Tender: Bristol: environmental management

UK-Bristol: environmental management

2008/S 236-313907

CONTRACT NOTICE

Services

SECTION I: CONTRACTING AUTHORITY

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

Address: Organisation: The Environment Agency,

Rio House, Waterside Drive

, Contact: Head Office Procurement, Attn: Steph Galliford, Country code: UK-Bristol Postal code: BS32 4UD. Tel. 014 54 62 40 73. E-mail: steph.galliford@environment-agency.gov.uk.

Internet address(es):

General address of the contracting authority: www.environment-agency.gov.uk.

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

Specifications and additional documents (including documents for competitive dialogue and 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) TYPE OF THE CONTRACTING AUTHORITY AND MAIN ACTIVITY OR ACTIVITIES:

National or federal agency/office.

Environment.

The contracting authority is purchasing on behalf of other contracting authorities: no.

SECTION II: OBJECT OF THE CONTRACT

II.1) DESCRIPTION
II.1.1) Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority:

22383 Framework agreement for Freshwater Ecological Services.

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

Services.

Service category: No 12.

Main place of performance: Throughout England and Wales.

NUTS code: Location: "UNITED KINGDOM">UK.

II.1.3) The notice involves:

The establishment of a framework agreement.

II.1.4) Information on framework agreement:

Framework agreement with several operators.

Number of participants to the framework agreement envisaged: 3.

Duration of the framework agreement: Duration in year(s): 4

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

Estimated value excluding VAT:

Range: between 1 500 000 and 2 500 000 GBP.

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

These framework agreements are intended to provide Environment Agency staff with a range of contractors who can provide freshwater ecology advisory services, expertise and training.

Specific areas to be included within the agreement:

1. Provision of expert ecological technical advice and expertise in the relevant fields of freshwater ecology and conservation management (e.g. data analysis, manipulation and interpretation; survey and/or sampling strategy design and interpretation; aquatic plant management; non-native species; wetlands);

2. Provision of relevant species identification/verification services (e.g. invertebrates, macrophytes, bryophytes, diatoms, algae and phytoplankton);

3. Provision of specialist freshwater ecological surveys, ecological assessments and reports to Environment Agency standards (This does not include River Habitat Surveys as they are covered under a separate contract);

4. Development of freshwater ecological methods, tools and techniques for Environment Agency projects (e.g. WFD classification tools)

5. Provision of quality assurance and control services for survey methods and sample analysis e.g. diatoms, macrophytes. (There is an existing contract in place for quality assurance and control of aquatic invertebrates, however there maybe a future requirement for this area of work under this framework contract.)

6. Provision of specialist training and support services in the fields of freshwater ecology and conservation management (e.g. training on survey design, data interpretation, quality assurance, species identification, species and habitat surveys / techniques).

II.1.6) Common procurement vocabulary (CPV):

CPV code: "Environmental management">90710000 , CPV code: "Environmental issues consultancy services">90713000 , CPV code: "Environmental training services">80540000 .

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

Yes.

II.1.8) Division into lots:

Yes.

Tenders should be submitted for: one or more lots.

II.1.9) Variants will be accepted:

Yes.

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

Please see Annex B for further information.

Specific areas to be included within the agreement: -.

1. Provision of expert ecological technical advice and expertise in the relevant fields of freshwater ecology and conservation management (e.g. data analysis, manipulation and interpretation; survey and/or sampling strategy design and interpretation; aquatic plant management; non-native species; wetlands);

2. Provision of relevant species identification/verification services (e.g. invertebrates, macrophytes, bryophytes, diatoms, algae and phytoplankton);

3. Provision of specialist freshwater ecological surveys, ecological assessments and reports to Environment Agency standards (This does not include River Habitat Surveys as they are covered under a separate contract);

4. Development of freshwater ecological methods, tools and techniques for Environment Agency projects (e.g. WFD classification tools)

5. Provision of quality assurance and control services for survey methods and sample analysis e.g. diatoms, macrophytes. (There is an existing contract in place for quality assurance and control of invertebrate samples, however there maybe a future requirement for this area of work under this framework contract.)

6. Provision of specialist training and support services in the fields of freshwater ecology and conservation management (e.g. training on survey design, data interpretation, quality assurance, species identification, species and habitat surveys / techniques).

II.2.2) Options:

Yes.

Description of these options: Initial 24 month agreement with options to extend for up to a further 24 months.

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

INFORMATION ABOUT LOTS

LOT NO 1

TITLE: Expert ecological technical advice and expertise

1) SHORT DESCRIPTION:

Provision of expert ecological technical advice and expertise in the relevant fields of freshwater ecology and conservation management (e.g. data analysis, manipulation and interpretation; survey and/or sampling strategy design and interpretation; aquatic plant management; non-native species; wetlands);

2) COMMON PROCUREMENT VOCABULARY (CPV):

CPV code: "Environmental management">90710000 .

3) QUANTITY OR SCOPE:
4) INDICATION ABOUT DIFFERENT DATE FOR DURATION OF CONTRACT OR STARTING/COMPLETION:
5) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT LOTS:

LOT NO 2

TITLE: Species Identification and verification

1) SHORT DESCRIPTION:

Provision of relevant species identification/verification services (e.g. invertebrates, macrophytes, bryophytes, diatoms, algae and phytoplankton);

2) COMMON PROCUREMENT VOCABULARY (CPV):

CPV code: "Environmental services">90700000 .

3) QUANTITY OR SCOPE:
4) INDICATION ABOUT DIFFERENT DATE FOR DURATION OF CONTRACT OR STARTING/COMPLETION:
5) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT LOTS:

LOT NO 3

TITLE: Ecological surveys, assessments and reporting

1) SHORT DESCRIPTION:

Provision of specialist freshwater ecological surveys, ecological assessments and reports to Environment Agency standards. (This does not include River Habitat Surveys as they are covered under a separate contract);

2) COMMON PROCUREMENT VOCABULARY (CPV):

CPV code: "Environmental services">90700000 .

3) QUANTITY OR SCOPE:
4) INDICATION ABOUT DIFFERENT DATE FOR DURATION OF CONTRACT OR STARTING/COMPLETION:
5) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT LOTS:

LOT NO 4

TITLE: Development of tools and methods

1) SHORT DESCRIPTION:

Development of freshwater ecological methods, tools and techniques for Environment Agency projects (e.g. WFD classification tools).

2) COMMON PROCUREMENT VOCABULARY (CPV):

CPV code: "Environmental services">90700000 .

3) QUANTITY OR SCOPE:
4) INDICATION ABOUT DIFFERENT DATE FOR DURATION OF CONTRACT OR STARTING/COMPLETION:
5) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT LOTS:

LOT NO 5

TITLE: Quality assurance and control

1) SHORT DESCRIPTION:

Provision of quality assurance and control services (e.g. survey methods and sample analysis for diatoms, macrophytes. There is an existing contract in place for quality assurance and control of aquatic invertebrates, however there maybe a future requirement for this area of work under this framework contract.).

2) COMMON PROCUREMENT VOCABULARY (CPV):

CPV code: "Environmental services">90700000 .

3) QUANTITY OR SCOPE:
4) INDICATION ABOUT DIFFERENT DATE FOR DURATION OF CONTRACT OR STARTING/COMPLETION:
5) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT LOTS:

LOT NO 6

TITLE: Training and support

1) SHORT DESCRIPTION:

Provision of specialist training and support services in the fields of freshwater ecology and conservation management (e.g. training on survey design, data interpretation, quality assurance, species identification, species and habitat surveys/techniques).

2) COMMON PROCUREMENT VOCABULARY (CPV):

CPV code: "Environmental training services">80540000 .

3) QUANTITY OR SCOPE:
4) INDICATION ABOUT DIFFERENT DATE FOR DURATION OF CONTRACT OR STARTING/COMPLETION:
5) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT LOTS:

SECTION III: LEGAL, ECONOMIC, FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION

III.1) CONDITIONS RELATING TO THE CONTRACT
III.1.1) Deposits and guarantees required:

See tender documents.

III.1.2) Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions regulating them:
III.1.3) Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded:

Each economic operator to be jointly and severally liable for the performance of the contracts.

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: Please see the information in III 2.2 and III. 2. 3 below which we wish to be returned in order that it be evaluated and a short list drawn up for full tender stage. Pre-qualification information returned must not exceed 10 pages A4 size PER LOT, excluding the financial accounts information.

III.2.2) Economic and financial capacity:

Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if requirements are met: Copy of your latest financial accounts together with your Companies House number (if applicable) . Financial checks will be carried out as part of the evaluation.

III.2.3) Technical capacity:

Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if requirements are met: Evidence of your organisations recent relevant contracts completed in the last 3 years together with contract sums, dates and customer names.

Number of key staff who will be deployed on the contract possess the relevant knowledge, skills and experience to deliver the contract requirements.

Evidence that key staff who will be deployed on the contract have the relevant licences and/or certification/accreditation.

Evidence that key staff who will be deployed on the contract have the relevant professional membership and/or qualification.

Copy of your environmental policy.

CVs are not required at this stage.

III.2.4) Reserved contracts:

No.

III.3) CONDITIONS SPECIFIC TO SERVICES CONTRACTS
III.3.1) Execution of the service is reserved to a particular profession:

No.

III.3.2) Legal entities 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:

Restricted.

IV.1.2) Limitations on the number of operators who will be invited to tender or to participate:

Envisaged number of operators 5.

IV.1.3) Reduction of the number of operators during the negotiation or dialogue:

Recourse to staged procedure to gradually reduce the number of solutions to be discussed or tenders to be negotiated no.

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

The most economically advantageous tender in terms of the criteria stated in the specifications, in the invitation to tender or to negotiate or in the descriptive document.

IV.2.2) An electronic auction will be used:

No.

IV.3) ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
IV.3.1) File reference number attributed by the contracting authority:

22383.

IV.3.2) Previous publication(s) concerning the same contract:

No.

IV.3.3) Conditions for obtaining specifications and additional documents or descriptive document:

Payable documents: no.

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

5.1.2009 - 16:00.

IV.3.5) Date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates:
IV.3.6) Language(s) in which tenders or requests to participate may be drawn up:

English.

IV.3.7) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender:
IV.3.8) Conditions for opening tenders:

Persons authorised to be present at the opening of tenders: no.

SECTION VI: COMPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

VI.1) THIS IS A RECURRENT PROCUREMENT:

No.

VI.2) CONTRACT RELATED TO A PROJECT AND/OR PROGRAMME FINANCED BY EU FUNDS:

No.

VI.3) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Background Information.

The Environment Agency has a requirement for a framework that brings together, under one umbrella, the procurement of specialist ecological advice and expertise across relevant policy, process, science (that supports these policy and process areas) and operational parts of the business to meet the needs of our staff within our Water Management Directorate. It will commence in early summer of 2009 and will run for a period up to 4 years.

The framework will have a generic specification, following Procurement good practice, and a number of technically-specific work areas (Lots) as defined below. We anticipate evaluating and awarding the contract under these Lots and as such it may be possible for one supplier to be awarded more than one Lot should they have tendered for more than one.

The main areas in which the Environment Agency is looking for support are summarised and include:

External freshwater ecology and conservation management advisory services and expertise, readily available to support our business needs and relevant operational staff.

External support and expertise available to help develop the policy, Science and wider thinking for the freshwater ecology parts of our business.

The Environment Agency reserves the right to discontinue the procurement process at any time, which shall include the right not to award a framework or contract, and does not bind itself to accept the lowest tender, or any tender received, and reserves the right to award the framework or contract in part, or to call for new tenders should it consider this necessary.

The Environment Agency shall not be liable for any costs or expenses incurred by any candidate or tenderer in connection with the completion and return of the information requested in this Contract Notice, or in the completion or submission of any tender.

VI.4) PROCEDURES FOR APPEAL
VI.4.1) Body responsible for appeal procedures:
VI.4.2) Lodging of appeals:

Precise information on deadline(s) for lodging appeals: The Environment Agency will incorporate a minimum 10 calendar day standstill period at the point information on the award of the contract is communicated to tenderers. This period allows unsuccessful tenderers to seek further debriefing from the contracting authority before the contract is entered into. Applicants have two working days from notification of the award decision to request additional debriefing and that information has to be provided a minimum of 3 working days before expiry of the standstill period. Such additional information should be requested from the address in section 1.1.

If an appeal regarding the award of a contract has not been successfully resolved the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (SI 2006 No 5) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland). Any such action must be brought promptly (generally within 3 months). 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 only award damages.

VI.4.3) Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained:
VI.5) DATE OF DISPATCH OF THIS NOTICE:

1.12.2008.