Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Association Of North East Councils
Northern Design Centre, Abbots Hill, Baltic Business Quarter
Gateshead
NE8 3DF
Contact
Ruth Long
Telephone
+44 1916380040
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - United Kingdom
Justification for not providing organisation identifier
Not on any register
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
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
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
NEPRO x Innovation
Reference number
NEPO535
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
NEPO seeks to establish a Framework for the provision of goods, works, services and technology ("NEPRO x Innovation"). It is envisaged NEPRO x Innovation will operate as a Neutral Vendor Managed Service for the delivery of goods, works, services and technology. The Neutral Vendor will not provide goods, works, services and technology in its own right and must maintain neutrality at all times when selecting suitable suppliers to deliver services under the Framework. For the avoidance of doubt, NEPO seeks to procure a single provider solution to manage a perpetual supply chain, capable of delivering a full spectrum of goods, works, services and technology requirements.
The purpose of this PIN is to provide prior information to the market on the intentions of NEPO to procure such a framework. This notice also provides an open invite to market engagement meetings.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £10,000,000,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 03000000 - Agricultural, farming, fishing, forestry and related products
- 09000000 - Petroleum products, fuel, electricity and other sources of energy
- 14000000 - Mining, basic metals and related products
- 15000000 - Food, beverages, tobacco and related products
- 16000000 - Agricultural machinery
- 18000000 - Clothing, footwear, luggage articles and accessories
- 19000000 - Leather and textile fabrics, plastic and rubber materials
- 22000000 - Printed matter and related products
- 24000000 - Chemical products
- 30000000 - Office and computing machinery, equipment and supplies except furniture and software packages
- 31000000 - Electrical machinery, apparatus, equipment and consumables; lighting
- 32000000 - Radio, television, communication, telecommunication and related equipment
- 33000000 - Medical equipments, pharmaceuticals and personal care products
- 34000000 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation
- 35000000 - Security, fire-fighting, police and defence equipment
- 37000000 - Musical instruments, sport goods, games, toys, handicraft, art materials and accessories
- 38000000 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
- 39000000 - Furniture (incl. office furniture), furnishings, domestic appliances (excl. lighting) and cleaning products
- 41000000 - Collected and purified water
- 42000000 - Industrial machinery
- 43000000 - Machinery for mining, quarrying, construction equipment
- 44000000 - Construction structures and materials; auxiliary products to construction (except electric apparatus)
- 45000000 - Construction work
- 48000000 - Software package and information systems
- 50000000 - Repair and maintenance services
- 51000000 - Installation services (except software)
- 55000000 - Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services
- 60000000 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)
- 63000000 - Supporting and auxiliary transport services; travel agencies services
- 64000000 - Postal and telecommunications services
- 65000000 - Public utilities
- 66000000 - Financial and insurance services
- 70000000 - Real estate services
- 71000000 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services
- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
- 75000000 - Administration, defence and social security services
- 76000000 - Services related to the oil and gas industry
- 77000000 - Agricultural, forestry, horticultural, aquacultural and apicultural services
- 79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
- 80000000 - Education and training services
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
- 90000000 - Sewage, refuse, cleaning and environmental services
- 92000000 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services
- 98000000 - Other community, social and personal services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
NEPO seeks to establish a Framework for provision of goods, works, services and technology ("NEPRO x Innovation"). It is envisaged NEPRO x Innovation will operate as a Neutral Vendor Managed Service vehicle.
The purpose of the prior information notice (PIN) is to provide advance notice to the marketplace for the future opportunity and the intentions of NEPO to hold market engagement meetings with suppliers to help shape the future Framework. NEPO are not advertising this PIN as a mechanism to reduce future procurement timescales. The market engagement meetings are advertised openly via this PIN but are limited to a particular number. Market engagement meetings will take place between Tuesday 18th February and Friday 21st February.
The "Market Consultation Questionnaire" (market engagement invite) will be made accessible via the Open e-tendering system on Friday 24th January 2025 with a submission deadline of 5 p.m. Friday 7th February 2025.
Suppliers wishing to access and complete the "Market Consultation Questionnaire" (Market engagement invite) must first register on the e-tendering system using the following link https://www.open-uk.org.(https://www.open-uk.org).
Within the Questionnaire, Suppliers will be given the opportunity to register for a market engagement meeting by directly emailing NEPRO to select two meeting dates highlighting their preferred choice.
Market engagement meetings are limited in number and will take place the week commencing Monday 17th February 2025. Appointments will be no longer than 150 mins. NEPO intends to conduct these sessions in person in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. In-person meetings will be determined via correspondence but are expected to take place at NEPO's offices. The time and location of each appointment will be confirmed following the registration deadline. NEPO may, by exception, use its discretion to facilitate online meetings in the event that in-person meetings are not feasible for suppliers. Places will be secured on a first-come, first-serve basis via directly emailing NEPRO to select two meeting dates highlighting their preferred choice.
Suppliers wishing to attend the market engagement meetings should be capable of meeting the requirements outlined within section 2.1.4 and above.
NEPO reserves the right to seek assurances from interested suppliers prior to allocating a place. Attendance at the market engagement is optional and does not provide suppliers with an advantage in any future related procurement. Attendance also does not constitute as an intention to tender for any future related procurement, nor does the meeting location.
Please note the above dates may be subject to change depending on availability and supplier uptake. In addition to the market engagement meetings, NEPO may also publish a soft market testing questionnaire via our Open E-Procurement system. Should this be issued, the questionnaire will allow a further opportunity for those suppliers unable to attend the market consultation meetings to contribute towards shaping the future NEPO535 Framework design. Should the questionnaire be issued, this will be published through Open for access and completion.
two.2.14) Additional information
The estimated value included in this prior information notice is based on current volumes per annum and extrapolated across the future framework period. The value may however be subject to change on the basis of design development between publication of the PIN and contract notice.
two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice
28 March 2025
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
NEPO is a Central Purchasing Body as defined in the Public Contract Regulations 2015 (PCR15) and a Centralised Procurement Authority as defined in the Procurement Act 2023 (PA23). As a Central Purchasing Body / Centralised Procurement Authority, NEPO may provide central purchasing activity on behalf of contracting authorities (as defined by PCR15 and PA23 as relevant). The framework will be available for use by all NEPO Members. A list of member organisations is available in the About section of the NEPO website at: https://nepo.org
This framework will also be made available to all current and future NEPO Associate Members. Current Associate Members are listed in the Associate Member section of the NEPO website: https://www.nepo.org/associate-membership/permissible-users
NEPO intends to make the future framework available for use by all Contracting Authorities throughout all administrative regions of the UK (as defined by the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and the Procurement Act 2023) including but not limited to: central government departments and their agencies, local Government Departments and their Agencies, Non-Departmental Public Bodies, Central Government, NHS Bodies (including ambulance services), Local Authorities, Emergency Services, Coastguard Emergency Services, Educational Establishments, Registered Social Landlords, Registered Charities who have a need to purchase the above services and any public body established by or under the Scotland Act 1998 or any Act of the Scottish Parliament. Please see the following websites for further details:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories/Localcouncils/index.htm
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education
https://www.gov.uk/check-a-university-is-officially-recognised/recognised-bodies
http://www.schoolswebdirectory.co.uk/localauthorities.phphttp://www.ukschoolsdirectory.net
https://www.gov.uk/find-school-in-england
https://education.gov.scot/ParentZone
http://hwb.wales.gov.uk/https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/open-academies-and-academy-projects-in-development
http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/institutions/
http://www.hefce.ac.uk/workprovide/unicoll/heis/
http://www.hefce.ac.uk/workprovide/unicoll/fecs/
http://www.nhs.uk/ServiceDirectories/Pages/AcuteTrustListing.aspx
http://www.wales.nhs.uk/nhswalesaboutus/structure
http://www.scottishambulance.com/TheService/organised.aspx
http://www.hscni.net/index.php?link=trusts
http://www.scottishambulance.com/AboutUs/HowWeOrganised.aspx
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories/A-ZOfCentralGovernment/index.htm
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisationshttp://www.northernireland.gov.uk/gov.htm
http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/local-councils-in-northern-ireland
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/02/2421/1
https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/contact
https://www.finance-ni.gov.uk/articles/list-public-bodies-which-ni-public-procurement-policy-applies
http://www.police-information.co.uk/index.html
http://www.psni.police.uk/index.htm
http://www.scotland.police.uk/
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/maritime-and-coastguard-agency
http://www.fireservice.co.uk/information/ukfrs
http://www.gov.scot/Topics/archive/law-order/Police/PoliceServiceofScotland
http://www.fire.org.uk/fire-brigades.html
http://www.nifrs.org/areas-districts/
http://www.firescotland.gov.uk/your-area.aspx
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/current-registered-providers-of-social-housing
http://directory.scottishhousingregulator.gov.uk/pages/default.aspx
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/housing-associations
http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/About_us/Regulation/Registering_charities_index.aspx
http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/registerhomepage.aspx
http://www.sell2wales.gov.uk/Search/search_Auth.aspx
A complete list of permissible users is shown on the NEPO website below: http://www.nepo.org/associate-membership/permissable-users
Organisations wishing to access the NEPO agreement will be required to register as a NEPO Associate Member in the first instance.
Further information can be found at: www.nepo.org