off agreement.
Potential Providers will be assessed on the basis of information provided in response to an ITT. The ITT can be accessed at: https://gpsesourcing.cabinetoffice.gov.uk using the instructions detailed in III.2.1. The Authority may take into account any of the following information a) a copy of audited accounts for the most recent two years if available and/or b) a statement of your turnover profit and loss account and cash flow for the most recent year of trading for the organisation; c) a statement of your cash flow forecast for the current year and a bank letter outlining the current cash and credit position; and/or d) an alternative means of demonstrating financial status.
The ITT can be accessed at: https://gpsesourcing.cabinetoffice.gov.uk using the instructions detailed in III.2.1. Potential Providers will be assessed in accordance with Section 5 of the Regulations implementing the Directive, on the basis of information provided in response to an ITT. The Authority may take into account the following information: a) A copy of audited accounts for the most recent 2 years, b) Certificate in the form attached to the ITT (titled ‘Certificate of Past Performance’) from those to whom services were provided; or c) If any such Certification cannot be obtained, you must self-certify performance using the form set out tin Attachment 2a Certificate of Past Performance as well as stating the reasons why it is Self-Certified on the form. If any Certification does not state that the Good and Services have been provided satisfactorily in accordance with the terms of the contract in question, you must provide additional information to demonstrate that any reason why there were not so provided, will not reoccur in the performance of the Goods and Services to be provided under this Framework Agreement. The Authority will also assess whether this selection criterion is met on request from the framework agreement user prior to the proposed conclusion of a call-off agreement with a value of £20 million or greater (excluding VAT). Failure to meet the selection criterion set will render the supplier ineligible for that call-off agreement.
The ITT can be accessed at: https://gpsesourcing.cabinetoffice.gov.uk using the instructions detailed in III.2.1. Potential Providers will be assessed in accordance with Section 5 of the Regulations implementing the Directive, on the basis of information provided in response to an ITT. The Authority may take into account the following information: a) A copy of audited accounts for the most recent 2 years, b) Certificate in the form attached to the ITT (titled ‘Certificate of Past Performance’) from those to whom services were provided; or c) If any such Certification cannot be obtained, you must self-certify performance using the form set out tin Attachment 2a Certificate of Past Performance as well as stating the reasons why it is Self-Certified on the form. If any Certification does not state that the Good and Services have been provided satisfactorily in accordance with the terms of the contract in question, you must provide additional information to demonstrate that any reason why there were not so provided, will not reoccur in the performance of the Goods and Services to be provided under this Framework Agreement.
The Authority will also assess whether this selection criterion is met on request from the framework agreement user prior to the proposed conclusion of a call-off agreement with a value of £20 million or greater (excluding VAT). Failure to meet the selection criterion set will render the supplier ineligible for that call-off agreement.