Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name, addresses and contact point(s)
UK Strategic Command, Commercial - Ministry of Defence
Room A104, A Block, RAF Wyton
Huntingdon
PE28 2EA
Contact
Jack Bunkum
For the attention of
Bunkum Jack
Email(s)
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
General address of the contracting authority/entity
Further information
Further information can be obtained from the above mentioned contact point(s)
Specifications and additional documents (including documents for competitive dialogue and a dynamic purchasing system) can be obtained from
The above-mentioned contact point(s)
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to
The above-mentioned contact point(s)
one.2) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions
one.3) Main activity
Defence
one.4) Contract award on behalf of other contracting authorities/entities
The contracting authority is purchasing on behalf of other contracting authorities:
No
Section two: Object of the contract
two.1) Description
two.1.1) Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority
Supply of Commercial Satellite Imagery and Elevation Data
two.1.2) Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance
Services
Service category No 26: Other services
Main site or location of works, place of delivery or of performance
CI and ED to be delivered electronically and on occasion by courier on portable storage media
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
two.1.5) Short description of the contract or purchase(s)
The Authority has a global requirement for Commercial Imagery (CI) and Elevation Data (ED) for intelligence purposes and the creation of geospatial products to support Defence planning, training and operations. The Authority are responsible for the purchase of and timely, cost efficient delivery of CI and ED for use by Defence and Other Government Departments (OGD) to support this requirement.
The Authority uses CI and ED in response to requests for support from Defence and OGDs. Such requests are often high-priority, high-profile and require a rapid response in order to react to time-critical events. CI and ED is used to support production of foundation geospatial products including image maps, situational awareness products and raster datasets and intelligence products.
CI and ED requirements often need to be met quickly and efficiently in order to react to time-critical events. A response time of 24 hours is necessary to service urgent requirements and is consequently seen as a critical element of contract delivery.
The Contractor will act as a broker between the Authority and CI-ED vendors and contractor expertise will provide access to and knowledge of all vendors. The Contractor will staff all requirements and will provide unbiased recommendations based upon other experiences with vendors.
Contractors will be required to:
a. provide CI and ED at a competitive price
b. deliver CI and ED within defined operational and routine timeframes
c. deliver CI and ED via FTP and optical media/portable hard drives
d. deliver CI and ED with MoD-compliant metadata
e. provide expert investigation and assessment of existing CI and ED with recommendations on the suitability for the Defence requirement
f. task and provide a delivery service for CI and ED new collection to meet defined requirements
g. provide a delivery service for archive CI and ED to meet defined requirements
h. provide if required: enhanced imagery products (namely orthorectified imagery [to remove all terrain distortions], pan-sharpened imagery and mosaicked imagery to supplement above requirements), datasets that are associated with CI and ED and Ground Control Points (GCP)
i. provide advice and support relating to technical issues concerning the use of CI and ED
j. have a thorough understanding of licence issues and be able to negotiate suitable usage permissions on behalf of the Authority
k. treat sensitive nature requests accordingly
The Contract will be for an initial period of 3 years starting on 1st November 2021. This will be followed by two 1-year option periods.
two.1.6) Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
- 71354200 - Aerial mapping services
Additional CPV code(s)
- 35631200 - Observation satellites
- 35720000 - Intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance
two.1.7) Information about subcontracting
The tenderer has to indicate in the tender any share of the contract it may intend to subcontract to third parties and any proposed subcontractor, as well as the subject-matter of the subcontracts for which they are proposed
two.2) Quantity or scope of the contract
two.2.1) Total quantity or scope
Enabling Contract for the supply of Commercial Satellite Imagery. The Contract will be for an initial period of 3 years starting on 1st November 2021. This will be followed by two 1-year option periods.
The Authority has a global requirement for Commercial Imagery (CI) and Elevation Data (ED) for intelligence purposes and the creation of geospatial products to support Defence planning, training and operations. The Authority is responsible for the purchase of and timely, cost efficient delivery of CI and ED for use by Defence and Other Government Departments (OGD) to support this requirement.
The Authority uses CI and ED in response to requests for support from Defence and OGDs. Such requests are often high-priority, high-profile and require a rapid response in order to react to time-critical events. CI and ED is used to support production of foundation geospatial products including image maps, situational awareness products and raster datasets and intelligence products.
CI and ED requirements often need to be met quickly and efficiently in order to react to time-critical events. A response time of 24 hours is necessary to service urgent requirements and is consequently seen as a critical element of contract delivery.
The Contractor will act as a broker between The Authority and CI-ED vendors and contractor expertise will provide access to and knowledge of all vendors. The Contractor will staff all requirements and will provide unbiased recommendations based upon other experiences with vendors.
Contractors will be required to:
a. provide CI and ED at a competitive price
b. deliver CI and ED within defined operational and routine timeframes
c. deliver CI and ED via FTP and optical media/portable hard drives
d. deliver CI and ED with MoD-compliant metadata
e. provide expert investigation and assessment of existing CI and ED with recommendations on the suitability for the Defence requirement
f. task and provide a delivery service for CI and ED new collection to meet defined requirements
g. provide a delivery service for archive CI and ED to meet defined requirements
h. provide if required: enhanced imagery products (namely orthorectified imagery [to remove all terrain distortions], pan-sharpened imagery and mosaicked imagery to supplement above requirements), datasets that are associated with CI and ED and Ground Control Points (GCP)
i. provide advice and support relating to technical issues concerning the use of CI and ED
j. have a thorough understanding of licence issues and be able to negotiate suitable usage permissions on behalf of The Authority
k. treat sensitive nature requests accordingly
The Contract will be for an initial period of 3 years starting on 1st November 2021. This will be followed by two 1-year option periods.
The contract will involve aspects that require the Contractor site to be granted a Facility Security Clearance (FSC) by its National/Designated Security Authority. To tender for the contract Contractors must therefore have, or be willing to, be subjected to the FSC process. Contractors will then be bound not to release or reveal to any third parties any details of a request or order submitted by The Authority without our express permission.
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between £3,500,000 and £4,100,000
two.2.2) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of these options: 2 x 1 year optional extension periods
two.2.3) Information about renewals
This contract is subject to renewal: No
two.3) Duration of the contract or time limit for completion
Duration in months: 60 (from the award of the contract)
Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions relating to the contract
three.1.1) Deposits and guarantees required
A Parent Company Guarantee and/or Performance Bond may be required. Details will be included in the Tender Documentation, if applicable.
three.1.2) Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them
Potential Providers must note the mandatory requirement for electronic trading using the Contracting, Purchasing & Finance (CP&F) electronic trading tool. All payments for deliverables under the contract shall only be made via CP&F. Details can be found at:
http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mod-contracting-purchasing-and-finance-eprocurement systems
three.1.3) Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded
In the event of a group provider submitting an acceptable offer, the MoD reserves the right to require the group of bidders to take a legal form or require one bidder to take Prime Contractor responsibility or to require that each member of the group undertakes joint and severable liability for the performance of the agreement and any call-off made under it.
three.1.4) Other particular conditions to which the performance of the contract is subject, in particular with regard to security of supply and security of information
The contractor shall have procedures and environment that will ensure security of all requests by the Authority and orders within the contractor’s organisation, within any CI and ED vendor’s organisation, and in the transmission of information and materials between contractor and vendor and the Authority.
The contract will involve aspects that require the Contractor site to be granted a Facility Security Clearance (FSC) by its National/Designated Security Authority. To tender for the contract Contractors must therefore have been, or be willing to be, subjected to the FSC process. Contractors will then be bound not to release or reveal to any third parties any details of a request or order submitted by the Authority without our express permission.
Once a Contractor’s site has been granted FSC, the contractor shall identify personnel within the contractor organisation who would be involved in Authority requests and orders, and the handling of these. Appropriate clearances may need to be obtained.
The Authority reserves the right to amend any condition related to security of information to reflect any changes in national law or government policy. If any contract documents are accompanied by instructions on safeguarding classified information (e.g. a Security Aspects Letter), the Authority reserves the right to amend the terms of these instructions to reflect any changes in national law or government policy, whether in respect of the applicable protective marking scheme, specific protective markings given, the aspects to which any protective marking applies, or otherwise. The link below to the Gov.uk website provides information on the Government Security Classification.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-security-classifications
three.1.5) Information about security clearance
Candidates which do not yet hold security clearance may obtain such clearance until: 15 October 2021
three.2) Conditions for participation
three.2.1) Personal situation
Criteria regarding the personal situation of economic operators (that may lead to their exclusion) including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Criteria regarding the personal situation of economic operators (that may lead to their exclusion) including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers. The Authority will apply all the offences listed in Article 39(1) of Directive 2009/81/EC (implemented as Regulation 23(1) of the Defence and Security Public Contract Regulations (DSPCR) 2011 in the UK) and all of the professional misconducts listed at Article 39(2) of Directive 2009/81/EC (see also Regulation 23(2) in the DSPCR 2011) to the decision of whether a Candidate is eligible to be invited to tender.
A full list of these criteria are at http://www.dcocontracts.mod.uk/delta/project/reasonsForExclusion.html#dspr
Candidates will be required to sign a declaration confirming whether they do or do not have any of the listed criteria as part of the pre-qualification process.
Candidates who have been convicted of any of the offences under Article 39(1) are ineligible and will not be selected to bid, unless there are overriding requirements in the general interest (including defence and security factors) for doing so.
Candidates who are guilty of any of the offences, circumstances or misconduct under Article 39(2) may be excluded from being selected to bid at the discretion of the Authority.
Criteria regarding the personal situation of subcontractors (that may lead to their rejection) including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: As per above.
three.2.2) Economic and financial ability
Criteria regarding the economic and financial standing of economic operators (that may lead to their exclusion)
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: An assessment of an Applicant's financial standing forms part of the PQQ evaluation process. The Authority will assess the financial health of all Applicant Entities. These are derived from the application of standard accounting measures to financial information that is provided by each Applicant or obtained from publicly available records.
Information necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met will include the below. Full details are provided within the PQQ in DSP:
a) A copy of the Applicant Entity's audited accounts for the most recent three (3) years.
OR
If the Applicant Entity has been trading for fewer than three (3) years, for the period during which that Applicant Entity has been trading.
b) A statement of the Applicant Entity's turnover, profit and loss account, and cash flow for the most recent year of trading.
c) If the Applicant Entity is unable to provide any of the items described above, please provide alternative means of demonstrating financial status (for example, and without limitation or guarantee that such items will be accepted as suitable, a forecast of turnover for the current year and a statement of funding provided by the Applicant Entity's owners or a registered bank).
Criteria regarding the economic and financial standing of subcontractors (that may lead to their exclusion)
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Please refer to the PQQ's 'Economic and Financial Standing' section
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required: The presentation of balance-sheets or extracts from the balance-sheets, where publication of the balance-sheet is required under the law of the country in which the economic operator is established. Accounts are requested as part of the PQQ.
three.2.3) Technical and/or professional capacity
Criteria regarding the technical and/or professional ability of economic operators (that may lead to their exclusion)
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required: All initial requirements are outlined in the accompanying PQQ
Criteria regarding the technical and/or professional ability of subcontractors (that may lead to their rejection)
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: An inability to sufficiently answer the Technical Questions within the PQQ. Further information on Technical evaluation and it's marking scheme is provided within the PQQ.
three.3) Conditions specific to services contracts
three.3.1) Information about a particular profession
Execution of the service is reserved to a particular profession: No
Section four: Procedure
four.1) Type of procedure
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Restricted
four.1.2) Limitations on the number of operators who will be invited to tender or to participate
Envisaged minimum number
Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates: Suppliers must read through this set of instructions and follow the process to respond to this opportunity.
The information and / or documents for this opportunity are available on www.contracts.mod.uk. You must register on this site to respond, if you are already registered you will not need to register again, simply use your existing username and password. Please note there is a password reminder link on the homepage.
The deadline for submitting your response(s) is 08/06/2021 16:00. Please ensure that you allow yourself plenty of time when responding to this invite prior to the closing date and time, especially if you have been asked to upload documents.
Interested suppliers are required to complete the PQQ which is hosted on the Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP) to provide information that allows the Authority to evaluate the supplier’s capacities and capabilities against the selection criteria set out at Sections III.2.1), III.2.2) and III.2.3) of this Contract Notice.
The Authority will use the PQQ response to create a shortlist of tenderers who:
(1) are eligible to participate under Section III.2.1) of this Contract Notice;
(2) fulfil any minimum standards under Sections III.2.2) and III.2.3) of this Contract Notice; and
(3) best meet in terms of capacity and capability the selection criteria set out Sections III.2.2) and III.2.3) of this Contract Notice.
Full details of the method for choosing the tenderers and how we evaluate is provided within DSP (within the PQQ).
four.2) Award criteria
four.2.1) Award criteria
the criteria stated in the specifications, in the invitation to tender or to negotiate or in the descriptive document
four.2.2) Information about electronic auction
An electronic auction has been used: no
four.3) Administrative information
four.3.1) File reference number attributed by the contracting authority
701551496
four.3.2) Previous publication(s) concerning the same contract
no
four.3.3) Conditions for obtaining specifications and additional documents or descriptive document
Time limit for receipt of requests for documents or for accessing documents: 8 June 2021 - 4:00pm
four.3.4) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
8 June 2021 - 4:00pm
four.3.5) Date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
22 June 2021
four.3.6) Language(s) in which tenders or requests to participate may be drawn up
English
Section six: Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: Yes
Estimated timing for further notices to be published: The contract will run for 3 years with a possible extension period of 2 years (2 x 1 year extensions), meaning 5 years total. If extensions are taken the contract will be competed again sometime during the fourth year.
six.2) Information about European Union funds
The contract is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
six.3) Additional information
The Contracting Authority intends to use an e-Tendering system (Defence Sourcing Portal - DSP) in this procurement exercise, please visit www.contracts.mod.uk for full details and to register your interest in this procurement.
The contracting authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement.
The Authority intends to invite 2-6 (although it could be more depending on number and quality of responses) Economic Operators to tender for this requirement and will therefore conduct a pre-qualification exercise to assist in any down select. Only those Economic Operators who can demonstrate a sufficient level of economic and financial standing and technical or professional ability against the Authority's pre-qualification criteria may be invited to tender. Should more than 6 Economic Operators fulfil the selection criteria, the Authority reserves the right to conduct a further down selection. Full details on how to access the 'Dynamic' Pre-Qualification Questionnaire linked to this advert are contained in the final two paragraphs below. The Authority reserves the right to seek independent financial and market advice to validate information declared, or to assist in any pre-qualification evaluation.
A Cyber Risk Assessment has been carried out for this requirement. The risk has been assessed as MODERATE, and the reference number is RAR-SVJY33EE. Potential suppliers should log on at the address below and complete a Supplier Assurance Questionnaire (SAQ), the results of which must be submitted along with the bidder's tender response. https://supplier-cyber-protection.service.gov.uk
DOWN SELECT PROCESS
Detailed in the DPQQ Guidance Document included in the supporting documentation.
Suppliers must read through this set of instructions and follow the process to respond to this opportunity. The information and/or documents for this opportunity are available on http://www.contracts.mod.uk.
You must register on this site to respond, if you are already registered you will not need to register again, simply use your existing username and password. Please note there is a password reminder link on the homepage. Please ensure you follow any instruction provided to you here.
The deadline for submitting your response(s) is detailed within this contract notice, you will also have visibility of the deadline date, once you accessed the DSP as the opening and closing date is visible within the opportunity.
Please ensure that you allow yourself plenty of time when responding to this opportunity prior to the closing date and time, especially if you have been asked to upload documents. If you experience any difficulties please refer to the online Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) or the User Guides or contact the MOD DSP Helpdesk by emailing support@contracts.mod.uk or Telephone 0800 282 324.
six.4) Procedures for appeal
six.4.1) Body responsible for appeal procedures
UK Strategic Command Commercial
six.4.1) Body responsible for mediation procedures
UK Strategic Command Commercial
six.4.2) Lodging of appeals
Precise information on deadline(s) for lodging appeals: Please contact UK Strategic Command Commercial if you would like more information on the appeals process.
six.4.3) Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained
UK Strategic Command Commercial