HMRC: HMRC Customer Communication Services

UK-Manchester: Printed matter and related products.
Section I: Contracting Authority
      I.1) Name and addresses
             HM Revenue & Customs
             5th Floor West, Ralli Quays, 3 Stanley Street, Salford, Manchester, M60 9LA, United Kingdom
             Tel. +44 07469023302, Email: thomas.atkins@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
             Contact: Thomas Atkins
             Main Address: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs
             NUTS Code: UK
      I.2) Joint procurement
      The contract involves joint procurement: No.
      In the case of joint procurement involving different countries, state applicable national procurement law: Not provided       
      The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body: No.
      I.3) Communication
      Access to the procurement documents is restricted. Further information can be obtained at: https://service.ariba.com/Register.aw/128421034/aw?awh=r&awssk=JdJpZbxF&dard=1
      Additional information can be obtained from: the abovementioned address
      Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to the abovementioned address       
      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: Not provided
      I.4) Type of the contracting authority
            Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions
      I.5) Main activity
            Other activity:

Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
      II.1.1) Title: HMRC Customer Communication Services       
      Reference Number: 16-SCR-1337
      II.1.2) Main CPV Code:
      22000000 - Printed matter and related products.
      TA24-1 - For security printed matter
      BC11-4 - Printed
      UB04-3 - Printed matter
      FG06-7 - For printing

      II.1.3) Type of contract: SERVICES
      II.1.4) Short description: HMRC’s objectives are to maximise revenues, improve customer experience and reduce costs in a sustainable way. Our strategy is based on understanding our customers, so we can deliver services tailored to their needs and positively influence their behaviour. HMRC’s digital strategy will help us meet our objectives and specifically states: “The drive to Digital by Default will significantly reduce both the volume of paper produced and sent to customers by mail and the amount coming in to HMRC. HMRC currently issues in the region of 185 million letters (c. 500 million A4 images).

HMRC is looking to procure a Customer Communication service that will allow the department to continue to send paper output but that also enables the move towards full multi-channel communication, ultimately reducing the volume of paper that the department issues.       
      II.1.5) Estimated total value:
      Value excluding VAT: 95,000,000       
      Currency: GBP
      II.1.6) Information about lots:
      This contract is divided into lots: No       
   
II.2) Description
      
      II.2.2) Additional CPV codes:
      22000000 - Printed matter and related products.
      
      II.2.3) Place of performance:
      UK UNITED KINGDOM
      
      II.2.4) Description of procurement: HMRC’s Customer Communication requirements are split into three distinct categories and HMRC is seeking to aggregate all of them under one services agreement:

Document Design, Composition and Control. HMRC currently owns the design of documents in-house within its Digital Services team and has a desire to eventually take ownership of all composition activity (composition for bulk printing is currently performed by a third party supplier) and channel control services. The solution will need to allow us to streamline the processes, so that form / letter creation and change is materially quicker and cheaper and allows us to create outputs capable of delivery to customers through the channel of HMRC’s choice based on customer preferences. This includes, where required, print-ready files to send to production.

Central Print Service. This is the default service for c39k users who create outputs on their desktops and moves the printing from their local office printers to a centralised print and despatch facility and generates in the region of 13 million letters per year (20m images) including enclosure of mail and sorting for presentation in general to Down Stream Access mail distribution. The contract for Central Print expires in June 2017.

Bulk Print Service. This is the service for print requirements generated out of a number of back end systems and includes enclosure of mail and sorting for presentation to Down Stream Access mail distribution. The current third party contract for Bulk Print expires in June 2017.
For all print services, HMRC requires the utilisation of the lowest cost postal services available for all qualifying mail.

Additional information:
Due to the digitisation programme within HMRC, the volumes of physical paper produced will reduce significantly (up to approximately 75%) through the life time of this parliament i.e. by 2020
The key objectives of this procurement are to:

1.Ensure continuity of high quality print services through the transition to the new contract and through HMRC’s digital transformation journey and the reduction in paper input and output.
2.Optimise the end-to-end document creation and change processes
3.Support the control, storage and management by HMRC of the channel preferences for communication with customers;
4.Ensure value for money / cost effectiveness in the context of declining paper volumes
5.Apply industry best practice and standards in document handling for both physical and digital media;
6.Avoid duplication of tasks in form design and composition activities; and
7.Deliver a solution that integrates easily and effectively with HMRC’s systems.

Staff working on the current service may transfer to the Supplier or its subcontractors under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (SI 2006/246) ("TUPE"), along with the Services. The Authority is prepared to reimburse the Supplier for any necessary redundancy costs in respect of current service employees incurred within 6 months of commencement of the contract, up to a cap. Tenderers are asked to propose a figure for this cap which will be incorporated into the overall bid price put forward by the Tenderer and evaluated accordingly.
      II.2.5) Award criteria:
            Criteria below
            Quality criterion - Name: Supplier Solution / Weighting: 9
            Quality criterion - Name: Transition / Weighting: 9
            Quality criterion - Name: Continuity of Service / Weighting: 9
            Quality criterion - Name: Relationship / Weighting: 7
            Quality criterion - Name: Digital Journey and Innovation / Weighting: 6
            Quality criterion - Name: Exit Management / Weighting: 6
            Quality criterion - Name: Security / Weighting: 4
                        
            Cost criterion - Name: Pricing Model / Weighting: 50
                              
      II.2.6) Estimated value:
      Value excluding VAT: 95,000,000       
      Currency: GBP       
      II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system:
      Duration in months: 36       
      This contract is subject to renewal: Yes       
      Description of renewals: 2 separate annual extension options, each extension can be invoked for up to 12 months.
      
      II.2.10) Information about variants:
      Variants will be accepted: No
      II.2.11) Information about options:
      Options:       No             
      Description of options: Not provided
      II.2.12) Information about electronic catalogues:
      Tenders must be presented in the form of electronic catalogues or include an electronic catalogue: No
      II.2.13) Information about European Union funds:
      The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No       
      Identification of the project: Not provided             
      II.2.14) Additional information: Not provided       


Section III: Legal, Economic, Financial And Technical Information
   III.1) Conditions for participation
      III.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
      List and brief description of conditions:          
      Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents.    
      III.1.2) Economic and financial standing       
      List and brief description of selection criteria:
      As below    
      Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required (if applicable) :       
      In accordance with Regulation 58 of the Public Contract Regulations 2015 Tenderers must have a minimum yearly turnover that equals twice the estimated contract value detailed within the Contract Notice. For the avoidance of doubt that minimum yearly turnover is £45m . Where that turnover is evidenced by a parent company, a guarantee will be required from that parent company.    
      III.1.3) Technical and professional ability
      List and brief description of selection criteria:       
      As below    
      Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required (if applicable) :          
      In accordance with Regulation 58 of the 2015 Public Contract Regulations Tenderers are required to demonstrate their technical and professional ability to deliver the Authority’s requirements by providing up to 3 contract references/examples. Each example must demonstrate the Tenderer’s previous experience in successfully delivering services similar in size and nature to those being tendered by the Authority under this Procurement.
      III.1.5) Information about reserved contracts (if applicable)   
      The contract is reserved to sheltered workshops and economic operators aiming at the social and professional integration of disabled or disadvantaged persons: No       
      The execution of the contract is restricted to the framework of sheltered employment programmes: No    
      
   III.2) Conditions related to the contract
      III.2.1) Information about a particular profession    
      Reference to the relevant law, regulation or administrative provision:          
      Not Provided    
      III.2.2) Contract performance conditions          
      Not Provided          
      III.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: No

Section IV: Procedure
   IV.1) Description
      IV.1.1) Type of procedure: Open   
   
   IV.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system    
         The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement - NO    
         In the case of framework agreements justification for any duration exceeding 4 years: Not Provided    
   
   
   IV.1.6) Information about electronic auction:
      An electronic auction will be used: Yes
      Additional information about electronic auction: HMRC reserves the right to use an electronic auction
   IV.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
      The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No       
   IV.2) Administrative information
      IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure:
         Notice number in the OJ S: 2016/S 80 - 141198       
      IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
       Date: 30/09/2016 Time: 17:00
            
      IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted: English,       
      IV.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender: Not Provided      
      IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders:
         Date: 03/10/2016
         Time: 09:00
      

Section VI: Complementary Information
   VI.1) Information about recurrence
   This is a recurrent procurement: No    
   Estimated timing for further notices to be published: Not provided
   VI.2) Information about electronic workflows
   Electronic ordering will be used Yes       
   Electronic invoicing will be accepted Yes       
   Electronic payment will be used Yes       
   VI.3) Additional Information: The contracting authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement.

HMRC uses its own instance of SAP Ariba Sourcing to facilitate the procurement process and this must be used by economic operators to obtain the procurement documents and bid for the opportunity described in this Contract Notice. (Further information about HMRC’s instance of SAP Ariba, a Suppliers Guide and general information about supplying to HMRC is available on the HMRC website: www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/supplying.htm)

Economic operators who have used HMRC’s instance of SAP Ariba previously will be registered as part of the HMRC Ariba Supplier Network and you should access the system to obtain your organisation’s account ID number. Contact details on the system should be checked and, where necessary, additional users added to help avoid multiple registrations for the same organisation. Previously registered users having difficulty recovering their account ID number or identifying users within their organisation should email for assistance sapariba.hmrcsupport@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk

Economic operators using HMRC’s instance of SAP Ariba for the first time, including suppliers who are already registered on the wider SAP Ariba supplier network, will need to register at http://hmrc.supplier-eu.ariba.com/ad/register/SSOActions?type=full. (You must ensure that you are directed to the registration page for HMRC’s instance of SAP Ariba, identified with the HMRC logo at the top of the page, and to do this you may need to cut and paste the web address directly into your web browser)

As part of the registration process you will receive a system generated email asking you to activate your SAP Ariba supplier account by verifying your email address. Once you have completed the activation process you will receive a further email by return confirming the ‘registration process is now complete’ and providing you with ‘your organisation’s account ID’ number. If an email response from HMRC is not received within one working day of your request, please re-contact sapariba.hmrcsupport@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk (after first checking your spam in-box) notifying non-receipt and confirming when your registration request was first made.

Once you have obtained ‘your organisation’s account ID’ number, please email kully.rana@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk with the following information as confirmation that you wish to express an interest and/or bid for the opportunity described in this Contract Notice.

The contract reference shown in Section II.1.1 of this Contract Notice
Your organisation’s HMRC SAP Ariba account ID: AN
Your organisation’s name:
Your name:
Your email address:
Your telephone number:

Economic operators who have complied with the foregoing will receive an e-mail confirming access to the online questionnaires. If access is not provided to the online questionnaires within one working day, please contact kully.rana@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk (after first checking your spam in-box) notifying non-receipt and confirming when your request for access to the online questionnaires was first made.

Online questionnaires must be fully completed no later than 17.00pm 30th September 2016. Responses not submitted in the required form (or containing the requested information) may be rejected. (When requesting access to the online questionnaires, please notify HMRC if you have any accessibility issues (disabilities) which may prevent you from providing a high quality response using the online format. This will then allow HMRC to agree with you an appropriate format for you to view and respond to the requirements). All communications shall be in English. Tenders, when invited, and all supporting documentation must be priced in Sterling
To view this notice, please click here:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=217438743
   VI.4) Procedures for review
   VI.4.1) Review body:
             HMRC
       5W Ralli Quays, Stanley Street, Manchester, M60 9LA, United Kingdom
   VI.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures:
Not provided
   VI.4.3) Review procedure
   Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:    
    HMRC will incorporate a minimum 10 calendar day standstill period at the time the award of the contract is communicated to tenderers. This period allows unsuccessful tenderers to seek further debriefing from the contracting authority before the contract is entered into. Such additional information should be requested from the address at I.1. Where a contract has not been entered into, the Court may order the setting aside of the award decision or order the Authority to amend any document and may award damages. If the contract has been entered into, the Court may only award damages.    
   VI.4.4) Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained:
Not provided
   VI.5) Date Of Dispatch Of This Notice: 08/09/2016

Annex A