Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE & PERSONNEL
Department Of Finance & Personnel
BANGOR
BT197NA
Contact
Donna Williams
Donna.Williams@finance-ni.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 2890816414
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKN09 - Ards and North Down
Internet address(es)
Main address
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Accounting Services Programme (ASP)
Reference number
S/9946/03
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKN - Northern Ireland
Main site or place of performance
Northern Ireland
two.2.4) Description of the procurement at the time of conclusion of the contract:
The Accounting Services Programme ("ASP") is complex large scale contract which migrated all Northern Ireland Government Departments, the Northern Ireland Office, the
Public Prosecution Service, a non-ministerial Department and a number of their Agencies and other bodies ; to a common accounting system. The contract covers, inter alia, the
supply of a broad range of computer and related services (including, without limitation, ongoing management, operation and maintenance services), information technology
consultancy services and the supply of computer hardware, software and associated products.
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement, dynamic purchasing system or concession
Start date
9 March 2023
In the case of framework agreements, provide justification for any duration exceeding 4 years
The current contract period expires on 08/03/2023.
This modification will extend the existing contract for an initial period of 36 months with potential to extend for a further period of up to 24 months.
Section four. Procedure
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Contract award notice concerning this contract
Notice number: 2004/S 005-004446
Section five. Award of contract/concession
Contract No
S/9946/03
Title
Accounting Services Programme (ASP)
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract/concession award decision:
9 March 2006
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
British Telecomms (BT)
Belfast
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKN - Northern Ireland
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: £52,000,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Construction and Procurement Delivery (CPD)
Clare House 303 Airport Road West
Belfast
BT3 9ED
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
There is no review body for mediation procedures in Northern Ireland.
This modification is governed by the Public Contract Regulations 2015 (as amended) and provides for Economic Operators who have suffered or who risk suffering loss or damage as a
consequence of an alleged breach of duty owned in accordance with Regulation 91 to start proceedings in the High Court.
A standstill period of a minimum 10 calendar was applied following the publication of a VEAT notice on 10/03/2022 (Notice reference: 2022/S 000-006546).
This provided transparency and the time to challenge the required decision before the modification was progressed and the extended contract is entered into.
Any proceedings relating to any perceived non-compliance with the relevant law must be started within 30 days, beginning with the date when the Economic Operator first knew or ought to have known that grounds for starting the proceedings had arisen.( A court may extend the time to 3 months where the court considers that there is a good reason for doing so).
Section seven: Modifications to the contract/concession
seven.1) Description of the procurement after the modifications
seven.1.1) Main CPV code
- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
seven.1.3) Place of performance
NUTS code
- UKN - Northern Ireland
Main site or place of performance
Belfast
seven.1.4) Description of the procurement:
This is a contract modification , extending the contract term of the current Accounting Services Programme contract. The estimated value is 26 million GBP and this will be the
maximum expenditure under the modification. This contract extension is required to ensure continuity of services whilst this complex, transformational project is competitively
tendered. The Accounting Services Programme ("ASP") migrated all of the Northern Ireland Government Departments , the Northern Ireland Office , the Public Prosecution Service and
a number of their Agencies and other Bodies to the common accounting system. The contract covers, inter alia, the supply of a broad range of computer and related services (including, without limitation, on-going management, operation and maintenance services), information technology consultancy services and the supply of computer hardware, software and associated products.
The period of the modification / extension is three years with the potential to extend for a further period of up to 24 months. Given the complexity of this contract , these options are for contingency only ; for example if there is a delay in the implementation or transition to the new solution.
seven.1.5) Duration of the contract, framework agreement, dynamic purchasing system or concession
Duration in months
60
seven.1.6) Information on value of the contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot/concession:
£26,000,000
seven.1.7) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire
British Telecommunication plc
Belfast
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKN - Northern Ireland
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):
This is a contract modification , extending the contract term of the current Accounting Services Programme contract. The estimated value is 26 million GBP and this will be the
maximum expenditure under the modification. This contract extension is required to ensure continuity of services whilst this complex, transformational project is competitively
tendered. The Accounting Services Programme ("ASP") migrated all of the Northern Ireland Government Departments , the Northern Ireland Office , the Public Prosecution Service and
a number of their Agencies and other Bodies to the common accounting system. The contract covers, inter alia, the supply of a broad range of computer and related services (including, without limitation, on-going management, operation and maintenance services), information technology consultancy services and the supply of computer hardware, software and associated products.
The period of the modification / extension is three years with the potential to extend for a further period of up to 24 months. Given the complexity of this contract , these options are for contingency only ; for example if there is a delay in the implementation or transition to the new solution.
The contract has been subject to two previous modifications to add in extension periods March 2018 to March 2020 and March 2020 to March 2023.
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:
The Regulations permit the modification of a contract where the changes proposed meet one or more of the prescribed tests as set out in Regulation 72.
This contract is being modified in accordance with Regulation 72(1) (b); whereby additional services "have become necessary" and were not included in the initial procurement and a change of supplier would not be practicable for economic or technical and would involve substantial inconvenience/duplication of costs -provided the change does not exceed 50% of the value of the original contract.
The limitations imposed by Regulation 72(1) (b) include that the 50% of the value of the original contract shall apply to the value of each modification. The value of this modification will not exceed the 50% cap. The expenditure of the contract will be closely monitored to ensure strict adherence to the regulatory financial cap.
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.
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: £102,990,000
Total contract value after the modifications
Value excluding VAT: £128,990,000