Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Kent County Council
County Hall
Maidstone
ME14 1XQ
Contact
Mrs Alison Blackman
Telephone
+44 3000413335
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKJ4 - Kent
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
SC23172 - Professional Services Framework
Reference number
DN712410
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 71000000 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Kent County Council (the Client) is the largest county council in England covering an area of
3 500 km2. It has an annual expenditure of over GBP 900 million on goods and services and
a population of 1.3 million. The Council provides a wide range of personal and strategic
services on behalf of its residents, operating in partnership with 12 district councils and 305
parish/town councils.
The Professional Services Framework is for the provision of a multi-disciplinary consultancy service relating to highways, engineering, transportation, planning and environment, surveys and investigations and commercial services within the Local Authority boundaries of Kent. Various specialist levels of technical, environmental, and engineering professional services are to be provided. These outputs supply the County Council with engineering expertise and advice to allow the Council to plan and design new highway infrastructure, assess structural assets, comply with their statutory obligations as the Highway Authority, support KCC’s strategic objectives.
Further details on the Framework scope can be found in the SQ documentation.
There is no guarantee of work within this Framework and the Client reserves the right to
competitively tender any future project it deems appropriate through an alternative mechanism. Call-off contracts will be based on the NEC 4 suite of contracts with the framework covering the County of Kent.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £40,500,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKJ4 - Kent
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
To achieve Kent County Council strategic objectives, Highways and Transportation (H&T) require access to specialist technical engineering expert advice and services, that specialise in the areas of:
• Highways, Transportation and Engineering
• Planning and Environment
• Surveys and Investigations
• Commercial Services
The effective delivery of all related projects (including major capital projects) is dependent on having a Professional Services Framework in place. The Framework will be used by additional teams across the Council. Further details on the Framework scope and proposed Framework management information can be found in the SQ documents.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
42
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
The framework will operate for an initial period of 4 years (48 months) with no guarantee of any works being awarded. The initial term of 48 months may be extended by up to 2 years (24 months), subject to successful delivery of the Key Performance Indicators and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the agreement.
two.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
Envisaged minimum number: 6
Maximum number: 8
Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates:
Please see the SQ documentation for further details.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
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
Call off contracts awarded through the Framework will be dependent on available budgets and there is no guarantee of work under this framework. The estimated Framework value for the initial 4 year term is £27m, increasing to £40.5m should an optional extension period be taken. Estimated values as indicative, and have been calculated based on historic spend to date.
The framework is being procured by the Authority for its own use. However Kent district Councils are able to access and procure services through this Framework.
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
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Competitive procedure with negotiation
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 several operators
Envisaged maximum number of participants to the framework agreement: 3
In the case of framework agreements, provide justification for any duration exceeding 4 years:
The framework will operate for an initial period of 4 years (48 months) with no guarantee of any works being awarded. The initial term of 48 months may be extended by up to 2 years (24 months), subject to successful delivery of the Key Performance Indicators and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the agreement. Justification for any duration exceeding 4 years is that the Client recognises the significant investment in resources, supply chains and social value required to operate this framework within the county of Kent.
four.1.5) Information about negotiation
The contracting authority reserves the right to award the contract on the basis of the initial tenders without conducting negotiations
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: 2023/S 000-028678
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
4 April 2024
Local time
12:00pm
four.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
29 April 2024
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.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Kent County Council
Maidstone
Country
United Kingdom