Tender

Flexible Framework for Early Learning and Childcare Services in North Lanarkshire 2020/2023 - Entry Point 3

  • North Lanarkshire Council

F21: Social and other specific services – public contracts (contract notice)

Notice identifier: 2021/S 000-023146

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-02e1dd

Published 17 September 2021, 10:14am



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

North Lanarkshire Council

Civic Centre, Windmillhill Street

Motherwell

ML1 1AB

Contact

Louise Smith

Email

SmithLou@northlan.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKM84 - North Lanarkshire

Internet address(es)

Main address

http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk

Buyer's address

https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00010

one.3) Communication

The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at

https://www.publictendersscotland.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.publictendersscotland.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

Flexible Framework for Early Learning and Childcare Services in North Lanarkshire 2020/2023 - Entry Point 3

Reference number

NLC-CPT-19-082 (EP3)

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 80110000 - Pre-school education services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

North Lanarkshire Council (the “Council”) is required by Scottish Government, under the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, to provide a funded placement of 1140 hours to all 3 and 4 years old and eligible 2 year olds.

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The Council have already established a Flexible Framework (see https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=NOV399541) to secure external providers who can supplement the Council’s internal early learning and childcare provision. The original Framework was setup for 3 years, with included options for Tenderers to apply to the Framework in either years 2 or 3. This notice is for Entry Point 3 (final entry point), which is is applicable for any potential provider and/or setting that is not already on the Framework.

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This contract award procedure is being carried out in accordance with The Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, Regulation 74.

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 85312110 - Child daycare services
  • 80110000 - Pre-school education services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKM84 - North Lanarkshire
Main site or place of performance

North Lanarkshire Council's geographical boundary

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The following information is intended to give potential Tenderers an overview of the high level requirements.

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Requirements:

Provision of funded placement of 1140 hours per child. Providers must ensure one meal and one snack, per day, is available.

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Providers that intend to prepare meals on site will be required to work with nutritionists from the Council. Meals should be of high nutritional value and all funded providers are required to be registered as a food business operator and provide a copy of their Food Safety and Hygiene Policy.

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It should be noted that funded sessions should not exceed 30 hours per week and 10 hours per day.

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Potential Tenderers seeking appointment to this Flexible Framework for more than one Setting will be required to submit an individual tender for each Setting, i.e. a Tenderer with 2 nurseries within the North Lanarkshire geographic area seeking appointment to the Flexible Framework for both nurseries must submit a tender for each individual nursery.

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Further to this overview, a detailed specification is contained within the main invitation to tender (“ITT”) document which is accessible (and downloadable) from the Buyer Attachment area within the PCS-T tendering system.

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Service delivery must be carried out in accordance with the information provided within this Contract Notice, the ITT Document and the Council's Framework Agreement.

two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds

The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No

two.2.14) Additional information

PLEASE BE AWARE OF THE EXCLUSION GROUNDS:

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.


Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information

three.1) Conditions for participation

three.1.4) Objective rules and criteria for participation

List and brief description of rules and criteria

Full details of the objective rules and criteria for participation are contained within the ITT document. Please refer to I.3 Communication within this Notice.

three.2) Conditions related to the contract

three.2.2) Contract performance conditions

Full details of contract performance conditions are contained within the ITT document. Please refer to I.3 Communication within this Notice.

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) Form of procedure

Open procedure

four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement

The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement

four.1.10) Identification of the national rules applicable to the procedure

Information about national procedures is available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2015/446/part/2/chapter/3/crossheading/social-and-other-specific-services

four.1.11) Main features of the award procedure

Tenderers are required to complete responses to:

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1 Selection Stage:

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Must respond to SPD questions 4B.5.1b, 4B.5.2, 4C.6, 4C.10 and 4C.12.

Minimum Rqts apply.

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2 Award Stage:

Must Accept preset rates. If Tenderer declines, it will result in exclusion.

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Care Inspectorate Registration required.

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Must respond to Questions that will be evaluated. Minimum Rqts apply. Failure to meet any Minimum Rqt will result in exclusion.

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PCS-T contains further details

four.2) Administrative information

four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure

Notice number: 2019/S 208-508651

four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

Date

19 October 2021

Local time

12:00pm

four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted

English


Section six. Complementary information

six.3) Additional information

If the Tenderer relies on the capacities of any other entity AND/OR If the Tenderer has decided to subcontract a part of the contract and relies on the subcontractor’s capacities to perform that part of the Contract, then a separate SPD for this entity / subcontractor must be completed for sections:

Part II Information concerning the bidder

A: Information about the bidder

B: Information about representatives of the bidder

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Part III Exclusions Grounds

A: Grounds Relating to Criminal Convictions

B: Grounds Relating to the payment of taxes or social security contributions

C: Blacklisting

D: Grounds Relating to insolvency, conflicts of interests or professional misconduct.

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ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS:

Fair Work question:

North Lanarkshire Council is committed to ensuring delivery of high quality early learning and childcare services and to achieving best value. Fair Work practices, including payment of the real Living Wage, are particularly relevant to the delivery of quality early learning and childcare services, as the service is directly affected by the quality of the workforce engaged in the service.

Fair Work Practices apply to all Tenderers including childminders where workers are regularly employed to provide direct care to children.

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If you are a childminder with no staff then please state this within your response.

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TENDERERS PLEASE NOTE: Police Scotland identified a number of business areas which have a high risk of infiltration by Serious and Organised Crime groups; this contract belongs to one such area and as such the Authority reserves the right to include enhanced probity checks prior to any contract award, including sharing tenderer information with Police Scotland.

The tender pack includes a schedule for the Declaration of non-involvement in serious organised crime; this is a mandatory tender submission requirement for all tenderers.

The buyer is using PCS-Tender to conduct this ITT exercise. The Project code is 19660. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2343

A sub-contract clause has been included in this contract. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2363

The Contracting Authority does not intend to include any community benefit requirements in this contract for the following reason:

Due to this Flexible Framework not providing a guarantee of work, community benefits are not being made mandatory within the tender however North Lanarkshire encourage, where possible, Providers to commit to deliver Community Benefits via this Flexible Framework however these will only be implemented if/when the ELC provider reaches the financial threshold of 500k GBP.

These Community Benefits will be implemented and be part of the ELC Provider's contractual obligation and be subject to performance monitoring.

(SC Ref:667237)

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Scottish Courts

Edinburgh

Country

United Kingdom

six.4.3) Review procedure

Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures

An economic operator that suffers, or is at risk of suffering, loss or damage attributable to a breach of duty under the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 or the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014, may bring proceedings in the Sheriff Court or the Court of Session.