Section one: Contracting entity
one.1) Name and addresses
NORTHUMBRIAN WATER GROUP LIMITED
Northumbria House, Abbey Road, Pity Me
DURHAM
DH15FJ
Contact
Amy Barker
Telephone
+44 7562909341
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKC14 - Durham CC
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address
one.6) Main activity
Water
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Merchant Services - Payment Card Processing
Reference number
NW2427
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 66000000 - Financial and insurance services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Northumbrian Water Limited (NWL) has a requirement for the provision of Merchant Services.
Merchant Service providers are there to collect the secure funds for any credit or debit card payments taken via the Contact Centre, automated payment line, website and mobile application for both Northumbrian Water and Essex & Suffolk Water customers. We require both gateway and acquiring services, including apple pay and google pay processing capabilities.
For each individual Merchant ID, settlement funds are to be deposited into our bank accounts for NWL and ESW in a timely manner, to ensure reconciliation is carried out daily.
Chargebacks are to be debited individually from our main bank accounts and pre debit notifications are to be sent.
The Merchant Service provider is responsible for ensuring that Northumbrian Water Ltd are PCI compliant.
The contract arising from this competitive tendering exercise is for three years commencing on 1 February 2023 with an implementation period from 1 September 2022.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKC - North East (England)
- UKH14 - Suffolk
- UKH3 - Essex
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Northumbrian Water Limited (NWL) has a requirement for the provision of Merchant Services.
Merchant Service providers are there to collect the secure funds for any credit or debit card payments taken via the Contact Centre, automated payment line, website and mobile application for both Northumbrian Water and Essex & Suffolk Water customers. We require both gateway and acquiring services, including apple pay and google pay processing capabilities.
For each individual Merchant ID, settlement funds are to be deposited into our bank accounts for NWL and ESW in a timely manner, to ensure reconciliation is carried out daily.
Chargebacks are to be debited individually from our main bank accounts and pre debit notifications are to be sent.
The Merchant Service provider is responsible for ensuring that Northumbrian Water Ltd are PCI compliant (more details below).
The contract arising from this competitive tendering exercise is for three years commencing on 1 February 2023 with an implementation period from 1 September 2022.
NWL currently has 5 operational MID's.
1 x MID (1.1) for E-Commerce transactions for Northumbrian Water Ltd website (www.nwl.co.uk) and app. Payments are processed via an I-Frame provided by our current merchant services provider.
1 x MID (1.2) for E-Commerce transactions for Northumbrian Water Ltd T/A Essex and Suffolk Water website (www.eswater.co.uk) and app. Payments are processed via an I-Frame provided by our current merchant services provider.
1 x MID (1.3) for MOTO transactions via Contact Centre operatives for Northumbrian Water Ltd and Northumbrian Water Ltd T/A Essex and Suffolk Water. Service provided via Semafone.
1 x MID (1.4) for MOTO transactions via an automated payment line for Northumbrian Water Ltd and Northumbrian Water Ltd T/A Essex and Suffolk Water. Service provided via Semafone.
1 x MID (1.5) for both E-Commerce and MOTO transactions via an independent income team for Northumbrian Water Ltd. Service provided via Semafone for telephone payments and payments are processed via an I-Frame provided by our current merchant services provider for online payments.
Additional information
Semafone migration
MOTO payments made by customers with Contact Centre operatives, and via an automated payment line are secured through Semafone secure payments solution.
The existing Semafone service, hosted through a private hosting partner, will be migrated as part of a telephony platform provider in the coming year to the Semafone Cloud service. This will see NWL moved from PCI Self Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) D to SAQ A for MOTO payments, with Semafone wholly responsible for the PCI DSS environment.
SAQ A is described as:
SAQ A is for e-commerce/mail/telephone-order (card-not-present) merchants that have fully outsourced all cardholder data functions. No electronic storage, processing, or transmission of any cardholder data on the merchant's systems or premises.
PCI compliance
We are currently fully compliant for PCI and require our merchant service provider to ensure we retain our compliance.
1 x MID (1.1) for E-Commerce transactions for Northumbrian Water Ltd website (www.nwl.co.uk) and app. Payments are processed via an I-Frame provided by our current merchant services provider, and we would require any new service provider to provide this service to ensure we are PCI compliant.
1 x MID (1.2) for E-Commerce transactions for Northumbrian Water Ltd T/A Essex and Suffolk Water website (www.eswater.co.uk) and app. Payments are processed via an I-Frame provided by our current merchant services provider, and we would require any new service provider to provide this service to ensure we are PCI compliant.
1 x MID (1.3) for MOTO transactions via Contact Centre operatives for Northumbrian Water Ltd and Northumbrian Water Ltd T/A Essex and Suffolk Water. Service provided via Semafone which enables compliance.
1 x MID (1.4) for MOTO transactions via an automated payment line for Northumbrian Water Ltd and Northumbrian Water Ltd T/A Essex and Suffolk Water. Service provided via Semafone which enables compliance.
1 x MID (1.5) for both E-Commerce and MOTO transactions via an independent income team for Northumbrian Water Ltd. PCI compliant Service provided via Semafone for telephone payments and payments are processed via an I-Frame provided by our current merchant services provider for online payments, and we would require any new service provider to provide this service to ensure we are PCI compliant.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
36
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
A possible 24 month extension after the initial term
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
A possible 24 month extension after the initial term
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
As stated in the procurement documents
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
List and brief description of selection criteria
As stated in the procurement documents
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
three.1.4) Objective rules and criteria for participation
List and brief description of rules and criteria
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents.
three.1.6) Deposits and guarantees required
If the Dun and Bradstreet credit rating returns a rating of 'above average risk' or 'high risk',
the contracting entity will request further financial information for review and a parent
company guarantee may be required.
three.1.7) Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them
Please see the terms and conditions in the procurement documents.
three.1.8) Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded
These will be set out in the tender documents
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Negotiated procedure with prior call for competition
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
3 May 2022
Local time
4:00pm
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
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
Applicants are asked to note that this procurement process will be conducted electronically
with all documents and communication being managed through the Northumbrian Water
eSourcing Spend Management portal called 'Ariba'.
Expressions of interest for this tender must be sent to the e-mail address
expressions@nwl.co.uk before the deadline date of 03 May 2022 at 4pm. Once
expression of interest has been received that contains the details below, applicants will be
given access to the Ariba portal within 48 hours from request. This portal will contain all the
tender documents associated with this procurement that are available at the time. An email
link will also be provided to the email address you provide to access the portal. The deadline
for return of the completed PQQ is 6 May 2022 at 12 noon. When sending expression of
interest, applicants must provide the following information: 1) Full company name 2) Main
contact details of the person who will be given access to the Ariba portal - Name, job title, E
mail address and telephone number
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
NWL Legal Department
Northumbrian Water LIMITED, Abbey Road, Pity Me
Durham
DH1 5FJ
Country
United Kingdom