Section one: Contracting entity
one.1) Name and addresses
Bazalgette Tunnel Limited (trading as Tideway)
Cottons Centre, Cottons Lane, London
London
SE1 2QG
Telephone
+44 2031477700
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
https://tideway.bravosolution.co.uk
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://tideway.bravosolution.co.uk
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://tideway.bravosolution.co.uk
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address
Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at
https://tideway.bravosolution.co.uk
one.6) Main activity
Other activity
Design, finance, construct and operate the Thames Tideway Tunnel. See Section VI.3 Additional Information for further information on the contracting entity's activity
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Statutory and Regulatory Audit and Related Services
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79200000 - Accounting, auditing and fiscal services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The Thames Tideway Tunnel is a major infrastructure project, urgently needed to protect the tidal River Thames from increasing pollution. London’s sewerage system is no longer fit for purpose and spills tens of millions of tonnes of untreated sewage mixed with rainwater (combined sewage) into the tidal reaches of the River Thames every year.
Bazalgette Tunnel Limited (BTL), is the licensed Infrastructure Provider set up to finance, build, maintain and operate the Thames Tideway Tunnel. From Licence Award, BTL trades and is known to the public as 'Tideway'.
Bazalgette Tunnel Limited is part of a group of companies. Its immediate parent company is Bazalgette Holdings Limited, which is in turn wholly owned by Bazalgette Ventures Limited, and its ultimate holding company is Bazalgette Equity Limited, Bazalgette Finance plc makes up the group. The structure of the Tideway group of companies is shown in the accompanying Invitation To Tender (ITT). Tideway is therefore purchasing the Services on behalf of and for the use of the Tideway group of companies identified therein.
The Tideway group of companies requires a number of services to meet statutory and regulatory audit requirements in accordance with prevailing statutory, regulative and other relevant standards. In addition, other related or advisory services may be required on an ad-hoc basis, subject always to the principle of independence.
Interested parties must register on Tideway's e-sourcing portal and will be able to download the Invitation To Tender ('ITT') including the form of response to be completed and returned to submit a compliant tender. The registration process is set out in section VI.3) of this Contract Notice. The ITT contains further detail regarding Tideway, the Tideway group of companies and further detail on the Contract and the timeline and phases of the procurement. Whilst it is intended that the procurement will be run in accordance with the timeline and process described in the ITT, this contract notice and the procurement documents, Tideway reserves the right to amend or cancel any or all of the procurement at any time and/or amend the timescales.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £2,500,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79210000 - Accounting and auditing services
- 79212000 - Auditing services
- 79212100 - Financial auditing services
- 79212300 - Statutory audit services
- 79212500 - Accounting review services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
Main site or place of performance
Services to be delivered in London in relation to the Thames Tideway Tunnel Project
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Interested organisations should refer to II.1.4) (Short Description) and VI.3) (Additional information) and to the ITT and other procurement documents for further information on the description of the Services and the Contract.
The initial term of the Contract (Initial Term) is one (1) year with options to extend for up to nine (9) further years (Additional Term) making a total possible aggregate term of ten (10) years.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £2,500,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
120
This contract is subject to renewal
No
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions for participation
three.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
List and brief description of conditions
Applicants are referred to the ITT for information about conditions for participation.
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
three.1.4) Objective rules and criteria for participation
List and brief description of rules and criteria
Applicants are referred to the ITT for information about Tideway's objective rules and criteria for participation.
three.1.6) Deposits and guarantees required
Tideway reserves the right to require guarantees, bonds, collateral warranties (potentially including the grant of step in rights) and other forms of security as appropriate to be specified in the Procurement Documents to be made available at ITT stage. Applicants are referred to the ITT for relevant information.
three.1.7) Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them
The main financing conditions, payment mechanism and performance standards are confirmed in the procurement documents.
three.1.8) Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded
Tideway will accept expressions of interest and Tenders from single entities or Consortia. Tideway will consider contracting with a Consortium, providing always that the participants in any unincorporated joint venture are jointly and severally liable for all of the obligations of the Consortium under the Contract. The nature of the Contractor or Contractors, assumption of liability and the terms of any parent company guarantees (PCG) are confirmed in the procurement documents.
Tenderers must provide full details of their proposed contracting structures with their completed ITT Response.
three.2) Conditions related to the contract
three.2.1) Information about a particular profession
Execution of the service is reserved to a particular profession
Reference to the relevant law, regulation or administrative provision
Individuals assigned to the Services will be required to hold any qualifications or membership of professional or registered bodies as required by the UK Companies Act 2006 or other relevant statute to perform the Services.
Tideway will review the Register of Statutory Auditors in assessing this criteria, please see the ITT for further information.
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
6 February 2023
Local time
12:00pm
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
four.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
Duration in months: 4 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
6 February 2023
Local time
12:30pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic ordering will be used
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Electronic payment will be used
six.3) Additional information
(1) Additional information concerning this Contract Notice and the Contracting Entity (Section I): economic operators should note that words and expressions in this Contract Notice with an initial capital letter shall have the meanings given in the ITT. All additional information relating to information provided in this Contract Notice is available in the ITT. Further information on (i) the procurement is available at https://tideway.bravosolution.co.uk and (ii) the Thames Tideway Tunnel project is available on www.tideway.london
(2) Additional information concerning the Contracting Entity and the procedure (Section I and Section IV): On 24.8.2015 Ofwat granted Bazalgette Tunnel Limited a project licence to carry out all activities described in the project specification notice apart from those activities that Thames Water is to carry out under the preparatory work notice. Bazalgette Tunnel Limited is not a utility for the purpose of the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016 ('UCR 2016') and accordingly the UCR 2016 do not apply to this procurement. However Bazalgette Tunnel Limited is required pursuant to the procurement regime in the Water Industry (Specified Infrastructure Projects) (English Undertakers) Regulations 2013 ('SIP Regulations') to tender certain contracts and certain categories of contracts in accordance with a modified regime set out in the SIP Regulations ('modified UCR 2016'). More information concerning the Project Licence is available at:
http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/regulated-companies/improving-regulation/thames-tideway/
Information on the SIP Regulations and more information on the modified UCR 2016 is available at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/
(3) Additional information concerning (II.2.5) (Award criteria) - Tideway intends to award the Contract to the economic operators with the most economically advantageous tender. Details of the award criteria and methodology for identifying the most economically advantageous tender is set out in the procurement documents.
(4) Additional information concerning conflicts of interest - Applicants are referred to the ITT document (volume 1 of the ITT) and specifically section 36 for further information relating to the Contracting Entity's approach to conflicts of interest.
(5) Tideway reserves the right in its absolute discretion to abandon, terminate or suspend the award process at any time.
Further:
a. Tideway does not bind itself to enter into any contract arising out of the procedures envisaged by this contract notice;
b. no contractual rights express or implied arise out of this contract notice or the procedures envisaged by it;
c. Tideway reserves the right to vary its requirements and the procedure relating to the conduct of the award process; and
d. Tenderers shall be fully responsible for and liable for all costs associated with and arising out of or in connection with responding to this contract notice and the ITT. Tideway will not be responsible for or liable to anyTenderer for any cost incurred by such Tenderer in responding to this Contract Notice or Tender.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
High Court
Royal Court of Justice, Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
High Court
Royal Court of Justice, Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
Country
United Kingdom