Planning

SC230254 - Public Rights of Way (PRoW) Vegetation Clearance - Market Engagement

  • Kent County Council

F01: Prior information notice (prior information only)

Notice identifier: 2024/S 000-016185

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-0469b5

Published 22 May 2024, 2:30pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Kent County Council

Sessions House

Maidstone

ME14 1XQ

Contact

Miss Laura Garay

Email

Laura.Garay2@kent.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UKJ4 - Kent

Internet address(es)

Main address

http://www.kent.gov.uk

Buyer's address

http://www.kent.gov.uk

one.3) Communication

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Regional or local authority

one.5) Main activity

General public services


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

SC230254 - Public Rights of Way (PRoW) Vegetation Clearance - Market Engagement

Reference number

DN725256

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 90000000 - Sewage, refuse, cleaning and environmental services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Kent County Council (KCC) require a contract for a number of providers to undertake routine vegetation clearance on identified Public Rights of Way (PRoW); a statutory requirement. The contract will be split into 10 lots, combining an element of programmed work together with ad-hoc requirements including off road cycle paths.

Public Rights of Way consist of four different levels of access:

• Public Footpath (FP) for pedestrian use;

• Public Bridleway (BR) for equestrian, pedestrian and pedal cyclists use;

• Restricted Byway (RB) a carriageway for use by non-motorised vehicles, equestrians and pedestrians; and

• Byways Open to All Traffic (BW) a carriageway for use by all forms of traffic.

Please see Section II.2.4 for a further description of the works and contract details.

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: Yes

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

A total of 10 lots

Lot No

10

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 90700000 - Environmental services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKJ4 - Kent

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Kent County Council (on behalf of the Public Rights of Way and Access Service (PRoW)) is planning a procurement process to put in place new Contracts to fulfill the statutory requirements of the PRoW team for the provision of vegetation clearance services on the Kent Public Rights of Way Network.

The previous contract commenced in April 2018 for an initial period of 5-years with two optional 12-months extensions. Both extensions have been taken with the current extension due to expire in April 2025.

It is anticipated that the planned Contract will begin in April 2025.

The existing multiple contracts were procured to undertake routine vegetation clearance on identified Public Rights of Way; with the contract being split into 10 lots, combining an element of programmed work together with ad-hoc requirements including off road cycle paths, with a 30-day turnaround time. The indicative meterage for one cut per each lot is as follows:

Lot 1 - Ashford (64.2km) and Folkestone & Hythe (48.51km) – 112.71km

Lot 2 - Canterbury (97.04km) and Thanet (29.21km) - 126.25km

Lot 3 – Dover – 114.29km

Lot 4 – Swale – 89.32km

Lot 5 - Dartford & Gravesham – 42.69km

Lot 6 - Maidstone – 34.69km

Lot 7 – Sevenoaks – 73.88km

Lot 8 – Tonbridge & Malling – 111.2km

Lot 9 – Tunbridge Wells – 17.23km

Lot 10 – North Downs Way (West Kent – 26.5km, East Kent 29.8km) – 56.43km

As part of Market Engagement activity, interested organisations are invited to complete a Market Engagement questionnaire. This will be used to gather information, and build on our existing market intelligence to shape our procurement strategy.

All responses to this questionnaire should be submitted via the Kent Business Portal, no later than 12pm on Friday 21 June 2023. All questionnaire responses will be treated as ‘commercial in confidence’.

two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

This contract is subject to renewal

Yes

Description of renewals

Initial Contract Term - 5-years

Optional Contract Extension - 2-years (12-months + 12-months)

two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice

24 June 2024


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes