Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
DAERA
17 Antrim Road
BELFAST
BT28 3AL
ssdadmin.cpd@finance-ni.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
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 - 5674464 DAERA - NIEA - REFRIGERATED AUTOSAMPLING UNITS CHEMICAL HIGH RESOLUTION MONITORING LOUGH NEAGH
Reference number
5674464
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 77800000 - Aquaculture services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) published its Lough Neagh Action Plan in July 2024 and is planning to undertake a programme of high-resolution water quality sampling and analysis in Lough Neagh and its tributaries, fully co-ordinated with statutory (Water Framework Regulations) related surveillance programmes. This Lough Neagh programme is to include frequency real time water quality monitoring at the six Lough Neagh tributaries to guide the development and validation of new catchment-based models. The data for Lough Neagh and its tributaries will be collated into a single accessible IT enabled platform. When developed this platform should aim to provide near-real time water quality information to stakeholders and be a tool for behavioural change The Supplier must deliver the equipment by 31 March 2025 Please see ID 5674464 – Specification for full details. Due to the urgent nature of this requirement the ‘Accelerated Open’ procedure has been chosen in accordance with Regulation 27 (5) of the Public Contracts Regulations (as amended) which states “Where a state of urgency duly substantiated by the contracting authority renders impracticable the time limit laid down in paragraph (2), it may fix a time limit which shall be not less than 15 days from the date on which the contract notice is sent”
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £140,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 32441000 - Telemetry equipment
- 35125100 - Sensors
- 38000000 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
- 90700000 - Environmental services
- 90732920 - Phosphates pollution assessment
- 90740000 - Pollutants tracking and monitoring and rehabilitation services
- 90732900 - Nitrates and phosphates pollution assessment
- 77800000 - Aquaculture services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKN0 - Northern Ireland
- UKN - Northern Ireland
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) published its Lough Neagh Action Plan in July 2024 and is planning to undertake a programme of high-resolution water quality sampling and analysis in Lough Neagh and its tributaries, fully co-ordinated with statutory (Water Framework Regulations) related surveillance programmes. This Lough Neagh programme is to include frequency real time water quality monitoring at the six Lough Neagh tributaries to guide the development and validation of new catchment-based models. The data for Lough Neagh and its tributaries will be collated into a single accessible IT enabled platform. When developed this platform should aim to provide near-real time water quality information to stakeholders and be a tool for behavioural change The Supplier must deliver the equipment by 31 March 2025 Please see ID 5674464 – Specification for full details. Due to the urgent nature of this requirement the ‘Accelerated Open’ procedure has been chosen in accordance with Regulation 27 (5) of the Public Contracts Regulations (as amended) which states “Where a state of urgency duly substantiated by the contracting authority renders impracticable the time limit laid down in paragraph (2), it may fix a time limit which shall be not less than 15 days from the date on which the contract notice is sent”
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: AC1 Compliance with the Specification Schedule / Weighting: 0
Quality criterion - Name: AC2 Provision of a Technical Brochure and/or Supporting Technical Documentation / Weighting: 0
Quality criterion - Name: AC3 Supply and Quality Control / Weighting: 10
Cost criterion - Name: AC4 - Total Contract Price / Weighting: 90
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £140,000
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
There is the option to extend for 4 optional years (Years 2-5) for support and maintenance.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
Following the initial contract period, there are 4 options to extend for 1 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
The figure indicated in Section II 1.5 represents an estimated contract value. This value reflects the potential scale of the contract and takes into account potential optional extension periods and the uptake of potential optional services as detailed in the tender documents. Neither CPD nor the Authority can provide any guarantee as to the level of business under this contract. The Contracting Authority does not bind itself to accept the lowest or any tender. Economic Operators remain responsible for all costs and expenses incurred by them or by any third party acting under instructions from the Economic Operator in connection with taking part in this procurement process regardless of whether such costs arise as a consequence, directly or indirectly of any amendments made to the procurement documents by the Contracting Authority at any time. No legally binding contract shall arise (and an Economic Operator shall. have no legitimate expectation that a contract will be entered into) until such time as entry into the Contract has been confirmed by the. Contracting Authority. Economic Operators should note that all dates, time periods and figures in relation to values and volumes specified. in this notice and the procurement documents are approximate only and the Contracting Authority reserves the right to change any or all of them.
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
Candidates will be assessed in accordance with Regulation 58 of the Public Contract Regulations 2015 as set out in the Information Memorandum. A selection process will also be used to identify economic operators, who having submitted a response to the Selection Questionnaire, sufficiently demonstrate to the Department’s satisfaction the appropriate technical and professional ability, economic, financial and legal standing to meet the requirements of the contract.
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
List and brief description of selection criteria
As per tender documentation
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
Accelerated procedure
Justification:
This competition is being managed in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended) and run using the Accelerated Open procedure. This is due to the urgent nature and the overarching AFBI project which is expected to commence 2025. The aim of selecting this procedure is to ensure the items are delivered before the end of the financial year to allow the AFBI Lough Neagh project to commence.
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
13 January 2025
Local time
3:00pm
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: 13 April 2025
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
13 January 2025
Local time
3:30pm
Place
Only CPD Procurement Staff with access to the project on eTendersNI.
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
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
The successful contractor’s performance on the contract will be regularly monitored in line with the tender documentation. Contractors not delivering on contract requirements is a serious matter. It means the public purse is not getting what it is paying for. If a contractor fails 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 Contractor 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.
Belfast
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
CPD will comply with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and, where appropriate, will incorporate a standstill period (i.e. a minimum of 10 calendar days) at the point information on the award of contract is communicated to tenderers. That notification will provide full information on the award decision. This provides time for the unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the contract is entered into.