Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
Avon Fire & Rescue Service
Valley Road, Portishead
Bristol
BS20 8JJ
Contact
Tanya Nathan
Telephone
+44 1179262061
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
National registration number
VAT No: 664419911
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
one.5) Main activity
Public order and safety
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Provision of Financial Services
Reference number
AFRS08-2022-15
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 66000000 - Financial and insurance services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
This is a Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice to inform the market that Avon Fire Authority, operating as Avon Fire & Rescue Service, is intending to award a public contract by use of the negotiated procedure without prior publication, in accordance with Regulation 32 of The Public Contracts Regulations 2015.
The object of the public contract is the provision of financial services, which is a public service contract.
The general grounds are that the services can be supplied only by a particular economic operator, namely Bristol City Council, for the following reason:
‘Competition is absent for technical reasons’ – this is explained below in the ‘Description of the procurement’.
The Authority’s intention to award the contract is also covered by Regulation 72(1)(b) of The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 which allows for ‘modification of contracts during their term’ without a new procurement procedure due to ‘technical reasons’.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Lowest offer: £500,000 / Highest offer: £500,000 taken into consideration
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 66170000 - Financial consultancy, financial transaction processing and clearing-house services
- 66172000 - Financial transaction processing and clearing-house services
- 79412000 - Financial management consultancy services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
Main site or place of performance
Portishead, North Somerset, England
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Avon Fire Authority, operating as Avon Fire & Rescue Service, is intending to award a public contract for the provision of financial services, in accordance with Regulation 32 of The Public Contracts Regulations 2015.
This decision is due to technical reasons, namely that we have a shared finance database and software solution, which has meant that additional services beyond March 2023, which were not included in the original tender from Bristol City Council (the sole bid received in 2018/2019), have become necessary, where a change of contractor, cannot be made at this time.
The current financial services contract with Bristol City Council expires in March 2023, however, the Service is currently in the process of a Finance Improvement Programme, including a move to devolved budgets, which will substantially change the Services’ financial services specification/requirements over the next 12-24 months. It is therefore not possible to attempt to ‘fix’ a financial services specification for a formal tender exercise at this time, as the Services’ requirements will be much clearer once the Finance Improvement Programme work is completed. The Service therefore intends to extend the current financial services contract with Bristol City Council for 2 years, until March 2025, to cover this period of change and during this period conduct a tender exercise which would cover new requirements identified during the Finance Improvement Programme. It is also possible that extending the contract timeline will also allow the Service an opportunity to investigate collaborative working opportunities, including sharing financial services, with another public sector organisation.
The Financial Services contract will therefore be extended until March 2025, to provide the services already outlined in the extant contract, including:
• Payroll and allowances
• Accounting
• Treasury Management
• Creditors, and
• General revenue services
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
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 four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below
- The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the regulations
Explanation:
Avon Fire Authority, operating as Avon Fire & Rescue Service, is indicating its intention to award a public contract to Bristol City Council for the provision of financial services until March 2025, in accordance with Regulation 32 of The Public Contracts Regulations 2015, having concluded that ‘competition is absent for technical reasons’.
Avon Fire Authority will observe a standstill period of ten days beginning with the day after publication of this notice on the OJEU.
Once the Finance Improvement Programme work is completed, a public tender will be issued providing an opportunity for suppliers to bid for the financial services contract from April 2025.
The object of the public contract is the provision of financial services, which is a public service contract.
The general grounds are that the services can be supplied only by a particular economic operator, namely Bristol City Council, for the following reason:
‘Competition is absent for technical reasons’ – due to the sharing of a finance database and system.
Avon Fire Authority’s intention to award the contract is also covered by Regulation 72(1)(b) of The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 which allows for ‘modification of contracts during their term’ without a new procurement procedure due to ‘technical reasons’; the proposed extension to the current financial services contract would equate to 40% of the original contract, including the extension period, so would not exceed 50% of the value of the original contract with Bristol City Council.
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
Section five. Award of contract/concession
Title
Provision of Financial Services
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
8 December 2022
five.2.2) Information about tenders
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire
Bristol City Council
City Hall, College Green
Bristol
BS1 5TR
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot/concession: £500,000
Lowest offer: £500,000 / Highest offer: £500,000 taken into consideration
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Avon Fire and Rescue Services
Valley Road
Portishead
BS20 8JJ
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
Please contact Avon Fire and Rescue Services in the first instance.