Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
University of Ulster
Block X Room X031, Cromore Road
Coleraine
BT52 1SA
Telephone
+44 2870124515
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKN0 - Northern Ireland
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Education
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Design, Development, Supply & Installation of Equipment for Studio Ulster
Reference number
project_27819
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 32000000 - Radio, television, communication, telecommunication and related equipment
two.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
two.1.4) Short description
Design, Development, Supply & Installation of Equipment for Studio Ulster
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £19,954,122.42
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 32200000 - Transmission apparatus for radiotelephony, radiotelegraphy, radio broadcasting and television
- 32210000 - Broadcasting equipment
- 32220000 - Television transmission apparatus without reception apparatus
- 32230000 - Radio transmission apparatus with reception apparatus
- 32240000 - Television cameras
- 32260000 - Data-transmission equipment
- 32270000 - Digital transmission apparatus
- 32300000 - Television and radio receivers, and sound or video recording or reproducing apparatus
- 32310000 - Radio broadcast receivers
- 32320000 - Television and audio-visual equipment
- 32330000 - Apparatus for sound, video-recording and reproduction
- 32340000 - Microphones and loudspeakers
- 32350000 - Parts of sound and video equipment
- 32400000 - Networks
- 32410000 - Local area network
- 32420000 - Network equipment
- 32430000 - Wide area network
- 32500000 - Telecommunications equipment and supplies
- 32510000 - Wireless telecommunications system
- 32520000 - Telecommunications cable and equipment
- 32530000 - Satellite-related communications equipment
- 32550000 - Telephone equipment
- 32560000 - Fibre-optic materials
- 32570000 - Communications equipment
- 32580000 - Data equipment
- 38651100 - Camera lenses
- 38651200 - Camera bodies
- 38651400 - Instant print cameras
- 38651500 - Cinematographic cameras
- 38651600 - Digital cameras
- 38653400 - Projection screens
- 38810000 - Industrial process control equipment
- 39113000 - Miscellaneous seats and chairs
- 39121000 - Desks and tables
- 39122000 - Cupboards and bookcases
- 39134100 - Computer tables
- 39156000 - Lounge and reception-area furniture
- 39294100 - Information and promotion products
- 48210000 - Networking software package
- 48220000 - Internet and intranet software package
- 48311100 - Document management system
- 48318000 - Scanner software package
- 48331000 - Project management software package
- 48332000 - Scheduling software package
- 48333000 - Contact management software package
- 48520000 - Multimedia software package
- 48710000 - Backup or recovery software package
- 48720000 - Bar coding software package
- 48730000 - Security software package
- 48750000 - Storage media loading software package
- 48760000 - Virus protection software package
- 48770000 - General, compression and print utility software package
- 48780000 - System, storage and content management software package
- 48790000 - Version checker software package
- 48810000 - Information systems
- 48820000 - Servers
- 48910000 - Computer game software package, family titles and screen savers
- 48920000 - Office automation software package
- 50340000 - Repair and maintenance services of audio-visual and optical equipment
- 51610000 - Installation services of computers and information-processing equipment
- 51620000 - Installation services of office equipment
- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
- 72100000 - Hardware consultancy services
- 72200000 - Software programming and consultancy services
- 72500000 - Computer-related services
- 72600000 - Computer support and consultancy services
- 72800000 - Computer audit and testing services
- 80300000 - Higher education services
- 80500000 - Training services
- 92224000 - Digital television
- 92225100 - Film-on-demand television
- 92226000 - Teleprogrammation
- 92370000 - Sound technician
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKN0 - Northern Ireland
Main site or place of performance
North Foreshore Film Studios, Giant’s Park, Belfast
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Vision for Studio Ulster (SU) is to be a leading Commercial Centre of Excellence in Virtual Production (“VP”) in the UK and Ireland and to establish a ‘Tier 1’ Centre of
Excellence in Research and Development and Innovation (R&D&I), in Real-time and Virtual Production, a rapidly developing suite of technologies and methodologies for screen content production.
Located on the North Foreshore in Belfast, the development of SU in conjunction with the Belfast Harbour Film Studio complex creates a unique blend of facilities, that will drive commercial activity and collaboration in R&D on an unprecedented scale involving all strands of production and technology professionals involved in the virtual production, film, broadcast, animation, games, VFX and immersive sectors.
The successful appointed tenderer will develop technical proposals for the
equipment allowing SUL to deliver on the final Business Plan objectives. The design
solutions presented shall be based on the successful tenderer's IP and best practices from experience to date in the VP sector.
SU is a fully funded project, with Contracts for Funding executed and all associated legal agreements with Belfast Harbour in place. The project benefits from £25.2m (£21m excluding VAT) through BRCD, both contributions to support the initial development of the SU VP studio and to part-fund life cycle replacement costs for the specialist VP equipment, within the first 10 years of operation. Ulster University has committed £3.6million from its own funds and has secured a further £2.9m from the UK Levelling Up Fund. These sums represent the total scale of the SUL investment, inclusive of miscellaneous costs for items outside of this Competition (loose
furniture, fees, marketing, branding etc.).
The successful tenderer will develop the design, procure, deliver, install, test and
commission the specialist equipment and provide all necessary training to SUL in the
operation of the equipment.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Cost criterion - Name: Contractor Credentials / Weighting: 15
Cost criterion - Name: Strategy & Operations / Weighting: 40
Cost criterion - Name: Commercial / Weighting: 35
Cost criterion - Name: Social value / Weighting: 10
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
The final contract includes the requirement for all planned maintenance of the Equipment for a minimum 3-year period from the date of handover to the Client. This will include the provision of all necessary spares / replacement parts and consumables as required.
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 four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Competitive dialogue
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: 2023/S 000-028546
Section five. Award of contract
Contract No
project_27819
Title
Design, Development, Supply & Installation of Equipment for Studio Ulster
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
18 April 2024
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 3
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
NantStudios, LLC
2040 E. Mariposa Avenue, El Segundo, CA 90245
California
Country
United States
NUTS code
- US - United States
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £19,954,122.42
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
Please note that a Corrigendum Notice was published (FTS ref: 2023/S 000-028557) which amended the estimated total value in Section II.1.5 of the contract notice from £2,000,000 to £20,000,000.
The quantities, which it is anticipated will be required under this Contract, was set out in the final tender stage of the competition within the Commercial Submission. This information was given for the guidance of the tenderers and was not deemed to be a condition of the Contract or a guarantee of minimum demand or uptake. No compensation will be payable to the successful tenderer should the actual demand be less than that stated.
Further, the delivery of service as to be provided by the successful tenderer is demand-led. Changes which may affect the demand may include but are not limited to, technological upgrades/changes within the virtual production marketplace. Such changes may result in unanticipated workload growth which is higher than the levels accounted for within the tender competition. To be able to offer continuing service delivery as provided for by this tender competition the University reserves the right to commission additional product volumes over the life of the contract period, including any extension period(s) if utilised. Any steps taken by the University in this regard will be done in compliance with Regulation 72 of the Public Contract Regulations 2015 (as amended).
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 3JY
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
Ulster University incorporated a standstill period at the point information on the award of the contract was communicated to tenderers. The standstill period, which was for a minimum of 10 calendar days, provided time for unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the contract was entered into. The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (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).