Tender

Provision of Service Quality (Auditing) Regime - (SQR)

  • WEST MIDLANDS TRAINS LIMITED

F05: Contract notice – utilities

Notice identifier: 2023/S 000-016477

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-03d539

Published 9 June 2023, 4:19pm



Section one: Contracting entity

one.1) Name and addresses

WEST MIDLANDS TRAINS LIMITED

BIRMINGHAM

Contact

Simon Aldridge

Email

simon.aldridge@wmtrains.co.uk

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UKG - West Midlands (England)

Companies House

098604466

Internet address(es)

Main address

www.westmidlandstrains.co.uk

one.3) Communication

Access to the procurement documents is restricted. Further information can be obtained at

http://redirect.transaxions.com/events/mcVyW

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address

one.6) Main activity

Railway services


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Provision of Service Quality (Auditing) Regime - (SQR)

Reference number

WMT 3393

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 79212000 - Auditing services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

West Midlands Trains (WMT) manages a total of 153 stations across our network. WMT are looking to identify suppliers to support the delivery of our Service Quality Regime (SQR). This regime is highly specified and is a critical deliverable as part of our contract with the Department for Transport.

We are seeking a supplier to deliver independent, accurate and timely audits across our network. These will take place on station, onboard our trains and online, requiring inspections of physical assets and interactions with our staff. In order to support these audits, a database of assets will need to be created and maintained as well as an audit manual which ensures the detailed requirements of the regime are correctly interpreted during audits.

We are seeking a supplier to deliver the technological requirements associated with the delivery of our SQR. This will include the provision of a technological solution to facilitate the recording of independent audit results, a solution to allow WMT to manage and respond to issues raised during audits, API integration with multiple 3rd party fault reporting databases. There will also be a requirement to deliver reporting and insights to WMT and the Department for Transport in order to ensure full compliance with the Regime.

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

SQR Register and Inspections

Lot No

1

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 79212000 - Auditing services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKG - West Midlands (England)

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

West Midlands Trains (WMT) are requesting expressions of interest for a staffing solution which will ensure we deliver on our key contractual requirements to have in place a Service Quality Regime (SQR).

Interested Parties will need to demonstrate the way in which they will create and maintain an SQR Register which records a comprehensive register of all specified assets across all stations within the WMT SQR Regime. The SQR Register will include station plans showing prescribed asset locations and photographs of the prescribed assets.

A detailed SQR Manual will also be created and maintained by the successful bidder, ensuring compliance with the detailed requirements of the SQR. These documents will be maintained digitally and made available to the successful bidder's staff, WMT and the Department for Transport (DfT).

Proposals from shortlisted tenderers will outline the way in which a programme of independent audits will be delivered on station, on train and online during each 4-week Railway Period, to a specification set by the DfT. This will include initial inspections of assets (on station and on train), to the standards agreed in the SQR Manual and SQR Register. It will also include the need for interaction with WMT staff in person and online in order to undertake an assessment of Customer Service interactions and the provision of information by WMT. The successful bidder will also be responsible for delivering a programme of physical re-inspections at stations, following a specified period in which WMT will seek to rectify issues highlighted within the initial audit.

The successful bidder will ensure that all audits are undertaken by trained personnel who understand both the highly detailed requirements of the WMT SQR and have an awareness of the railway environment in which they are operating. The successful bidder will also work collaboratively with the successful bidder for Lot 2 (SQR Technology) in order to ensure WMT's contractual compliance with the SQR.

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

Yes

Description of renewals

The services will be required from October 2023 to the 15th September 2024 (inclusive). With the option to extend the services to the end of the National Rail Contract on 20th September 2026.

Any Contract entered into will be subject to a break clause effective at the end of / termination of the National Rail Contract initial core term (15th September 2024) which WMT has with the DfT.

two.2.10) Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: No

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: No

two.2.14) Additional information

Interested parties should contact the named person by email at Section I.1 to register interest and request the Prequalification Questionnaire which shall be required to be completed by the time limit for receipt of expressions of interest at Section IV.2.2

Scoring Matrix

The PQQ scoring will be as follows:-

SCORE GIVEN - QUALITATIVE GUIDANCE - SHORT GUIDANCE

0 - Question not answered or answer is irrelevant. - Not answered/irrelevant.

1 - Weak : Insufficient information to enable evaluation or contains major shortcomings or errors to make it non-complaint. - Worst in class/errors in submission.

2 - Below Satisfactory : partially complaint answer but with obvious deficiencies. Brief or incomplete answers with little or no supporting detail or wholly generic answer. - Below industry standard.

3 - Satisfactory : Answer meets the minimum requirements but lack convincing supporting detail to give confidence that they will meet requirements. Some attempt to provide relevant answers not generic. - In line with industry standard.

4 - Good : Thorough response with relevant supporting detail and evidence to give confidence that the requirements will be met. Tailored answers. - Above industry standard.

5 - Excellent : Comprehensive and well-structured response with excellent supporting evidence. Wholly bespoke for the protect and demonstrates exceptional understanding of the requirements. - Market leading.

SCORING PROCESS

Where Yes is the required answer:

YES = PASS

NO = FAIL

WMT will assess additional information provided by the interested parties who select NO, but have additional information to justify their selection.

Where NO is the required answer

NO = PASS

YES = FAIL

WMT will assess additional information provided by the interested parties who select YES, but have additional information to justify their selection.

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

SQR Management System

Lot No

2

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 48420000 - Facilities management software package and software package suite
  • 48612000 - Database-management system

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKG - West Midlands (England)

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

West Midlands Trains (WMT) are requesting proposals for a technology solution which will ensure we deliver on our key contractual requirements to have in place a Service Quality Regime (SQR).

Interested parties will need to set out the way in which bidders will deliver a best-in-class technology solution for WMT which fully delivers our contractual and technical requirements of the SQR.

Interested parties will outline the way in which they will support the successful supplier for Lot 1 (SQR Staffing) through the provision of a solution which allows the accurate and timely capture of audit data from stations, trains and online inspections undertaken by the Lot 1 supplier. This includes initial inspections as well as the management of the specified timelines for physical re-inspections of some Station assets.

Shortlisted bidders will need to clearly demonstrate their ability to develop and deliver a system for WMT which manages all key aspects of the SQR regime. This includes but is not limited to:

- Integration of the individual SQR audit reports into a backend system which ensure audit and Regime compliance.

- Management of audit failure triage, notification of audit failures to accountable managers within WMT and other 3rd parties and allows evidence of failure rectification into the solution.

- Delivery of multiple APIs to 3rd party fault reporting suppliers, ensuring that SQR failures are logged within these systems and that closure of these failures flows back into the successful bidder's solution.

- Management of all time-specified audits and failure resolutions within the supplier solution

- Delivery of real-time and other data reports, including the DfT Standardised Report. Bidders will need to demonstrate their ability to understand and deliver the specific requirements of the DfT Standardised Report and WMT's other insight and reporting requirements.

The successful bidder for this Lot 2 will also work collaboratively with the successful bidder for Lot 1 (SQR Staffing) in order to ensure WMT's contractual compliance with the SQR.

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

Yes

Description of renewals

The services will be required from October 2023 to the 15th September 2024 (inclusive). With the option to extend the services to the end of the National Rail Contract on 20th September 2026.

Any Contract entered into will be subject to a break clause effective at the end of / termination of the National Rail Contract initial core term (15th September 2024) which WMT has with the DfT.

two.2.10) Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: No

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: No

two.2.14) Additional information

Interested parties should contact the named person by email at Section I.1 to register interest and request the Prequalification Questionnaire which shall be required to be completed by the time limit for receipt of expressions of interest at Section IV.2.2

Scoring Matrix

The PQQ scoring will be as follows:-

SCORE GIVEN - QUALITATIVE GUIDANCE - SHORT GUIDANCE

0 - Question not answered or answer is irrelevant. - Not answered/irrelevant.

1 - Weak : Insufficient information to enable evaluation or contains major shortcomings or errors to make it non-complaint. - Worst in class/errors in submission.

2 - Below Satisfactory : partially complaint answer but with obvious deficiencies. Brief or incomplete answers with little or no supporting detail or wholly generic answer. - Below industry standard.

3 - Satisfactory : Answer meets the minimum requirements but lack convincing supporting detail to give confidence that they will meet requirements. Some attempt to provide relevant answers not generic. - In line with industry standard.

4 - Good : Thorough response with relevant supporting detail and evidence to give confidence that the requirements will be met. Tailored answers. - Above industry standard.

5 - Excellent : Comprehensive and well-structured response with excellent supporting evidence. Wholly bespoke for the protect and demonstrates exceptional understanding of the requirements. - Market leading.

SCORING PROCESS

Where Yes is the required answer:

YES = PASS

NO = FAIL

WMT will assess additional information provided by the interested parties who select NO, but have additional information to justify their selection.

Where NO is the required answer

NO = PASS

YES = FAIL

WMT will assess additional information provided by the interested parties who select YES, but have additional information to justify their selection.


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

14 July 2023

Local time

5:00pm

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: 6 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)


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

Department for Transport

Great Minster House, 33 Horseferry Road

London

SW1P 4DR

Country

United Kingdom