Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
The Cabinet Office (referred to as “the Authority”)
1 Horseguards Road
London
SW1A 2HQ
procurementassuranceandgovernance@crowncommercial.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 3450103503
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.gov.uk/cabinetoffice
Buyer's address
https://crowncommercialservice.bravosolution.co.uk
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://crowncommercialservice.bravosolution.co.uk
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://crowncommercialservice.bravosolution.co.uk
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
National or federal Agency/Office
one.5) Main activity
Other activity
Central Government
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme (CSPS) and Royal Mail Statutory Pension Scheme (RMSPS) administration services
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 75320000 - Government employee pension schemes
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The procurement will comprise 2 lots, each of which will be awarded as a separate contract.
Details of the lots are as follows:
Lot 1:Procurement for the provision of pension administration for the Civil Service Pension Scheme (“CSPS”)
The CSPS Pension Scheme is managed by the Authority. The current contract expires on 31/12/2023.
The CSPS is the 3rd largest UK occupational pension scheme with approximately 1.6 million members and 300+ employers.
The Authority aims to transform the administration of the CSPS, aspiring to become the UK’s best administered and managed public-sector pension scheme. We are seeking a supplier who shares our vision, and will work in partnership to deliver a service that puts member experience at its heart, whilst also transforming the service for both members and employers. Suppliers must demonstrate a commitment to and track record for delivering incremental and continuous improvement.
The Authority is therefore looking for proposals to respond to this significant pension administration services opportunity. This Lot is solely for the administration services of the CSPS and associated schemes as referred to in para II.2.4 below.
The successful bidder will be expected to work with the Authority in its role as scheme manager, as well as with all current and potential employers (of whom there are currently around 350) covered by the scheme.
Website: www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk
Lot 2 Procurement for the provision of pension administration for the Royal Mail Statutory Pensions Scheme (“RMSPS”)
The RMSPS Pension Scheme is managed by the Authority. The current contract expires on 31/09/2024.
The authority wants to ensure the members get the excellent service that they rightly expect. Above all we want to ensure that the right people get the right benefits at the right time and at the right cost to the taxpayer.
This procurement is solely for the pension administration services to the RMSPS. The successful pension administrator will be expected to work with Royal Mail Pension Plan's ("RMPP") pension administrator, Royal Mail Group Limited ("RMG"), with regard to those members who are beneficiaries in both RMSPS and RMPP. RMSPS is currently the 6th largest public sector pension scheme in the United Kingdom, with approximately 365,000 members. The scheme has no active members so there are no accruing costs or contributions.
Website: www.royalmailsps.co.uk
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £310,000,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: Yes
Tenders may be submitted for all lots
The contracting authority reserves the right to award contracts combining the following lots or groups of lots:
Yes bidders are invited to bid for one or both lots
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Procurement for the provision of pension administration for the Civil Service Pension Scheme
Lot No
Lot 1
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 66520000 - Pension services
- 75100000 - Administration services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Authority requires the provision of administration services for the CSPS, which includes the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme, the Civil Service and Others Pension Scheme, the Civil Service Compensation Scheme and the Civil Service Injury Benefits Schemes. The CSPS is the 3rd largest UK occupational pension scheme with approximately 1.6 million members and 300+ employers. The pension administration services required include the following:
Finance, accounting and taxation services
administration services
employer-related services including:
the collection of data and contributions and maintaining accurate and clean data
communications, including digital
the provision of a portal
maintenance of a comprehensive database of members records which complies with relevant legislation and regulatory requirements
Provision of calculations and information for annual resource accounts remuneration reports
member-related services, including:
the provision of a member portal and self service capability
the accurate and timely calculation of pension awards
provision of options and benefits calculations resulting from McCloud judgment
member communications (including digital communications, managing and operating a helpline and website, issuing annual benefits and pension saving statements, life time allowance statements, annual pension increase communications, scheme newsletters and leaflets)
liaison with any scheme medical advisor that may be appointed by the Authority.
pension payroll services (bulk and individual payroll services) and pensioner existence checking
services related to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme and the Civil Service Injury Benefit Scheme
reporting, including management information and provision of data, information and scheme returns to regulators and other bodies as needed
The tender documents will include more information on these requirements.
Potential bidders' suitability to participate will be assessed using the Selection questionnaire (SQ). The Authority anticipates that no more than the top 8 bidders will be invited to the ITN stage. Further details are set out in the procurement documents.
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: £262,000,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
144
This contract is subject to renewal
No
two.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
Envisaged number of candidates: 8
Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates:
As set out in the tender documents
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
The estimated total value provided in Section II.2.6) is based on a transitional term of 2 years, then an initial operational term of 7 years and a possible extension option of up to 3 years.
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) Description
two.2.1) Title
Procurement for the provision of pension administration for the Royal Mail Statutory Pensions Scheme (“RMSPS”)
Lot No
2
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 66520000 - Pension services
- 75100000 - Administration services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Authority requires the provision of administration services for the RMSPS. The pension administration services required include the following:
Pension Administration services are required for the following two membership profiles:(1) RMSPS scheme members with no benefits in the RMPP and (2) RMSPS scheme members with benefits in the RMPP. The pension administration services required for membership profiles 1 and 2 include the following:-
Finance, accounting and taxation services,
administration services,
interactions with members including portal provision/self-service,
maintaining accurate and clean member and scheme data
member communications (including managing and operating a helpline and website, issuing annual benefits statements, lifetime allowance statements, annual pension increase communications, scheme newsletters and leaflets,
pension payroll services (bulk and individual payroll services) and pensioner existence checking
accurate and timely calculation of pension benefits
reporting., including management information and provision of data, information and scheme returns to regulators and other bodies as needed
Membership profile 2 includes the following supplementary requirements:
to work with RMPP’s pension administration providers and set up processes for the timely sharing of data, information and calculations as required to enable the processing of benefits for members including AVC benefits.
Interaction with RMPP’s pension administration providers and RMG and Post Office Limited as employers of RMSPS beneficiaries as appropriate to align as far as possible timeliness and content of communications to members.
liaison with any scheme medical advisor that may be appointed by the Authority.
The tender documents will include more information on these requirements.
Potential bidders' suitability to participate will be assessed using the Selection questionnaire (SQ). The Authority anticipates that no more than the top 8 bidders will be invited to the ITN stage. Further details are set out in the procurement documents.
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: £48,000,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
114
This contract is subject to renewal
No
two.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
Envisaged number of candidates: 8
Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates:
As set out in the tender documents
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
The estimated total value provided in Section II.2.6) is based on a transitional term of up to 18 months, then an initial operational term of 6 years and a possible extension of 2 years, awarded on a 1 + 1 basis.
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 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.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
Competitive procedure with negotiation
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.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2021/S 000-030889
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Originally published as:
Date
7 March 2022
Local time
12:00pm
Changed to:
Date
17 March 2022
Local time
12:00pm
See the change notice.
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.3) Additional information
The Authority shall not be liable for any costs incurred by those potential bidders (including third party, costs, fees or expenses) expressing an interest in or tendering for this contract opportunity . Any expenditure, work or effort undertaken prior to contract award is accordingly a matter solely for the commercial judgement of potential bidders. No implied contract is created.
Each Lot described in this contract notice is a separate award procedure. The Authority reserves the right not to award one or both of the Lots described in this notice, postpone or terminate the tendering exercise (or any part of it) at any time without liability on its part.
Bidders suitability to participate will be assessed using the SQ. Following the initial evaluation, shortlisted bidders will receive an invitation to participate in negotiation (ITN). At the ITN stage more information is expected to be made available to applicants. Bidders will submit tender responses which will be subject to evaluation, the criteria for which will be made available to bidders in the ITN.
Registering for access:
This procurement will be managed electronically via the eSourcing suite. This will be the route for sharing all information and communicating with bidders. If you have recently registered on the eSourcing suite for another CCS procurement you can use the same account for this new procurement. If not, you will first need to register your organisation on the portal. Use the following link for information on how register and use the eSourcing tool: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esourcing-tool-guidance-for-suppliers
For assistance please contact the eSourcing Help desk operated by email at eEnablement@crowncommercial.gov.uk or call 0345 410 2222.
Potential bidders who have not already done so will be required to complete a NonDisclosure Agreement
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/ecaa238d-13b7-4b3a-a976-7c5785104c85
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Royal Courts of Justice
London
Telephone
+44 2079477882
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
Any appeals should be promptly brought to the attention of the Authority by emailing the named contact in Section I.1 above referencing "Pension Administrator Procurement" - For the Attention of the Procurement Manager and will be dealt with in accordance with the requirements of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. Any appeals must be brought within the time-scale specified by the applicable law, including, without limitation, the Public Contract Regulations 2015. In accordance with such Regulations, the Authority will also incorporate a minimum 10 calendar day standstill period from the date information on the award of contract is communicated to tenderers.