Tunbridge Wells Borough Council: Collective Energy Switching Scheme

UK-Royal Tunbridge Wells: IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support.

Section I: Contracting Authority
   I.1)Name, Addresses and Contact Point(s):
      Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
      Town Hall, Royal Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1RS, United Kingdom
      Email: louise.woollen@tunbridgewells.gov.uk, URL: www.tunbridgewells.gov.uk
      Attn: Louise Woollen
      Electronic Access URL: www.delta-esourcing.com
      Electronic Submission URL: www.delta-esourcing.com

      Further information can be obtained at: As Above       
      Specifications and additional documents: As Above       
      Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to: As Above       
   
   I.2)Type of the contracting authority:
      Regional or local authority

   I.3) Main activity:
      General Public Services
      Environment
      Housing and community amenities
      Recreation, culture and religion

   I.4) Contract award on behalf of other contracting authorities:
      The contracting authority is purchasing on behalf of other contracting authorities: Yes

Section II: Object Of The Contract: SERVICES
   II.1)Description
      II.1.1)Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority: Collective Energy Switching Scheme
      II.1.2)Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance: SERVICES         
         Service Category: 7

         Region Codes: UKJ4 - Kent         
      II.1.3) Information about a public contract, a framework or a dynamic purchasing system:The notice involves a public contract                                                       
      
      II.1.5)Short description of the contract or purchase:
      IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support. Marketing services. Electronic auction services. The Local Authorities named below (the Participating Councils) have agreed that Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (the Council) shall act as the lead authority to act on behalf of the Participating Councils to jointly procure a suitably qualified intermediary to establish a collective energy switching scheme for their combined area. The joint aim of the Participating Councils is to run a local collective switching scheme to enable their residents to access a better deal on their energy bills, and make provision for vulnerable consumers within the scheme. The Council is seeking to appoint (on behalf of the Participating Councils) a service provider to deliver an IT based solution to run a collective energy switching scheme. This will include undertaking engagement with energy suppliers to run (reverse) auctions on behalf of the residents of the Participating Councils (including those residents using pre-paid meter cards and in affordable and/or social housing). However, the scheme should not exclude residents outside those administrative areas. The solution shall include:
1. Project management support for the lead authority;
2. A website to enable online registrations for the scheme;
3. Implementation of a paper based process for residents without access to the internet;
4. Robust data security measures to protect resident’s data;
5. A helpdesk service for residents’ queries regarding the auction;
6. Standardised marketing materials and communications support;
7. Training and and guidance to each Participating Council’s staff;
8. Energy supplier negotiation, communicating the results of the reverse auction and other associated administrative functions.
The intention is to initiate the first scheme at the start of March 2013 (in order to maximise the potential benefit to communities).
The Participating Councils are:
Dartford Borough Council
Dover District Council
Gravesham Borough Council
Tunbridge and Wells Borough Council
         
      II.1.6)Common Procurement Vocabulary:
         72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support.
         
         79342000 - Marketing services.
         
         79342410 - Electronic auction services.
         

      II.1.7) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA):
         The contract is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA): No       
      II.1.8)Lots:
         This contract is divided into lots: No
      II.1.9)Information about variants:
         Variants will be accepted: No    
   
   II.2)Quantity Or Scope Of The Contract
      II.2.1)Total quantity or scope:
      See paragraph 2 of the Additional Information set out in section VI.3 below.      
      
      II.2.2)Options: No          
         II.2.3)Information about renewals:
            This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
                  
         Number of possible renewals: 1
                           
      If known, in the case of renewable supplies or service contracts, estimated time-frame for subsequent contracts:
         Duration in months: 12
         
   II.3)Duration Of The Contract Or Time-Limit For Completion      
         Duration in months: 12 (from the award of the contract)

   Information About Lots
               
Section III: Legal, Economic, Financial And Technical Information
   III.1)Conditions relating to the contract
      III.1.1)Deposits and guarantees required:
      The Council reserves the right to request deposits, guarantees or other forms of security. Further details will be provided in the tender documents.
      
      III.1.2)Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them:
      The main financing conditions and payment arrangements will be set out in the tender documents.
      
      III.1.3)Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded:
      Requests to participate may be submitted by a single candidate or a grouping of economic operators (consortia). In the event of a successful consortium bid, the Council may specify that the consortium takes a particular legal form and/or require that a single consortium member takes primary liability or that each member contracts on the basis of joint and several liability irrespective of the legal form accepted. Where a subsidiary is used, the ultimate parent company may be required to provide a guarantee in respect of the performance of the contract by the subsidiary.
      
      III.1.4)Other particular conditions:
         The performance of the contract is subject to particular conditions: Not Provided      
   III.2)Conditions For Participation
      III.2.1)Personal situation of economic operators, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers:

      Please refer to tender documents for requirements.      
      III.2.2)Economic and financial capacity
         Economic and financial capacity - means of proof required:         
         
         Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if requirements are met:
         See tender documents for requirements.
In accordance with Article 47 of Directive 2004/18/EC and Regulation 24 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (as amended).

An independent financial check will be undertaken to determine the financial stability of candidates.         
         Minimum Level(s) of standards possibly required:
         See tender documents for required minimum levels of Public Liability and Employers Liability Insurance Cover.
      
      III.2.3)Technical capacity
         Technical capacity - means of proof required         
         (j) an indication of the proportion of the contract which the services provider intends possibly to subcontract;
         
         Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if requirements are met:
         In accordance with Articles 48 to 50 of Directive 2004/18/EC and Regulation 25 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (as amended).      
      III.2.4)Information about reserved contracts: Not Provided   
   III.3)Conditions Specific To Service Contracts
      III.3.1)Information about a particular profession:
         Execution of the service is reserved to a particular profession: Not Provided      
      III.3.2)Staff responsible for the execution of the service:
         Legal persons should indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff responsible for the execution of the service: Not Provided
Section IV: Procedure
   IV.1)Type Of Procedure
      IV.1.1)Type of procedure: Open
   
   IV.2)Award Criteria
      IV.2.1)Award criteria:      
         The most economically advantageous tender in terms of
            The criteria stated in the specifications, in the invitation to tender or to negotiate or in the descriptive document

      IV.2.2)Information about electronic auction:
         An electronic auction will be used: No       

   IV.3)Administrative Information
      IV.3.1)File reference number attributed by the contracting authority: Not Provided      
      IV.3.2)Previous publication(s) concerning the same contract: No

      IV.3.3)Conditions for obtaining specifications and additional documents or descriptive document:


         Not Provided      
      
      IV.3.4)Time-limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
         Date: 25/02/2013
         Time: 15:00      
      IV.3.6)Language(s) in which tenders or requests to participate may be drawn up:         English
         
      IV.3.7)Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
         Duration in days: 90
      
      IV.3.8)Conditions for opening tenders
         Date: 25/02/2013
         Time: 16:00
         Place:
         Committee Room C, Town Hall , Royal Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1RS
         Persons authorised to be present at the opening of tenders: No


Section VI: Complementary Information

   VI.1)This Is A Recurrent Procurement: Not Provided
   VI.2)Information about European Union funds:
      The contract is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No       
   VI.3)Additional Information: 1. (1) This contract opportunity is akin to a public services concession contract and, as such, the publication of a contract notice in respect of this opportunity is being undertaken by the Council (on behalf of the Participating Councils) on a voluntary basis.
(2) Moreover, as public services concession contracts are expressly excluded from the scope of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (as amended), the Council(s) do not consider themselves bound by those Regulations in any way.
(3) Any references to the EC Directive 2004/18/EC or the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (as amended) in this contract notice, or any other tender document(s) should be read with the above in mind.
(4) While the Council(s) are basing this tender process on the open procedure provided for in the Regulations, they do not consider themselves bound by the provisions regarding that procedure and reserve the right to depart from the open procedure as provided for in the Regulations at any time.
(5) In particular, the Council, entirely at its discretion, reserves the right to negotiate (for and on behalf of the Participating Councils) with the short listed bidders.
2. (1) The appointed service provider will be remunerated on a per-switcher commission basis.
(2) The level of commission is for the appointed service provider to determine with the energy suppliers. The contract value is indeterminate given that it will depend on the deal reached with energy suppliers for each scheme and the number of switchers over the life of the contract. The Council(s) offer no guarantee or assurance of any kind that any particular value will be achieved and/or maintained.
(3) The appointed service provider will share a level of the commission it receives with the Council. The level of commission to be shared with the Council will form the basis of the financial evaluation during the tender stage.
3. The BIP Solutions e-Source system will be used to facilitate this tender process. The Invitation to Tender and associated documents can be obtained from www.delta-esourcing.com

1. Go to the Home Page
2. Select Login/Register
3. Select Register as Supplier
4. Enter Personal Contact Details
5. Enter Organisation Details
6. Enter Access Code 666M77Y6YG in the appropriate box
7. Enter verification code (As displayed)
8. Tick Terms and Conditions
9. Press Signup
10. Go to Step Three - Confirmation
11. Open the tender box ‘Collective Energy Switching Scheme’ and upload the documents to your own IT system.

All communications should be made via this system.

Supplier registration is free of charge. If you experience problems, then please contact the Delta helpdesk via email: helpdesk@delta-esourcing.com or call 0845 270 7050 for further assistance.

5. Candidates are advised that the Council(s) are subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 ('the Act'). If a candidate considers that any of the information supplied as part of this procurement procedure should not be disclosed because of its commercial sensitivity, confidentiality or otherwise, they must, when providing this information, clearly identify the specific information they do not wish to be disclosed and clearly specify the reasons for its sensitivity. The Council(s) will take such statements into consideration in the event that it/they receive a request pursuant to the Act which relates to the information provided by the interested party.; Please note that it is not sufficient to include a statement of confidentiality encompassing all the information provided in the response.
6. The Council(s) shall not be responsible for any costs, charges or expenses incurred by the candidates or tenderers and accepts no liability for any costs, charges or expenses, irrespective of the outcome of the competition, or if the competition is cancelled or postponed.
7. The Council reserves the right to change any date(s) or time period(s) specified in this notice.
8. The Council reserves the right not to award any or part of this contract.
To view this notice, please click here:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/delta/respondToList.html?noticeId=47669433
GO-2013115-PRO-4516053 TKR-2013115-PRO-4516052
   
   VI.4)Procedures For Appeal
      VI.4.1)Body responsible for appeal procedures:
      Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
      Town Hall, Royal Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1RS, United Kingdom
      Tel. +44 1892526121

      VI.4.2)Lodging of appeals: The Council will incorporate a voluntary standstill period at the point information on the contract is communicated to tenderers based on Regulation 32A of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (as amended). The Council will do so of its own preference and in the interests of transparency, but does not consider itself bound by those Regulations in any way.   
   
      VI.4.3)Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained:
            Not Provided

   VI.5) Date Of Dispatch Of This Notice: 15/01/2013

ANNEX A

   IV) Address of the other contracting authority on behalf of which the contracting authority is purchasing
      Purchased on behalf of other contracting authority details:
         1: Contracting Authority
      Dover District Council
      Council Offices, White Cliffs Business Park, Whitfield, Dover, CT16 3PJ, United Kingdom

   IV) Address of the other contracting authority on behalf of which the contracting authority is purchasing
      Purchased on behalf of other contracting authority details:
         2: Contracting Authority
      Gravesham Borough Council
      Civic Centre, Windmill Street, Gravesend, DA12 1AU, United Kingdom

   IV) Address of the other contracting authority on behalf of which the contracting authority is purchasing
      Purchased on behalf of other contracting authority details:
         3: Contracting Authority
      Dartford Borough Council
      Civic Centre, Home Gardens, Dartford, DA1 1DR, United Kingdom