Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
East Kilbride
G74 3AQ
Contact
Elaine Collins
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKM95 - South Lanarkshire
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/foreign-commonwealth-development-office
Buyer's 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://fcdo.proactisportal.com/Account/Login
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://fcdo.proactisportal.com/Account/Login
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority
one.5) Main activity
Other activity
International Development
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
The Evidence Fund
Reference number
PROJ10150
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 75211200 - Foreign economic-aid-related services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO ) is seeking to appoint a Supplier to oversee and manage The Evidence Fund, a single coordinated, research and evidence platform that supports urgent, mid- and longer-term knowledge generation, synthesis, translation and engagement. The Evidence Fund brings together several programmes previously delivered across RED into a single coordinated platform programme.
The primary responsibility of the Supplier will be to manage procurement competitions for research and evaluation projects, conduct due diligence assessments on prospective sub-contracted Research -Pool providers, and programme manage research projects implemented by sub-contracted research organisations.
The Supplier will also have responsibility for a number of cross-cutting activities in relation to the programme, including knowledge management and dissemination; monitoring and learning, and establishing a technical assistance facility for additional administrative and programme management support to FCDO and wider-RED activities in East Africa, South Asia, and Middle East and North Africa (MENA) .
The initial duration of the programme will be 34 months with an initial budget of £35,800,000 inclusive of local government taxes, but exclusive of VAT. FCDO anticipates that the budget allocation for delivery of Core Team Portfolio Management Services does not exceed 12% (£4,296,000.00) of the initial budget. FCDO will retain options to enhance the programme budget, by up to £ 36,200,000 and extend the programme by an additional three years.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £72,000,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM95 - South Lanarkshire
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Research and Evidence Division (RED) is seeking to appoint a Supplier to oversee and manage The Evidence Fund. The primary responsibility of the Supplier will be to manage procurement competitions for research and evaluation projects, conduct due diligence assessments on prospective sub-contracted Research Pool providers, where relevant and manage research projects implemented by sub-contracted research organizations. 19. The expected impact of the programme is evidence-informed policies, programmes and practices which contribute to positive development outcomes and poverty reduction.
There are many different types of evidence that FCDO needs to provide and use in order to ensure that its programmes and policies are effective in achieving intended development impacts and that the maximum value is returned for every pound spent. To maximise the impact and return on investments, FCDO must put this evidence base to work – translating knowledge into state-of-the-art policies and supporting FCDO country programme teams and ODA-spending HMG partners to use evidence to add value to their programmes. The Evidence Fund will support responses to a broad spectrum of evidence needs by generating operationally relevant research, analysis, evaluation and syntheses to inform policy and programming decisions., This will operate as a single coordinated, research and evidence platform to facilitate knowledge synthesis, translation and engagement with policymakers – beyond a more traditional evidence generation function. In the process, The Evidence Fund will bring together several programmes previously delivered across RED.
The mission of the Research and Evidence Division (RED) within FCDO is to develop and deliver new technologies and innovations that can help solve development challenges, test high potential interventions, and support the delivery of HMG objectives particularly in education, climate change, prosperity, global security and global influence. It delivers strong technical economic, science and analytical functions in support of strategic and operational decision-making and quality assurance. It currently has staff based in seven locations: London, East Kilbride, New Delhi, Kathmandu, Nairobi, Lagos and Pretoria. Its Regional Research Hubs provide country-specific and regionally relevant evidence and research in response to local and regional priorities including strengthening science, innovation and research systems.
The Supplier will also have responsibility for a number of cross-cutting activities in relation to the programme, including knowledge management and dissemination, monitoring and learning, and establishing a technical assistance facility for additional administrative and programme management support to FCDO activities in East Africa, South Asia, and Middle East and North Africa (MENA) .
The direct recipients of these services will be three Regional Research Hubs (for East Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East and North Africa), and the Evaluation Unit. Delivery of two further components under the broader Evidence Fund programme will be managed directly by FCDO’s Director of Research Team and Evidence into Action team, however the Supplier will work with these components to incorporate their work in the Supplier’s delivery of cross-programme learning
The expected overall outcome of the programme will be accessible high-quality research, evaluation and evidence products targeting policy, country-specific and regional priorities available for use by FCDO and the international development sector.
The expected outputs from the programme are:
• Production of high-quality, policy, country and regionally relevant evidence products
demanded by FCDO country programme teams in the priority regions
• High-quality, evaluation products which address key priorities
• Peer reviewed research products, such as academic papers
• Well planned and executed research uptake strategies of individual research projects that
ensure that this new evidence contributes to policies and programmes in the region and
globally
The initial duration of the programme will be 34 months with an initial budget of £35,800,000 inclusive of local government taxes, but exclusive of VAT. FCDO anticipates that the budget allocation for delivery of Core Team Portfolio Management Services does not exceed 12% (£4,296,000.00) of the initial budget. FCDO will retain options to enhance the programme budget, by up to £ 36,200,000 and extend the programme by an additional three years.
The programme will begin with a 6-month Inception Phase, followed by an Implementation Phase that is expected to last 28 months. Progression to the Implementation Phase will be contingent upon the Supplier’s delivery of required Inception deliverables that meet expected standards in respect of quality and completeness.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Technical Proposal / Weighting: 45
Quality criterion - Name: Social Values Proposal / Weighting: 10
Cost criterion - Name: Fees, Expenses, Total Costs / Weighting: 35
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £72,000,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
70
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
FCDO will award a contract for an initial term of 34 months for a maximum value of GBP 36 800 000, inclusive of local government taxes, but exclusive of VAT. The contract will include extension options of up to an additional 36 months, with a maximum value of GBP 36 200 000. FCDO reserves the right to scale back or discontinue this programme at any point in line with the terms and conditions and as per the tender documents.
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
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents including: mandatory and discretionary exclusion, economic and financial standing, technical and professional ability, modern slavery act 2015 requirements, minimum insurance requirements, tenderer's past performance, safeguarding and child protection policy, duty of care, international aid transparency initiative, confirmation of having signed up to the UN Global Compact, acceptance of FCDO terms and conditions and FCDO supply partner code of conduct, as outlined in the tender documentation. A tenderer must meet the criterion in relation to reliability namely that FCDO must be satisfied that:
(i) the contracts on the list to be provided by the tenderer have been satisfactorily performed in accordance with their terms; or
(ii) where that has not occurred, the reason or reasons why that has not occurred in relation to any such contract, will not recur in the performance of the contract to be awarded.
A tenderer that fails to meet this selection criterion will not proceed further in this competition.
The contract will be governed by English Law. Prices must be quoted in GBP. All payments for the contract will be made in GBP Sterling. FCDO reserves the right to annul the process at any point and not award the contract.
Legal form to be taken by the grouping of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded — joint and several liabilities. FCDO reserves the right to require joint ventures to form a single legal entity.
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
three.2) Conditions related to the contract
three.2.3) Information about staff responsible for the performance of the contract
Obligation to indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff assigned to performing the contract
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.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
23 August 2021
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: 8 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
23 August 2021
Local time
2:00pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Electronic payment will be used
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
Abercrombie House, Eaglesham Road
East Kilbride
G75 8EA
Country
United Kingdom