Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
DEPARTMENT FOR DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA & SPORT
100 Parliament Street
LONDON
SW1A2BQ
Contact
Ben Sawyer
Telephone
+44 7863239980
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKI32 - Westminster
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-digital-culture-media-sport
one.3) Communication
Access to the procurement documents is restricted. Further information can be obtained at
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority
one.5) Main activity
Recreation, culture and religion
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Audit of Broadband Installations for BDUK
Reference number
660594123
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79212000 - Auditing services
- KA04 - For electrical installations
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
⦁ This ITT is for a successful contractor or consortium (the "Supplier") to provide Field Force services for BDUK Voucher Schemes, in particular, the UK Gigabit Voucher Scheme.
Context & Background
⦁ The UK Gigabit Voucher Scheme ("the Scheme") was launched on 8th April 2021 across rural postcode areas in the UK. Documentation which describes the Scheme in further detail is provided in the Scheme Terms and Conditions.
⦁ As part of the Scheme's value for money controls, there is a requirement to conduct audits of certain completed installations to confirm that the installations are compliant with the terms of the scheme (the "Audit") and as per the service expected by the individual in receipt of the installation (the "Beneficiary") as detailed within the voucher request.
⦁ The Supplier will be required to gather specific information about certain broadband installations which have been funded (or part-funded) by the Scheme.
⦁ BDUK will provide a kit list of the equipment to be audited. The Supplier will be required to capture evidence that the installation has occurred and is compliant with the Scheme Terms & Conditions. The Supplier will be required to take good quality, clear photos of the equipment, including network equipment and Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), not using smartphone cameras. Supplier staff undertaking Audits ("Individual Auditors") must therefore be suitably qualified in recognising specific parts of fibre network equipment, including wireless gigabit capable equipment, as defined by the UK Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (UKWISPA). Exif data must be included on all photos.
⦁ The locations of the broadband installations which require an Audit will be notified by BDUK to the Supplier on a weekly basis. The Supplier will be required to complete the required audits within a specified timescale, as set out later in the section.
⦁ The Supplier may be required to undertake a proportion of audits remotely, to be notified to the Supplier by BDUK, ensuring compliance with the standards outlined in Scope Requirement 5. It is expected that the majority of audits will be physical, not remote.
⦁ The process by which the Supplier is notified of the installations which require an audit (and how the Supplier should report this information to BDUK) is set out in Annex A (Notification and Reporting Process).
⦁ Annex A also sets out the information to be provided to the Supplier regarding each audit requirement, and also the information which the Supplier should provide for each completed Audit.
⦁ Each Audit will be indicated as "Standard" or "Urgent" which will determine the required completion timescales (which are 10 complete Working Days and 3 complete Working Days respectively from the date of notification). A Working Day is defined as 9am-5pm Mon-Fri (excluding weekends and public Bank Holidays in the relevant country). BDUK expects the majority of audits to be Standard, with a small number (not greater than 10%) being urgent.
⦁ During working days, BDUK will be available to provide remote telephone support to the Supplier should any queries be identified during Audit activity for a particular Beneficiary.
⦁ The Supplier should also be available during Working Days to answer any follow up questions, clarifications or queries that BDUK may have in relation to Audit findings. It is expected that the Supplier will respond to queries within a maximum of 3 working days.
⦁ Each Audit location will also be indicated as "Urban" or Rural" as defined by the Office for National Statistics. The majority (upwards of 95%) of audits are expected to be Rural. However, a small number will be Urban. This is as a result of a previous voucher scheme (Local Full Fibre Network funded vouchers) being available in all postcodes across the UK. That voucher scheme closed in May 2020, but there are a small number of vouchers still live that may require an audit.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKI - London
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Audit Services for Broadband installations and other equipment installed by the provider
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: £2,100,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
36
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
Details included in the ITT
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: Yes
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) 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
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.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
28 February 2022
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
Tender must be valid until: 29 July 2022
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
28 March 2022
Local time
1:00pm
Information about authorised persons and opening procedure
This will opened by Procurement in a sealed procurement tool tender box
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
100 Parliament Street
London
SW1A 2BQ
Country
United Kingdom