Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Hertfordshire County Council
Pegs Lane
HERTFORD
SG13 8DE
Contact
Strategic Procurement Group
anita.shipman@hertfordshire.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 01707292601
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKH23 - Hertfordshire
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/supplyhertfordshire/aspx/Home
one.1) Name and addresses
Hertfordshire County Council
Pegs Lane
Hertford
SG13 8DE
anita.shipman@hertfordshire.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKH23 - Hertfordshire
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/supplyhertfordshire/aspx/Home
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract involves joint procurement
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/supplyhertfordshire/aspx/Home
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/supplyhertfordshire/aspx/Home
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address
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
HCC Sept 2023 - The Provision of Children and Young Persons Advocacy Services for Bedfordshire Borough Council, Hertfordshire County Council and Luton Borough Council
Reference number
HCC REF No: HCC2315027
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85300000 - Social work and related services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Hertfordshire County Council (hereinafter referred to as the Council), along with Luton Borough Council and Bedford Borough Council (hereinafter referred to as the Participating Authorities) have decided to do a joint procurement for the Provision of Children and Young Persons Advocacy Services. Hertfordshire County Council are the leading on this procurement. Further information regarding this opportunity can be found in II.2.4 and VI.3 below. Organisations wishing to take part in this project are invited to "express interest" which will give access to the full procurement documents in the e-tendering system. Please see VI.3) Additional information for further information. Any questions relating to this procurement must be made via the correspondence area in the e-Tendering system, in accordance with the procurement documents and can be addressed to the main contact as shown in the details above.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £1,900,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85300000 - Social work and related services
- 85311300 - Welfare services for children and young people
- 85312000 - Social work services without accommodation
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKH23 - Hertfordshire
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Hertfordshire County Council, Bedford Borough Council and Luton Borough Council jointly wish to commission Advocacy services to empower children and young people designated as Children in Need, Looked After and Care Leavers in order to make sure their rights are respected, and views are heard. The service is expected to be delivered in line with the National Standards for The Provision of Children’s Advocacy along with other relevant legislation and guidance.The estimated total value of the Contract is stated in II.1.5) of this notice and is for the initial term inclusive of the approximate value for extensions. For the avoidance of doubt, the estimated annual spend between the Participating Authorities is £380,000. The breakdown of this annual spend is as follows – Bedfordshire Borough Council £75,000Hertfordshire County Council £190,000Luton Borough Council £115,000The Contract will be awarded for an initial term of three years, with the option to extend the Contract up to two further years. Please note that the contract requirements will be subject to available financial resources, supplier performance and flexibility to meet changing demands.Organisations should be aware that due to the nature of the Services provided, any Contract formed as a result of this procurement process shall be executed as a deed. Organisations should seek independent legal advice on the implications of this prior to submitting their bid, where appropriate.Please Note the TUPE Employee Liability Information for this procurement has been provided along with other documentation for this procurement. TUPE related information is personal data and must be protected in accordance with the requirements of Data Protection legislation and must also be kept confidential. Therefore, by accessing this Tender via Supply Hertfordshire and then the View Details button and accessing the documentation for this procurement, Tenderers agree to undertake to treat the information as confidential and commercially sensitive at all times and take all reasonable steps to prevent any inadvertent disclosure to any third party.
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: £1,900,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
36
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
The Contract will be reviewed at the end of the Contract period.
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 the initial Contract period for further periods of up to two (2) years, at the Council’s sole discretion.
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 three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions for participation
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
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
23 October 2023
Local time
12:00pm
Changed to:
Date
6 November 2023
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
23 October 2023
Local time
12:00pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: Yes
six.3) Additional information
Please note Hertfordshire County Council has worked closely with its districts and partners to create a joint procurement portal called supply Hertfordshire. This portal provides an e-Tendering system which is run by In-Tend.To access this procurement opportunity please visit https://in-tendhost.co.uk/supplyhertfordshire/aspx/Home and follow the on-screen guidanceThis is a one stage procurement process. Therefore, if you wish to be considered as a tenderer you must complete and submit a tender by the specified closing date and time. Tender submissions cannot be uploaded after this return deadline.If you are experiencing problems In-Tend offer a help section which includes a dedicated UK support desk which can be contacted via email: support@in-tend.co.uk or Telephone: +44 1144070065 for any website/technical questions, Monday to Friday, 8:30-17:00.The Council reserves the right at any time to cease the procurement process and not award a Contract or to award only part of the opportunity described in this notice. If the Council takes up this right, then they will not be responsible for or pay the expenses or losses, which may be incurred by any organisation or tenderer as a result.The Council undertakes to hold confidential any information provided in the proposal submitted, subject to the Council's obligations under the law including the Freedom of Information Act 2000. If the organisation considers that any of the information submitted in the proposal should not be disclosed because of its sensitivity then this should be stated with the reason for considering it sensitive. The Council will then endeavour to consult with the applicant about such sensitive information when considering any request received under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 before replying to such a request.The Council reserves the right to carry out additional financial checks on all organisations bidding for this opportunity at any time during the procurement process. This is to ensure that they continue to meet the Council's requirements and remain financially viable to fulfil the requirements under the Contract.The services advertised in this notice fall under the services listed in Annex XIV to Directive 2014/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council and the contracting authority is not obliged to follow The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 in full. The procurement process that will apply to the services is specified in the procurement documents accordingly.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
High Court, Royal Courts of Justice
The Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
High Court, Royal Courts of Justice
The Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
The Contracting Authority will incorporate a minimum 10 calendar day (when using electronic means) standstill period at the point information on the award of the Contract is communicated to tenderers. This period allows unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the decision to award a Contract before a contract is executed/signed (as appropriate). The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (‘Regulations’) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland). Any such action must be brought promptly and within the time limits as defined in the above regulations. Where a Contract has not been entered into the court may order the setting aside of the award decision or order the contracting authority to amend any document and may award damages. If the Contract] has been entered into the court has the options to award damages and/or to shorten or order the Contract ineffective.
six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
Chief Legal Officer, Hertfordshire County Council
County Hall
Hertford
SG13 8DE
Country
United Kingdom