Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care acting as part of the Crown through UK Health Security Agency
Nobel House, 17 Smith Square
London
SW1P 3JR
Contact
procurement Operations
procurement.operations@dhsc.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKI32 - Westminster
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-health-security-agency
Buyer's address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-health-security-agency
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority
one.5) Main activity
Health
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Provision of Core Cities & National Surveillance Wastewater Sampling Support
Reference number
845
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 90491000 - Sewer survey services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Supplier will provide wastewater sampling activities at a number of locations within the region in which the supplier operates. The two primary locations are manholes in urban or community locations an treatment centres, typically at primary inlet points
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: £2,776,173
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
Main site or place of performance
South England
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Supplier will provide wastewater sampling activities at a number of locations within the region in which the supplier operates. The two primary locations are manholes in urban or community locations an treatment centres, typically at primary inlet points
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
2 x 12 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 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 services can be provided only by a particular economic operator for the following reason:
- protection of exclusive rights, including intellectual property rights
Explanation:
1. On 11 March 2020 the World Health Organisation declared a COVID-19 pandemic with the associated serious risk posed to life. The UK Government’s response to the national emergency posed by COVID-19 includes the putting in place by it of arrangements for large-scale wastewater testing in respect of COVID-19.
2. A key element of ensuring an effective response to the pandemic is ensuring that there is a disease monitoring framework. Subsequently ensuring presence in key areas of interest (locally, regionally and nationally) and to have the ability to quickly respond to hotpots and new variants is crucial. The programme has engaged with 9 Water Companies in England to undertake the sampling across many of these locations. These contracts will cover the services associated with the sampling across England at both Treatment Centre locations and Network Locations across the geographic region of each water company.
3. DHSC is satisfied the tests permitting use of the Negotiated procedure without prior publication (Regulation 32(2)(b)(iii)) are met:
A. The works, supplies or services can be supplied only by a particular economic operator for the protection of exclusive rights, including intellectual property rights: Thames Water has exclusive proprietary rights over and in respect of its own water network infrastructure, plants etc. Thames Water must in all circumstances provide consent before access is permitted to their plant or network infrastructure to undertake this sampling. In relation to the sampling being undertaken by the UK Government, Thames Water has advised that only they (or their own authorised subcontractors under direct water company control) will undertake this sampling as it is their property and their risk.
B. No reasonable alternative or substitute exists – The samples can only be sourced from Thames Water infrastructure; therefore, no reasonable alternative exists.
C. the absence of competition is not the result of an artificial narrowing down of the parameters of the procurement – this procurement is part of a procurement strategy by the UK government to implement disease monitoring framework due to the Covid-19 pandemic
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
12 January 2022
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
THAMES WATER UTILITIES LIMITED
Clearwater Court, Vastern Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 8DB
Reading
RG1 8DB
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
National registration number
02366623
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £2,776,173
Total value of the contract/lot: £2,776,173
five.2.5) Information about subcontracting
The contract is likely to be subcontracted
Value or proportion likely to be subcontracted to third parties
Value excluding VAT: £2,203,425
Proportion: 79 %
Short description of the part of the contract to be subcontracted
Sampling services at network sites
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The High Court
Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
generaloffice@administrativecourtoffice.justice.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
https://www.gov.uk/courts-tribunals
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
The High Court
Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
generaloffice@administrativecourtoffice.justice.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom