Public procurement notice: Prior Information Notice Without Call For Competition
Published: 2019-11-14
Buyer: Highways England
Country: UK
Contract type: Services
CPV classification: 48000000 | 60112000

Technical requirements: ESDAL (Electronic Service Delivery for Abnormal Loads) is a service for managing Abnormal Indivisible Loads (AIL) in the UK. An AIL is one which cannot, without undue expense or risk of damage, be divided into 2 or more loads and cannot be carried by a normal vehicle. For some sizes and weights, hauliers are required to notify the police and road and structure owners about the movement of abnormal loads so that the relevant owners and authorities can check that structures are not damaged.
ESDAL is currently provided as a digital application with portals for hauliers, structures/road owners, the police and special orders. It is based on an Oracle database and a configured Navteq mapping solution.
Under a new contract, a successful supplier will provide a more flexible service accounting for future needs by use of Application Program Interface (API); open data; a flexible, automatically maintained map, and conform to best practice in government web-based services. It will meet the requirements of the UK Government Digital Service code of practice (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/technology-code-of-practice/technology-code-of-practice).
Highways England are currently exploring the most suitable route to market and therefore cannot guarantee that this contract will be available via OJEU. If published via OJEU the ‘Open Procedure’ may be utilised.
ESDAL is managed on behalf of DfT under a protocol agreement with Highways England as it covers the whole of the GB road network not just Highways England’s Strategic Road Network. Highways England want to procure a new system to manage abnormal loads that makes the most of developing technologies to replace our existing system.
Highways England is both the owner of the ESDAL service and a major user in its role as road asset owner for the Strategic Road Network. Overall, the demand on ESDAL is increasing. As the user-base increases, the demand for modern applications that are accessible from multiple platforms increases. Development is required specifically to meet the code of practice of UK Government Digital Service (GDS). Current workflows have potential for efficiency improvements while retaining the safety benefits of strict adherence to UK AIL regulations. (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/1998/contents/made). The roads network continually changes, and we expect that software mapping facilities are improving. ESDAL 4 will require a connected continuously maintained map to ensure that the road network with its associated, structures; road owners and custom routing can be relied on as accurate at all times. Highways England seek expressions of interest from potential suppliers of a government web-based service with the capacity and capability to provide ESDAL 4. Highways England is interested in hearing from companies with a track record of innovation in web-based services. A clear understanding of abnormal loads processes and regulations will be an advantage but is not essential.
The overall contract period is likely to be 5 years; comprising an initial period for software development to be followed by the implementation of the new service. The proposals for the development period will be an important element of tender assessment. This market engagement should help refine the estimated cost of the work. Our initial view is the cost of the development work will not exceed 2 000 000 GBP.
Next steps — a industry/supplier day will be held on 3.12.2019 at: Canalside, The Cube Birmingham, 196 Wharfside Street, Birmingham, B1 1RN.
In order to register an interest in attending, please provide contact details (max 2 people) to the procurement officer lee.bryant@highwaysengland.co.uk by 10.00 26.11.2019 (along with any potential issues with access or dietary requirements). Please also confirm your expression of interest by answering the questions below (if not already provided via response to the first PIN). Note the contracting authority intends to use the eTendering system Bravo n this procurement. You will need to register your company on Bravo (this is only required once). Contract dates stated are indicative, and may be subject to change.
2) Would you be willing to provide a perpetual licence to Highways England to use the ESDAL software for the specific ESDAL purpose?
4) Do you have experience of meeting the UK Government Digital Service code of practice? (www.gov.uk/government/publications/technology-code-of-practice/technology-code-of-practice)
13) What else would you like to tell us about your approach to this application? a brief statement would help.