Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
UK Research and Innovation
Polaris House,, North Star Avenue
Swindon
SN2 1FL
Telephone
+44 1793442000
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKK14 - Swindon
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Swindon:-Database-services./ZTD8FJ7428
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Other activity
Research and innovation
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
UKRI-2171 Vista to EPICS project
Reference number
UKRI-2171
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 72320000 - Database services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
the provision of technical and engineering services to support the design, implementation and validation of some work packages of the Vista to EPICS project in ISIS Neutron and Muon Source. The support services will be ordered under a framework service contract by means of task orders. Most of the job can be performed at the Contractor premises but some tasks might require for presence at ISIS premises.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £720,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKJ14 - Oxfordshire
Main site or place of performance
Oxfordshire
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Initial tasks
Move OpenVMS applications to Linux/EPICS. Related to WP-7
The Open VMS servers that host the V-system run many different control applications written in VSI Basic and C. These applications shall be converted into Python and moved to the new Linux servers hosting EPICS.
The first step would be to document each of these software applications. The document shall include a high-level functional description of each application.
Some of these applications are or will be obsolete. The in-house team will use the delivered functional descriptions to identify which of these applications are obsolete and therefore do not need to be moved into the new Linux servers or EPICS.
After this step is done the contractor team will proceed to translate and move the remaining applications from the OpenVMS/Vsystem servers to the Linux/EPICS architecture.
Many of these applications are called from a control screen. A validation process needs to be done to make sure that all the elements in the control chain (screen, application, middleware) are properly linked and operate as expected.
Vsystem specific code includes:
- Readers – input data from controlled hardware, e.g. FINS, Modbus, CPS (internally-developed XML format), etc. Approximately 10 readers, all written in ANSI C.
- Handlers – output data from controlled hardware (same as above). Approximately 10 handlers, all written in ANSI C.
- Applications – either triggered by user action or scheduled. There are a minimum of 346 applications (~125k Lines of Code (LOC)) written in VSI Basic applications, and a further 28 written in C ~2.6k LOC).
- Scripts – a mixture of simple wrappers around other applications, system functionality, and more advanced scripting. There are a minimum of 493 scripts written in DCL (Digital Command Language; the default command line interpreter for OpenVMS systems) (~20k LOC) and a further 26 written in Python (~2k LOC).
- Converters – strictly change engineering units to display units or vice versa, but often used for more complicated purposes internal to Vsystem triggered uses. 25 files (~4.5k LOC) written in Ansi C.
- Vsystem shareable images – overlap with applications above, primarily VSI Basic. These are user generated libraries called by Vsystem, and unlike applications are not runnable separately in a shell.
Validation platform. Related to WP-2, WP-6 and WP-7
Design and build a platform to test and validate the V-system screens that are converted into EPICS, the software applications that are moved from the OpenVMS server into the Linux server and the new middleware interfaces.
This platform will have to check that the EPICS screens are properly linked with the applications in the Linux server and the middleware that conform the rest of the control system. A list of the different types of middleware that we use at ISIS will be given in the TO.
It will also be used to test and validate any new or modified screens, applications and interfaces before these are implemented in the control system.
Apart from the platform itself, a method for the testing and validation of these components as well as a template document for documenting these tests should be given.
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: £720,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start date
15 August 2022
End date
14 August 2023
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
3+1 3 + 1 year periods from commencement of the Contract. running up to August 2026
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 four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement
Framework agreement with a single operator
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
6 July 2022
Local time
2:00pm
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: 3 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
6 July 2022
Local time
2:00pm
Place
Electronically, via web based portal
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
The contracting authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement.
For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at:
https://ukri.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Swindon:-Database-services./ZTD8FJ7428
To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://ukri.delta-esourcing.com/respond/ZTD8FJ7428
GO Reference: GO-2022527-PRO-20218466
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
UK Research and Innovation
Polaris House,, North Star Avenue
Swindon
SN2 1FL
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
UK Research and Innovation
Polaris House,, North Star Avenue
Swindon
SN2 1FL
Country
United Kingdom