Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body
The Scottish Parliament, Procurement Services
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKM75 - Edinburgh, City of
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA10284
one.1) Name and addresses
Scottish Government
4 Atlantic Quay, 70 York St
Glasgow
G2 8EA
Telephone
+44 1412420133
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKM82 - Glasgow City
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA10482
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract involves joint procurement
In the case of joint procurement involving different countries, state applicable national procurement law
The Scottish Government
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Other type
Devolved Parliament
one.5) Main activity
Other activity
Legislative Body
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Mail Screening Services
Reference number
NIC-SER-457
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 64112000 - Postal services related to letters
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The Scottish Parliament in collaboration with the Scottish Government requires a Contractor to provide Mail Screening Services at PAS97:2021 Level 2, throughout a range of locations.
The service is required to mitigate the risk of contaminated, hazardous or offensive mail items being sent through the postal system which could cause concern, disruption or harm to recipients.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 64112000 - Postal services related to letters
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM75 - Edinburgh, City of
Main site or place of performance
Edinburgh, Glasgow, Kinlochleven, Aberdeen, Dundee, and London.
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) and the Scottish Government (SG) require the services of a contractor to provide mail screening service from the point where the contractor collects the mail items from the public mail carrier to end delivery of the screened
mail to SPCB and SG designated sites. The contractor must screen the mail to Screening Level 2 as set out in PAS97:2021, also including external visual inspection of every mail items. The contractor will be required to screen for hazardous, dangerous and offensive items and
to deliver the mail securely to the Scottish Parliament's and Scottish Government's designated locations. The services include:
-collection and transportation of all mail items from the public mail carrier;
- secure screening of mail at the Contractor's facility;
- timely and secure delivery of all screened mail items to the SPCB and SG designated sites detailed in the tender documents.
Full details of the service requirements are contained in the Specification.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 60
Price - Weighting: 40
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
84
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
The contract duration is for two years with the possibility of 60 months extensions at the sole discretion of the SPCB and SG.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
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.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
List and brief description of conditions
The Contractor is required to provide Mail Screening Services that are flexible and adaptable with changes to threat levels and fully meet the provisions and requirements of the Contract Conditions.
PAS97:2021, which is a publicly available specification for Mail Screening and Compliance of the Mail Screening Services with the requirements of it is sponsored by the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure, CPNI, at Screening Level 2 which states:
-X-ray all Mail Items in bulk/large batches initially.
-The screening of the bulk/large batches must be undertaken in batches that are of a sufficiently small size to provide confidence that no threat is present. The larger the volume of mail x-rayed at once the harder it will be to find smaller threat objects. This is why the Mail Items should be screened in batches, appropriately sized as to provide clear images allowing unambiguous interpretation by the trained operator.
-It is also important to ensure that the volume of material placed in the X-ray machine does not exceed the volume that the system can image, this particularly applies to cabinet x-ray machines.
-X-ray again individually or in smaller batches if anything anomalous is observed.
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
List and brief description of selection criteria
The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) uses Creditsafe, an independent provider of online business credit reports, to assess the financial standing of tenderers. Tenderers are encouraged to review their financial performance on Creditsafe and read information about how that data is collected and used prior to submitting a tender. Information and the opportunity to run a free report can be found at http://www.creditsafe.com/products/business-credit-reports.
If a tenderer does not agree with the credit rating it has been given by Creditsafe it can provide supporting evidence to demonstrate its current position and this will be taken into account when the financial standing is being assessed.
If a tenderer is not listed on Creditsafe, for whatever reason, then it may be asked to submit equivalent accounts to enable the required assessment of financial standing to be carried out. Tenderers should have a Creditsafe credit rating of 30 or higher to demonstrate satisfactory financial standing. If a tenderer has a lower
credit rating score and has the backing of a parent company with a credit rating of 30 or higher, then the provision of a Parent Company Guarantee prior to the award of any contract will be acceptable. If a tenderer has a lower credit rating score and no evidence to support a stable or improved financial standing then the tender may be rejected.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required
It is a requirement that tenderers hold, or can commit to obtain prior to the
commencement of any subsequently awarded contract, the types and levels of insurance indicated below:
Employers'(Compulsory) Liability Insurance of 5 million GBP
Public Liability Insurance of 10 million GBP
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
List and brief description of selection criteria
4C.1.2 - The tenderer will be required to provide one relevant example to demonstrate their experience and knowledge to deliver the services as described in the Specification. Your response should make reference to the screening level in line with PAS97:2021 Level 2 and describe all elements of the end to end mail screening services provided.
three.2) Conditions related to the contract
three.2.2) Contract performance conditions
In order to ensure the highest standards of service quality in this contract the SPCB and SG require the contractor to take a positive approach to fair work practices.
The contract will be subject to a performance management system with KPIs.
Full details of all performance conditions are documented in the Specification document within the tender documentation.
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.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2018/S 110-250621
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
25 June 2021
Local time
12:00pm
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
25 June 2021
Local time
12:00pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: Yes
Estimated timing for further notices to be published: Approximately 12 months prior to the end of the Contract Term of any subsequently awarded contract.
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
Please note that there are minimum requirements concerning Cyber Security for this contract to which a pass/fail marking will attach.
Bidders will be required to complete an online Supplier Assurance Questionnaire using the Cyber Security Procurement Support Tool
(CSPST). A link to CSPST can be found here: https://cyberassessment.gov.scot.
The questionnaire will be aligned to a Cyber Risk Profile that has been established for the contract, based on the SPCB’s assessment of
cyber risk.
For this contract, minimum requirements also include the holding of Cyber Essentials (or equivalent)
Further details can be found in the Tender Invitation Letter. A contract condition for this procurement requires the bidder to comply with
minimum security requirements.
Insurance levels:
Employers liability: 5m
Public liability: 10m
The buyer is using PCS-Tender to conduct this ITT exercise. The Project code is 18680. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2343
(SC Ref:653859)
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Edinburgh Sheriff Court House
Sheriff Course House, 27 Chambers Street
Edinburgh
EH1 1LB
Country
United Kingdom