Awarded contract

Accounting Services Programme (ASP)

  • DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE

F15: Voluntary ex ante transparency notice

Notice reference: 2022/S 000-006546

Published 10 March 2022, 9:54am



Section one: Contracting authority/entity

one.1) Name and addresses

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE

Department Of Finance

BANGOR

BT197NA

Contact

Donna Williams

Email

Donna.Williams@finance-ni.gov.uk

Telephone

+44 2890816414

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKN0 - Northern Ireland

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.finance-ni.gov.uk

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Body governed by public law

one.5) Main activity

General public services


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Accounting Services Programme (ASP)

Reference number

S/9946/03

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

The Accounting Services Programme ("ASP") is complex large scale contract which migrated all Northern Ireland Government Departments, the Northern Ireland Office, the Public Prosecution Service, a non-ministerial Department and a number of their Agencies and other bodies ; to a common accounting system. The contract covers, inter alia, the supply of a broad range of computer and related services (including, without limitation, on-going management, operation and maintenance services), information technology consultancy services and the supply of computer hardware, software and associated products.

This modification will extend the existing contract for an initial period of 36 months with potential to extend for a further period of up to 24 months.

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: £26,000,000

two.2) Description

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKN - Northern Ireland
Main site or place of performance

Northern Ireland

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

This is a contract modification , extending the contract term of the current Accounting Services Programme contract. The estimated value is 26 million GBP and this will be the maximum expenditure under the modification. This contract extension is required to ensure continuity of services whilst this complex, transformational project is competitively tendered. The Accounting Services Programme ("ASP") migrated all of the Northern Ireland Government Departments , the Northern Ireland Office , the Public Prosecution Service and a number of their Agencies and other Bodies to the common accounting system. The contract covers, inter alia, the supply of a broad range of computer and related services (including, without limitation, on-going management, operation and maintenance services), information technology consultancy services and the supply of computer hardware, software and associated products.

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

The period of the modification / extension is three years with the potential to extend for a further period of up to 24 months. Given the complexity of this contract , these options are for contingency only ; for example if there is a delay in the implementation or transition to the new solution.

two.2.14) Additional information

This is a modification of the current contract to ensure continuity of essential services whilst the new competitive process is undertaken.The estimated value is 26 million GBP and this will the maximum expenditure under the modification, 50% of the original contract value.


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Negotiated without a prior call for competition

  • Additional deliveries by the original supplier

Explanation:

The Interg8 Programme (formerly the Central Government Transformation Programme) is working towards procuring follow on arrangements for the Department's current Finance and HR/Payroll Shared Services, provided to all

Account NI and HR Connect's current customers. This modification to extend the contract is to 'plug the gap' until delivery of the Interg8 solution. There is no option to do nothing nor have a break in service given the criticality, scale and complexity of the services delivered.

The Regulations permit the modification of a contract where the changes proposed meet one or more of the prescribed tests as set out in Regulation 72.

This contract is being modified in accordance with Regulation 72(1) (b); whereby additional services "have become necessary" and were not included in the initial procurement and a change of supplier would not be practicable for economic or technical and would involve substantial inconvenience/duplication of costs - provided the change does not exceed 50% of the value of the original contract.

The limitations imposed by Regulation 72(1) (b) include that the 50% of the value of the original contract shall apply to the value of each modification. The expenditure of the contract will be closely monitored to ensure strict adherence to the regulatory financial cap and will not exceed 50%.

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: 2004/S 005-004446


Section five. Award of contract/concession

Contract No

S/9946/03

Title

Accounting Services Programme (ASP)

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract/concession

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

9 March 2006

five.2.2) Information about tenders

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire

British Telecommunication plc

Belfast

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UKN - Northern Ireland
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME

No

five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)

Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot/concession: £52,000,000

Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £127,374,000


Section six. Complementary information

six.3) Additional information

The Integr8 programme (formerly the Central Government Transformation Programme) is working towards procuring follow-on arrangements for the Department's current Finance and HR/Payroll shared services, provided to all of Account NI and HR Connect's current customers. This modification to extend the contract is to 'plug the gap' until delivery of the replacement contract, the Interg8 solution. There is no option to do nothing nor have a break in service given the criticality, scale and complexity of the services delivered.

The Regulations permit the modification of a contract where the changes proposed meet one or more of the prescribed tests as set out in Regulation 72.

This contract is being modified in accordance with Regulation 72(1) (b); whereby additional services "have become necessary" and were not included in the initial procurement and a change of supplier would not be practicable for economic or technical and would involve substantial inconvenience/duplication of costs - provided the change does not exceed 50% of the value of the original contract.

The limitations imposed by Regulation 72(1) (b) include that the 50% of the value of the original contract shall apply to the value of each modification. The value of this modification will not exceed the 50% cap.

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Construction and Procurement Delivery

Belfast

Country

United Kingdom

six.4.3) Review procedure

Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures

There is no review body for mediation procedures in Northern Ireland.

This modification is governed by the Public Contract Regulations 2015 (as amended) and provides for Economic Operators who have suffered or who risk suffering loss or damage as a consequence of an alleged breach of duty owned in accordance with Regulation 91 to start proceedings in the High Court.

A standstill period of a minimum 10 calendar days will commence upon publication of this notice. This provides transparency and time to challenge the required decision before the modification is progressed and the extended contract is entered into.

Any proceedings relating to any perceived non-compliance with the relevant law must be started within 30 days, beginning with the date when the Economic Operator first knew or ought to have known that grounds for starting the proceedings had arisen.( A court may extend the time to 3 months where the court considers that there is a good reason for doing so).