Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS (Defra Network eTendering Portal)
Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
Contact
Defra
Telephone
+44 3459335577
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs
Buyer's address
https://defra-family.force.com/s/Welcome
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://defra-family.force.com/s/Welcome
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://defra-family.force.com/s/Welcome
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority
one.5) Main activity
Environment
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
The Employer Pays Principle Feasibility Study, within the Horticulture Value Chain.
Reference number
C26488
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 73200000 - Research and development consultancy services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Migrants using the Seasonal Worker visa route are at risk of exploitation as reported in the ICIBI report (e.g. para 3.45) and DLME's UK Labour Market Enforcement Strategy 2022-23 which notes agriculture is a 'high risk sector' for seasonal workers. These risks include debt bondage from costs incurred whilst travelling to and working in the UK and costs incurred in migrants’ home countries.
Adoption of the Employer Pays Principle (EPP) has been cited by various organisations such as the Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB) and many retailers as potentially important to mitigating these risks. IHRB defines the EPP as “No worker should pay for a job – the costs of recruitment should be borne not by the worker but by the employer.” The definition of recruitment fees and related costs in this project will match those of the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) definition, i.e. “any fees or costs incurred in the recruitment process in order for workers to secure employment or placement, regardless
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £1
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 73200000 - Research and development consultancy services
- 73200000 - Research and development consultancy services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Background to the specific work area relevant to this purchase
Migrants using the Seasonal Worker visa route are at risk of exploitation as reported in the ICIBI report (e.g. para 3.45) and DLME's UK Labour Market Enforcement Strategy 2022-23 which notes agriculture is a 'high risk sector' for seasonal workers. These risks include debt bondage from costs incurred whilst travelling to and working in the UK and costs incurred in migrants’ home countries.
Adoption of the Employer Pays Principle (EPP) has been cited by various organisations such as the Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB) and many retailers as potentially important to mitigating these risks. IHRB defines the EPP as “No worker should pay for a job – the costs of recruitment should be borne not by the worker but by the employer.” The definition of recruitment fees and related costs in this project will match those of the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) definition, i.e. “any fees or costs incurred in the recruitment process in
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Technical / Weighting: 70
Cost criterion - Name: Cost / Weighting: 30
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £1
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start date
18 November 2024
End date
30 April 2025
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.1.3) Technical and professional ability
List and brief description of selection criteria
The overall aim of the evaluation process is to select the Tender that is the most economically advantageous to the Authority, having regard to the Authority’s overall objectives and the criteria set out below.
Evaluation of Responses will be undertaken by a panel appointed by the Authority. Each panel member will first undertake an independent evaluation of the Responses applying the relevant evaluation criteria for each question. Then, a moderation meeting will be held at which the evaluation panel will reach a consensus on the marking of each question.
During the consensus meeting, the decision may be taken that a Response will not be carried forward to the next evaluation stage if the consensus view is that the Tenderer has failed to meet any minimum or mandatory requirements, and/or provided a non-compliant response.
three.2) Conditions related to the contract
three.2.2) Contract performance conditions
KPIs
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Competitive procedure with negotiation
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 expressions of interest
Date
25 October 2024
Local time
12:00pm
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
four.2.5) Scheduled date for start of award procedures
6 November 2024
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS (Defra Network eTendering Portal)
Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs