Contract

Rural Payments Service and associated support services and integration

  • Defra Network eTendering Portal

F03: Contract award notice

Notice identifier: 2024/S 000-002044

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-042ece

Published 22 January 2024, 10:20am



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Defra Network eTendering Portal

Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street

London

SW1P 4DF

Contact

Defra

Email

defra.helpline@defra.gov.uk

Telephone

+44 3459335577

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UK - United Kingdom

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs

Buyer's address

https://defra-family.force.com/s/Welcome

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Ministry or any other national or federal authority

one.5) Main activity

Environment


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Rural Payments Service and associated support services and integration

Reference number

C20303

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Rural Payments Service and associated support services and integration

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: £246,850

two.2) Description

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Provision of Rural Payments Service and associated support services and integration

two.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 60

Price - Weighting: 40

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 four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below

  • The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the regulations

Explanation:

The incumbent supplier holds sole access rights to the IP, as they built, designed, maintain, operate and support the Rural Payments Service platform. However, we are looking to reduce this dependency by moving the service to the cloud in the next financial year, and thereby reducing the sole management splitting it to Defra and a supplier (yet to be agreed as it is subject to a competitive tender process to take effect from July 2024.)

Therefore, it is believed that situations 3, and 4, of the five permissible situations set out in the STA Guidance were met. KITS is the only supplier with the expertise and/or equipment to complete the task (Sole Supplier) due to their knowledge of the platform they built and they hold sole access rights to intellectual or property rights (Property Rights) as they designed, built, maintain, operate and support the Rural Payments Service platform. This is in accordance with Reg 32(2)(iii) the protection of exclusive rights, including intellectual property right.

four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No


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

20 October 2023

five.2.2) Information about tenders

Number of tenders received: 1

Number of tenders received from SMEs: 1

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

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

Keep IT Simple Ltd

7 Savoy Court, London

London

WC2R 0EX

Telephone

+44 7885112020

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UKI - London
National registration number

10443621

Internet address

www.keepitsimple-uk.com

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: £246,850

Total value of the contract/lot: £246,850


Section six. Complementary information

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Defra Network eTendering Portal

Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street

London

SW1P 4DF

Country

United Kingdom

Internet address

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs