Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Swindon Borough Council
Swindon Borough Council, Civic Offices, Euclid Street
Swindon
SN1 2JH
Contact
Mr Andy Stevens
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKK14 - Swindon
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.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
Council Tax, Benefits & Business Rates Services
Reference number
DN579867
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 75000000 - Administration, defence and social security services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
To enhance and modernize the Council Services administering the billing, collection and recovery of Council Tax from over 99,000 households and Business Rates from approximately 5,800 businesses. Including calculating discounts, exemptions, rate reliefs and Business Improvement District charges in accordance with legislation and Council policies. Determine applications for Housing Benefits, Discretionary Housing Payments and Council Tax Support from new claimants and administering and amending the claims of 12,200 existing claimants when their circumstance change or when reviews are required. Invoicing and recovery of Overpayments of Housing Benefit.
Residents, businesses and the Council require efficient, good quality services. It is hoped that the bidders will be able to deliver the services for less than the current cost of £3.8 million per annum, by implementing processes and systems where customers are able to answer many of their own queries and update their own accounts with information on moves, discounts and other changes in their circumstances. The successful bidder will employ and manage staff and provide and procure the systems needed to administer these services. They will also provide Customers Services for the services, by answering telephone calls for those individuals who are unable to use any self-service systems or with enquiries that are more detailed. Full details relating to the Services are provided in the tender documents.
To participate, Suppliers will need to Register as a Supplier with ProContract, www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk, then Register an Interest before obtaining access to the tender documents. In the event of difficulties registering as a supplier, please refer to the System Administrator Proactis support team ProContractSuppliers@proactis.com
Contract Period
The contract will be initially for a period of 10 years commencing 1st April 2023 with the option to extend for a further 2 years as per the contract terms and conditions.
Tender Responses
Tender Responses are required to be submitted no later than 10th January 2022, 1200 (noon) hrs UK Local time via ProContract tender portal - https://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk/
Tender Clarifications
If you require any clarifications on the tender documents, please submit these in writing via Messaging in ProContract tender portal by 17th December 2021, 1200 (noon) hrs UK Local time. The Council’s responses to these clarification questions will be uploaded periodically on the ProContract tender portal.
Please note that this project has been advertised on Find a Tender Service, Contracts Finder / other web portals, however, Supplying the South West Portal, https://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk/ is the only portal that includes all the relevant documents required to respond to this opportunity, bearing Project Id: DN579867
No Tender submissions will be considered without completing the tender documents in full including attachments and returning them in alignment with the instructions within the tender documents.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £45,600,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 75310000 - Benefit services
- 75313100 - Temporary disablement benefits
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKK14 - Swindon
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Swindon Borough Council invites expressions of interest from suitably qualified and experienced service providers for the provision of its Council Tax, Business Rates, Housing Benefits, Council Tax Support administration and Discretionary Housing Payments services.
Project Description
To enhance and modernize the Council Services administering the billing, collection and recovery of Council Tax from over 99,000 households and Business Rates from approximately 5,800 businesses. Including calculating discounts, exemptions, rate reliefs and Business Improvement District charges in accordance with legislation and Council policies. Determine applications for Housing Benefits, Discretionary Housing Payments and Council Tax Support from new claimants and administering and amending the claims of 12,200 existing claimants when their circumstance change or when reviews are required. Invoicing and recovery of Overpayments of Housing Benefit.
Residents, businesses and the Council require efficient, good quality services. It is hoped that the bidders will be able to deliver the services for less than the current cost of £3.8 million per annum, by implementing processes and systems where customers are able to answer many of their own queries and update their own accounts with information on moves, discounts and other changes in their circumstances. The successful bidder will employ and manage staff and provide and procure the systems needed to administer these services. They will also provide Customers Services for the services, by answering telephone calls for those individuals who are unable to use any self-service systems or with enquiries that are more detailed. Full details relating to the Services are provided in the tender documents.
To participate, Suppliers will need to Register as a Supplier with ProContract, www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk, then Register an Interest before obtaining access to the tender documents. In the event of difficulties registering as a supplier, please refer to the System Administrator Proactis support team ProContractSuppliers@proactis.com
Contract Period
The contract will be initially for a period of 10 years commencing 1st April 2023 with the option to extend for a further 2 years as per the contract terms and conditions.
Tender Responses
Tender Responses are required to be submitted no later than 10th January 2022, 1200 (noon) hrs UK Local time via ProContract tender portal - https://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk/
Tender Clarifications
If you require any clarifications on the tender documents, please submit these in writing via Messaging in ProContract tender portal by 17th December 2021, 1200 (noon) hrs UK Local time. The Council’s responses to these clarification questions will be uploaded periodically on the ProContract tender portal.
Please note that this project has been advertised on Find a Tender Service, Contracts Finder / other web portals, however, Supplying the South West Portal, https://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk/ is the only portal that includes all the relevant documents required to respond to this opportunity, bearing Project Id: DN579867
No Tender submissions will be considered without completing the tender documents in full including attachments and returning them in alignment with the instructions within the tender documents.
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: £45,600,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
120
This contract is subject to renewal
No
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
Option to extend for 2 years after the initial 10 years.
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
Open procedure
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.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Originally published as:
Date
10 January 2022
Local time
12:00pm
Changed to:
Date
24 January 2022
Local time
12:00pm
See the change notice.
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
10 January 2022
Local time
1:00pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Swindon Borough Council
Swindon
Country
United Kingdom