Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
Department of Finance
303 Airport Road West
BELFAST
BT3 9ED
strategicdelivery.cpd@finance-ni.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
Buyer's address
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
NI Direct Strategic Partner
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 64222000 - Teleworking services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 72250000 - System and support services
- 72227000 - Software integration consultancy services
- 64216000 - Electronic message and information services
- 79512000 - Call centre
- 32412110 - Internet network
- 66170000 - Financial consultancy, financial transaction processing and clearing-house services
- 72212224 - Web page editing software development services
- 72421000 - Internet or intranet client application development services
- 72422000 - Internet or intranet server application development services
- 72251000 - Disaster recovery services
- 64216100 - Electronic message services
- 72212221 - Internet browsing software development services
- 72212220 - Internet and intranet software development services
- 72420000 - Internet development services
- 72212222 - Web server software development services
- 72611000 - Technical computer support services
- 72600000 - Computer support and consultancy services
- 72224000 - Project management consultancy services
- 72224100 - System implementation planning services
- 79571000 - Mailing services
- 72512000 - Document management services
- 64216120 - Electronic mail services
- 72246000 - Systems consultancy services
- 72413000 - World wide web (www) site design services
- 79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services
- 64200000 - Telecommunications services
- 72610000 - Computer support services
- 79996000 - Business organisation services
- 79342300 - Customer services
- 64210000 - Telephone and data transmission services
- 72222300 - Information technology services
- 72222100 - Information systems or technology strategic review services
- 72212314 - Voice recognition software development services
- 66172000 - Financial transaction processing and clearing-house services
- 72252000 - Computer archiving services
- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
- 72222000 - Information systems or technology strategic review and planning services
- 80420000 - E-learning services
- 72590000 - Computer-related professional services
- 79510000 - Telephone-answering services
- 72510000 - Computer-related management services
- 64216110 - Electronic data exchange services
- 48445000 - Customer Relation Management software package
- 72300000 - Data services
- 79511000 - Telephone operator services
- 72500000 - Computer-related services
- 72253000 - Helpdesk and support services
- 79990000 - Miscellaneous business-related services
- 72591000 - Development of service level agreements
- 72511000 - Network management software services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKN - Northern Ireland
two.2.4) Description of the procurement at the time of conclusion of the contract:
Appointment of a Strategic partner for NI Direct to assist in the design, delivery and implementation of telephony based contact centre services, associated managed ICT support services, online transaction toolkit along with a range of specialist business consultancy, ICT consultancy and emergency resource planning services.
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement, dynamic purchasing system or concession
Duration in months
120
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 four. Procedure
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Contract award notice concerning this contract
Notice number: 2011/S 129-214685
Section five. Award of contract/concession
Contract No
1
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract/concession award decision:
21 October 2012
five.2.2) Information about tenders
The contract/concession has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire
BT
Belfast
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKN - Northern Ireland
Internet address
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot/concession (at the time of conclusion of the contract;excluding VAT)
Total value of the procurement: £50,000,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The UK does not have any such bodies with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures.
Belfast
Country
United Kingdom
Section seven: Modifications to the contract/concession
seven.1) Description of the procurement after the modifications
seven.1.1) Main CPV code
- 64222000 - Teleworking services
seven.1.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 72250000 - System and support services
- 72227000 - Software integration consultancy services
- 64216000 - Electronic message and information services
- 79512000 - Call centre
- 32412110 - Internet network
- 66170000 - Financial consultancy, financial transaction processing and clearing-house services
- 72212224 - Web page editing software development services
- 72421000 - Internet or intranet client application development services
- 72422000 - Internet or intranet server application development services
- 72251000 - Disaster recovery services
- 64216100 - Electronic message services
- 72212221 - Internet browsing software development services
- 72212220 - Internet and intranet software development services
- 72420000 - Internet development services
- 72212222 - Web server software development services
- 72611000 - Technical computer support services
- 72600000 - Computer support and consultancy services
- 72224000 - Project management consultancy services
- 72224100 - System implementation planning services
- 79571000 - Mailing services
- 72512000 - Document management services
- 64216120 - Electronic mail services
- 72246000 - Systems consultancy services
- 72413000 - World wide web (www) site design services
- 79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services
- 64200000 - Telecommunications services
- 72610000 - Computer support services
- 79996000 - Business organisation services
- 79342300 - Customer services
- 64210000 - Telephone and data transmission services
- 72222300 - Information technology services
- 72222100 - Information systems or technology strategic review services
- 72212314 - Voice recognition software development services
- 66172000 - Financial transaction processing and clearing-house services
- 72252000 - Computer archiving services
- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
- 72222000 - Information systems or technology strategic review and planning services
- 80420000 - E-learning services
- 72590000 - Computer-related professional services
- 79510000 - Telephone-answering services
- 72510000 - Computer-related management services
- 64216110 - Electronic data exchange services
- 48445000 - Customer Relation Management software package
- 72300000 - Data services
- 79511000 - Telephone operator services
- 72500000 - Computer-related services
- 72253000 - Helpdesk and support services
- 79990000 - Miscellaneous business-related services
- 72591000 - Development of service level agreements
- 72511000 - Network management software services
seven.1.3) Place of performance
NUTS code
- UKN - Northern Ireland
seven.1.4) Description of the procurement:
Strategic partner for NI Direct to assist in the design, delivery and implementation of telephony based contact centre services, associated managed ICT support services, online transaction toolkit along with a range of specialist business consultancy, ICT consultancy and emergency resource planning services.
seven.1.5) Duration of the contract, framework agreement, dynamic purchasing system or concession
Duration in months
120
seven.1.6) Information on value of the contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot/concession:
£120,000,000
seven.1.7) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire
BT
Belfast
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKN - Northern Ireland
Internet address
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
No
seven.2) Information about modifications
seven.2.1) Description of the modifications
Nature and extent of the modifications (with indication of possible earlier changes to the contract):
The Authority has substantive reasons for this modification, having had to react to significant challenging political and societal change and demands. In particular the unforeseen impact of the pandemic and the critical and essential services to support the response to the pandemic that were facilitated through this contract, where there were no other options and no option to do nothing.
This has included unprecedented and unpredictable demands for vital citizen facing support services and unforeseen work including the out workings of the exit from the EU, the DVA MOT equipment failings, LPS Business Rate relief schemes, and most significantly, supporting departments, particularly the Department of Health, in responding to the pandemic (proximity app, vaccine booking, vaccine passports, domestic certificates, travel certificates, etc.) All of which have substantively and significantly impacted on the volumes of calls and expenditure through the contract, none of which would have been anticipated or foreseen at award of contract.
Due to the unpredictability of demand on Contact Centre services and the impact of world events the contract modification required will raise the overall contract value from £110m to £120m. (Note The value of the NI Direct Strategic Partnership Agreement was published at the time of tendering as £50M. The scope of the Agreement increased significantly over time and the value was increased in 2017 to £70M and in 2018 to £110M). This will provide assurance that any further unforeseen business critical or legislative events that would impact the contract could if required be accommodated before contract end.
seven.2.2) Reasons for modification
Need for additional works, services or supplies by the original contractor/concessionaire.
Description of the economic or technical reasons and the inconvenience or duplication of cost preventing a change of contractor:
This modification would meet the conditions outlined in regulation 72 (1)(b) and 72 (1)(c) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015..
DoF will seek to rely on the modification provisions of 72(1)(b) due to the near technical impossibility for another economic operator to achieve the required performance within the time permitted; and the necessity to use its specific know-how, tools and
means which only the current Contractor has at its disposal.
They will also seek to rely on 72 (1)(c) as the Authority has had to react to unforeseen circumstances in response to the pandemic and essential services to support this were facilitated through the contract. This has included unprecedented and unpredictable demands for vital citizen facing support services and unforeseen work all of which have substantively and significantly impacted on the volumes of calls and expenditure through the contract, none of which would have been anticipated or foreseen at award of contract.
The modification also does not exceed 50% of the value of the original contract.
seven.2.3) Increase in price
Updated total contract value before the modifications (taking into account possible earlier contract modifications, price adaptions and average inflation)
Value excluding VAT: £110,000,000
Total contract value after the modifications
Value excluding VAT: £120,000,000