Public procurement notice: Contract Notice
Published: 2017-02-22
Buyer: Ministry of Defence, Ships, Commercially Supported Shipping (CSS) Team
Country: UK
Region: Bristol, City of
Contract type: Services
Procedure: Negotiated procedure
CPV classification: 50241000
Estimated value: 30000000 GBP
Submission deadline: 2017-03-22
Award criteria: The most economic tender

Technical requirements: : Commercially Supported Shipping (CSS) Future In-Service Support (FISS) — Requirement for the provision of furnishings for thirteen (13) Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Vessels and one (1) Royal Navy (RN) Ocean Survey Vessel (OSV).
The contract will be for ten (10) years, with a value for money exercise commencing at the three and a half (3.5) year point. The Authority will have the option, at its sole discretion, to break the contract at the five (5) year point if it believes value for money is not being achieved.
Years one (1) to three (3) will be firm price i.e. not subject to variation, and years four (4) to ten (10) will be fixed price, subject to the price index / indices stated in the contract. The justification for the proposed framework duration is that RFA vessels and the RN OSV require a refit period every five (5) years, and a ten (10) year framework will allow for two (2) refit periods within one contractual agreement which will provide benefits to both the successful bidder and Authority through learning from experience. Planning a refit period requires approximately eighteen (18) months, and a seven (7) year contract period would risk interruption to the planning or delivery of a second refit period. Certification is required at a docking every five (5) years so a ten (10) year framework would afford full certification twice preventing the risk of uncertified and therefore unusable vessels in the fleet. This is therefore deemed as exceptional circumstances.
Repair and maintenance services of ships. The Commercially Supported Shipping (CSS) Team manages the In-Service Support of a diverse range of platforms including the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) flotilla and the Royal Navy (RN) Hydrographic and Patrol (H&P) including Survey Ships. The majority of contracts which support these platforms will expire in 2018.
This requirement is for the supply, installation and maintenance of new and existing fixed and soft internal fixtures and fittings and all associated equipment specifically for the RFA and OSV platforms.
The successful bidder must support all requirements over the ten (10) year framework agreement duration.
The scope of this requirement covers the supply, installation and maintenance of new and existing fixed and soft furnishings and all associated equipment in the accommodation, galley, laundry and associated areas for the following ships: RFA WAVE KNIGHT, RFA WAVE RULER (WAVE class); RFA FORT AUSTIN, RFA FORT ROSALIE, RFA FORT VICTORIA (Fort Class); RFA LYME BAY, RFA MOUNTS BAY, RFA CARDIGAN BAY (BAY Class); RFA ARGUS; HMS SCOTT (OSV); RFA TIDESPRING, RFA TIDERACE, RFA TIDESURGE, RFA TIDEFORCE (TIDE Class). This will include but not be limited to: furnishing refits; providing design activity outputs to fixed and soft internal fixtures and fittings and all associated equipment; worldwide engineering support; planning and control of Master Décor Schemes.
The successful bidder will be required to provide Alterations and Additions (A&As), modifications to fixed and soft furnishings, refurbishment and upgrade of existing accommodation spaces, and associated areas at a UK port or at various overseas ports. The successful bidder shall also be required to carry out or arrange authorised repairs and maintenance upon any nominated furnished part(s) of the designated Vessel(s) as and when required.
The successful bidder will work collaboratively with the Authority and Contractors responsible for the primary functional maintenance of the vessels — the Ship Cluster Owner (SCO) — as well as the Contractors providing technical coatings services and classification services. . CSS is currently running competitions to identify these Contractors. The ship clusters are split into three separate capabilities as follows: Lot 1(WAVE and FORT Class), Lot 2 (BAY Class, RFA Argus and HMS Scott) and Lot 3 (TIDE Class).
All work carried out shall comply with current Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA), Marine Equipment Directives (MED), International Maritime Organisation IMO and Classification Society rules and regulations. All required Wheelmark accreditation for furniture, fabrics and other combustible material used in accommodation areas must be in support of RFA Master Décor Scheme.
Disposal of furnishings and waste from installation and maintenance of new and existing fixed and soft furnishings must be carried out in accordance with the Ministry of Defence disposal policy and with direct arrangements between the successful bidder and the Ship Cluster Owner (SCO).
The contract will be for ten (10) years, with a value for money exercise commencing at the three and a half (3.5) year point. The Authority will have the option, at its sole discretion, to break the contract at the five (5) year point if it believes value for money is not being achieved.Years one (1) to three (3) will be firm price i.e. not subject to variation, and years four (4) to ten (10) will be fixed price, subject to the price index / indices stated in the contract. The justification for the proposed framework duration is that RFA vessels and the RN OSV require a refit period every five (5) years, and a ten (10) year framework will allow for two (2) refit periods within one contractual agreement which will provide benefits to both the successful bidder and Authority through learning from experience. Planning a refit period requires approximately eighteen (18) months, and a seven (7) year contract period would risk interruption to the planning or delivery of a second refit period. Certification is required at a docking every five (5) years so a ten (10) year framework would afford full certification twice preventing the risk of uncertified and therefore unusable vessels in the fleet.
No work whatsoever is guaranteed under any resulting framework agreement or contract and there is no guarantee that any framework agreement or contract will be put in place in relation to this notice. No compensation etc. will be paid if a tender or resulting framework agreement is withdrawn for any reason. Bidders should take part in this process only on the basis that they fully understand and accept this position.
The Authority shall reserve the right to request a proportional Parent company guarantee or Bank Bond.
If a group of economic operators submits a bid, the group must nominate a lead organisation to deal with the Authority. The Authority shall require the group to form a legal entity before entering into the contract.

Eligibility requirements: (a) Appropriate statements from the economic operator's bankers or where appropriate, evidence of relevant professional risk indemnity insurance. Two (2) years audited accounts (if available) or equivalent information, which will be sought through Pre-Qualification Questionnaire.
The estimated average annual contract value is between £3,000,000 and £4,000,000. If the estimated average annual contract value a potential supplier is planning to bid for is greater than 40 % of its turnover, the Authority reserves the right to exclude them from being selected to tender. The Authority reserves the right to exclude the supplier from being selected to tender except where the supplier provides, to the satisfaction of the Authority, evidence showing it has sufficient economic and financial capability, e.g. such evidence may include: (1) Any additional information proving it has sufficient economic and financial resources to deliver the requirement; and (2) State whether the supplier is willing to provide the Authority with an indemnity, guarantee or bank bond. A financial assessment will be undertaken on the supplier's financial status. An overall pass / fail judgement will be made after considering areas such as turnover, profit, net assets, liquidity, gearing and capacity. This assessment will include the Parent company where applicable. An independent financial assessment obtained from a reputable credit rating organisation will be utilised as part of this process.
See Pre-Qualification Questionnaire and Guidance document.