Opportunity

Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) System Tender

  • BELFAST HARBOUR COMMISSIONERS

F05: Contract notice – utilities

Notice reference: 2023/S 000-011235

Published 19 April 2023, 2:25pm



Section one: Contracting entity

one.1) Name and addresses

BELFAST HARBOUR COMMISSIONERS

Harbour Office,Corporation Square

BELFAST

BT13AL

Email

IStenders@belfast-harbour.co.uk

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKN06 - Belfast

Justification for not providing organisation identifier

Not on any register

Internet address(es)

Main address

www.belfast-harbour.co.uk

one.3) Communication

The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at

https://www.belfast-harbour.co.uk/corporate/corporate-tender

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the following address:

Belfast Harbour Commissioners

Harbour Office, Corporation Square

Belfast

BT1 3AL

Email

tendersfc@belfast-harbour.co.uk

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKN0 - Northern Ireland

Internet address(es)

Main address

www.belfast-harbour.co.uk

one.6) Main activity

Port-related activities


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) System Tender

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 48100000 - Industry specific software package

two.1.3) Type of contract

Supplies

two.1.4) Short description

This procurement relates to the supply of a Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) system (software and any necessary supporting hardware, e.g. Radar, AIS, VHF Radio, Environmental Sensors, Device Communications, Network connectivity, Server based infrastructure). The service should include full project life cycle [Design > Build > Test > Train parallel operation and implementation as well as post implementation support and maintenance. Belfast Harbour Commissioners (BHC) best estimate of the anticipated potential value of the contract, based on the full potential duration of the contract and all options available, ranges between £4million and £9million. The estimated total value provided below therefore represents the upper limit of this range.

two.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: £9,000,000

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.2) Description

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKN - Northern Ireland
Main site or place of performance

Belfast Harbour Estate

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The aim of this project is to replace the current VTS system and supporting infrastructure (software and hardware), with the latest technologies providing for real time data and enterprise-wide integration. The aim is to replace the current VTS system infrastructure [ Atlas VTS 9760]. At the very least the successful bidder will be required to integrate its solution to the current shipping system [Saab Technologies Klein Port -PMIS], to deliver the necessary functional requirements and BI/Analytics capability. It is anticipated this should be a standard integration. The system should also provide for remote access and mobile device capability.

The new VTS solution is anticipated to operate an on-premise solution, including the use of web-based technologies. The solution BHC is seeking to acquire and implement includes the following high-level requirements:

• The Bidder must provide a solution meeting the following IALA standards, recommendations, and guidelines:

IALA S1040 Vessel Traffic Services,

R0128 (V-128) Operational and technical performance of VTS systems,

G1111 Preparation of operational and technical performance requirements for VTS systems.

• The bidder must provide a comprehensive, mature, fully supported VTS software solution. The software must be wide ranging and capable of accepting, storing, processing, displaying, and reporting data from multiple sources.

• The Bidder must deliver a fully functional VTS Centre providing employees with the latest presentation technologies within a suitable ergonomic environment.

• The Bidder must provide a solution that delivers maximum Radar coverage, accuracy, and reliability across proposed sites. The solution must ensure redundancy and offer enhanced tracking and ship representation. The solution must meet IALA Guideline 1111(3) minimum criteria (advanced level).

• The Bidder must provide a solution that delivers the full functionality of AIS allowing for maximum AIS coverage, accuracy and reliability across proposed sites. The solution must ensure redundancy and offer future proofed digital communications.

• The Bidder must provide a solution that delivers maximum VHF Radio coverage, accuracy, and reliability across proposed sites.

• The Bidder must provide a solution that delivers Environmental Sensor coverage, accuracy, and reliability across proposed sites.

• The Bidder must ensure redundancy and limited single point of failure across all proposed sites.

• The Bidder should provide a solution that has potential to integrate with existing CCTV or provide specific CCTV, allowing for the monitoring of vessels on berths.

• The Bidder must provide a solution that delivers highly available connectivity between all communications devices, which is future proofed and compatible with emerging digital communications systems.

• The Bidder must specify an IT Infrastructure solution/specification that ensures high performance communication between a primary VTS site and secondary / DR VTS sites.

• The Bidder must provide a solution that complies with best practice non-functional requirements of Data Compliance, Storage, Recovery, Access Control and Cyber Security.

• The Bidder must provide a solution that has the potential to Integrate with existing VTS, Port Management applications, devices, and technologies.

• The Bidder must provide a solution where data migration from existing VTS, Port Management applications, devices, and technologies is possible.

• The Bidder must provide comprehensive options for the maintenance and support of all associated services.

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: £9,000,000

two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Duration in months

180

This contract is subject to renewal

No

two.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited

Envisaged number of candidates: 4

Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates:

As set out in the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire

two.2.10) Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: No

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

Any contract entered into by BHC will be for an initial 10 (ten) year period. BHC shall have the option, acting at its discretion, to extend on an annual basis on 5 (five) subsequent occasions of 12 (twelve) months each time, up to a maximum total period of 15 (fifteen) years.

two.2.14) Additional information

The costs of responding to this notice and participation in the process shall be borne by each bidder. All discussions and correspondence will be deemed strictly subject to contract until a formal contract is entered into.


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 specified in the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire

three.1.2) Economic and financial standing

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

As set out in the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire

three.1.6) Deposits and guarantees required

BHC reserves the right to require bonds, deposits, guarantees or other forms of undertaking or security to ensure proper contractual performance.

three.1.7) Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them

As set out in the tender and contract documentation.

three.1.8) Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded

Subject to the status and involvement of the parties, BHC may require the parties to commit to joint and several liability in respect of the contract. Alternatively, BHC may require the lead operator to take total responsibility or a consortium to form a legal entity before entering into any contract.

three.2) Conditions related to the contract

three.2.2) Contract performance conditions

The conditions applicable to the contract are set out in the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire and 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: Yes

four.2) Administrative information

four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

Date

31 May 2023

Local time

5:00pm

four.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates

21 June 2023

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: 6 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)


Section six. Complementary information

six.1) Information about recurrence

This is a recurrent procurement: No

six.3) Additional information

This process is being conducted competitively in accordance with the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016 (as amended). The procedure to be followed for this procurement is the negotiated procedure with a prior call for competition (Regulation 47). Bidders who wish to participate in this procurement are required to provide details of their contact point, together with an email address and telephone number upon downloading the tender documents. Bidders who fail to provide their details to BHC or register in this manner will not receive any clarifications or updated information provided by BHC during the tender process.

All tender submissions and related documents must be submitted via email to tendersfc@belfast-harbour.co.uk . Only tender submissions and related documents submitted via email to tendersfc@belfast-harbour.co.uk will be considered by BHC for the award of the contract.

The costs of responding to this notice and participation in the process (including any and all negotiations) will be borne by each bidder. All discussions and correspondence will be deemed strictly subject to contract until a formal contract is entered into. The formal contract shall not be binding until it has been signed and dated by the duly authorised representatives of both parties.

Subject to a sufficient number of compliant responses being received, BHC intends (according to the process described in the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire) to invite a maximum of the 4 highest scoring bidders, following evaluation of PQQ responses, to the invitation to negotiate stage of this process, provided that BHC, acting at its discretion, reserves the right to invite less than 4 bidders to negotiate. Where there is a tie for 4th place, all bidders in 4th place will be invited to negotiate. For the purposes of this exercise, a tie for 4th place is deemed to occur where two or more bidders have identical scores

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

High Court of Justice in Northern Ireland

Royal Courts of Justice, Chichester Street

Belfast

BT1 3JF

Country

United Kingdom

six.4.3) Review procedure

Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures

BHC will incorporate a minimum 10 calendar day standstill period at the point information on the award of contract is communicated to all bidders. The standstill period provides time for unsuccessful bidders to challenge the award decision before the contract is entered into. The Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016 (as amended) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (Northern Ireland).

six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained

Belfast Harbour Commissioners

Harbour Office, Corporation Square

Belfast

BT1 3AL

Country

United Kingdom