Public procurement notice: Contract Award Notice
Published: 2020-04-07
Buyer: Northern Ireland Prison Service
Country: UK
Contract type: Supplies
Procedure: Open procedure
CPV classification: 33111000: X-ray equipment | 35124000: Metal detectors
Estimated value: 750000 GBP
Award criteria: The most economic tender

Technical requirements: The Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) is an Executive agency of the Department of Justice NI (DOJNI) and is responsible for the management of Her Majesty’s Prisons in Northern Ireland. Prison Rules (NI) 1995 give authority to the Governor to put in place procedures for the searching of people and goods entering the prison and for the searching of people in custody. The NIPS currently have 24 X-ray and metal detection machines in use at Maghaberry, Magilligan and Hydebank Wood College. These are conveyer X-ray scanners which are used for the checking of bags and packages, and walkthrough archways used to detect metal items on persons entering the prison or specified areas of the prison. As the current equipment was purchased many years ago, ongoing maintenance is no longer a viable or economic option. Additionally, developments in the technology involved in the intervening period means that NIPS now wish to purchase new equipment with market leading technology to replace the existing equipment thus ensuring, where practicable, access to all available means of detecting illegal and unauthorised articles entering our establishments. The contract will also include an annual maintenance agreement.
HMP Maghaberry Lisburn, Co. Antrim, HMP Magilligan Limavady, Co. Londonderry, Hydebank Wood College Belfast, Co. Antrim
The Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) is an Executive agency of the Department of Justice NI (DOJNI) and is responsible for the management of Her Majesty’s Prisons in Northern Ireland. Prison Rules (NI) 1995 give authority to the Governor to put in place procedures for the searching of people and goods entering the prison and for the searching of people in custody. The NIPS currently have 24 X-ray and metal detection machines in use at Maghaberry, Magilligan and Hydebank Wood College. These are conveyer X-ray scanners which are used for the checking of bags and packages, and walkthrough archways used to detect metal items on persons entering the prison or specified areas of the prison. As the current equipment was purchased many years ago, ongoing maintenance is no longer a viable or economic option. Additionally, developments in the technology involved in the intervening period means that NIPS now wish to purchase new equipment with market leading technology to replace the existing equipment thus ensuring, where practicable, access to all available means of detecting illegal and unauthorised articles entering our establishments. The contract will also include an annual maintenance agreement.
Initial period 5 years: purchase and maintenance of new equipment, maintenance of existing equipment until phased out. Unit prices will be reviewed annually, all maintenance rates will be fixed for the full 5 years. Extensions potentially 10 x 1 year, reviewed annually: maintenance only of new equipment purchased during initial period.
Client has secured time-limited funding to purchase new equipment. This equipment is a constituent part ofthe client's overall security strategy, which is in place to, among other aims, deter anyone from introducing prohibited or unauthorised items into NIPS establishments that may in turn threaten good order and security within these establishments. It will detect prohibited or unauthorised items and endeavour to deprive prisoners of their use and to keep everyone living and working in these establishments as safely as possible.
The estimated contract value is a broad estimate only and includes additional quantum for unforeseen demand and to future proof for additional potential DoJ users. There is no guarantee of any level of business under this contract. The estimate is not deemed to be a condition of contract nor a guarantee of minimum demandor uptake. No compensation will be payable to a contractor should the actual demand be less than that stated.. The successful contractor’s performance on this contract will be managed as per specification and regularly monitored (see Procurement Guidance Note 01/12 Contract Management: https://www.finance-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/ files/publications/dfp/PGN-01012-Contract-Management-Principles-Procedures-25-Sept-2017.PDF).Contractors not delivering on contract requirements is a serious matter. It means the public purse is not getting what it is paying for. If a contractor fails to reach satisfactory levels of contract performance they will be given a specified time to improve. If, after the specified time, they still fail to reach satisfactory levels of contract performance, the matter will be escalated to senior management in construction and procurement delivery for further action. If this occurs and their performance still does not improve to satisfactory levels within the specified period, it may be regarded as an act of grave professional misconduct and they may be issued with a notice of written warning and notice of unsatisfactory performance and this contract may be terminated. The issue of a notice of written warning and notice of unsatisfactory performance will result in the Contractor being excluded from all procurement competitions being undertaken by Centres of Procurement Expertise on behalf of bodies covered by the Northern Ireland Procurement Policy for a period of up to 3 years from the date of issue of the notice.
The UK does not have any special review body with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures in public procurement competitions. Instead, any challenges are dealt with by the High Court, Commercial Division, to which proceedings may be issued regarding alleged breaches of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.


Winner: Information withheld for security reasons
Award value: 750000
Number of bids: 3