Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunal Service
CPD - Supplies and Services Division, 303 Airport Road West
BELFAST
BT3 9ED
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.justice-ni.gov.uk/topics/courts-and-tribunals
Buyer's address
https://www.finance-ni.gov.uk/topics/procurement
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
ID 4281736 - DoJ - NICTS - Supply and Delivery of Legal Subscription Titles
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 22110000 - Printed books
two.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
two.1.4) Short description
The Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service, more specifically the Office of the Lady Chief Justice, has a primary role in supporting the work of the Judiciary, the efficient and effective functioning of the courts and the delivery of the administration of justice in Northern Ireland. One of the major support functions is providing a legal library and information service to all tiers of the Judiciary, legal support staff and court administrators. The Library and Information Service functions in a high profile and fast paced environment with a requirement to deliver ‘at speed’ and to ‘pre-empt’ knowledge needs where possible. Items may be required at short notice and delay in their receipt can effect delay in decision making, lead to greater financial cost and making incorrect or un-researched decisions leading to loss of confidence, criticism and reputational damage to the Judiciary. The Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service (NICTS) is seeking to establish a contract for the supply and delivery of legal subscription titles in print and/or electronic format.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £600,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 22112000 - Textbooks
- 92511000 - Library services
- 92510000 - Library and archive services
- 75231100 - Law-courts-related administrative services
- 22211000 - Journals
- 22211100 - Official journals
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKN - Northern Ireland
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service, more specifically the Office of the Lady Chief Justice, has a primary role in supporting the work of the Judiciary, the efficient and effective functioning of the courts and the delivery of the administration of justice in Northern Ireland. One of the major support functions is providing a legal library and information service to all tiers of the Judiciary, legal support staff and court administrators. The Library and Information Service functions in a high profile and fast paced environment with a requirement to deliver ‘at speed’ and to ‘pre-empt’ knowledge needs where possible. Items may be required at short notice and delay in their receipt can effect delay in decision making, lead to greater financial cost and making incorrect or un-researched decisions leading to loss of confidence, criticism and reputational damage to the Judiciary. The Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service (NICTS) is seeking to establish a contract for the supply and delivery of legal subscription titles in print and/or electronic format.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £600,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
36
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
The contract is for an initial period of three (3) years with the option to extend for a further period of up to twenty four (24) months.
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.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
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
15 September 2022
Local time
3:00pm
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
Tender must be valid until: 14 December 2022
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
15 September 2022
Local time
3:30pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.3) Additional information
Neither CPD nor NICTS can provide any guarantee as to the level of business under this contract. The estimated contract value is a broad estimate only; it includes additional quantum for unforeseen demand and to future proof. The estimate is not deemed to be a condition of contract nor a guarantee of minimum demand or uptake. No compensation will be payable to a contractor should the actual demand be less than that stated. Contract monitoring: the successful Contractor's performance on the contract will be regularly monitored. Contractors not delivering on contract requirements is a serious matter. It means the public purse is not getting what it is paying for. If a Contractor fails to reach satisfactory levels of contract performance they will be given a specified time to improve. If, after the specified time, they still fail to reach satisfactory levels of contract performance, the matter will be escalated to senior management in CPD for further action. If this occurs and their performance still does not improve to satisfactory levels within the specified period, it may be regarded as an act of grave professional misconduct and they may be issued with a notice of written warning and notice of unsatisfactory performance, and this contract may be terminated. The issue of a notice of written warning and notice of unsatisfactory performance will result in the Contractor being excluded from all procurement competitions being undertaken by Centres of Procurement Expertise on behalf of bodies covered by the Northern Ireland Procurement Policy for a period of up to 3 years from the date of issue of the notice. The 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 under no circumstances will the authority be liable for any costs incurred by Candidates.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The UK does not have any special review body with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures in public procurement competitions. Instead; any challenges are dealt with by the High Court, Commercial Division, to which proceedings may be issued.
Belfast
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
The UK does not have any special review body with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures in public procurement competitions. Instead; any challenges are dealt with by the High Court, Commercial Division, to which proceedings may be issued.
Belfast
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures: CPD will comply with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and, where appropriate, will incorporate a standstill period (i.e. a minimum of 10 calendar days) at the point information on the award of the contract is communicated to tenderers. That notification will provide full information on the award decision. This provides time for unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the contract is entered into.