Award

Northern Ireland Assembly Commission - Contract for the Maintenance and Support of Legislative Work Bench Software

  • Northern Ireland Assembly Commission

F15: Voluntary ex ante transparency notice

Notice identifier: 2023/S 000-024076

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-03f069

Published 16 August 2023, 4:08pm



Section one: Contracting authority/entity

one.1) Name and addresses

Northern Ireland Assembly Commission

Parliament Buildings, Ballymiscaw Road, Stormont

Belfast

BT4 3XX

Email

procurement@niassembly.gov.uk

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

Other type

Legislature

one.5) Main activity

Other activity

Legislature


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Northern Ireland Assembly Commission - Contract for the Maintenance and Support of Legislative Work Bench Software

Reference number

BR-075-2023 (CfT 4919467)

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

The Northern Ireland Assembly Commission is seeking maintenance and support of Legislative Work Bench (LWB3), the current system used by the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission for the purposes of drafting and amending primary legislation and for the automated production of legislative and plenary documents. The contract will run from 00:00 on 1 September 2023 until 23:59 on 31 August 2024 with one option to extend for a further 12 month period.

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: £204,000

two.2) Description

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKN06 - Belfast

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The Northern Ireland Assembly Commission requires Propylon Ltd. to provide product maintenance and support ensuring continuity of service during the period in which a new solution will be procured and implemented, in accordance with Regulation 32 of the Public Contracts Regulations (PCR) 2015.

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

After the first 12 month contract there is one option to extend for a further 12 month period.

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

Negotiated without a prior call for competition

  • The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator for the following reason:
    • absence of competition for technical reasons

Explanation:

The Northern Ireland Assembly Commission is relying on derogation 32(2)(b)(ii) of the Public Contracts Regulations (PCR) 2015 as an exception to open competition that allows for contracts to be awarded without competition in circumstances where competition is absent for technical reasons. In this case, Propylon Ltd. own the rights to the underlying computer program therefore support and maintenance of the program is exclusive to them and cannot be purchased from another provider. The Northern Ireland Assembly Commission is currently assessing options to replace this software.

four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes


Section five. Award of contract/concession

Title

Contract for the Maintenance and Support of Legislative Work Bench Software (BR-075-2023)

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract/concession

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

16 August 2023

five.2.2) Information about tenders

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

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

Propylon Ltd.

36 Blackbourne Square, Rathfarnham Gate

Dublin

D14 DW30

Email

webquery@propylon.com

Country

Ireland

NUTS code
  • IE0 - Ireland
Internet address

https://propylon.com

The contractor/concessionaire is an SME

Yes

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

Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £204,000


Section six. Complementary information

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 regarding alleged breaches of the PCR 2015.

Belfast

Country

United Kingdom

six.4.3) Review procedure

Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures

The PCR 2015 provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland). The authority will incorporate a standstill period (i.e. a minimum of 10 calendar days) before this contract is awarded.