Tender

Provision of Nursery Operator Services

  • Orkney Islands Council

F21: Social and other specific services – public contracts (contract notice)

Notice identifier: 2024/S 000-039827

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-045a62

Published 11 December 2024, 8:52am



The closing date and time has been changed to:

24 January 2025, 12:00pm

See the change notice.

Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Orkney Islands Council

Council Offices, School Place

Kirkwall

KW15 1NY

Contact

Rosemary Colsell

Email

rosemary.colsell@orkney.gov.uk

Telephone

+44 01856873535

Fax

+44 01856876158

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKM65 - Orkney Islands

Internet address(es)

Main address

http://www.orkney.gov.uk

Buyer's address

https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00369

one.3) Communication

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via

www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk

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

www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Regional or local authority

one.5) Main activity

General public services


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Provision of Nursery Operator Services

Reference number

OIC/PROC/1806

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 80110000 - Pre-school education services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Orkney Islands Council seeks submissions from providers / concessionaires who are interested in providing up to 51 places for children aged 0-5 years old, within a newbuild Council owned purpose built nursery setting.

0-5 childcare

two.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: £6,452,367

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 85312110 - Child daycare services
  • 80110000 - Pre-school education services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKM65 - Orkney Islands
Main site or place of performance

Kirkwall

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Orkney currently has no private or third sector nursery provider. The council has been running a small temporary day care service for children aged 0-3 since August 2021 in an effort to meet the childcare needs of working families.

In June 2020, Orkney Islands Council agreed to build a new 51 place 0-5 nursery provision next UHI Orkney in Kirkwall. It was agreed that the running of this provision would be tendered, creating a new opportunity for an interested operator. With the building project entering the next phase, with an anticipated completion of the end of March 2025, the newly built nursery will be, fit for purpose, high quality, and have impactful learning environments. The new service will replace an emergency childcare provision for children aged 0-3 operated by the council out of temporary premises. The provider will deliver the service in the setting and will provide childcare for children aged 0-5 with the option of being in partnership with the Local Authority to provide funded early learning and childcare for eligible children aged 2-5.

The services will be registered with the Care Inspectorate as day care of children services.

The contract will be a concession contract for a period of four (4) years with the option of four one-year extensions.

two.2.6) Estimated value

Value excluding VAT: £6,452,367

two.2.7) Duration of the contract or the framework agreement

Duration in months

96

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

The contract will be for an initial 4 yr term with 4 x 12 months extensions available at the sole discretion of the Authority. The estimated value has been updated from original estimate in the Prior Information Notice and now based on existing level of fees for the Authority’s interim nursery, however it will be up to individual bidders to decide on fees to be charged upon successful award.


Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information

three.1) Conditions for participation

three.1.4) Objective rules and criteria for participation

List and brief description of rules and criteria

Bidders are required to be suitably qualified and experienced to operate the nursery provision as described in this notice and in the subsequent tender documentation to be release following the selection process as detailed in the SPD.

three.2) Conditions related to the contract

three.2.1) Information about a particular profession

Execution of the service is reserved to a particular profession

Reference to the relevant law, regulation or administrative provision

Registration requirements as required by the Care Inspectorate and Scottish Social Services Council requirements for Practitioners for Day Care for Children.

three.2.2) Contract performance conditions

To be detailed in the tender documentation

three.2.3) Information about staff responsible for the performance of the contract

Obligation to indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff assigned to performing the contract


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Form of procedure

Restricted procedure

four.1.11) Main features of the award procedure

To be detailed in the tender documentation.

four.2) Administrative information

four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure

Notice number: 2024/S 000-015691

four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

Originally published as:

Date

17 January 2025

Local time

12:00pm

Changed to:

Date

24 January 2025

Local time

12:00pm

See the change notice.

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

English


Section six. Complementary information

six.2) Information about electronic workflows

Electronic ordering will be used

Electronic invoicing will be accepted

Electronic payment will be used

six.3) Additional information

Orkney Islands Council reserves the right to cancel the procurement at any stage and not award a Contract, the expenditure, work or effort undertaken by bidders prior to the award of any Contract is accordingly a matter solely for the commercial judgement of bidders. Late tenders will not be considered by the Council and all questions are to be submitted via the Questions and Answers section of this contract advertisement on PCS, An economic operator that suffers, or risks suffering, loss or damage attributable to a breach of duty under the Concession Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2016 may bring proceedings in the Sheriff Court or Court of Session.

NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=784863.

The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx.

Suppliers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last minute problems.

The Contracting Authority does not intend to include a sub-contract clause as part of community benefits (as per Section 25 of the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014) in this contract for the following reason:

This service is not suitable for sub-contracting as a main service operator required

Community benefits are included in this requirement. For more information see: https://www.gov.scot/policies/public-sector-procurement/community-benefits-in-procurement/

A summary of the expected community benefits has been provided as follows:

A summary of the expected community benefits will include but not be limited to the following;

a) Additional services to be provided to children and their parents / carers

b) Partnership working with Orkney College

c) Providing apprenticeships, supervised work placements and work experience opportunities where appropriate

d) Providing parent groups or activities to improve parents / carers experiences

e) Intergenerational working

(SC Ref:784863)

Download the ESPD document here: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/ESPD/ESPD_Download.aspx?id=784863

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Kirkwall Sheriff Court

Watergate

Kirkwall

KW15 1DP

Email

kirkwall@scotcourts.gov.uk

Telephone

+44 1856872110

Country

United Kingdom

Internet address

http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk

six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures

Kirkwall Sheriff Court

Watergate

Kirkwall

KW15 1DP

Email

kirkwall@scotcourts.gov.uk

Telephone

+44 1856872110

Country

United Kingdom

Internet address

http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk

six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained

Kirkwall Sheriff Court

Watergate

Kirkwall

KW15 1DP

Email

kirkwall@scotcourts.gov.uk

Telephone

+44 1856872110

Country

United Kingdom

Internet address

http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk