Award

Strule Shared Education Campus Main Works Contract

  • Department of Education

F15: Voluntary ex ante transparency notice

Notice identifier: 2024/S 000-023336

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-0484dc

Published 26 July 2024, 10:09am



Section one: Contracting authority/entity

one.1) Name and addresses

Department of Education

Struel Programme Management Rathgale House

Bangor

BT197PR

Contact

FAO CPD Procurement operations Branch

Email

Construct.info@finance-ni.gov.uk

Telephone

+44 2890816555

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UK - United Kingdom

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps

Buyer's address

https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Ministry or any other national or federal authority

one.5) Main activity

Education


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Strule Shared Education Campus Main Works Contract

Reference number

DE 4897161

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 45210000 - Building construction work

two.1.3) Type of contract

Works

two.1.4) Short description

The Strule Shared Education Campus (SSEC) Programme is a longstanding Executive priority with continued broad political support. It is a hugely significant programme, representing massive capital investment in the west of Northern Ireland (NI), stimulating further development and regeneration of the region. The SSEC programme will bring together 6 schools and over 4000 children and young people, from all backgrounds who will learn together on a vibrant and dynamic campus. As a pioneering project it will transform education in NI. Significant work on the Strule Programme has been completed to date, including delivery of 1 of the 6 schools. The SSEC Main Works Competition (MWC) will include the delivery of the remaining five post primary school buildings and associated facilities which equate to approximately 64,000m² of building accommodation, in addition to synthetic pitches, infrastructure, environmental protection, landscaping and general site development works.

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)

Value excluding VAT: £237,865,074.84

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 45210000 - Building construction work

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom
Main site or place of performance

Omagh Co Tyrone

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

To deliver the works as envisaged in Section II.1.4 a competitive tender using the Open Procedure commenced on 13th December 2021. Only one tender was submitted which was deemed to be unacceptable resulting in the Department undertaking a Competitive Procedure with Negotiation (CPN) in accordance with the PCR Regulations 26(4)(b). Further detail on this process is included in Section II.2.11.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: Quality Criterion / Weighting: 40

Cost criterion - Name: Cost Criterion / Weighting: 60

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

In response to the open procedure competition set out above, the contracting authority received one tender. This tender was unacceptable as the price exceeded the contracting authority’s budget as determined and documented prior to the launching of the procurement procedure. The contracting authorities was not required to publish a contract notice as it included in the procedure only, the sole tenderer and this tenderer had satisfied the criteria set out in regulations 57 to 64 and which, during the prior open procedure, submitted a tender in accordance with the formal requirements of the procurement procedure.

The purpose of this voluntary notice is to make known that in consequence of this, the contracting authority applied the competitive procedure with negotiation with the sole tenderer in accordance with Regulation 29, as permitted by Regulation 26(4)(b). Further, as that procedure has now concluded, the contracting authority intends to enter into a contract or contracts with the tenderer to provide the works and services that are the subject of the competitions at a contract value of £237,865,074.84.

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 four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below

  • The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the regulations

Explanation:

In response to the open procedure competition set out above, the contracting authority received one tender. This tender was unacceptable as the price exceeded the contracting authority’s budget as determined and documented prior to the launching of the procurement procedure. The contracting authorities was not required to publish a contract notice as it included in the procedure only, the sole tenderer and this tenderer had satisfied the criteria set out in regulations 57 to 64 and which, during the prior open procedure, submitted a tender in accordance with the formal requirements of the procurement procedure.

The purpose of this voluntary notice is to make known that in consequence of this, the contracting authority applied the competitive procedure with negotiation with the sole tenderer in accordance with Regulation 29, as permitted by Regulation 26(4)(b). Further, as that procedure has now concluded, the contracting authority intends to enter into a contract or contracts with the tenderer to provide the works and services that are the subject of the competitions at a contract value of £237,865,074.84.

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: 2022/S 010-022559


Section five. Award of contract/concession

Title

Strule Shared education Campus Main Works Contract

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract/concession

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

1 July 2024

five.2.2) Information about tenders

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: Yes

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire

Woodvale Lowry JV

59 Crevenagh Road

Omagh

BT79 0EX

Email

info@woodvaleconstruction.co.uk

Telephone

+44 2882242622

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UK - United Kingdom
Internet address

https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps

The contractor/concessionaire is an SME

No

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire

Woodvale Lowry JV - Lowry

Castlederg

BT81 7AW

Email

info@lowrybuilding.co.uk

Telephone

+44 2881678646

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UK - United Kingdom
Internet address

https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps

The contractor/concessionaire is an SME

No

five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)

Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot/concession: £120,000,000

Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £237,865,074.84

five.2.5) Information about subcontracting

The contract/lot/concession is likely to be subcontracted

Value or proportion likely to be subcontracted to third parties

Value excluding VAT: £210,000,000

Proportion: 95 %

Short description of the part of the contract to be subcontracted

The Strule Main Works Contract will be executed through a structured series of subcontracting bundles, categorised both by individual building and by key supply chain components.


Section six. Complementary information

six.3) Additional information

None

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Department of Finance, Construction Procurement Delivery, Procurement Operations Branch

Procurement Operations Branch Clare House, 303 Airport Road West

Belfast

BT3 9ED

Email

construct.info@finance-ni.gov.uk

Telephone

+44 2890816555

Country

United Kingdom

Internet address

https://www.finance-ni.gov.uk/contact

six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures

RICS Dispute Resolution Service

12 Great George Street,

London

SW1P 3AD

Email

drs@rics.org

Country

United Kingdom

Internet address

https://www.rics.org/

six.4.3) Review procedure

Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures

This procurement is governed by the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and provides for economic operators who have suffered, or who risk suffering, loss, or damage, as a consequence of an alleged breach of the duty owed in accordance with Regulation 91 to start proceedings in the High Court.. The Department will observe a voluntary 10-day standstill period from the date of publication of this VEAT, during which it will not enter into any contractual arrangement.. The standstill period, provides time for unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the contract is entered into.. Any proceedings relating to any perceived non-compliance with the relevant law must be started within 30 days, beginning with the date when the economic operator first knew, or ought to have known that grounds for starting the proceedings had arisen. (A court may extend the time limit to 3 months, where the court considers that there is a good reason for doing so)..

six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained

Department of Finance, Construction Procurement Delivery, Procurement Operations Branch

Procurement Operations Branch Clare House, 303 Airport Road West

Belfast

BT39ED

Email

construct.info@finance-ni.gov.uk

Telephone

+44 2890816555

Country

United Kingdom

Internet address

https://www.finance-ni.gov.uk/contact