Section one: Contracting entity
one.1) Name and addresses
NORTHUMBRIAN WATER GROUP LIMITED
Northumbria House,Abbey Road, Pity Me
DURHAM
DH15FJ
Contact
Laura McMain
Telephone
+44 7805786518
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKC14 - Durham CC
Companies House
2366703
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address
one.6) Main activity
Water
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Provision of Market Research Services
Reference number
NW2653
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79310000 - Market research services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
NWG relies on market research to establish a better understanding of its household and commercial customers that includes forecasting social marketing attitude, behavioural change trends and customer satisfaction.
NWGs Corporate Affairs team also depends on research to inform and evaluate its key projects that will support NWG to achieve its ambition of being the national leader in water and wastewater services.
Annual spend is in the region of £71,000 to £80,000 per year
The contract will be for a three-year contract with the option to extend for a further two years
The contract will start on 1st April 2024
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKC - North East (England)
- UKH14 - Suffolk
- UKH3 - Essex
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
NWG relies on market research to establish a better understanding of its household and commercial customers that includes forecasting social marketing attitude, behavioural change trends and customer satisfaction.
NWGs Corporate Affairs team also depends on research to inform and evaluate its key projects that will support NWG to achieve its ambition of being the national leader in water and wastewater services.
A number of research tracking programmes have been established over a period of time that enables the collection of key data such as customer satisfaction and campaign/message recall. These tracking programmes are:
• Household customers (internally known as 'domestic tracking') - this research programme is carried out quarterly by telephone to a representative sample of customers in NWGs three operating areas (North East of England, Essex and Suffolk). This programme tracks satisfaction with all aspects of the services provided by NWG including NPS, brand values and communication/marketing activity.
• Transactional NPS - this research programme is carried out quarterly by telephone to customers who have made contact in a single week. This programme tracks NPS and customer satisfaction and will form part of the calculation for NWGs NPS score along with the result from the domestic tracking programme.
• Omnibus survey that includes questions for the external facing Corporate Affairs projects - prior to Covid-19 this programme was face to face contact, but is now done online, and currently takes place once a year
• Key stakeholders - this research is carried out quarterly by telephone to NWGs key stakeholders in its three operating areas. This helps track satisfaction with services and the relationship NWG has with each individual/organisation. A trust score from this research is shared on the company's business scorecard.
• Priority services - this research is carried out quarterly by telephone to customers registered for NWGs financial and non-financial priority services in its three operating areas. This helps track satisfaction with the additional support services provided and how they can be improved. An overall satisfaction score from this research is a key measure for the company, in particular the inclusivity team
In addition to the above tracking programmes, other bespoke research programmes may be requested on an ad-hoc basis for gathering data for the following key projects.
The successful research provider will be required to undertake traditional research methods as well as introducing new innovative ways to collect data to inform key projects and the tracking research programmes. The supplier should also have, or access to, a call centre provision.
Tenders must take into account NWGs locations in terms of the North East of England, Essex and Suffolk when pricing and answering all quality questions.
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
No
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: Yes
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
The contract will be for 36 months with a further 24 month extension period
Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions for participation
three.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
List and brief description of conditions
As stated in the procurement documents
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
List and brief description of selection criteria
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
List and brief description of selection criteria
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
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
22 August 2023
Local time
4:00pm
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: 1 April 2024
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
Applicants are asked to note that this procurement process will be conducted electronically with all documents and communication being managed through the Northumbrian Water eSourcing Spend Management portal called 'Ariba'.
Expressions of interest for this tender must be sent to the e-mail address expressions@nwl.co.uk before the deadline date of 22nd August at 16:00. Once expression of interest has been received that contains the details below, applicants will be given access to the Ariba portal within 48 hours from request. This portal will contain all the tender documents associated with this procurement that are available at the time. An email link will also be provided to the email address you provide to access the portal. The deadline for return of the completed PQQ is 4th September 2023 at 12 noon.
When sending expression of interest, applicants must provide the following information: 1) Full company name 2) Main contact details of the person who will be given access to the
Ariba portal - Name, job title, E mail address and telephone
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
TBC
TBC
Country
United Kingdom