Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Invest Northern Ireland
Bedford Square, Bedford Street
BELFAST
BT2 7ES
StrategicDelivery.CPD@finance-ni.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
Buyer's address
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
ID 5166959 DfE - Invest NI - Provision of Advice and Guidance on NI's Dual Market Access Framework
Reference number
5166959
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79300000 - Market and economic research; polling and statistics
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The Client wishes to appoint a framework of Contractors to Provide advice, analysis and guidance to Invest NI (including its overseas offices), potential foreign direct investors, and DfE on the benefits (or otherwise) of Northern Ireland’s Dual Market Access proposition brought about through the Northern Ireland Protocol and Windsor Framework. There are two separate Lots with a maximum of 3 Contractors to be appointed per Lot: 1. Advice, Analysis and Guidance on the Movement of Goods To and From Northern Ireland 2. Advice and Guidance on the Movement of People It is intended that the contracts will commence upon contract award (expected to be March 2024).
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £200,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: Yes
Tenders may be submitted for maximum number of lots
2
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot 1 Advice, Analysis and Guidance on the Movement of Goods To and From NI
Lot No
1
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79311400 - Economic research services
- 79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services
- 79410000 - Business and management consultancy services
- 79411000 - General management consultancy services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKN - Northern Ireland
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Client wishes to appoint a framework of Contractors to Provide advice, analysis and guidance to Invest NI (including its overseas offices), potential foreign direct investors, and DfE on the benefits (or otherwise) of Northern Ireland’s Dual Market Access proposition brought about through the Northern Ireland Protocol and Windsor Framework. There are two separate Lots with a maximum of 3 Contractors to be appointed per Lot: 1. Advice, Analysis and Guidance on the Movement of Goods To and From Northern Ireland 2. Advice and Guidance on the Movement of People It is intended that the contracts will commence upon contract award (expected to be March 2024).
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: £150,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
12
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: Yes
Description of options
There is one option to extend for any period up to, and including, twelve months.
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot 2 Advice and Guidance on the Movement of People
Lot No
2
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79311400 - Economic research services
- 79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services
- 79410000 - Business and management consultancy services
- 79411000 - General management consultancy services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKN - Northern Ireland
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Client wishes to appoint a framework of Contractors to Provide advice, analysis and guidance to Invest NI (including its overseas offices), potential foreign direct investors, and DfE on the benefits (or otherwise) of Northern Ireland’s Dual Market Access proposition brought about through the Northern Ireland Protocol and Windsor Framework. There are two separate Lots with a maximum of 3 Contractors to be appointed per Lot: 1. Advice, Analysis and Guidance on the Movement of Goods To and From Northern Ireland 2. Advice and Guidance on the Movement of People It is intended that the contracts will commence upon contract award (expected to be March 2024).
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: £50,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
12
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: Yes
Description of options
There is one option to extend for any period up to, and including, twelve months.
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.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement
Framework agreement with several operators
Envisaged maximum number of participants to the framework agreement: 6
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
5 February 2024
Local time
3:00pm
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
Tender must be valid until: 5 May 2024
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
5 February 2024
Local time
3:30pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.3) Additional information
The figure indicated in Section II 1.5 represents an estimated contract value. This value reflects the potential scale of the contract,..... however, neither CPD nor the Authority can provide any guarantee as to the level of business under this contract. The Contracting..... Authority does not bind itself to accept the lowest or any tender. Economic Operators remain responsible for all costs and expenses..... incurred by them or by any third party acting under instructions from the Economic Operator in connection with taking part in this..... procurement process regardless of whether such costs arise as a consequence, directly or indirectly of any amendments made to the..... procurement documents by the Contracting Authority at any time. No legally binding contract shall arise (and an Economic Operator..... shall. have no legitimate expectation that a contract will be entered into) until such time as entry into the Contract has been confirmed..... by the. Contracting Authority. Economic Operators should note that all dates, time periods and figures in relation to values and volumes..... specified. in this notice and the procurement documents are approximate only and the Contracting Authority reserves the right to.... change. any or. all of them. The successful contractor’s performance on the contract will be regularly monitored. 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 CPD 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 Unsatisfactory Performance and the. contract may be.. terminated.. The. issue of a. 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. twelve. months from the date of issue of the Notice..
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The UK does not have any such bodies with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures.
Belfast
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
The Contracting Authority will comply with the requirements of the Public..... Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended) and, where applicable, will incorporate a minimum 10 calendar day standstill period at the... point information on the award of the contract is communicated to all Economic Operators..