Awarded contract

Security screening process of pre-recruitment candidates and existing employees

  • UK Shared Business Services (UK SBS)
  • United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI)

F03: Contract award notice

Notice reference: 2021/S 000-000776

Published 14 January 2021, 2:44pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

UK Shared Business Services (UK SBS)

North Star House,North Star Avenue

SWINDON

SN2 1FF

Contact

Professional Services

Email

professionalservices@uksbs.co.uk

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UK - UNITED KINGDOM

Internet address(es)

Main address

www.uksbs.co.uk

one.1) Name and addresses

United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI)

North Star House, North Star Avenue

Swindon

SN2 1FL

Contact

Professional Services

Email

professionalservices@uksbs.co.uk

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UK - UNITED KINGDOM

Internet address(es)

Main address

www.ukri.org

one.2) Information about joint procurement

The contract involves joint procurement

The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Body governed by public law

one.5) Main activity

Other activity

UKRI Research Councils and UK SBS Providing shared and specialist business services to our public sector owners


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Security screening process of pre-recruitment candidates and existing employees

Reference number

CS19295

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 79600000 - Recruitment services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Pre-employment screening is the background checking of staff, contractors, agency personnel and other people with access to the organisation's assets. Checks are conducted to validate and verify information provided by the screening candidate to ensure that they have provided an honest and factual representation to enable organisations to make the best hiring decisions.

Individuals who have access to government assets are required to be checked against the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS).

The BPSS and supporting guidance describe the mandatory pre-employment controls required to address the problems of identity fraud, illegal working and deception generally. As well as posing serious risks to reputation, integrity and financial assets they may also be indicators of more serious national security concerns.

The screening process requires that the screening candidate provides information, usually via an online system and/or the submission of electronic documents that are then validated and cross checked to ensure that the information is correct. These checks will include reference to legal and robust sources to ensure that the information obtained relates to the named person to ensure fairness to the screening candidate and validated information to assist the organisation in making the correct decision.

Additional checks are added for specific roles, for example, a driver's licence check for the organisation's drivers.

Time scales for "Baseline" screens will be a very important element of the screening service and must meet the HR SLA screen turn around target days (Level A,B,C,D, F - 4 working days , Level E - 2 working days , Level G - 8 working days) which we currently use. This does not include the time spent waiting for the candidate to upload information, waiting for references or the time it takes to complete the criminal record checks

The successful supplier must be able to provide a 'white label type service' for the handling and management of UK SBS and UKRI users of the service. This requirements is to provide a UK SBS branded extranet system that will be used to collect and interact with users of the service. The successful supplier must have the ability to interface with the new Oracle Taleo Applicant Tracking System (ATS) or be prepared to build this capability. The ATS is planned to be implemented during Q1 2020. Taleo is a cloud-based ATS that is used to manage the talent acquisition processes.

All submissions will be assessed in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, for procurement values that exceed Regulation 5 (Threshold amounts). This procurement will be managed electronically via the e-sourcing portal Delta. The Contracting Authority expressly reserves the right(i) not to award any contract as a result of the procurement process commenced by publication of this notice; and (ii) to make whatever changes it may see fit to the content and structure of the procurement; and in no circumstances will the Contracting Authority be liable for any costs incurred by any Supplier.

The Contracting Authority shall utilise the Delta eSourcing Procurement Tool available at www.uksbs.delta-esourcing.co.uk to conduct this procurement. All enquirers with respect to problems or functionality within the tool may be submitted to Delta eSourcing on 0845 270 7050. Please utilise the messaging system within the e-sourcing tool at the above link. Please note this is a free self-registration website and this can be done by completing the online questionnaire at www.uksbs.delta-esourcing.co.uk. If you wish to participate in this procurement, please use the link: https://uksbs.delta-esourcing.co.uk and the follow the instructions to 'Login'

Once you are logged into the system you will be able to link yourself into this procurement using the AccessCode: 5P982H7258

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)

Value excluding VAT: £1,300,000

two.2) Description

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - UNITED KINGDOM

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Pre-employment screening is the background checking of staff, contractors, agency personnel and other people with access to the organisation's assets. Checks are conducted to validate and verify information provided by the screening candidate to ensure that they have provided an honest and factual representation to enable organisations to make the best hiring decisions.

Individuals who have access to government assets are required to be checked against the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS).

The BPSS and supporting guidance describe the mandatory pre-employment controls required to address the problems of identity fraud, illegal working and deception generally. As well as posing serious risks to reputation, integrity and financial assets they may also be indicators of more serious national security concerns.

The screening process requires that the screening candidate provides information, usually via an online system and/or the submission of electronic documents that are then validated and cross checked to ensure that the information is correct. These checks will include reference to legal and robust sources to ensure that the information obtained relates to the named person to ensure fairness to the screening candidate and validated information to assist the organisation in making the correct decision.

Additional checks are added for specific roles, for example, a driver's licence check for the organisation's drivers. Time scales for "Baseline" screens will be a very important element of the screening service and must meet theHR SLA screen turn around target days (Level A,B,C,D, F - 4 working days , Level E - 2 working days , LevelG - 8 working days) which we currently use. This does not include the time spent waiting for the candidate toupload information, waiting for references or the time it takes to complete the criminal record checks

The successful supplier must be able to provide a 'white label type service' for the handling and management of UK SBS and UKRI users of the service. This requirements is to provide a UK SBS branded extranet system that will be used to collect and interact with users of the service. The successful supplier must have the ability to interface with the new Oracle Taleo Applicant Tracking System (ATS) or be prepared to build this capability. The ATS is planned to be implemented during Q1 2020. Taleo is a cloud-based ATS that is used to manage the talent acquisition processes.

All submissions will be assessed in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, for procurement values that exceed Regulation 5 (Threshold amounts). This procurement will be managed electronically via the e-sourcing portal Delta. The Contracting Authority expressly reserves the right(i) not to award any contract as a result of the procurement process commenced by publication of this notice; and (ii) to make whatever changes it may see fit to the content and structure of the procurement; and in no circumstances will the Contracting Authority be liable for any costs incurred by any Supplier.

The Contracting Authority shall utilise the Delta eSourcing Procurement Tool available at www.uksbs.delta-esourcing.co.uk to conduct this procurement. All enquirers with respect to problems or functionality within the tool may be submitted to Delta eSourcing on 0845 270 7050. Please utilise the messaging system within the e-sourcing tool at the above link. Please note this is a free self-registration website and this can be done by completing the online questionnaire at www.uksbs.delta-esourcing.co.uk. If you wish to participate in this procurement, please use the link: https://uksbs.delta-esourcing.co.uk and the follow the instructions to 'Login'

Once you are logged into the system you will be able to link yourself into this procurement using the Access Code: 5P982H7258

two.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 70

Price - Weighting: 30

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

The contract duration shall be for the initial contract term of 2 years with the optional extension on an annual basis 1+1 years period from the commencement of the contract

two.2.14) Additional information

If the Contracting Authority decides to enter into a Contract with the successful supplier, this does not mean that there is any guarantee of subsequent contracts being awarded. Any expenditure, work or effort undertaken prior to contract award is accordingly a matter solely for the commercial judgement of Bidders. See Section I.3 for access to procurement documentation


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: No

four.2) Administrative information

four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure

Notice number: 2020/S 062-149963


Section five. Award of contract

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

1 December 2020

five.2.2) Information about tenders

Number of tenders received: 16

Number of tenders received by electronic means: 16

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

Agenda Resourse Management Ltd

Burstwick, Hull

East Yorkshire

HU12 9HE

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UK - UNITED KINGDOM
The contractor is an SME

Yes

five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)

Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £1,300,000

Total value of the contract/lot: £1,300,000


Section six. Complementary information

six.3) Additional information

To respond to this opportunity please log in to www.delta-esourcing.com and enter the following access code5P982H7258

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

UK Shared Business Services Ltd

Swindon

SN2 1FL

Email

policy@uksbs.co.uk

Telephone

+44 1793867005

Country

United Kingdom

Internet address

www.uksbs.co.uk

six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures

UK Shared Business Services Ltd

Swindon

SN2 1FL

Email

policy@uksbs.co.uk

Telephone

+44 1793867005

Country

United Kingdom

Internet address

www.uksbs.co.uk

six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained

UK Shared Business Services Ltd

Swindon

Sn2 1FL

Email

policy@uksbs.co.uk

Telephone

+44 1793867005

Country

United Kingdom

Internet address

www.uksbs.co.uk