Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Invest NI
Bedford Square, 1 Bedford Street
BELFAST
BT2 7ES
Contact
SSDAdmin.CPDfinance-ni.gov.uk
SSDAdmin.CPD@finance-ni.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
Buyer's address
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
ID 5121238 - DfE - Invest NI - Invest NI Framework Agreement for Patent Appraisal Services 2023-2027
Reference number
5121238
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79120000 - Patent and copyright consultancy services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Invest NI wishes to establish a framework list of Contractors to undertake Patent Appraisals /Reviews of PoC proposals. Other Divisions from within Invest NI may, on occasions, use the Framework for similar proposals. The programme is not sector specific, but applications generally fall into the following sectors: Life Sciences , ICT, Engineering. The appointed Contractors will carry out patent appraisals on each of the PoC project proposals and provide a comprehensive report (circa 15-20 pages) for each.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £220,000
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
- 79100000 - Legal services
- 79121000 - Copyright consultancy services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKN - Northern Ireland
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Invest NI wishes to establish a framework list of Contractors to undertake Patent Appraisals /Reviews of PoC proposals. Other Divisions from within Invest NI may, on occasions, use the Framework for similar proposals. The programme is not sector specific, but applications generally fall into the following sectors: Life Sciences , ICT, Engineering. The appointed Contractors will carry out patent appraisals on each of the PoC project proposals and provide a comprehensive report (circa 15-20 pages) for each.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: AC1 Proposed Personal Experience / Weighting: 28
Quality criterion - Name: AC2 Proposed Methodology / Weighting: 21
Quality criterion - Name: AC3 Contract Management / Weighting: 10.5
Quality criterion - Name: AC4 Social Value / Weighting: 10.5
Cost criterion - Name: AC5 Cost / Weighting: 30
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
Option to extend for two further periods of one year each
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2.14) Additional information
Option to extend for two further periods of one year each
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
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.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2024/S 000-026771
four.2.9) Information about termination of call for competition in the form of a prior information notice
The contracting authority will not award any further contracts based on the above prior information notice
Section five. Award of contract
Contract No
1
Title
ID 5121238 - DfE - Invest NI - Invest NI Framework Agreement for Patent Appraisal Services 2023-2027
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
12 November 2024
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 3
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 2
Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 3
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 3
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: Yes
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
FRKELLY
4 MOUNT CHARLES
BELFAST,
BT7 1NZ
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
Internet address
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
MURGITROYD COMPANY LIMITED
Scotland House 165-169 Scotland St
GLASGOW
G5 8PL
jacqueline.speirs@murgitroyd.com
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
Internet address
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
LEWIS SILKIN N.I. LLP
32-38 Linenhall Street
Belfast
BT2 8BG
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
Internet address
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £220,000
Total value of the contract/lot: £220,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
Contract Monitoring. The successful Supplier’s performance on the contract will be regularly monitored in line with the tender documentation. Supplier's not delivering on contract requirements is a serious matter. It means the public purse is not getting what it is paying for. If a Supplier ails to reach satisfactory levels of contract performance they will be given a specified time to improve. If, after the specified time they still fail to reach satisfactory levels of contract performance, the matter will be escalated to senior management in CPD for further action. If this occurs and their performance still does not improve to satisfactory levels within the specified period, it. may be regarded as an act of grave professional misconduct and they may be issued with a Notice of Unsatisfactory Performance and the contract may be terminated. The issue of a Notice of Unsatisfactory Performance can result in the Supplier being excluded from all procurement competitions being undertaken by Centres of Procurement Expertise on behalf of bodies covered by the Northern Ireland Procurement Policy for a period of three years from the date of issue.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The UK does not have any such bodies with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures. Instead; any challenges are dealt with by the High Court, Commercial Division, to which proceedings may be issued regarding alleged breaches of the PCR 2015 as amended.
UK
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
CPD complied with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and incorporated a standstill period (i.e. a minimum of 10 calendar days) at the point information on the award of contract was communicated to tenderers. That notification provided full information on the award decision. This provided time for the unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the contract was entered into.