Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
Broadcasting House, Portland Place
London
W1A 1AA
Contact
Jonathan Palfreeman
Telephone
+44 1234567890
Fax
+44 1234567890
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
http://www.bbc.co.uk/supplying/
one.3) Communication
Access to the procurement documents is restricted. Further information can be obtained at
https://bbc.bravosolution.co.uk/
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
http://www.bbc.co.uk/supplying/
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Other activity
Broadcasting
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Audience Services
Reference number
PROC 2024 01 JP
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79342300 - Customer services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The BBC is looking to procure customer management services to support a broad range of services including:
• Handling editorial and non-editorial complaints
• Responding to enquiries
• Managing comments & appreciations
• Technical support for iPlayer, Sounds, BBC Account
• Reception Advice
• BBC Action Lines
• BBC Charitable Appeals & Donations collections (Lifeline & Radio 4)
• Artist mail
• Ticketing for BBC shows
• Take Part in a show
• BBC Switchboard
The BBC has a mission to act in the public interest, serving all audiences through the provision of impartial, high-quality and distinctive output and services which continue to inform, educate and entertain. Audience Services supports this by continuing to put our audiences at the heart of our operation, providing them exceptional service, irrespective of channel. We engage them with respect and understanding and work to build audience loyalty to the BBC and the Licence Fee.
Our strategic objectives are to:
- Manage the front door to the BBC, ensuring that audience members are heard, driving a seamless experience across the customer engagement
- Unlock innovation to future proof the service, leveraging technology where it adds value and enables the customer journey
- Uphold brand reputation by engaging with audience members in a respectful manner, building trust and demonstrating BBC values
- Amplify the value of the service and audience sentiment by cascading insights to help inform editorial and operational decision making
Any new solution or technology employed must enhance and improve our ability to handle all contacts in a consistent, timely and appropriate way. This includes issues which are serious, complex or may potentially pose reputational damage.
Our approach is to reprocure the current service scope, excluding the hosting of our Customer Relationship Management System (which will be migrated across to the BBC’s Azure tenancy ahead of contract award) but including requirements to manage the BBC’s Switchboard. The new contract will aim to make provision for change, including scope expansion elements (e.g. increased use of social media) that complement the existing service stack, and align ourselves to key BBC objectives, in particular ‘Digital First’.
Before you are able to register your interest in this PQQ via the Jaggaer portal, you must please send a signed copy of the NDA to jonathan.palfreeman@bbc.co.uk and elaine.gannuny@bbc.co.uk. This can be found under the 'Opportunity Listing' at https://www.bbc.co.uk/supplying/opportunities and clicking on 'View Current Opportunities'.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £47,920,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 22459000 - Tickets
- 64214200 - Telephone switchboard services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The over-riding objective of the procurement is to enhance the service offering whilst maintaining the high quality of the services enjoyed by audiences today. Potential efficiency opportunities are being assessed for all service lines, in particular how the introduction of new technologies such as AI can augment case handling making our skilled agents even more efficient and effective. We also want to make better use of the rich data we compile to help us drive audience insights across the BBC. Examples of potential use cases already identified include:
• Sifting and grouping contacts which relate to the same issue, which can be handled via bulk responses
• Drawing from our Knowledge database to draft responses for agents to review
• Increasing audience self-service via dynamic FAQ surfaced using Chatbot
However, we want to make use of the negotiation phase of this procurement to work with bidders to really develop this thinking and ensure we deliver the best operating model possible for the next generation of Audience Services. The procurement intends to award the contract to a single supplier to provide a seamless end-to-end service to audiences in conjunction with the BBC team.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
60
This contract is subject to renewal
No
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
The BBC is looking to enter into the contract in March 2025 to allow for a potential 12 month transition period, if necessary, to Service Commencement on 16th April 2026.
The service provision will have an initial term of five years, anticipated to commence on 16th April 2026 and ending on 31st March 2031.
The Contract may be extended, at the BBC’s discretion, by up to 24 or 36 months (subject to negotiations during the procurement procedure).
This would mean that the maximum length of the service provision could be 8 years.
The advertised total value includes all maximum, potential extensions to the contract.
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.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
List and brief description of conditions
Where there is more than one economic operator, the BBC reserves the right to require a grouping of economic operators to take a particular legal form or to require a single economic operator to take primary liability or to require that each party undertakes joint and several liability.
Please register your interest in this project by taking the following steps: 1 - Register your company on the Jaggaer eSourcing portal (this is only required once): 1.1 Go to https://bbc.bravosolution.co.uk 1.2 - Click the link on the login page to register. 1.3 Accept the terms and conditions and click 'Continue'. 1.4 - Enter your correct business and user details. 1.5 - Note the username you chose and click 'Save' when complete. 1.6 - You will shortly receive an email with your temporary password. 2 - Express an interest in the tender: 2.1 - Login to the portal with the username/password. 2.2 - Click the 'PQQs/ITTs Open to all Suppliers' link. (These are Pre-Qualification Questionnaires or Invitations to Tender open to any registered supplier). 2.3 - Click on the relevant PQQ/ITT to access the content. 2.4 - Click the 'Express Interest' button at the top of the page. This will move the PQQ/ITT into your 'My PQQs/My ITTs page. (This is a secure area reserved for your projects only. 2.5 - You can now access any attachments by clicking 'Buyer Attachments' in the 'PQQ/ITT Details' box. 3. Responding to the tender: 3.1 - Click 'My Response' under PQQ/ITT Details', you can choose to 'Create Response' or to 'Decline to Respond' (please give a reason if declining). 3.2 - You can now use the 'Messages' function to communicate with the buyer and seek any clarification. 3.3 - Note the deadline for completion, and then follow the onscreen instructions to complete the PQQ/ITT. There may be a mixture of online and offline actions for you to perform (there is detailed online help available). 3.4 You must then submit your reply using the 'Submit Response' button at the top of the page. If you require any further assistance, please consult the online help, or contact the Jaggaer eSourcing help desk.
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
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Competitive procedure with negotiation
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
3 April 2024
Local time
1:00pm
four.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
30 May 2024
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: 4 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic ordering will be used
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Electronic payment will be used
six.3) Additional information
In the case of technology requirements, the BBC may involve its technology partner (Atos IT Solutions and Services Limited) to assist in the scoping and drafting of invitations to tender and/or the evaluation of tenders. However, the final decision as to which is the most economically advantageous (by reference to the award criteria) will be made by the BBC. The awarding authority reserves the right not to award a contract and to annul the procurement process at any stage. Tenders and all supporting documents must be priced in sterling and all payments will be made in sterling. The contract shall be subject to English law. The awarding authority does not bind itself to accept the lowest, or any tender and reserves the right to accept part of a tender unless the tenderer expressly stipulates otherwise in the tender document.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Business and Property Courts of England and Wales – TCC
Rolls Building, 7 Rolls Building, Fetter Lane
London
EC4A 1NL
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
As stated in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The applicable review time limits shall be as stated in Regulations 92 and 93 Public Contracts Regulations 2015.