Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Highlands and Islands Enterprise
An Lòchran, 10 Inverness Campus
Inverness
IV2 5NA
Telephone
+44 1463245245
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKM6 - Highlands and Islands
National registration number
313
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00313
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
www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local Agency/Office
one.5) Main activity
Economic and financial affairs
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
XpoNorth Digital
Reference number
FTS017
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79411100 - Business development consultancy services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The XpoNorth Digital contract is delivered under the Northern Innovation Hub (NIH): the NIH is part of the Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal - a joint initiative supported by GBP315m investment from the UK and Scottish governments, The Highland Council, HIE and the University of the Highlands and Islands.
The XpoNorth Digital programme has the specific intention of supporting businesses to develop digital practices and to maximise exploitation of the crowd economy.
It is expected that these services will be required from 1 August 2022 for an initial period of 2 years, with HIE having the option to extend two times for a period or periods together not exceeding 1 year following the Initial Term (2+1+1 years).
The initial 2-year budget currently available to deliver this service is between GBP 438,000 and GBP 732,000 (excluding VAT). The budget includes funding from HIE to allow the services to be delivered across the whole Highlands and Islands region, although the volume of clients outside of the Highland Council area is currently limited due to funding.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £1,464,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79410000 - Business and management consultancy services
- 73220000 - Development consultancy services
- 79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services
- 80510000 - Specialist training services
- 80570000 - Personal development training services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM6 - Highlands and Islands
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The programme of activity will work with clients to:
-Increase the impact of the crowd economy in the region – more effectively using consumers to buy, to test new ideas on and to promote the business / organisation/community.
-Assess opportunities for digital innovation around the individual clients’ current business.
-Support the planning, development and delivery of new immersive content and experiences to engage consumers more effectively.
-Encourage and support the development of new digital business models for the creative sector, including the use of platforms such as Patreon.
-Access networks training and advice to maximise exploitation of IP and other assets digitally.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Cyber Security / Weighting: Pass/Fail
Quality criterion - Name: Management and Delivery Methodology / Weighting: 20%
Quality criterion - Name: Management and Delivery team - Core Team / Weighting: 15%
Quality criterion - Name: Additional Resources / Weighting: 10%
Quality criterion - Name: Added Value / Weighting: 10%
Quality criterion - Name: Community Benefits / Weighting: 5%
Price - Weighting: 40%
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £1,464,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
48
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
The Contract will be awarded for an initial period of 2 years with HIE having the option to extend two times for a period or periods together not exceeding 1 year following the Initial Term (2+1+1 years).
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
HIE may require the supplier to provide additional services. Any such modification shall be in terms of Regulation 72 of Please see the Scope of Requirements for further details.
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
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.
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
not applicable
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required
4B.5 It is a requirement of this contract that bidders hold, or can commit to obtain prior to the commence of any subsequently awarded Contract, the types and levels of insurance indicated below:
Employer’s (Compulsory) Liability Insurance = GBP 5M for each and every claim.
See http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hse40.pdf
Public Liability Insurance = GBP 1M in for each and every claim.
Professional Indemnity Insurance = GBP 1M in aggregate.
4B.6 (not scored)
HIE as a public body must comply with HMRC IR35 provisions. Therefore, where you are bidding as a personal service company (PSC) or will be using a personal service company to provide services under the Framework please identify these PSC (s) in your response to 4B.6.
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required
Bidders will be required to confirm whether they intend to subcontract and, if so, for what proportion of the contract.
three.2) Conditions related to the contract
three.2.2) Contract performance conditions
The Contract will include Key Performance Indicators (KPI's) which can be found within the Tender documentation.
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.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
23 May 2022
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: 3 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
23 May 2022
Local time
12:00pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: Yes
Estimated timing for further notices to be published: HIE reserves the right to re-tender for these services upon termination of the contract or at the end of the contract period, including any extension period.
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
HIE and the Supplier Development Programme are hosting a webinar on 12 April which will support, but not replace, the information provided through PCS.Attendance will not form part of the evaluation and following the event a link to the webinar recording, the presentation and any questions and answers raised will be made available via PCS. Link to the registration can be found in the Scope of Requirements.
It is estimated that the total value of the services over the maximum duration of 4 years will be between GBP976,000 and GBP1,464,000 (excluding VAT). This is the figure which has been used in II.1.5 & II.2.6.
Where bidders are participating with others (SPD 2A.17) and/or relying on the capacity of other entities in order to meet selection criteria (SPD 2C.1) they are required to provide information relating to these entities with the relevant supporting SPD documentation being submitted.
AWARD CRITERIA SCORING
Question 1 Cyber Security will be evaluated using the criteria as per Scope of Requirements and Tender Guidance.
The remainder of the Award criteria will be marked according to the following criteria:
0 - Unacceptable - Nil or inadequate response which fails to demonstrate an ability to meet the requirement.
1 - Poor - Response is partially relevant but generally poor. It addresses some elements of the requirement but contains insufficient/limited detail or explanation to demonstrate how the requirement will be fulfilled.
2 - Acceptable - Response is relevant and acceptable. It addresses a broad understanding of the requirement but may lack details on how the requirement will be fulfilled in certain areas.
3 - Good - Response is relevant and good. It is sufficiently detailed to demonstrate a good understanding and provides details on how the requirements will be fulfilled.
4 - Excellent - Response is completely relevant and excellent overall. It is comprehensive, unambiguous and demonstrate a thorough understanding of the requirement and provides details of how the requirement will be met in full.
In order to participate, bidders should register, for free, on the PCS website and record their interest in this contract and download and complete all relevant documentation.
Tenders must be submitted via the PCS Postbox and must be received by the published deadline. Late tenders will not be accepted and HIE will reject any submissions received after the deadline. Email or hard copy responses will not be accepted.
PCS also gives suppliers access to an on-line Question & Answer facility which allows queries to be submitted (anonymously), and answers published and shared with all potential bidders.
NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=684084.
The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx.
Suppliers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last minute problems.
Community benefits are included in this requirement. For more information see: https://www.gov.scot/policies/public-sector-procurement/community-benefits-in-procurement/
A summary of the expected community benefits has been provided as follows:
Bidders will be expected to support the delivery of community benefits which take into account HIEs role as a local economic development agency.
The types of Community Benefits that bidders may seek to offer and incorporate to the contract may include, but are not restricted to the areas detailed in the Scope of Requirements. See the Award Criteria Response Form for the relevant scored question.
(SC Ref:684084)
Download the ESPD document here: [[https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/ESPD/ESPD_Download.aspx?id=684084]]
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Inverness Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court
The Inverness Justice Centre, Longman Road
Inverness
IV1 1AH
Telephone
+44 1463230782
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
An economic operator that suffers, or is at risk of suffering, loss or damage attributable to a breach of duty under the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 or the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 , may bring proceedings in the Sheriff Court or the Court of Session.