Opportunity

SONI021

  • SONI Ltd

F05: Contract notice – utilities

Notice reference: 2023/S 000-002648

Published 27 January 2023, 3:07pm



Section one: Contracting entity

one.1) Name and addresses

SONI Ltd

12 Manse Road

Belfast

BT6 9RT

Email

tenders2@soni.ltd.uk

Telephone

+44 2890794336

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UK - United Kingdom

Internet address(es)

Main address

www.soni.ltd.uk

Buyer's address

https://www.mytenders.co.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA43172

one.3) Communication

The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at

https://www.mytenders.co.uk

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via

https://www.mytenders.co.uk

one.6) Main activity

Electricity


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

SONI021

Reference number

Demerger Consultants (SONI Led)

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 72221000 - Business analysis consultancy services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Following a lengthy consultation period, the Utility Regulator in Northern Ireland issued a decision in August 2022 regarding SONI

Governance matters. This decision became effective within the SONI TSO Licence from 26 October 2022.

The Licence Modification requires significant changes to the SONI Ltd Board composition and the relationship between EirGrid plc (as

parent) and SONI Ltd (its subsidiary). They also require that the SONI TSO business be managerially and operationally separate from

EirGrid and any other company within the EirGrid Group with separate premises, IT and other systems, equipment, facilities, processes and

staff.

The Utility Regulator’s Licence Modification requirements for independence at Board, Management and Operational levels in the SONI

business equates to a de-facto requirement to demerge the EirGrid and SONI businesses.

As a result, SONI is now seeking to appoint a consultancy business to design, manage and implement this demerger project.

two.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: £2,000,000

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services
  • 79411000 - General management consultancy services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKN06 - Belfast
Main site or place of performance

Belfast

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The Framework Agreement period will be for an initial duration of two years with the option to extend annually for up to an additional

three years, subject always to the satisfactory performance of the supplier.

The demerger project will be run over two phases:

(i) the initial scope, design and cost of the demerger project

(ii) the implementation of the demerger project.

It is envisaged that the majority of the contracting requirements will be delivered at SONI’s offices in Belfast.

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: £2,000,000

two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Duration in months

24

This contract is subject to renewal

Yes

Description of renewals

Option to extend annually for an additional 3 years.

two.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited

Envisaged number of candidates: 3

Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates:

Please see Information Memorandum and Pre-Qualification Questionnaire attached to this notice

two.2.10) Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: No

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

As this is a framework, the need of the required services may increase or decrease over the term.

two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds

The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No

two.2.14) Additional information

The estimated value of 2 million GBP is inclusive of the entire duration.


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

three.1.4) Objective rules and criteria for participation

List and brief description of rules and criteria

Please see Information Memorandum and Pre-Qualification Questionnaire attached to this notice

three.2) Conditions related to the contract

three.2.3) Information about staff responsible for the performance of the contract

Obligation to indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff assigned to performing the contract


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Negotiated procedure with prior call for competition

four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system

The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement

Framework agreement with a single operator

four.1.4) Information about reduction of the number of solutions or tenders during negotiation or dialogue

Recourse to staged procedure to gradually reduce the number of solutions to be discussed or tenders to be negotiated

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

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes

four.2) Administrative information

four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

Date

27 February 2023

Local time

12:00pm

four.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates

15 March 2023

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

Duration in months: 12 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)


Section six. Complementary information

six.1) Information about recurrence

This is a recurrent procurement: No

six.3) Additional information

1) Interested parties must register their interest on the mytenders web site (www.mytenders.co.uk) in order to be included on the mailing

list for clarifications. All information relating to attachments, including clarifications and changes, will be published on the Portal

(www.mytenders.co.uk) only. Registration is free of charge. The contracting authority will not accept responsibility for information relayed

(or not relayed) via third parties.

2) This is the sole call for competition for this service.

3) The contracting authority will not be responsible for any costs, charges or expenses incurred by candidates or tenderers.

4) Contract award will be subject to the approval of the competent authorities.

5) If for any reason it is not possible to award the contract one or more of the tenderers invited following the conclusion of this competitive

process, the contracting authority reserves the right to award the contract to the next ranked tenderer as appropriate.

6) At its absolute discretion, the contracting authority may elect to terminate this procurement process or any contract awarded.

7) Please note in relation to all documents, that where reference is made to a particular standard, make, source, process, trademark, type or

patent, that this is not to be regarded as a de facto requirement. In all such cases it should be understood that such indications are to be

treated strictly and solely for reference purposes only, to which the words ‘or equivalent’ will always be appended.

8) Without prejudice to the principle of equal treatment, the contracting authority is not obliged to engage in a clarification process in

respect of questionnaires with missing or incomplete information. Therefore, candidates are advised to ensure that they return fully

completed questionnaires in order to avoid the risk of elimination from the competition.

NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the myTenders Web Site at https://www.mytenders.co.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=228581.

The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at https://www.mytenders.co.uk/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx.

Suppliers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last minute problems.

(MT Ref:228581)

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Public Procurement Review Service

Cabinet Office

London

Email

publicprocurementreview@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Telephone

+44 3450103503

Country

United Kingdom

Internet address

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-procurement-review-service-scope-and-remit