- Scope of the procurement
- Lot 1. Pre or post litigation visit to single domestic properties
- Lot 2. Pre or post litigation to managing agents/companies regarding charges for domestic properties
- Lot 3. Service of Court paperwork and return of Court required evidence to allow certificate of service under the Attachment of Earnings or Order to Attend processes
Section one: Contracting entity
one.1) Name and addresses
NORTHUMBRIAN WATER GROUP LIMITED
Northumbria House,Abbey Road, Pity Me
DURHAM
DH15FJ
Contact
Philippa Longstaff
Telephone
+44 7516587560
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS 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
one.6) Main activity
Water
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Debt Collection (Pre-Claim)
Reference number
NW2430
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79940000 - Collection agency services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Northumbrian Water Group (NWG) is a statutory water undertaker operating in the north east of England under the trading name Northumbrian Water Ltd (NWL) and in the southern area of England under the trading name of Essex and Suffolk Water (ESW).
This Procurement is split into three lots, those being:
Lot 1- Pre or post litigation visit to single domestic properties (circa 10-12000 per annum)
Lot 2- Pre or post litigation to managing agents/companies regarding charges for domestic properties (circa 1000 per annum)
Lot 3- Service of Court paperwork and return of Court required evidence to allow certificate of service under the Attachment of Earnings or Order to Attend processes* (circa 1000 per annum)
We would invite parties to bid for all or part of this work.
Where our internal activity of letters, mms and outbound calling has been unsuccessful in engaging with customers who have no agreed payment arrangement in place, our intent is to outsource visits to a domestic supply address either before or after legal action is taken against the customer. Customers will be mainly domestic, there will be a small proportion of commercial customers who are being billed for a domestic property.
The visit will look to re-engage with the customer in a professional and timely manner to understand their current financial situation, identify vulnerability and identify the most suitable tariff option for the customer.
Visit requirements could include the following (but not exclusive to):
· Confirmation of occupier
· Priority Services Registration
· Signposting to third party debt advice for support
· Agreeing an appropriate payment arrangement
· Appropriate mechanism for taking a payment
· Identifying most affordable tariff for the customer and supporting both meter and tariff applications
· Completion of Income & Expenditure
· Serving of court paperwork (provided)
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: Yes
Tenders may be submitted for all lots
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Pre or post litigation visit to single domestic properties
Lot No
1
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79940000 - Collection agency services
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 Group (NWG) is a statutory water undertaker operating in the north east of England under the trading name Northumbrian Water Ltd (NWL) and in the southern area of England under the trading name of Essex and Suffolk Water (ESW).
This lot is for Pre or post litigation visit to single domestic properties (circa 10-12000 per annum) section of this scope.
Where our internal activity of letters, mms and outbound calling has been unsuccessful in engaging with customers who have no agreed payment arrangement in place, our intent is to outsource visits to a domestic supply address either before or after legal action is taken against the customer. Customers will be mainly domestic, there will be a small proportion of commercial customers who are being billed for a domestic property.
The visit will look to re-engage with the customer in a professional and timely manner to understand their current financial situation, identify vulnerability and identify the most suitable tariff option for the customer.
A minimum of two visits are required per account, with one visit being on an evening (defined as between the hours of 5pm - 8pm and/or on a weekend)
Visit requirements could include the following (but not exclusive to):
• Confirmation of occupier
• Priority Services Registration
• Signposting to third party debt advice for support
• Agreeing an appropriate payment arrangement
• Appropriate mechanism for taking a payment
• Identifying most affordable tariff for the customer and supporting both meter and tariff applications
• Completion of Income & Expenditure
• Serving of court paperwork (provided)
Full and ongoing training regarding our support options for customers will be provided by NWG to the successful supplier
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
No
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
After the initial 36 months, an optional 24 months extension will be available
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Pre or post litigation to managing agents/companies regarding charges for domestic properties
Lot No
2
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79940000 - Collection agency services
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 Group (NWG) is a statutory water undertaker operating in the north east of England under the trading name Northumbrian Water Ltd (NWL) and in the southern area of England under the trading name of Essex and Suffolk Water (ESW).
This lot is for Pre or post litigation to managing agents/companies regarding charges for domestic properties (circa 1000 per annum) section of this scope.
Where our internal activity of letters, mms and outbound calling has been unsuccessful in engaging with customers who have no agreed payment arrangement in place, our intent is to outsource visits to a domestic supply address either before or after legal action is taken against the customer. Customers will be mainly domestic, there will be a small proportion of commercial customers who are being billed for a domestic property.
The visit will look to re-engage with the customer in a professional and timely manner to understand their current financial situation, identify vulnerability and identify the most suitable tariff option for the customer.
A minimum of two visits are required per account, with one visit being on an evening (defined as between the hours of 5pm - 8pm and/or on a weekend)
Visit requirements could include the following (but not exclusive to):
• Confirmation of occupier
• Priority Services Registration
• Signposting to third party debt advice for support
• Agreeing an appropriate payment arrangement
• Appropriate mechanism for taking a payment
• Identifying most affordable tariff for the customer and supporting both meter and tariff applications
• Completion of Income & Expenditure
• Serving of court paperwork (provided)
Full and ongoing training regarding our support options for customers will be provided by NWG to the successful supplier
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
No
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
After the initial 36 months, an optional 24 months extension will be available
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Service of Court paperwork and return of Court required evidence to allow certificate of service under the Attachment of Earnings or Order to Attend processes
Lot No
3
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79940000 - Collection agency services
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 Group (NWG) is a statutory water undertaker operating in the north east of England under the trading name Northumbrian Water Ltd (NWL) and in the southern area of England under the trading name of Essex and Suffolk Water (ESW).
This lot is for Service of Court paperwork and return of Court required evidence to allow certificate of service under the Attachment of Earnings or Order to Attend processes (circa 1000 per annum) section of the scope.
Where our internal activity of letters, mms and outbound calling has been unsuccessful in engaging with customers who have no agreed payment arrangement in place, our intent is to outsource visits to a domestic supply address either before or after legal action is taken against the customer. Customers will be mainly domestic, there will be a small proportion of commercial customers who are being billed for a domestic property.
The visit will look to re-engage with the customer in a professional and timely manner to understand their current financial situation, identify vulnerability and identify the most suitable tariff option for the customer.
A minimum of two visits are required per account, with one visit being on an evening (defined as between the hours of 5pm - 8pm and/or on a weekend)
Visit requirements could include the following (but not exclusive to):
• Confirmation of occupier
• Priority Services Registration
• Signposting to third party debt advice for support
• Agreeing an appropriate payment arrangement
• Appropriate mechanism for taking a payment
• Identifying most affordable tariff for the customer and supporting both meter and tariff applications
• Completion of Income & Expenditure
• Serving of court paperwork (provided)
Full and ongoing training regarding our support options for customers will be provided by NWG to the successful supplier
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
No
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
After the initial 36 months an optional 24 months extension will be available
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
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
List and brief description of selection 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
10 June 2022
Local time
12:00pm
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 10 June 2022 at 12 noon. 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 17 June 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, and the Lot number(s) you will be bidding on.
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