Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Department for Communities
c/o/ CPD Supplies and Services Division, 303 Airport Road West
BELFAST
BT3 9ED
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/
Buyer's address
https://www.finance-ni.gov.uk/topics/procurement
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps/home.do
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps/home.do
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
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
DfC Printed Material
Reference number
ID3483045
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79810000 - Printing services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The Department for Communities (DfC) provides services through a network of thirty-six Jobs and Benefits Offices. It has centralised benefit offices in Belfast, a pension centre in Carlisle House, Londonderry as well as a number of support branches. It is responsible for the management of Social Security benefits, providing advice, information and help to the public and employers on the whole range of benefits and other services. The DfC requires a single Contractor to provide a Service for the provision of printed material to support the operation of the following business areas within DfC: • Working Age Services Directorate; • Pensions, Disability, Benefit Security and Debt Directorate; • Guidance, Learning and Development Branch; • Debt Management; • Benefit Fraud and Compliance; • Finance Change; • Universal Credit; • Make the Call Wraparound Service; • Standards Assurance Unit; and • Pension Centre. The contract has 1 main area: • Print materials and delivery of them to a specified location in Northern Ireland and/or Great Britain A single supplier will be appointed the Prime Contractor and will be responsible for managing and delivering the entire service. However, suppliers may utilise sub-Contractors to provide certain components as they see fit. DfC printed material forms the basis of the various communications and instructions issued both within the DFC and externally to its customers. It is the main avenue through which customers apply for Social Security benefits. Legislation dictates that the DFC has to have a supply of its printed material available in a specific format by a specific date in specified outlets, including outlets in Great Britain (GB). The distribution of printed material within the DfC is demand led and therefore difficult to forecast. This means it is necessary to store forms for quick distribution to business areas. There are also occasions when a Government initiative is launched which results in an abnormal and urgent demand for the supply of printed material. In contrast, other Government initiatives may lead to the removal of the need for certain materials such as application forms which could move wholly or partially on-line. There can be no guarantee of printed material volumes or continuity of a particular form. Neither CPD nor the DfC can give any guarantee as to the volume of work commissioned during the contract period.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £2,500,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79810000 - Printing services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKN - Northern Ireland
Main site or place of performance
A range of client and external locations as stated in the specification of requirements.
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Department for Communities (DfC) provides services through a network of thirty-six Jobs and Benefits Offices. It has centralised benefit offices in Belfast, a pension centre in Carlisle House, Londonderry as well as a number of support branches. It is responsible for the management of Social Security benefits, providing advice, information and help to the public and employers on the whole range of benefits and other services. The DfC requires a single Contractor to provide a Service for the provision of printed material to support the operation of the following business areas within DfC: • Working Age Services Directorate; • Pensions, Disability, Benefit Security and Debt Directorate; • Guidance, Learning and Development Branch; • Debt Management; • Benefit Fraud and Compliance; • Finance Change; • Universal Credit; • Make the Call Wraparound Service; • Standards Assurance Unit; and • Pension Centre. The contract has 1 main area: • Print materials and delivery of them to a specified location in Northern Ireland and/or Great Britain A single supplier will be appointed the Prime Contractor and will be responsible for managing and delivering the entire service. However, suppliers may utilise sub-Contractors to provide certain components as they see fit. DfC printed material forms the basis of the various communications and instructions issued both within the DFC and externally to its customers. It is the main avenue through which customers apply for Social Security benefits. Legislation dictates that the DFC has to have a supply of its printed material available in a specific format by a specific date in specified outlets, including outlets in Great Britain (GB). The distribution of printed material within the DfC is demand led and therefore difficult to forecast. This means it is necessary to store forms for quick distribution to business areas. There are also occasions when a Government initiative is launched which results in an abnormal and urgent demand for the supply of printed material. In contrast, other Government initiatives may lead to the removal of the need for certain materials such as application forms which could move wholly or partially on-line. There can be no guarantee of printed material volumes or continuity of a particular form. Neither CPD nor the DfC can give any guarantee as to the volume of work commissioned during the contract period.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £2,500,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
60
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
3 years (initial period) + 2 years (extension option)
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
3 years (initial period) + 2 years (extension option)
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.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
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
28 May 2021
Local time
3:00pm
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
Tender must be valid until: 26 August 2021
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
28 May 2021
Local time
3:30pm
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
The estimated contract value is a broad estimate only and includes additional quantum for unforeseen demand. There is no guarantee of any level of business under this contract. The estimate is not deemed to be a condition of contract nor a guarantee of minimum demand or uptake. No compensation will be payable to a contractor should the actual demand be less than that stated.. . Since this is a demand-led requirement, neither CPD nor the Department for Communities can provide any guarantee as to the level of business under this contract.. . Contract monitoring: the successful contractor's performance on the contract will be regularly monitored. Contractors not delivering on contract requirements is a serious matter. It means the public purse is not getting what it is paying for. If a contractor fails to reach satisfactory levels of contract performance they will be given a specified time to improve. If, after the specified time, they still fail to reach satisfactory levels of contract performance, the matter will be escalated to senior management in CPD for further action. If this occurs and their performance still does not improve to satisfactory levels within the specified period, it may be regarded as an act of grave professional misconduct and they may be issued with a notice of written warning and notice of unsatisfactory performance and this contract may be terminated. The issue of a notice of written warning and notice of unsatisfactory performance will result in the contractor being excluded from all procurement competitions being undertaken by Centres of procurement expertise on behalf of bodies covered by the Northern Ireland Procurement Policy for a period of up to 12 months from the date of issue of the notice. The authority expressly reserves the rights:. (i) not to award any contract as a result of the procurement process commenced by publication of this notice;. (ii) to make whatever changes it may see fit to the content and structure of the tendering competition;. (iii) to award (a) contract(s) in respect of any part(s) of the services covered by this notice; and. (iv) to award contract(s) in stages and under no circumstances will the authority be liable for any costs incurred by candidates.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The UK does not have any special review body with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures in public procurement.
The UK does not have any special review body with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures in
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
CPD will comply with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and, where appropriate, will incorporate a standstill period (i.e. a minimum of 10 calendar days) at the point information on the award of the contract is communicated to tenderers. That notification will provide full information on the award decision. This provides time for unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the contract is entered into.