Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name, addresses and contact point(s)
Ministry of Defence
Babcock, BTC 100B, Bristol Business Park, BS16 1EJ
Bristol
For the attention of
Thorn Matthew
Email(s)
matthew.thorn2@babcockinternational.com
Country
United Kingdom
Further information
Further information can be obtained from the above mentioned contact point(s)
Specifications and additional documents (including documents for competitive dialogue and a dynamic purchasing system) can be obtained from
The above-mentioned contact point(s)
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to
The above-mentioned contact point(s)
one.2) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions
one.3) Main activity
Defence
Section two: Object of the contract
two.1) Description
two.1.1) Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority
PIISC009 - Germany Bus Services
two.1.2) Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance
Services
Service category No 5: Land transport services
two.1.5) Short description of the contract or purchase(s)
Babcock Land Defence Limited, Acting in the capacity as Agent for the Authority under project Phoenix II is seeking to engage a suitable supplier to provide Bus Passenger Transport Services between UK and Germany, Switzerland and Austria and within Germany, Switzerland and Austria.
This contract shall replace the existing contract that is due to expire in September 2025 and commence from October 2025.
The initial contract term shall be 2 years, with the option of extending for up to two one-year periods. As such the contract shall have a total possible duration of four years.
The time limit for completion of DPQQ is 17/03/2025 at 1300hrs (UK GMT).
two.1.6) Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
- 60172000 - Hire of buses and coaches with driver
Additional CPV code(s)
- 60130000 - Special-purpose road passenger-transport services
- 60140000 - Non-scheduled passenger transport
two.1.7) Information about subcontracting
The tenderer has to indicate in the tender any share of the contract it may intend to subcontract to third parties and any proposed subcontractor, as well as the subject-matter of the subcontracts for which they are proposed
The tenderer has to indicate any change occurring at the level of subcontractors during the execution of the contract
two.1.8) Lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.9) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2) Quantity or scope of the contract
two.2.1) Total quantity or scope
Babcock Land Defence Limited, Acting in the capacity as Agent for the Authority under project Phoenix II is seeking to engage a suitable supplier to provide Bus Passenger Transport Services between UK and Germany, Switzerland and Austria and within Germany, Switzerland and Austria.
This contract shall replace the existing contract that is due to expire in September 2025 and commence from October 2025.
The initial contract term shall be 2 years, with the option of extending for up to two one-year periods. As such the contract shall have a total possible duration of four years.
The bidder shall request to participate via completion of the Dynamic Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (DPQQ). The DPQQ and the criteria for passing the DPQQ (DPQQ Guidance) is accessible on the Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP). Following successful completion of the DPQQ, Babcock, in capacity as Agent for the Authority under Project Phoenix II may invite the successful bidder(s) to tender through release of the Invitation to Tender (ITT).
Estimated value excluding VAT:
£6,400,000
two.3) Duration of the contract or time limit for completion
Start date: 1 October 2025
End date: 30 September 2029
Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions relating to the contract
three.1.1) Deposits and guarantees required
The contract terms and conditions shall be enclosed in the Invitation to Tender (ITT). The ITT shall be issued to bidders that are successful in the down-selection phase (DPQQ).
three.1.2) Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them
The contract terms and conditions shall be enclosed in the Invitation to Tender (ITT). The ITT shall be issued to bidders that are successful in the down-selection phase (DPQQ).
three.1.3) Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded
The contract terms and conditions shall be enclosed in the Invitation to Tender (ITT). The ITT shall be issued to bidders that are successful in the down-selection phase (DPQQ).
three.2) Conditions for participation
three.2.1) Personal situation
Criteria regarding the personal situation of economic operators (that may lead to their exclusion) including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Suppliers Instructions How to Express Interest in this Tender:
1. Register your company on the eSourcing portal (this is only required once)
- Browse to the eSourcing Portal
- Click the “Click here to register” link
- Accept the terms and conditions and click “continue”
- Enter your correct business and user details
- Note the username you chose and click “Save” when complete
- You will shortly receive an email with your unique password (please keep this secure)
2. Express an Interest in the tender
- Login to the portal with the username/password
- Click the "PQQs Open to All Suppliers" link. (These are Pre-Qualification Questionnaires open to any registered supplier)
- Click on the relevant PQQ to access the content.
- Click the “Express Interest” button in the “Actions” box on the left-hand side of the page.
- This will move the PQQ into your “My PQQs” page. (This is a secure area reserved for your projects only)
- Click on the PQQ code, you can now access any attachments by clicking the “Settings and Buyer Attachments” in the “Actions” box
3. Responding to the tender
- You can now choose to “Reply” or “Reject” (please give a reason if rejecting)
- You can now use the ‘Messages’ function to communicate with the buyer and seek any clarification
- Note the deadline for completion, then follow the onscreen instructions to complete the PQQ
- There may be a mixture of online & offline actions for you to perform (there is detailed online help available)
If you require any further assistance please consult the online help, or contact the eTendering help desk.
Criteria regarding the personal situation of subcontractors (that may lead to their rejection) including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Suppliers Instructions How to Express Interest in this Tender:
1. Register your company on the eSourcing portal (this is only required once)
- Browse to the eSourcing Portal
- Click the “Click here to register” link
- Accept the terms and conditions and click “continue”
- Enter your correct business and user details
- Note the username you chose and click “Save” when complete
- You will shortly receive an email with your unique password (please keep this secure)
2. Express an Interest in the tender
- Login to the portal with the username/password
- Click the "PQQs Open to All Suppliers" link. (These are Pre-Qualification Questionnaires open to any registered supplier)
- Click on the relevant PQQ to access the content.
- Click the “Express Interest” button in the “Actions” box on the left-hand side of the page.
- This will move the PQQ into your “My PQQs” page. (This is a secure area reserved for your projects only)
- Click on the PQQ code, you can now access any attachments by clicking the “Settings and Buyer Attachments” in the “Actions” box
3. Responding to the tender
- You can now choose to “Reply” or “Reject” (please give a reason if rejecting)
- You can now use the ‘Messages’ function to communicate with the buyer and seek any clarification
- Note the deadline for completion, then follow the onscreen instructions to complete the PQQ
- There may be a mixture of online & offline actions for you to perform (there is detailed online help available)
If you require any further assistance please consult the online help, or contact the eTendering help desk.
three.2.2) Economic and financial ability
Criteria regarding the economic and financial standing of economic operators (that may lead to their exclusion)
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Selection and exclusion criteria are set out in the DPQQ, available on the Defence Sourcing Portal.
three.2.3) Technical and/or professional capacity
Criteria regarding the technical and/or professional ability of economic operators (that may lead to their exclusion)
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Selection and exclusion criteria are set out in the DPQQ, available on the Defence Sourcing Portal.
Criteria regarding the technical and/or professional ability of subcontractors (that may lead to their rejection)
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Selection and exclusion criteria are set out in the DPQQ, available on the Defence Sourcing Portal.
Section four: Procedure
four.1) Type of procedure
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Restricted
four.1.2) Limitations on the number of operators who will be invited to tender or to participate
Envisaged number of operators: 4
Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates: The Authority will select (shortlist) a maximum of 4 (four) Potential Providers through to the next stage of the procurement process. Potential Providers that have met the minimum pass criteria as set out within the DPQQ will be ranked on their score achieved against the two technical scored questions, with the top four scoring to be invited to tender. In the case of a tie the Authority reserves the right to
increase the maximum number being invited to tender at its discretion
four.2) Award criteria
four.2.1) Award criteria
the criteria stated in the specifications, in the invitation to tender or to negotiate or in the descriptive document
four.3) Administrative information
four.3.4) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
17 March 2025 - 1:00pm
four.3.6) Language(s) in which tenders or requests to participate may be drawn up
English
Section six: Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
The Contracting Authority intends to use an e-Tendering system in this procurement exercise, please visit www.contracts.mod.uk for full details and to register your interest in this procurement.