Opportunity

Centres of Expertise (4 Lots)

  • Scottish Government

F02: Contract notice

Notice reference: 2021/S 000-008026

Published 16 April 2021, 10:34am



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Scottish Government

4 Atlantic Quay, 70 York Street

Glasgow

G2 8JX

Email

douglas.martin@gov.scot

Telephone

+44 1412425962

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKM - Scotland

Internet address(es)

Main address

http://www.scotland.gov.uk

Buyer's address

https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA10482

one.2) Information about joint procurement

The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body

one.3) Communication

The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at

https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via

https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/

Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at

https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Ministry or any other national or federal authority

one.5) Main activity

General public services


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Centres of Expertise (4 Lots)

Reference number

Case/534659

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

The Scottish Government has a requirement to place 4 separate contracts with external service providers for the following services:

Lot 1: Centre of Expertise for Climate Change;

Lot 2: Centre of Expertise on Animal Disease Outbreaks;

Lot 3: Centre of Expertise on Water;

Lot 4: Centre of Expertise for Knowledge Exchange and Innovation.

two.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: £35,000,000

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: Yes

Tenders may be submitted for all lots

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

Centre of Expertise Climate Change

Lot No

1

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKM - Scotland

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

This Centre of Expertise is essential in providing support for a wide range of economically important policies. It also supports many parts of the SG's programme for Government. It provides technical and scientific advice to policy on issues arising from Climate Change. This includes reducing greenhouse emissions, adapting to the consequences of climate change and the transition to a low carbon society.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: Understanding the Requirement / Weighting: 10

Quality criterion - Name: Programme Design and Methods / Weighting: 20

Quality criterion - Name: Staffing, Skills and Task Allocation / Weighting: 20

Quality criterion - Name: Project Management, Risk Assessment and Ethics / Weighting: 20

Quality criterion - Name: Data Management, Data Protection and Cyber Security / Weighting: 15

Quality criterion - Name: Fair Work / Weighting: 5

Quality criterion - Name: Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery / Weighting: 5

Quality criterion - Name: Community Benefits / Weighting: 5

Price - Weighting: 20

two.2.6) Estimated value

Value excluding VAT: £14,800,000

two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Start date

1 April 2022

End date

31 March 2025

This contract is subject to renewal

Yes

Description of renewals

Option to extend for an additional period of up to 2 years (2 x 1 year) to 31 March 2027

two.2.10) Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: No

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

Option to extend for an additional period of up to 2 years (2 x 1 year) to 31 March 2027

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

Centre of Expertise on Water

Lot No

3

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKM - Scotland

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The Scottish Government and its partners have a key role to play in the development and delivery of legislation and policies designed to ensure the quality and sustainability of Scotland’s water resources. Relevant government policies include the EU Water Framework Directive, Flood Scottish Government Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division (RESAS) is re-commissioning the Centre of Expertise on Water. The objective is to brigade the best available expertise on the management of water from across Scotland into a virtual centre, to simplify access to scientific advice and evidence by policy colleagues and their delivery partners, and to enhance synergy of effort and stimulate innovative thinking in support of water policy.

The Centre’s purpose is to:

- Deliver timely and high quality advice and research-based evidence on the management of water to the Scottish Government and its delivery partners.

- Stimulate innovative thinking in support of policy development and implementation in the research area.

- Enhance the coordination of research, analysis and interpretation across the subject area, leading to high quality research and policy-relevant outputs.

- Deliver an effective programme of knowledge exchange and communication with Scottish Government and its stakeholders.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: Understanding the Requirement / Weighting: 10

Quality criterion - Name: Programme Design and Methods / Weighting: 20

Quality criterion - Name: Staffing, Skills and Tasks / Weighting: 20

Quality criterion - Name: Project Management, Risk Assessment and Ethics / Weighting: 20

Quality criterion - Name: Data Management, Data Protection and Cyber Security / Weighting: 15

Quality criterion - Name: Fair Work / Weighting: 5

Quality criterion - Name: Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery / Weighting: 5

Quality criterion - Name: Community Benefits / Weighting: 5

Price - Weighting: 20

two.2.6) Estimated value

Value excluding VAT: £5,800,000

two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Start date

1 April 2022

End date

31 March 2025

This contract is subject to renewal

Yes

Description of renewals

Option to extend for an additional period of up to 2 years (2 x 1 year) to 31 March 2027

two.2.10) Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: No

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

Option to extend for an additional period of up to 2 years (2 x 1 year) to 31 March 2027

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

Centre of Expertise Knowledge Exchange and Innovation

Lot No

4

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKM - Scotland

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The CKEI, now often known as SEFARI Gateway, is RESAS's Centre of Expertise for Knowledge Exchange. It supports KE across our Main Research Providers, CoEs, including into policy, industry, NGOs. It carries out reports, training, supports fellowships, produces CASE studies and will support Horizon-Scanning across the Strategic Research Programme in Environment, Natural Resources and Rural Affairs.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: Understanding the requirement / Weighting: 10

Quality criterion - Name: Programme design and methods / Weighting: 20

Quality criterion - Name: Staffing, Skills & Task Allocation / Weighting: 20

Quality criterion - Name: Project Management, Risk Assessment and Ethics / Weighting: 20

Quality criterion - Name: Data Management, Data Protection and Cyber Security / Weighting: 15

Quality criterion - Name: Fair Work / Weighting: 5

Quality criterion - Name: Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery / Weighting: 5

Quality criterion - Name: Community Benefits / Weighting: 5

Price - Weighting: 20

two.2.6) Estimated value

Value excluding VAT: £4,000,000

two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Start date

1 April 2022

End date

31 May 2025

This contract is subject to renewal

Yes

Description of renewals

Option to extend for an additional period of up to 2 years (2 x 1 year) to 31 March 2027

two.2.10) Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: No

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

Option to extend for an additional period of up to 2 years (2 x 1 year) to 31 March 2027

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

Centre of Expertise on Animal Disease Outbreaks

Lot No

2

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKM - Scotland

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Scottish Government Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services (RESAS) Division is recommissioning a Centre of Expertise on Animal Disease Outbreaks. RESAS supports a small number of Centres of Expertise in key areas which brigade the best available expertise from a consortium of partners into virtual centres; to simplify access by policy officials to expertise from across Scotland, to enhance synergy of effort and to stimulate innovative thinking in support of policy.

The suppliers of the Centre will have the following aims:

- To deliver high-quality research-based evidence and advice on the epidemiology of animal diseases that are important to Scotland to the Scottish Government.

- To provide advice and analyses to the Scottish Government at short notice in the event of an outbreak of notifiable, zoonotic or newly emerging animal disease in the UK.

- To stimulate innovative thinking in support of policy development and delivery.

- To further enhance the coordination of research, analysis and interpretation across the subject area, leading to high quality, world leading interdisciplinary research and the production of policy-relevant outputs.

- To develop a programme of knowledge exchange to ensure the effective underpinning of policy and the wider dissemination of best practice amongst stakeholders.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: Understanding the requirement / Weighting: 10

Quality criterion - Name: Programme design and methods / Weighting: 20

Quality criterion - Name: Staffing, Skills & Task Allocation / Weighting: 20

Quality criterion - Name: Project Management, Risk Assessment and Ethics / Weighting: 20

Quality criterion - Name: Data Management, Data Protection and Cyber Security / Weighting: 15

Quality criterion - Name: Fair Work / Weighting: 5

Quality criterion - Name: Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery / Weighting: 5

Quality criterion - Name: Community Benefits / Weighting: 5

Price - Weighting: 20

two.2.6) Estimated value

Value excluding VAT: £10,400,000

two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Start date

1 April 2022

End date

31 March 2025

This contract is subject to renewal

Yes

Description of renewals

Option to extend for an additional period of up to 2 years (2 x 1 year) to 31 March 2027

two.2.10) Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: No

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

Option to extend for an additional period of up to 2 years (2 x 1 year) to 31 March 2027

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

List and brief description of selection criteria

Financial Ratios (ESPD 4B6) - Bidders must demonstrate a Current Ratio of 0.8 or more.

Current Ratio will be calculated as follows: net current assets divided by net current liabilities.

Minimum level(s) of standards required:

- Public Liability Insurance (In the sum not less) - 5,000,000 GBP;

- Professional Indemnity Insurance (In the sum not less) - 2,000,000 GBP;

- Employer’s Liability Insurance - employer’s liability insurance in accordance with any legal obligation for the time being in force.

Such insurance must be maintained for the duration of the Contract and for a minimum of 5 years following the expiry or termination of the Contract.

Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required

Minimum Insurance Levels - For question 4B5 of the SPD, it is a requirement of this contract that bidders hold, or can commit to obtain prior to the commencement of any subsequently awarded contract 5 million GBP public liability insurance,2 million GBP Professional Indemnity Insurance and Employers Liability insurance in accordance with any legal obligation for the time being in force.

three.2) Conditions related to the contract

three.2.2) Contract performance conditions

If a bidder comprises a consortium which will establish a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to deliver the contract, that bidder will not be required to form an SPV at this stage, but will be required to do so prior to the award of any contract. In this circumstance the consortium,acting through consortium members, will be required to provide appropriate guarantees in respect of the performance of the SPV of that bidder’s obligations under 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

Open procedure

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: 2020/S 229-565635

four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

Date

15 June 2021

Local time

12:00pm

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: 6 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)

four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders

Date

15 June 2021

Local time

12:00pm


Section six. Complementary information

six.1) Information about recurrence

This is a recurrent procurement: No

six.2) Information about electronic workflows

Electronic invoicing will be accepted

Electronic payment will be used

six.3) Additional information

Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015.

Single Procurement Document will be scored on a pass/fail basis.

Award Criteria Questions can be found in the ITT together with the weightings.

Question scoring methodology for award criteria outlined in Invitation to Tender.Bidders must complete the SPD (Scotland) to demonstrate adherence to the exclusion and selection criteria for this procurement. If there

are named subcontractors/technicians upon which the bidder will rely to meet the selection criteria, these named parties must complete and

reattach the SPD Supplier Response Form attached to SPD questions 2C.1.1 (Reliance on the capacity of other entities) and 2D.1.2 (Subcontractors) on PCS-T.

These parties must complete the first 3 sections of the SPD form, as well as any part of the Section 4 selection criteria that the main

bidder will rely upon the parties to fulfil. If parties have not yet been identified, this information may be required at a later date. Scottish Government reserves the right to request this information from relevant parties upon whom the main bidder will not rely to fulfil selection criteria.

4C.10 Bidders will be required to confirm whether they intend to sub-contract and if so, for what proportion of the contract.

4C.1.2 Bidders will be required to provide examples of similar services detailed as follows: Lot 1 - 2 recent examples of managing projects and giving advice on Climate Change issues, to public bodies or government. Lot 2 - 2 recent examples of managing projects, and giving advice on Animal Diseases, and/or epidemiology and/or modelling to public bodies or government. Lot 3 - 2 recent examples of managing projects and giving advice on Water issues, and/or wastewater and/or flooding issues to public bodies or government. Lot 4 - 2 recent examples of managing projects and providing advice on emerging scientific or social scientific issues to public bodies or government.

The buyer is using PCS-Tender to conduct this ITT exercise. The Project code is 17731. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2343

A sub-contract clause has been included in this contract. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2363

Community benefits are included in this requirement. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2361

A summary of the expected community benefits has been provided as follows:

The Scottish Ministers is committed to contributing to the social, economic & environmental well-being of the people of Scotland. The Scottish Ministers has five objectives that underpin its core purpose - to create a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth. Tenderers are required to present a community benefit proposal with their tender detailing how, in the event that they should be successful in winning the contract.

A summary of the expected community benefits has been provided as follows:

The Contractor will be required, where practical, to:

- Consider relevant opportunities for community benefits;

- Consider opportunities for the involvement of SMEs and/or third sector organisations in delivery of the services;

- Provide assurance regarding workforce matters.

This may include schemes such as:

- Providing training opportunities and support to achieve qualifications;

- Supporting local communities e.g. sponsorship of local clubs etc;

- Using social enterprises to support delivery of services.

(SC Ref:647907)

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Edinburgh Sheriff Court

Sheriff Court House, 27 Chambers Street

Edinburgh

EH1 1LB

Country

United Kingdom