Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office
Abercombie House, Eaglesham Road, East Kilbride
Glasgow
G75 8EA
Telephone
+44 1355844000
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/foreign-commonwealth-development-office
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Dialogue Driven Partnerships
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 73220000 - Development consultancy services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
A contract for the management of two sets of dialogues for British Embassy Kathmandu (BEK):
1) The “Horizons” series: The supplier will facilitate a series of seminars. This work will act as a ‘soft power’ lever, demonstrating the UK as a thought leader by convening relevant stakeholders from Nepal and the international community to deliver cutting edge analysis of topics critical to Nepal’s future. Five thematic ‘dialogue’ events will be hosted every two months by British Embassy Kathmandu, culminating in a two-day workshop).
2) Partner Dialogues: The supplier will facilitate roundtable discussions with Nepal development programme partners to deliver portfolio coherence and collaborative learning and adaptation across portfolio themes at BEK. The Partners Dialogues will be central to ‘onboarding’ implementing partners and delivering stronger portfolio impacts and greater VFM (identifying what’s not working and ensuring the dialogues help solve problems, build consensus on ways of working, and support evidence-based decision making on portfolio priorities).
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: £223,665
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- NP - Nepal
Main site or place of performance
Nepal
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Building on BEK’s influencing approach, the Horizons dialogues will be used as a direct and practical influencing ‘lever’ whereby the UK convenes stakeholders to shape and inform debate and develops strategic action in Kathmandu and the provinces.
This will foster coherence and collaboration across Development Partners, moving away from a projectivized way of delivering programmes towards more strategic, impact-focused development outcomes across relevant actors, bringing in Government of Nepal representation where suitable.
This work will act as a ‘soft power’ lever, demonstrating the UK as a thought leader by convening relevant stakeholders from Nepal and the international community to deliver cutting edge analysis of topics critical to Nepal’s future (in the next 5-10 years).
This work will seek to bring in local and often marginalised voices, alongside other relevant stakeholders. One dialogue should be expected to be held in one of BEK’s priority provinces (Karnali, Madhesh, Lumbini).
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
3 months extension with a possibility to raise the financial limit upto £250,000 from the original contract value.
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:
Single source Direct Award in order to maintain continuity for a project that is strategically and reputationally important to British Embassy Kathmandu (BEK). The first Horizons seminar is scheduled for September but this will not be possible if there is a sustained delay in the preparatory work being carried out by the DDP project. A key objective of the Partner Dialogues is to induct new programme partners into a coherent portfolio way-of-working. There are a number of programmes that are mobilising right now and in the next two months so it is important that the DDP project continues to support this mobilisation.
The Single Source rationale is therefore that:
A satisfactory proposal, with satisfactory value for money, that avoids conflict of interest risk, has been cut short for reasons that have nothing to do with the viability of the contract or the performance of the delivery team. There is an opportunity to continue with the same proposal, the same delivery team, and the same prices by Direct Award.
This would achieve near seamless operational continuity, allowing BEK to deliver the objectives of the Dialogue Driven Partnerships (DDP) project, which are very important to BEK’s ‘soft power’ strategy and their vision for managing their development programmes in a more coherent and effective ‘portfolio’ manner.
The new contract will replicate an original contract that was procured in a robust way using the EACDS2 framework. The framework price caps provided assurance on VFM and the technical proposal was evaluated as the best of two proposals that were submitted.
Single Source is permitted under regulation 32 (2)(c), "insofar as is strictly necessary where, for reasons of extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable by the contracting authority, the time limits for the open or restricted procedures or competitive procedures with negotiation cannot be complied with." In this case, the unforeseeable event was the liquidation of the original Supplier, which happened very suddenly and did not allow time for an open or restricted procurement to be carried out.
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
Section five. Award of contract/concession
Title
Dialogue Driven Partnerships
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
2 August 2024
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
Agulhas Applied Knowledge Limited
10e Branch Place
London
N1 5PH
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot/concession: £250,000
Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £223,665
five.2.5) Information about subcontracting
The contract/lot/concession is likely to be subcontracted
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Abercombie House, Eaglesham Road, East Kilbride
Glasgow
G75 8EA
Telephone
+44 1355844000
Country
United Kingdom