Public procurement notice: Contract Notice
Published: 2016-10-28
Buyer: University Of Edinburgh
Country: UK
Region: Edinburgh, City of
Contract type: Services
Procedure: Open procedure
CPV classification: 72300000 | 72310000: Data processing services | 72311100 | 72312000: Data entry services | 72312100: Data preparation services
Estimated value: 1500000 GBP
Submission deadline: 2016-11-25
Award criteria: The most economic tender

Technical requirements: The University of Edinburgh requires a supplier to manually transcribe between 18.7 and 25 200 000 hand written Scottish vital events records i.e. births, marriages and deaths, since 1856. This has an estimated character count of 3 300 000 000 characters. Scanned images of the records will be made available to the successful supplier via a web interface. This interface will also provide a pre-existing database into which the transcribed data will be manually inputted by the successful bidder.
This requirement is not divided into Lots as this would entail disproportionate duplication of supplier set up costs.
Bidders must self-certify their adherence to selection and exclusion criteria via the ESPD (Scotland) on PCS-T. Suppliers may be required to submit Means of Proof at a later stage. Specific selection requirements detailed in Sections III of this OJEU Notice.
The results of the Transcription Services must be uploaded into the University's Data Centre, however the actual transcription services do not have to be undertaken in the UK.
The University of Edinburgh has received funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) to create a multidisciplinary research database from historical vital events records.
This Digitising Scotland project is looking for a supplier to manually transcribe between 18.7 and 25 200 000 hand written Scottish vital events records i.e. births, marriages and deaths, since 1856. This has an estimated character count of 3 300 000 000 characters. Scanned images of the records will be made available to the successful supplier via a web interface. This interface will also provide a pre-existing database into which the transcribed data will be manually inputted by the successful bidder.
Any supplier wishing to bid must be able to transcribe a minimum of 18.7 million records within the Contract Budget and Timescales. Project set-up and transcription must be completed within 35 months from Contract start
As the data is sensitive all transcribers must be direct employees of any successful bidder, no subcontracting allowed.
If the winning bidder cannot transcribe all 25 200 000 records within the project budget, and additional funding is received at a later date, the University reserves the right to extend this contract to cover transcription of the balance of the records without further competition. The Contract can if necessary be extended on a 12 month basis up to a max of 72 months to encompass the extra work.
If further funding is acquired, the inclusion of transcription of records from 1855 may also be included in the scope of this Contract.
Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if there are any of the situations referred to in regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015.
Bidders will be required to have a minimum ‘general’ yearly turnover of GBP 1 million for the last 2 years(or equivalent in local currency).
It is a requirement of this contract that bidders hold, or can commit to obtain prior to the commencement of any subsequently awarded contract, the types and levels of insurance indicated below:
Bidders are required to provide adequate assurance of financial strength to successfully complete their contractual obligations, and must submit their 2 most recent sets of annual audited accounts including balance sheets and profit/loss accounts (translated into both GBP and English language if necessary) via electronic link in 4B.6.1 or uploading electronic copies into the general attachments area in PCS-T.
Bidders will be required to provide examples that demonstrate that they have the relevant experience to deliver the services as described in part II.2.4 of the OJEU Contract Notice.

Eligibility requirements: Not Applicable to this procurement exercise.

Award value: 1500000