Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
The City of Edinburgh Council
Waverley Court, 4 East Market Street
Edinburgh
EH8 8BG
Telephone
+44 1315296432
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKM75 - Edinburgh, City of
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00290
one.3) Communication
Access to the procurement documents is restricted. Further information can be obtained at
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
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
Public Relations (PR) Support for Destination Edinburgh’s Marketing and Promotions Activity
Reference number
CT2942
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79416000 - Public relations services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The City of Edinburgh Council (the Council) requires a knowledgeable and experienced PR agency (Provider) to support 'Forever Edinburgh activities' for two initial campaigns and any future campaigns over a four year contract period. The initial budget available for the two initial campaigns in 2023/24 and 2024/25 is GBP60,000 - GBP80,000.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £370,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79416100 - Public relations management services
- 79416200 - Public relations consultancy services
- 79416000 - Public relations services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM75 - Edinburgh, City of
Main site or place of performance
The City of Edinburgh
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Forever Edinburgh is The Official Visitor Guide to Edinburgh, promoting Edinburgh and providing inspiration and useful planning information to prospective inbound leisure visitors and residents.
While organic activity maintains a level of daily engagement with existing audiences, Forever Edinburgh run paid campaigns to target specific audiences and segments that have the highest propensity to travel and from the higher visitor-value markets.
The City of Edinburgh Council requires a knowledgeable and experienced PR agency to support initially two of these paid campaigns for 23/24 and 24/25. This contract may also be used to support future campaigns over the period of 2023 – 2027.
The Provider will be required to plan, develop, and deliver complementary consumer and corporate PR campaigns for two destination-led campaigns: (1) Resident Rewards Edinburgh and (2) Inbound Leisure Tourism Campaign. Over the life of this Contract, other campaigns and activity projects may be identified.
As the two campaigns have different target audiences, the Provider must have a strong understanding and awareness of the Edinburgh leisure visitor product offering; know what is happening in the city at any given time to ensure the campaigns remains relevant; have experience working with the tourism sector; have relationships with tourism businesses in Edinburgh, and strong media relationships and connections in both Edinburgh and with national gold and silver tier media titles and lifestyle publications as so to be able to support a resident focused campaign and a nationally targeted visitor campaign.
Forever Edinburgh has secured funding to deliver the first two campaigns mentioned in this Contract Notice: Resident Rewards Edinburgh and the Inbound Visitor campaign. The combined
value of funding allocated to PR activity for these two campaigns in 2023/24 and 2024/25 is 60,000 GBP to 80,000 GBP. (between 30,000 GBP and 40,000 GBP per annum). The remainder of the Contract value as advertised is subject to Forever Edinburgh securing additional external funding over the lifetime of the Contract. There is no guarantee that additional funding will be secured.
The full scope of services is contained within the Invitation to Tender package.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 70
Price - Weighting: 30
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £290,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
48
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: 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 three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions for participation
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
List and brief description of selection criteria
Part III: Section A, B, C & D - Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in
regulation 58 of The Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 [for above threshold)/8 and 9 of the Procurement (Scotland)
Regulations 2016 (below threshold)
Part IV: Selection criteria - B: Economic and financial standing – Question 4B.1 - Tenderers are required to have a minimum “general” annual turnover of 80,000 GBP for the last two financial years. Where a Tenderer does not have an annual turnover of this value, the Council may exclude the Tenderer from the competition or may apply discretion seeking supporting evidence to determine the Tenderer’s suitability to proceed in the competition.
Part IV: Selection criteria - B: Economic and financial standing – Question 4B.4 - Tenderers will be required provide the following information in response to 4B.4
Current ratio for Current Year: 1.10
Current ratio for Prior Year: 1:10
The formula for calculating a Tenderer’s current ratio is current assets divided by current liabilities. The acceptable range for each financial ratio is greater than 1.1. Where a Tenderer’s current ratio is less than the acceptable value, the Council may exclude the Tenderer from the competition or may apply discretion seeking supporting evidence to determine the Tenderer’s suitability to proceed in the competition.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required
Minimum “general” annual turnover of 80,000 GBP for the last two financial years.
Current ratio for Current Year: 1.10
Current ratio for Prior Year: 1:10
Employer’s Liability Insurance (minimum of 5 Million GBP)
Public Liability Insurance (minimum of 10 Million GBP)
Professional Indemnity (minimum of 1 Million GBP)
Where a Tenderer does not hold or commit to obtaining the types and levels of insurance indicated, the Council will exclude the Tenderer from the competition.
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.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2023/S 000-010923
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
10 August 2023
Local time
12:00pm
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
10 August 2023
Local time
12:00pm
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
CONTRACT SPECIFIC MANDATORY CRITERIA
Part IV: Selection criteria - C: Technical and Professional Ability – Prompt Payment – Question 4C.4 - It is a mandatory requirement of
this Framework that a prompt payment clause is present in all Contracts used in the delivery of the requirements. This ensures payment of sub-contractors at all stages of the supply chain within 30 days and includes an obligation to provide a point of contact for sub-contractors to refer to in the case of payment difficulties. This will require active monitoring of payment performance as well as the provision of evidence and reports to the Council on request or as contractually scheduled. Bidders should confirm that this condition will be met within the response to this question.
Part IV: Selection criteria - C: Technical and Professional Ability – Living Wage Payment – Question 4C.4
Tenderers are asked to confirm that they will pay staff that are involved in the delivery of the [framework agreement / contract, and/or any subsequent call off contract] (including any agency or sub-contractor staff) directly involved in the delivery of the [framework agreement / contract, and/or any subsequent call off contract]), at least the real Living Wage.
Part IV: Selection criteria - C: Environmental Management Measures – Question 4C.7 - Bidders will be required to provide evidence that
their organisation has taken steps to build their awareness of the climate change emergency and how they will respond. Accepted evidence
includes but is not limited to the provision of a carbon reduction plan Where a Tenderer’s response is of a less than the acceptable standard, the Council may exclude the Tenderer from the competition or may apply discretion seeking supporting evidence to determine the Tenderer’s suitability to proceed in the competition.
Part IV: Selection criteria - D: Quality Assurance Schemes & Environmental Management – Question 4D.1 - It is a mandatory requirement that Tendering Organisations with more than 5 employees have in place a Health & Safety Policy which is approved at a senior level within the Organisation and is reviewed regularly. Bidders should confirm that this condition has been met within the response to this question. Where a Bidder does not have a Health & Safety Policy and is required to do so, the Council may exclude the Bidder from the competition
NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=738288.
The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx.
Suppliers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last minute problems.
A sub-contract clause has been included in this contract. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2363
Community benefits are included in this requirement. For more information see: https://www.gov.scot/policies/public-sector-procurement/community-benefits-in-procurement/
A summary of the expected community benefits has been provided as follows:
The required community benefits are contained within the invitation to tender document.
(SC Ref:738288)
Download the ESPD document here: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/ESPD/ESPD_Download.aspx?id=738288
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Sheriff Court
Sheriff Court House, 27 Chambers Street
Edinburgh
EH1 1LB
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
An economic operator that suffers or risks suffering loss or damage attributable to a breach of duty under Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 may bring proceedings in the Sheriff Court or Court of Session. . A claim for an ineffectiveness order must be made within 30 days of the Contract Award Notice being published in the Find a Tender Service /OJEU or within 30 days of the date those who expressed an interest in or otherwise bid for the contract were informed of the conclusion of the contract or in any other case within 6 months from the date on which the contract was entered into.