Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name, addresses and contact point(s)
Ministry of Defence
Whitehall
London
For the attention of
Stuart Allen
Email(s)
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Electronic submission of tenders and requests to participate
https://www.contracts.mod.uk/web/login.html
Further information
Further information can be obtained from the above mentioned contact point(s)
Specifications and additional documents (including documents for competitive dialogue and a dynamic purchasing system) can be obtained from
The above-mentioned contact point(s)
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to
The above-mentioned contact point(s)
one.2) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions
one.3) Main activity
Defence
Section two: Object of the contract
two.1) Description
two.1.1) Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority
Neutral Vendor Framework for Innovation (NVFi)
two.1.2) Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance
Supplies
Purchase
two.1.3) Information on framework agreement
The notice involves the establishment of a framework agreement
two.1.4) Information on framework agreement
Framework agreement with a single operator
Duration of the framework agreement
Duration in years: 2
Estimated total value of purchases for the entire duration of the framework agreement
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between £0 and £400,000,000
two.1.5) Short description of the contract or purchase(s)
The Ministry of Defence seeks to contract a single supplier (the "Neutral Vendor") to provide innovative technological goods or services from third-party Technology Providers to His Majesty's Government (HMG).
The successful Tenderer will enter into a Framework Contract (the Neutral Vendor Framework for Innovation, “NVFi”) with the Ministry of Defence, from which Framework Users from across the Public Sector will be able to procure via Call-Off Contracts. This Framework Contract will set the overall terms and conditions for the Call-Off Contracts that follow.
The Neutral Vendor will be capable of delivering goods and services via its supply chain of Technology Providers across fourteen technology areas. The Neutral Vendor will not provide technological goods or services in its own right and must maintain and evidence neutrality when selecting suitable specialist Technology Providers to deliver the required goods and/or services under the scope. The Neutral Vendor will offer ancillary services to facilitate the provision of the required goods and services in the scope from Technology Providers.
Further detail of the ancillary services to be provided by the Neutral Vendor and the technology areas within scope can be found in the PQQ.
The Ministry of Defence intends to make this Framework available for use by Central Government Departments and all other UK Public Sector Bodies, including Local Authorities, Health, Police, Fire and Rescue, Education and Devolved Administrations. The authorised user list can be found in the PQQ.
It is highly recommended that Tenderers review the document "Introduction to the Neutral Vendor Framework for Innovation (NVFi)" and the Statement of Requirement (Annex A of the ITN) before preparing their responses.
To register your interest in this tender and access the PQQ documents as well as further useful supporting information, please register for the Defence Sourcing Portal (www.contracts.mod.uk), and search for the Neutral Vendor Framework for Innovation.
two.1.6) Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
- 35000000 - Security, fire-fighting, police and defence equipment
Additional CPV code(s)
- 32000000 - Radio, television, communication, telecommunication and related equipment
- 48000000 - Software package and information systems
- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
- 79418000 - Procurement consultancy services
- 80600000 - Training services in defence and security materials
two.1.8) Lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.9) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2) Quantity or scope of the contract
two.2.1) Total quantity or scope
This requirement is not split into lots. The Framework Contract will be awarded to a single supplier.
This Framework is initially let for two years, with the option to extend for a further two years subject to relevant approvals.
The initial maximum total value of the call-off contracts placed under the NVFi is set at £50,000,000. There may be scope for this to increase up to £400,000,000 without further competition subject to relevant government departmental approvals.
The Ministry of Defence does not give any guarantee and/or warrant the actual value of services that will be placed with the Neutral Vendor by any Framework User accessing the Framework Contract pursuant to this process and accepts no liability thereof.
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between £0 and £400,000,000
two.2.2) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of these options: Option to extend by up to two (2) years
two.2.3) Information about renewals
This contract is subject to renewal: No
two.3) Duration of the contract or time limit for completion
Duration in months: 24 (from the award of the contract)
Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.2) Conditions for participation
three.2.1) Personal situation
Criteria regarding the personal situation of economic operators (that may lead to their exclusion) including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Supplier Instructions
How to Express Interest in this Tender:
1. Register your company on the eSourcing portal (this is only required once)
- Navigate to the eSourcing Portal - www.contracts.mod.uk
- Click the “Click here to register” link
- Accept the terms and conditions and click “continue”
- Enter your correct business and user details
- Note the username you chose and click “Save” when complete
- You will shortly receive an email with your unique password (please keep this secure)
2. Express an Interest in the tender
- Login to the portal with the username/password
- Click the "PQQs Open to All Suppliers" link. (These are Pre-Qualification Questionnaires open to any registered supplier)
- Click on the relevant PQQ to access the content.
- Click the “Express Interest” button in the “Actions” box on the left-hand side of the page.
- This will move the PQQ into your “My PQQs” page. (This is a secure area reserved for your projects only)
- Click on the PQQ code, you can now access any attachments by clicking the “Settings and Buyer Attachments” in the “Actions” box
3. Responding to the tender
- You can now choose to “Reply” or “Reject” (please give a reason if rejecting)
- You can now use the ‘Messages’ function to communicate with the buyer and seek any clarification
- Note the deadline for completion, then follow the onscreen instructions to complete the PQQ
- There may be a mixture of online & offline actions for you to perform (there is detailed online help available)
If you require any further assistance please consult the online help, or contact the eTendering help desk.
Criteria regarding the personal situation of subcontractors (that may lead to their rejection) including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Supplier Instructions
How to Express Interest in this Tender:
1. Register your company on the eSourcing portal (this is only required once)
- Navigate to the eSourcing Portal - www.contracts.mod.uk
- Click the “Click here to register” link
- Accept the terms and conditions and click “continue”
- Enter your correct business and user details
- Note the username you chose and click “Save” when complete
- You will shortly receive an email with your unique password (please keep this secure)
2. Express an Interest in the tender
- Login to the portal with the username/password
- Click the "PQQs Open to All Suppliers" link. (These are Pre-Qualification Questionnaires open to any registered supplier)
- Click on the relevant PQQ to access the content.
- Click the “Express Interest” button in the “Actions” box on the left-hand side of the page.
- This will move the PQQ into your “My PQQs” page. (This is a secure area reserved for your projects only)
- Click on the PQQ code, you can now access any attachments by clicking the “Settings and Buyer Attachments” in the “Actions” box
3. Responding to the tender
- You can now choose to “Reply” or “Reject” (please give a reason if rejecting)
- You can now use the ‘Messages’ function to communicate with the buyer and seek any clarification
- Note the deadline for completion, then follow the onscreen instructions to complete the PQQ
- There may be a mixture of online & offline actions for you to perform (there is detailed online help available)
If you require any further assistance please consult the online help, or contact the eTendering help desk.
three.2.2) Economic and financial ability
Criteria regarding the economic and financial standing of economic operators (that may lead to their exclusion)
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Please refer to the PQQ and accompanying documents
Criteria regarding the economic and financial standing of subcontractors (that may lead to their exclusion)
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Please refer to the PQQ and accompanying documents
three.2.3) Technical and/or professional capacity
Criteria regarding the technical and/or professional ability of economic operators (that may lead to their exclusion)
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Please refer to the PQQ and accompanying documents
Criteria regarding the technical and/or professional ability of subcontractors (that may lead to their rejection)
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Please refer to the PQQ and accompanying documents
Section four: Procedure
four.1) Type of procedure
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Negotiated
four.1.3) Reduction of the number of operators during the negotiation or dialogue
Recourse to staged procedure to gradually reduce the number of solutions to be discussed or tenders to be negotiated: yes
four.2) Award criteria
four.2.1) Award criteria
the criteria stated in the specifications, in the invitation to tender or to negotiate or in the descriptive document
four.2.2) Information about electronic auction
An electronic auction has been used: no
four.3) Administrative information
four.3.4) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
7 December 2023
four.3.5) Date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
14 December 2023
four.3.6) Language(s) in which tenders or requests to participate may be drawn up
English
Section six: Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.2) Information about European Union funds
The contract is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
six.3) Additional information
The Contracting Authority intends to use an e-Tendering system (the Defence Sourcing Portal) in this procurement exercise. Please visit www.contracts.mod.uk for full details and to register your interest in this procurement.