Public procurement notice: Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice
Published: 2017-08-16
Buyer: Statens vegvesen
Country: NO
Contract type: Services
Procedure: Negotiated without a prior call for competition
CPV classification: 63712210 | 72000000
Estimated value: 100000000 NOK

Technical requirements: Υπηρεσίες τεχνολογίας των πληροφοριών: παροχή συμβουλών, ανάπτυξη λογισμικού, Διαδίκτυο και υποστήριξη
The Norwegian Public Roads Administration intends to amend point 4.4 in the contract with the existing supplier of a central system for toll money collection. The amendment will allow the Norwegian Public Roads Administration to extend the contract beyond the 6 months allowed in the contract. The Norwegian Public Roads Administration is not signing a new contract, but amending the option in the existing contract from 6 up to 18 months if needed. The extension is to ensure the transition to new systems for toll money collection in Norway, including the ongoing procurements for AutoPASS HUB and AutoPASS IP and the coming procurements for operators and an issuing system.
Due to the cancellation in July 2015 of a contract for a new central system for toll money collection, called AutoPASS Grindgut, the Norwegian Public Roads Administration entered into a new contract with the original supplier, Q-Free ASA (Q-Free), to extend the contract period for the central system CS Norge. The planning for the procurement process for a new system for toll money collection was started at the same time.
The contract was signed for a 3 year period until July 2019, with an option for an extension for 6 months (point 4.4 of the contract).
The procurement and realisation of new systems for toll money collection is now being implemented. Two of the competitions were announced in July 2017. The progress plan shows that there is uncertainty as to whether the new systems will be ready to take over toll money collection, including ensuring that all toll money projects are transferred and stable by the end of July 2019. There is, therefore, a need to ensure an option to extend the current contract with Q-Free until the new systems are in place for all toll money companies. In order to reduce this uncertainty, an option is being established for an extended extension right with Q-Free for up to 12 months beyond the current option of 6 months.
This possible extension will be applied by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration amending point 4.4 in the existing contract.
The amendment is being made in order to ensure continuity in toll money collection. It is imperative that the Norwegian Public Roads Administration has access to a system for toll money collection in Norway, which supplies the government with resources amounting to approx. 9 300 000 000 000 NOK  per annum (2015).
It is not possible to hold a competition for this extension, as no supplier, neither new or established companies, would be able to deliver a system for toll money collection for this period. Only the existing supplier is able to deliver and operate a functioning system until the new system is in place. The Norwegian Public Roads Administration is therefore of the opinion that they can enter into a contract without a prior notice in accordance with the public procurement regulations § 13-4 letter b.
The intention of the extension is, as mentioned, to ensure the transition to new systems and a secure phasing out of the current system. Emphasis is put on the fact that the Norwegian Public Roads Administration does not currently know whether there will be a need to extend the contract as permitted by the amendment, but we would like the certainty of being able to handle any elements of uncertainty in the ongoing competitions and, thus, with secure continual toll money collection in Norway. The amendment will also ensure the Norwegian Public Roads Administration to the degree that there are delays etc. in the delivery of the new systems after contracts have been signed.
Statens vegvesen Vegdirektoratet [The Norwegian Public Roads Administration. The Directorate of Public Roads].


Winner: Q-Free ASA
Award value: 100000000