Scope
Reference
ID 5888575
Description
The Department for Infrastructure, through its Executive Agency The Driver and Vehicle Agency wish to establish a Contract to appoint a Contractor to supply, deliver, install, commission, calibrate and maintain a total of 79 new vehicle testing lanes of equipment, the associated fully integrated test lane (ITL) software, all associated IT hardware and licences (from here on in referred to as 'Vehicle Test Solution') to service its network of 16 Test Centres. The contract's key focus will be to provide DVA with a complete vehicle test solution that will meet DVA's demands, on an all-inclusive supply, install and maintenance basis. The Contractor must also complete all necessary enabling works required to facilitate the installation and operation of the Vehicle Test Solution. These works may include, but are not limited to, structural, civil, mechanical, electrical and digital enabling works which must be completed in line with current UK building legislation, regulations, codes and standards.
Total value (estimated)
- £40,000,000 excluding VAT
- £48,000,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 20 October 2025 to 19 October 2035
- Possible extension to 19 October 2039
- 14 years
Description of possible extension:
the contract will have the option to extend for 4 further periods of 12 months each
Options
The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.
The Services as detailed in the Contract and delivered by the Contractor may be subject to additional potential services and changes during the Contract Period in order to address and remain consistent with the wider operating environment including legislative changes impacting the vehicle testing regulations or market conditions, future changes to the Client's policy and Operational Requirements, and its corresponding requirements of the Contract.
The changes that this Section is concerned with may involve:
i. changes to the volume of equipment/Services required from the Contractor ('Volume-Based Equipment/Services');
ii. changes which result in new Services or amendments to Services being required during the Contract Period, which cannot be foreseen at the time of this procurement ('Optional Services').
The Client may increase or decrease the volume of the equipment/services during the Contract Period in line with changes in the Specification. This may be due to, for example, changes in the Client's policy or policies, future changes in relation to development of the Test Centre Network, changes to the vehicle testing conditions or changes to the level of demand for vehicle testing. The changes may include, but are not limited to:
• amending the number of lanes to be delivered under this Contract which may increase depending on future decisions and approvals for the Network;
• allowing for the roll out of equipment (if required) as part of a refresh programme in line with any recommendations within future conditioning reports;
• permitting the purchase of equipment or associated items which are used in conjunction with the vehicle testing equipment that have sustained damage outside of normal wear and tear and therefore not covered in the all-inclusive maintenance.
Further detail is provided within section 12 of the Schedule 1 Specification document.
Main procurement category
Goods
CPV classifications
- 31000000 - Electrical machinery, apparatus, equipment and consumables; lighting
- 50100000 - Repair, maintenance and associated services of vehicles and related equipment
Contract locations
- UKN - Northern Ireland
Participation
Legal and financial capacity conditions of participation
As per Tender documentation
Technical ability conditions of participation
As per Tender documentation.
Submission
Enquiry deadline
20 June 2025, 5:00pm
Submission type
Requests to participate
Tender submission deadline
30 June 2025, 3:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Tenders must be submitted electronically via the relevant Call for Tender (CfT) opportunity on eTendersNI, website details immediately below.
Paper submissions will not be accepted or considered and will be rejected by the Contracting Authority / Buyer.
The tender documents are available with unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at: URL https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
10 October 2025
Award criteria
| Name | Description | Type | Order of importance |
|---|---|---|---|
| AC1 - Proposed Integrated test lane software | As per Tender documentation. |
Quality | 1 |
| AC2 - Proposed Maintenance solution (Phase 4) | as per tender documentation |
Quality | 2 |
| AC7 - Social Value - Delivering Zero Carbon | as per tender documentation |
Quality | 3 |
| AC9 - Total Contract Cost | as per tender documentation |
Cost | 4 |
| AC3 - Outline Implementation Plan for Phase 1 | as per tender documentation |
Quality | 5 |
| AC4 - Outline Implementation Plan for Phase 2 | as per tender documentation |
Quality | 6 |
| AC5 - Outline Implementation Plan for Phase 3 | as per tender documentation |
Quality | 7 |
| AC6 - Proposed IT Infrastructure | as per tender documentation |
Quality | 8 |
| AC8 - Contract Management and Contingency Arrangements | as per tender documentation |
Quality | 9 |
| SoC1 - Legislation and Testing Standards | as per tender documentation |
Quality | 10 |
| SoC2 - Light Lane Equipment | as per tender documentation |
Quality | 11 |
| SoC3 - Heavy Lane Equipment | as per tender documentation |
Quality | 12 |
| SoC4 - Vehicle Lift | as per tender documentation |
Quality | 13 |
| SoC5 - Additional Equipment | as per tender documentation |
Quality | 14 |
Other information
Payment terms
For further details on invoicing procedures please see : https://www.finance-ni.gov.uk/articles/account-ni-good-invoicing-practice
For ANI clients insert: For further details on invoicing procedures please see : https://www.finance-ni.gov.uk/ar ticles/account-ni-good-invoicing-practice
[DN: Additional draft wording for consideration]
Contract Value
The estimated value figure indicated in the Scope Section represents an overall estimated contract value. This value reflects the potential scale of the contract and takes into account potential optional extension periods. This figure does not however take into account the application of indexation or increases to charges due to the uptake of potential optional services as detailed in the tender documents. Neither CPD nor the contracting Authority can provide any guarantee as to the level of business under this contract. The Contracting Authority does not bind itself to accept the lowest or any tender. Suppliers remain responsible for all costs and expenses incurred by them or by any third party acting under instructions from the Supplier in connection with taking part in this procurement process regardless of whether such costs arise as a consequence, directly or indirectly of any amendments made to the procurement documents by the Contracting Authority at any time. No legally binding contract shall arise (and a Supplier shall have no legitimate expectation that a contract will be entered into) until such time as entry into the Contract has been confirmed by the Contracting Authority.
Description of risks to contract performance
The Contracting Authority has identified the following risks as risks that satisfy the criteria of Schedule 8 sub-paragraph (6)(a) of the Procurement Act 2023 i.e. that the risk/s could jeopardise the satisfactory performance of the contract but, because of its/their nature, cannot be addressed in the contract as awarded:
1. Tenderers are advised that enabling works will be undertaken following the award of contract in accordance with the Specification of Requirements. While such works will be carried out in compliance with all relevant statutory and contractual obligations, The DVA recognises the potential for unforeseen physical conditions or latent site risks to arise as a result of, or in connection with, those works ("Known Unknowns").
AND
2.Has concluded that there is a possibility that the contract may have to be modified as a result of a materialisation of the known risk/s at a later date in accordance with Schedule 8 paragraph 5 of the Procurement Act 2023.
Exclusions
If at any time during the procurement, or post award, it comes to the attention of the Contracting Authority (CA) or CPD, by whatever means, that a Supplier has become 'excluded' or 'excludable' as per Sec 57 of the PA 2023, the CA, after compliance with its obligations under the PA 23, reserves the right to exclude said Supplier from the procurement procedure or terminate any contract they have been awarded.
Insert appropriate reservations of rights and disclaimers of liability here consider - e.g.
The Contracting Authority expressly reserves the rights:
(I). not to award any contract as a result of the procurement process commenced by publication of this notice;
(II). to make whatever changes it may see fit to the content and structure of the tendering Competition;
(III). to award (a) contract(s) in respect of any part(s) of the [services] covered by this notice; and
(IV). to award contract(s) in stages.
and in no circumstances will the Authority be liable for any costs incurred by candidates.
Applicable trade agreements
- Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Competitive flexible procedure
Competitive flexible procedure description
1. Publish Notice and procurement documentation
2. Facilitate Tenderer Site Visit if required
3. Submission of Initial Tenders including Conditions of Participation (COP) submission
4. Consideration of Excluded / Excludable Tenderer Status/ Debarment Status *
5. Assess and disregard any non-compliant tenders (with the
option to award prior to dialogue)
6. Dialogue Sessions (if required)
7. Submission of final tenders (if required)
8. Assess final tenders and identification of preferred Tenderer (if required)
9. Product Verification with highest scoring Tenderer
10. Issue contract award notice and standstill letters then award Contract.
Tenderers must note that the Client reserves the right and the option to award this contract to a Tenderer based on the assessment of the initial tender submission without undertaking any dialogue session or final tender submission which may have been intended to be part of the process. If the Client avails of the option to proceed to award after the assessment of the initial tender assessment then it shall move directly to the Product Verification stage with the Highest scoring tenderer.
Contracting authority
The Driver and Vehicle Agency
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PMCJ-4951-QRDD
Hydebank House, 4a Hospital Road
Belfast
BT8 8JL
United Kingdom
Region: UKN0E - Lisburn and Castlereagh
Organisation type: Public authority - central government
Devolved regulations that apply: Northern Ireland
Other organisation
These organisations are carrying out the procurement, or part of it, on behalf of the contracting authorities.
Construction and Procurement Delivery - Supplies and Services Division
Summary of their role in this procurement: Construction and Procurement Delivery - Supplies and Services Division, is a Centre of Procurement Expertise and provides a central procurement function for central government in Northern Ireland
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PVWG-8426-YWXV
Clare House, 303 Airport Road West
Belfast
BT3 9ED
United Kingdom
Region: UKN06 - Belfast
Contact organisation
Contact Construction and Procurement Delivery - Supplies and Services Division for any enquiries.