Tender, utilities: UK-Reading: data collection and collation services

UK-Reading: data collection and collation services

2010/S 163-251339

CONTRACT NOTICE - UTILITIES

Services

SECTION I: CONTRACTING ENTITY

• I.1)
  NAME, ADDRESSES AND CONTACT POINT(S)

  E-mail: Thames Water Utilities Limited
  Procurement Support Centre 3rd Floor Clearwater Court C/O Mail Room Rose Kiln Court
  RG2 0BYReading
  UNITED KINGDOM
  procurement.support.centre@thameswater.co.uk

  Further information can be obtained at: As in above-mentioned contact point(s)

  Specifications and additional documents (including documents for a dynamic purchasing system) can be obtained at: As in above-mentioned contact point(s)

  Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to: As in above-mentioned contact point(s)

• I.2)
  MAIN ACTIVITY OR ACTIVITIES OF THE CONTRACTING ENTITY

  Water

SECTION II: OBJECT OF THE CONTRACT

• II.1)
  DESCRIPTION
• II.1.1)
  Title attributed to the contract by the contracting entity

  FA982 - Supply measurement and collection of condition and other technical data.

• II.1.2)
  Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance

  Services

  Service category: No 27

  Main place of performance Whole of Thames Water Region and surrounding area.

• II.1.3)
  The notice involves

  The establishment of a framework agreement

• II.1.4)
  Information on framework agreement

  Framework agreement with several operators

  maximum number of participants to the framework agreement envisaged 2

  Duration of the framework agreement: Duration in year(s): 5

  Estimated total value of purchases for the entire duration of the framework agreement:

  estimated cost excluding VAT

  Rangebetween 6 000 000,00 and 8 000 000,00 GBP

• II.1.5)
  Short description of the contract or purchase(s)

  Introduction.

  Thames Water intends to award a framework agreement for the supply of measurement and collection of condition and other technical data for its large diameter water mains. Thames Water has approximately 4 000 km of such mains, which are made predominantly of cast Iron but also of ductile iron, steel, concrete, GRP, PVC and other materials, ranging from 8 inch (~200 mm) to 60 inch (1 500 mm) in diameter, located primarily in London and the Thames Valley.

  Based on current business projections, within the next 5 years, Thames water expects to purchase:

  — 1 500 planned works,

  — 400 reactive works.

  The work covered by the framework agreements will encompass the entire spectrum of Thames Water’s field measurement and sampling and laboratory analysis requirements, ranging from pro-active opportunistic sampling to reactive post-failure activities. However the scope will exclude the development of new methods and the provision of expert witness services.

  The projects covered by the framework agreements may be awarded directly by Thames Water or by one of its approved contractors or an approved sub-contractor. The supplier will be expected to offer the same levels of service and commercial benefits to Thames Water and its approved contractors and sub-contractors. The supplier will act as a single point of contact for the provision of all of the services to be delivered in the most efficient way possible without impacting quality, in the framework agreement. The supplier will be required to coordinate the timing of their activities with TW’s approved contractors and to be flexible to attend unplanned works.

  Description of work.

  Supply measurement and collection of condition and other technical data.

  Scope of work.

  The scope of work to be awarded includes measurement and collection of condition and other technical data including collection and transportation of samples, field and laboratory analysis.

  Supplier staff will be required to attend site and gather technical data regarding the pipe, its location, its environment, the soil, loading and other nearby features. Measurement methods may be carried out on site using appropriate means and/or may require the removal of samples from site for laboratory analysis. Data collected will be used for scientific analysis and to inform asset investment decisions.

  All data, information and reports must.

  1. Reference the unique asset identifier, location and date, and how access was made to the main, eg. Leak repair, burst, planned work.

  2. Returned in a standard format to be agreed and held in a standard database/spreadsheet also to be agreed

  Award of framework agreements.

  This notice is a request for expressions of interest to participate in the bid process to establish the framework agreements.

  Thames Water reserves the right not to award framework agreements. Companies may apply individually and/or provide joint venture or consortium applications. It is envisaged that framework agreements will be awarded for the duration of 3 years extendable annually up to a maximum of 5 years.

• II.1.6)
  Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)

  72314000, 72313000, 71600000

• II.1.7)
  Contract covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

  No

• II.1.8)
  Division into lots

  No

• II.1.9)
  Variants will be accepted

  Yes

• II.2)
  QUANTITY OR SCOPE OF THE CONTRACT
• II.2.1)
  Total quantity or scope

  Information to be provided in the invitation to negotiate.

• II.2.2)
  Options

  Yes

  description of these options: Any agreement awarded would be for an initial duration of 3 years with options to extend annually up to a maximum overall term of 5 years. This would be subject to satisfactory reviews on price and supplier performance. The length of the agreement maybe subject to change if unforseen changes to the business occur or the TWUL or supplier projected spend profile significantly changes.

II.3)
DURATION OF THE CONTRACT OR TIME LIMIT FOR COMPLETION

SECTION III: LEGAL, ECONOMIC, FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION

• III.1)
  CONDITIONS RELATING TO THE CONTRACT

III.1.1)
Deposits and guarantees required

• III.1.2)
  Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions regulating them

  Specified in Invitation to Negotiate.

• III.1.3)
  Legal form to be taken by the grouping of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded

  Consortia may be required to form a legal entity prior to any award.

• III.1.4)
  Other particular conditions to which the performance of the contract is subject

  No

• III.2)
  CONDITIONS FOR PARTICIPATION
• III.2.1)
  Personal situation of economic operators, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers

  Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if requirements are met: As detailed in in Section VI.3.

• III.2.2)
  Economic and financial capacity

  As detailed in in Section VI.3, and as below:

  1. Financial - provide your last 2 years audited accounts.

  2. Confirm annual turnover is over 1 500 000 GBP per annum.

• III.2.3)
  Technical capacity

  Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if requirements are met As detailed in section VI.3.

  The areas to be covered in this questionnaire are as follows:

  1. Organisational details;

  2. Resources;

  3. Capability;

  4. Experienc.;

  1. Organisational details:

  a. Please provide the address of your registered office, and details of the UK locations you operate from, together with the named person responsible for this application.

  b. Please state whether your company is part of a group or is affiliated in any way with other companies. If so, please provide details of the group company structure or other company relationships.

  c. If you propose to develop a new partnership with another company to deliver this and confirm who the lead party will be.

  d. Provide evidence of having an accredited quality assurance system, with the appropriate scope, at a minimum this must be ISO9001.

  e. Confirm your company has a health and safety policy is in place.

  f. Confirm your company has an environmental policy in place. Confirm whether you currently hold or are working towards ISO14000 or similar environmental accreditation

  g. Provide relevant contact name, address, telephone number and email details of person responsible for this submission.

  (Please note, we do not require certificates at this stage).

  2. Resources:

  a. Confirm the number of current in-house and third party labour resources including locations and resource management systems previously employed.

  b. Qualifications of staff currently carrying out analysis and staff turnover rate.

  c. Specific equipment/services currently used for data collation & reporting, production of documentation and testing, analysis and sample handling services.

  d. IT systems for data capture and reporting and the associated support staff.

  3. Capability:

  a. Provide details of your capability to carry out:

  i. Non-destructive testing of Trunk Mains on site in excavations.

  ii. Destructive and/or non-destructive testing of exhumed pipe or recovered pipe samples (failure fragments or coupons) collected from site.

  iii. Please also detail methods and/or procedures used to ensure that tested pipe is not compromised in any way and long term deterioration of the asset is not accelerated by the testing process.

  b. Provide details of your capability to carry out three dimensional survey of site and surrounding areas using survey methods, photography etc.

  c. Provide details of your capability in sampling, sample preparation, identification, handling, tracking etc and the provision of collated data in a consistent documented, tabular or database format. Please also comment on the provision of raw data and interpreted results.

  d. Provide details of your capability to carry out additional investigation as appropriate in response to conditions on site – e.g. witness statements, 3rd party causes etc

  4. Experience:

  Please provide 3 case studies relating to contracts you have been awarded in the last 5 years, for each case study provide evidence of the following:

  1. Name of customer, value of contract, duration of contract and referee contact details.

  2. Details of any value engineering or design innovation you have instigated to the benefit of the client which has resulted in reduced cost. Provide proof of the savings.

  3. Resourcing for planned and reactive events 365/24 – demonstrate how you carried out reactive work along with main activity with minimal detriment to its progress.

  4. Scope of data measurement and collection – Confirm below, experience of each of the below.

  Pipe characteristics and condition: (Answer Yes or No each) e.g.:

  Pipe characterisation: size, material, age....

  Pipe condition assessment: Graphitisation-Defect/Crack growth-Protection.

  Protection: tuberculation, coating/lining.

  Wall thickness.

  Graphitisation - type, extent, CI grade, remaining life.

  Graphite morphology: type, distribution, size.

  Microstructure and defects.

  Defect: presence of crack/void.

  Defect origin: casting/manufacture/time related (fatigue, corrosion).

  Chemical composition - Wt % Carbon, Silicon and Phosphorus.

  Joint Movement: pipe deflection, offset, sealing material, lead extrusion.

  Fracture characteristics: failure mode, breakage pattern, fracture surface....

  Fracture mechanics & fatigue: corrosion/graphitisation, mechanical fatigue, crack growth....

  Mechanical properties: modulus of elasticity, fracture toughness,

  Location survey: e.g.:

  Location-Event: near property address, postcode.

  Precise location: (X,Y) coordinates.

  Asset identity: GISID.

  Outline survey of excavation, location and surrounding features.

  Photos of burst site and surroundings.

  Latent defect/3rd party damage - Evidence.

  Soil and environmental conditions: e.g.:

  Physical factors: Soil type, Texture, Particle size - Distribution.

  Nutrient content: C, Cl, sulphate....

  Inorganic parameters: redox, conductivity, temperature....

  Corrosivity: pH, moisture, electrical resistivity....

  External corrosion: stray current, galvanic....

  Mechanical factors: bulk density, pressure, expansion, shrink-swell....

  Failure information (where the excavation is in response to an asset failure): e.g.:

  Description of failure, type of failure.

  Fracture surface - description, corrosion, etc.

  Corrosion (soil influence), Fatigue, Inherent flaws; ....

  Operational Pressures: Cyclic/Surge, Transients.

  External loading: self weight, traffic, point loads etc.

• III.2.4)
  Reserved contracts

  No

• III.3)
  CONDITIONS SPECIFIC TO SERVICES CONTRACTS
• III.3.1)
  Execution of the service is reservedto a particular profession

  No

• III.3.2)
  Legal persons should indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff responsible for the execution of the service

  No

SECTION IV: PROCEDURE

• IV.1)
  TYPE OF PROCEDURE
• IV.1.1)
  Type of procedure

  Negotiated

  Candidates have already been selected No

• IV.2)
  AWARD CRITERIA
• IV.2.1)
  Award criteria

  The most economically advantageous tender in terms ofthe criteria stated in the specifications or in the invitation to tender or to negotiate

• IV.2.2)
  An electronic auction will be used

  Yes

  Thames Water reserves the right to conduct an electronic auction, if it wishes to do so, as part of the award criteria for the particular contract/agreement.

• IV.3)
  ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
• IV.3.1)
  File reference number attributed by the contracting entity

  FA982

• IV.3.2)
  Previous publication concerning the same contract

  No

• IV.3.3)
  Conditions for obtaining specifications and additional documents

  Payable documents No

• IV.3.4)
  Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

  10.9.2010 - 12:00

• IV.3.5)
  Language(s) in which tenders or requests to participate may be drawn up

  English.

IV.3.6)
Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender

IV.3.7)
Conditions for opening tenders

SECTION VI: COMPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

• VI.1)
  THIS IS A RECURRENT PROCUREMENT

  Yes

  5 years

• VI.2)
  CONTRACT(S) RELATED TO A PROJECT AND/OR PROGRAMME FINANCED BY COMMUNITY FUNDS

  No

• VI.3)
  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

  To pre-qualify, respondents must respond to the Mandatory Requirements set out in paragraph 1 and the Further Information request in paragraph 2 below. Any respondent who is unable to satisfy the Mandatory Requirements or who does not provide the Further Information may not be considered further and may not be invited to tender.

  There is no application form available for completion - Applicants are required to respond directly to this notice. Responses to the notice should consist of a maximum of 20 pages (40 sides) of A4 paper. Accounts and copies of certificates may be appended to the main body of the response. Applicants should submit one hard copy in a flat or spiral binder and one copy on CD Rom or memory stick. The envelope must be clearly marked with project number (FA982). Storage is limited, and applicants are requested not to use lever arch folders or other bulky bindings, or to submit more than one copy. Applicants should not include non-requested sales literature with their applications. Packages weighing more than 10 kgs cannot be accepted. Companies who qualify for inclusion on the Tender List may be required to demonstrate their services in practical trials or presentations at no cost to Thames Water Utilities Limited. Applicants who fail to supply all of the information requested in response to this Notice risk elimination. The contents of this Notice are sufficient for submissions of pre-qualification data; all other communications are discouraged. Applications must be clear and concise and contain all the information requested in this notice. The format of supplier's responses must be such that each point is restated and immediately followed by the supplier's answer.

  We intend to invite up to 6 respondents to tender for this contract.

  Tender evaluation criteria will be stated within the Invitation to Negotiate specifications. Negotiation will then take place with one or more pre-qualified tenderers to secure the most economically advantageous offer to TWUL. Contracts will be under English law.

  1. Supplementary information.

  Evaluation will not take place against the following questions. However, respondents are requested to answer each point as fully as possible.

  1.1 Provide a one page covering letter to include relevant contact address, telephone, fax and e-mail details.

  1.2 Your organisation: Please provide the address of your registered office, and details of the UK locations you operate from, together with the named person responsible for this application. Please state whether your company is part of a group or is affiliated in any way with other companies. If so, please provide details of the group company structure or other company relationships. Alternatively provide details if you propose to develop a new partnership with another company to deliver this service.

  1.3 Please provide brief details on how your organisation is working towards meeting the ten universal principles in the areas of human rights, labour, the environment and anti corruption. (www.unglobalcompact.org)

  1.4 Please provide brief details on your Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Procurement Policies and how your organisation is working towards implementing these policies.

  General.

  Thames Water operates an ongoing risk management approach with regard to the economic and financial capacity of its suppliers. Information will be obtained either from the supplier or an externally recognized provider. Information will be gathered upon commencement of the process and over the duration of the contract period.

  Respondents should note that this process might require references to be provided and verified, attendances at meetings, talks and presentations at no cost to Thames Water.

  Consortia may be required to form a legal entity prior to any award.

  Thames Water Utilities Limited reserves the right to award no contract(s) as a result of this award procedure.

  Any agreement resulting from this contract notice may be modified to include further similar requirements at any site under the management of Thames Water Utilities Limited or its associated companies (subsidiaries, sister, parent company (and Group of Companies) within the EU, five years from the agreement date.

  This contract notice does not preclude Thames Water Utilities Limited or it's associated companies (subsidiaries, sister, parent companies etc) from issuing other contract notices for specific requirements from time to time.

  There will be no further call for competition.

• VI.4)
  PROCEDURES FOR APPEAL
• VI.4.1)
  Body responsible for appeal procedures

  See section VI.4.2

• VI.4.2)
  Lodging of appeals

  Precise information on deadline(s) for lodging appeals: The contracting entity, in conformity with regulation 33A, will not enter into the contract before whichever of the following occurs first — (a) midnight at the end of the 15th day after the relevant sending date; (b) midnight at the end of 10th day after the date on which the last of the economic operators to receive such a notice receives it. The relevant sending date means the date on which the regulation 33(1) notices are sent to the relevant economic operators, and if the notices are sent to different relevant economic operators on different dates, the relevant sending date is the date on which the last of the notices is sent. This period allows unsuccessful tenderers to seek further debriefing from the contracting entitiy before the contract is entered into.

  Any proceedings for breach of the contracting entities duties under regulations 45A and 45B of the Utilities Contracts Regulations must be brought in the High Court. Where no declaration of ineffectiveness is sought, such proceedings must be brought promptly (generally within 3 months). Other time limits, prescribed by Regulation 45E apply where a declaration of ineffectiveness is sought.

  Where a contract has not been entered into the court may order the settling aside of the award decision or order the authority to amend any document and may award damages. If the contract has been entered into the Court may declare the contract ineffective, shorten the contract term, order payment of a civil financial penalty and award damages.

• VI.4.3)
  Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained

  UNITED KINGDOM

• VI.5)
  DATE OF DISPATCH OF THIS NOTICE:

  19.8.2010