Tender

Nominated Test Laboratory for the Assessment of Submissions of Chemical Irritant Sprays

  • Home Office

F02: Contract notice

Notice identifier: 2024/S 000-033959

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-04afac

Published 21 October 2024, 2:16pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Home Office

London

Email

collaborativeprocurement@homeoffice.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UK - United Kingdom

Internet address(es)

Main address

www.gov.uk/home-office

one.3) Communication

The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at

https://homeoffice.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via

https://homeoffice.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address

Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at

https://homeoffice.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Ministry or any other national or federal authority

one.5) Main activity

Public order and safety


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Nominated Test Laboratory for the Assessment of Submissions of Chemical Irritant Sprays

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 73432000 - Test and evaluation of firearms and ammunition

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Services:

The Secretary of State for the Home Department (the 'Home Office') requires a test facility to conduct independent assessment of submissions of police chemical irritant sprays based on Pelargonic Acid Vanillylamide (PAVA) which will consist of a technical file review, conducting testing and reporting in accordance with Home Office Standard for Police chemical Irritant sprays: PAVA, Publication Number: 23/14 (here on in referred to as the Standard) and Home Office Certification for Police Chemical Irritant Spray: PAVA. Process and Guidance Document (here on in referred to as the Guidance Document). The test facility will act as the Nominated Test Laboratory (NTL) in accordance the Guidance Document.

Procurement Process:

This procurement will be managed electronically via the Home Office's e-Sourcing Portal (JAGGAER). To participate in this procurement, participants must first be registered on the e-Sourcing Portal. If you have not yet registered on the e-Sourcing Portal, this can be done online at https://homeoffice.app.jaggaer.com by following the link 'To register click here'. Please note that, to register, you must have a valid DUNS number (as provided by Dun and Bradstreet) for the organisation which you are registering, who will be entering into a contract if invited to do so. Once you have registered on the eSourcing Portal, a registered user can express an interest for a specific procurement. This can be done by searching for the procurement title - 'Nominated Test Laboratory for the Assessment of Submissions of Chemical Irritant Sprays’

two.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: £1,200,000

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 71600000 - Technical testing, analysis and consultancy services
  • 71632000 - Technical testing services
  • 73111000 - Research laboratory services
  • 73430000 - Test and evaluation

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • AT - Austria
  • BE - Belgium
  • BG - Bulgaria
  • CA - Canada
  • CH - Switzerland
  • CY - Cyprus
  • CZ - Czechia
  • DE - Germany
  • DK - Denmark
  • EE - Estonia
  • EL - Greece
  • ES - Spain
  • FI - Finland
  • FR - France
  • HR - Croatia
  • HU - Hungary
  • IE - Ireland
  • IS - Iceland
  • IT - Italy
  • LI - Liechtenstein
  • LT - Lithuania
  • LU - Luxembourg
  • LV - Latvia
  • MT - Malta
  • NL - Netherlands
  • NO - Norway
  • PL - Poland
  • PT - Portugal
  • RO - Romania
  • SE - Sweden
  • SI - Slovenia
  • SK - Slovakia
  • UK - United Kingdom
  • US - United States

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The United Kingdom (UK) government is committed to giving police the tools they need to tackle the crimes affecting communities. As part of this, the Home Office produces the standards for Police Chemical irritant sprays provided as Appendix J within the procurement documents

The Standard outlines the requirements that police chemical irritant sprays must meet in order for them to be issued a Certificate by Home Office. Accompanying the Standard the Guidance Document provides supporting information for gaining Home Office certification of Police Chemical Irritant Sprays provided as Appendix K within the procurement documents.

The Home Office requires a test facility to conduct independent assessment of submissions of police chemical irritant sprays based on PAVA which will consist of a technical file review, conducting testing and reporting in accordance with the Standard Guidance Document. The test facility will act as the NTL in accordance the Guidance Document.

The Authority will fund a test facility to conduct independent assessment of 10 submissions of chemical irritant sprays each year with the option to fund per chemical irritant sprays submission thereafter. The Authority will permit subcontracting elements of testing only (for example chemical testing). If subcontracting, the test facility must exercise due skill and care when it selects and appoints a subcontractor, to ensure that the test facility is able to manage subcontractors in accordance with Good Industry Practice and to comply with its obligations under any contract with the Home Office.

For each submission of chemical irritant sprays undergoing certification, the test facility must be able to conduct independent assessment of chemical irritant sprays in accordance with the standard and conduct activities and outputs as the NTL in accordance with the guidance document through:

• conducting a review of the applicant’s application and device technical files, making an assessment of whether requirements are met and confirming the testing required to be performed.

• carrying out testing and producing test report results.

The test facility should have the capability of handling chemical irritant sprays with the appropriate authority / licenses for the country that the test facility is within. Within the UK, chemical irritant sprays are classified as Prohibited Weapons under Section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968, which requires appropriate licences to be held; this should be considered by any UK test facilities. To enable the establishment of a facility, including the ability to gain appropriate licences, the Authority anticipates a maximum of 3 months will be required at the start of the contract.

The test facility should have measures in place to ensure a quality management system to support the conducting of independent assessment of Chemical Irritant Sprays this may include holding ISO9001 accreditation or ISO17025 accreditation.

The initial contract would be for a 12 months period, with three optional 12-month extension periods (a maximum contract duration of 4 years).

The Home Office will fund up to a maximum cost of £300,000 (GBP) (excluding VAT) to conduct independent assessment of 10 submissions of chemical irritant sprays within a 12 month period in accordance with the standard and guidance document and criteria stated in the procurement 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: £1,200,000

two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Duration in months

12

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

The contract will run for an initial period of 1 year, with an option to extend by 3 extension periods of 1 year (up to a maximum of 4 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 three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information

three.2) Conditions related to the contract

three.2.2) Contract performance conditions

As per tender documentation


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Open procedure

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

In the case of framework agreements, provide justification for any duration exceeding 4 years:

The procurement involves the establishment of a contract 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

25 November 2024

Local time

10:00am

four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted

English

four.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender

Duration in months: 3 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)

four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders

Date

25 November 2024

Local time

10:01am


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

The Secretary of State for the Home Department (The Home Office)

London

Country

United Kingdom