Section one: Contracting entity
one.1) Name and addresses
THAMES WATER UTILITIES LIMITED
Reading
RG18DB
Contact
Thames Water
procurement.support.centre@thameswater.co.uk
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKJ11 - Berkshire
Companies House
02366661
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.3) Communication
Access to the procurement documents is restricted. Further information can be obtained at
https://www.thameswater.co.uk/about-us/our-suppliers/procurement
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
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
Outsourced Early Collections
Reference number
FA2061
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79940000 - Collection agency services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Thames Water is looking to partner with a sole supplier in the delivery outsourced early collections. The successful supplier will be able to support Thames Water's dynamic resource model with the ability to flex staff up and down within the financial year, specifically in line with peak billing months.
The contract is for both inbound and outbound collections and we require the supplier to be able to offer these services onshore.
The key objective of this contract is to support our customers through their journey with Thames Water and we are looking to partner with a supplier who has customers at the heart of their values and objectives. We want and aim to collect any customer debt in a socially responsible manner and strive to ensure all customers receive quality engagement and offered sustainable outcomes.
We are offering a 3 year initial term contract with the ability to extend up to an additional 2 years.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £6,000,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKI - London
- UKJ - South East (England)
Main site or place of performance
Whole of the Thames Water region
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Thames Water will be awarding a singular lot to a sole supplier, the volume anticipated with be circa 20-30FTE as standard with this increasing up to 90FTE as a maximum for our peak billing months (April- July).
The successful supplier will be expected to work on our systems and become a partner function to our already existing collections team, internal to Thames Water.
The initial term of the overall contract will be 3 years, with an option to extend by 2 years, in increments of 1 year periods.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £6,000,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
96
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
This contract will be for 36 months with a further two 12 months optional extension(s)
two.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
Envisaged number of candidates: 10
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: Yes
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
This contract will be for 36 months with a further two 12 months optional extension(s)
Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions for participation
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
three.1.4) Objective rules and criteria for participation
List and brief description of rules and criteria
As detailed in section VI.3 and PQQ
three.1.6) Deposits and guarantees required
Bonds and/or parent company guarantees of performance and financial standing may be required
three.1.7) Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them
Specified in Invitation to Negotiate Document
three.1.8) Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded
Consortia may be required to form a legal entity prior to award
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Negotiated procedure with prior call for competition
four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement
Framework agreement with a single operator
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
28 September 2023
Local time
12:00pm
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
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
All suppliers who wish to respond to this contract notice must request a pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) by using the web link in
Section I.3 (www.thameswater.co.uk/procurement)
From your response to the link in Section I.3 or above, Thames Water's Procurement Support Centre will send you an email providing login details for our eSourcing system (i.e. IASTA Smartsource). To complete the PQQ you will need to login to IASTA Smartsource.
If the project requires it, you will receive an additional and separate survey to complete for Data Protection.
Note - The client may be Thames Water Utilities Limited or another company within the Kemble Water group structure.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Thames Water Utilities Limited
Reading
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
Thames Water Utilities Limited will incorporate a standstill period at the point information on the award of the contract is communicated to tenderers. That notification will provide full information on the award decision. The standstill period, which will be for a minimum of 10 calendar days, provides time for unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the contract is entered into.
The Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016 (SI 2016 No 274) 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).