Section one: Contracting entity
one.1) Name and addresses
NORTHUMBRIAN WATER GROUP LIMITED
Via : Group Financial Controller Northumbria House,Abbey Road, Pity Me
DURHAM
DH15FJ
Contact
Andrea Rowell
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKC14 - Durham CC
Companies House
02366703
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
one.6) Main activity
Water
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
NW2517 - Robotic Process Automation (RPA) - Support and Development
Reference number
NW2517
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 72260000 - Software-related services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Northumbrian Water Limited (NWL) provide water and sewerage services to just under 4.4 million people operating principally in the North-East of England and Essex and Suffolk. It is NWL's vision 'to be the most digital water company in the world' therefore it is our mission to find a partner to support our Robotic Process Automation programme.
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is operational within NWL, having procured UiPath software in 2020. Over the last 18 months a successful programme has delivered 22 live processes and significant ROI has been realised. These processes cut across multiple Directorates, the main ones within our Wastewater and Customer Directorate.
The current contract with our RPA partner is due to come to an end on 31st March 2023. NWL wish to procure a 2+2+1-year contract for a new RPA partner. NWL have a current arrangement in place with a partner to provide us with both support and development resource for UiPath.
NWL are currently on RPA Automation Cloud Platform version 2021.10. Our chosen partner must have an in-depth knowledge and a close proven working relationship with UiPath, experience and knowledge of the utilities sector and preferable proven history of providing automations within the water and/or utility industry.
The key attributes that we are looking for are, for the procured partner, to support us in providing an easy, timely and high-quality customer experience, assist our current live processes, and support NWL on all RPA development. The partner must support our goal of realising business value over the coming years.
In addition, to drive efficiencies and to allow regression packs to be executed more often and across multiple applications, NWL require manual test cases to be replaced by automated tests and require a partner to support with this initiative.
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)
- 72261000 - Software support services
- 72262000 - Software development services
- 72263000 - Software implementation services
- 72265000 - Software configuration services
- 72266000 - Software consultancy services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
NWL wish to procure a 2+2+1-year contract for a new RPA partner. NWL have a current arrangement in place with a partner to provide us with both support and development resource for UiPath.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
60
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
The initial contract is for 2 years with options to extend for 2+1 years (up to 5 years in total).
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: Yes
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
The initial 2-year contract shall have options to extend for 2+1 years (up to 5 years in total).
Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions for participation
three.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
List and brief description of conditions
Pre-requisites are detailed in the Pre-Qualification (PQQ) document within Ariba tendering portal once an expression of interest is made and access details are provided.
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
three.1.6) Deposits and guarantees required
Parent Company Guarantees and Performance Bonds may be requested as part of the award.
three.1.7) Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them
This will be advised as part of the tender stage.
three.2) Conditions related to the contract
three.2.2) Contract performance conditions
If applicable these will be advised in the tender documents.
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Negotiated procedure with prior call for competition
four.1.4) Information about reduction of the number of solutions or tenders during negotiation or dialogue
Recourse to staged procedure to gradually reduce the number of solutions to be discussed or tenders to be negotiated
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
Date
14 December 2022
Local time
12:00pm
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
Tender must be valid until: 30 June 2023
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.3) Additional information
Applicants are asked to note that this procurement process will be conducted electronically with all documents and communication being managed through the Northumbrian Water e- Sourcing Spend Management portal called "Ariba". Expressions of interest must be sent be sent to the e-mail address andrea.rowell@nwl.co.uk before the deadline date of 12noon 14/12/2022. Once your expression of interest has been received (with the details as requested below), you will be given access to the Ariba portal within 48 hours from request (where possible) via an email (you have provided as part of your contact details) with a link to access the Ariba portal. You will be required to complete a
Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PPQ) in Ariba (following the same link as mentioned above) before 12noon 06/01/2023.
When sending expression of interest, please provide the following information:
1) full company name
2) email address you would want the Ariba portal link to be sent to
3) details of the person responsible for this tender (Name, Job Title, Tel.)
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
TBC
TBC
Country
United Kingdom