Homes and Communities Agency: Post Sales Agent Service

UK-London: Financial and insurance services.

Section I: Contracting Authority
   I.1)Name, Addresses and Contact Point(s):
      Homes and Communities Agency
      7th Floor Maple House, 149 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1T 7BN, United Kingdom
      Tel. +44 3001234500, Email: PSAservice@hca.gsi.gov.uk, URL: www.homesandcommunities.co.uk
      Attn: Andy Nelson, Team Leader, Provider Management

      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:
      National or federal agency/office

   I.3) Main activity:
      Housing and community amenities

   I.4) Contract award on behalf of other contracting authorities:
      The contracting authority is purchasing on behalf of other contracting authorities: No

Section II: Object Of The Contract: SERVICES
   II.1)Description
      II.1.1)Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority: Post Sales Agent Service
      II.1.2)Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance: SERVICES         
         Service Category: 6
         
      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:
      Financial and insurance services. Database services. Administration services. Administrative services of agencies. Administrative housing services. The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

The HCA is seeking to appoint a Post Sales Agent to undertake post sales administration services in order to manage a growing portfolio of equity-loan interests secured on homes across England.

The HCA intend to appoint a single Post Sales Agent (PSA) to provide these services for to an initial two (2) year contract term starting from, or close to, April 2014, with the option to extend for one or more further periods, up to a maximum of three (3) further years at the HCA’s discretion.

The PSA will be required to deliver a range of post-sales administration and transaction services on behalf of the HCA acting as a virtual ‘one-stop shop’, dealing with all post-sales enquiries from homeowners and house builders with a legal interest in homes funded via HCA equity loan products, and administrating post sales transactions including partial and full equity loan redemptions, and collecting loan repayments and fees.

The Core Services to be delivered by the PSA include, but are not limited to:

i)   Post Sales enquiry handling
Act as a single point of advice and guidance for homeowners and house builders with a legal interest in homes funded via HCA equity loan products:
-   Operate a dedicated customer telephone helpline, Mon–Fri, 9am-5pm;
-   Offer a dedicated customer enquiry email box;
-   Offer information and guidance to owners of homes funded by HCA equity loan products including those funded by legacy equity loan products, current or new products administered by HCA;
-   Resolve enquires by advising customers, directing them on to relevant transaction processes or signposting to partner services as relevant.

ii)   Website
Operate and maintain a national PSA website as a single point of post sales information for homeowners and house builders with a legal interest in homes funded by HCA equity loan products:
-   Operate a dedicated website under a HCA-owned domain and prescribed ‘Help to Buy’ branding;
-   Provide up-to-date content on HCA equity loan products and post–sales services;
-   ¬Provide on-line guidance, enquiry-handling and redemption application processing facilities;
-   Provide links to HCA and partner sites and other relevant services as directed by HCA.

iii)   Customer Database
Maintain a comprehensive and secure electronic database of homes funded via HCA equity loan products, the respective equity loan interests and fee collection data:
-   Process owner/ property records within 5 days of receiving an electronic return from the relevant Help to Buy Agent;
-   Provide accurate data collection, validation and reporting infrastructure;
-   Provide monthly monitoring reports to HCA on the equity loan portfolio, owners, locations, entitlements, fee collection, debt and other matters relevant to its interests;
-   Provide monthly updates of data from the PSA’s database for uploading to HCAs own systems;
-   Process and reconcile reports between PSA and Help to Buy Agent data to resolve discrepancies and ensure data accuracy.

iv)   Loan Fee Collection
Promptly collect loan fees due from owners of homes funded via HCA equity loan products in accordance with the equity loan mortgage product terms:
-   Issue accurate annual fee statements;
-   Issue accurate and timely liability letters and fee demands after 12 months of sale and annually thereafter;
-   Administer monthly or annual collection of fees when they become payable (this varies by product - see MOI for further details);
-   Set up accurate monthly debit repayment arrangements with homeowners where applicable;
-   Issue monthly fee reports to HCA and house builders with an equity interest; (inc. reconciliation of cash received/ fees accrued );
-   Collect fees and accurately apportion receipts into HCA and house builder’s accounts;
-   Issue arrears letters and undertake arrears chasing prescribed by HCA.

v)   Redemptions and Repayment Collection
Administer all partial and full equity loan redemptions on homes funded via HCA equity loan products and collect repayments:
-   Issue instructions and documentation to owner/ solicitors 5 days after full or partial redemption request;
-   Confirm repayment and necessary modification to mortgages with owner’s solicitor (subject to mortgage valuation);
-   Issue relevant legal forms to the homeowners solicitor subject to a solicitors undertaking to repay;
-   Provide accurate transaction processing and record keeping;
-   Collect repayments and accurately apportion receipts into HCA and house builder accounts;
-   Liaise with HCA and house builders to obtain sign-off of legal papers.

vi   Other Post Sales Administration
Perform other defined transaction services and arrears collection on behalf of the HCA:
-   Administer subletting and home improvement consents, temporary charge postponements, change of name, lease extension and other prescribed items, chargeable to homeowners at fees prescribed by HCA;
-   Undertake additional arrears action required subject to agreement with HCA.

vii   Service Administration
Maintain an effective service for HCA and stakeholders:
-   Provide regular monitoring returns to HCA including monthly updates of data from the PSA’s database for uploading to HCA’s own systems;
-   Respond to ad-hoc HCA information and data requests;
-   Maintain home owner and house builder and relationships;
-   Operate a formal managed complaints procedure;
-   Adhere to data protection requirements;
-   Adhere to all relevant consumer credit requirements in relation to the regulated aspects of the portfolio;
-   Work with the HCA’s network of Help to Buy Agents to ensure data validity.

The PSA will provide these services nationally to support administration of an equity loan portfolio secured on homes across England. The portfolio includes equity loan interests funded by legacy HCA equity loan products (including equity interests of HCA and of partner house builders) and those funded or to be funded via HCA’s current equity loan product ‘Help to Buy – Equity Loan’, or new similar products in the service period (including ‘Help to Buy- Equity Loan interests funded by HCA in London, under delegation from the Greater London Authority).
The HCA’s equity loan portfolio currently comprises equity loans secured on circa 32,000 homes and, further to launch of the Government’s ‘Help to Buy: Equity Loan’ product in 2013, is forecast to increase significantly up to an estimated 99,000 homes by 31/3/2016.

Please refer to the MOI for further details.
         
      II.1.6)Common Procurement Vocabulary:
         66000000 - Financial and insurance services.
         
         72320000 - Database services.
         
         75100000 - Administration services.
         
         75120000 - Administrative services of agencies.
         
         75123000 - Administrative housing services.
         

      II.1.7) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA):
         The contract is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA): Yes       
      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:
      The contract with the appointed Post Sales Agent will run for an initial period of two (2) years with the option to extend for one or more further periods, up to a maximum of three (3) further years. The decision to award an extension and the length of any such extension shall be at the HCA’s sole discretion.

The Minimum estimated contract value is cumulative for the initial two (2) year contract term, based on the volume of HCA’s current equity loan portfolio and estimated growth up to 31 March 2016.

The Maximum estimated contract value is cumulative for the maximum (5) year contract term, based on the volume of HCA’s current equity loan portfolio and estimated growth up to 31 March 2016 and notional maximum estimates for growth in years three (3) to five (5).

Applicants should note that forecast equity loan portfolio volumes up to 31 March 2016 are based on delivery forecasts within current HCA funding programmes and associated budgets. There are no HCA equity loan funding programmes or associated budgets yet in place beyond 31 March 2016. There is no guarantee of any new equity loan products being delivered by HCA and adding to the portfolio of its interests, beyond 01 April 2016.

For avoidance of doubt the HCA does not warrant any of the indicative contract values or service volumes set out in this contract notice. Organisations invited to tender will be required to undertake their own due diligence in these matters and HCA shall have no liability to any applicant or bidder where actual volumes differ from forecast estimates.                  
         Estimated value excluding VAT:
         Range between: 1,600,000 and 9,800,000
         Currency: GBP
               
      
      II.2.2)Options: Not Provided         
         II.2.3)Information about renewals:
            This contract is subject to renewal: Not Provided         
   II.3)Duration Of The Contract Or Time-Limit For Completion      
         Duration in months: 60 (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:
      Refer to tender documentation
      
      III.1.2)Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them:
      Applicants invited to tender will be expected to propose a Standard Fee (for delivery of Core services excluding defined transactions) and a Transaction Fee (for each partial or full redemption of an HCA equity loan), both to be fixed for the initial 2 (two) year contract term.
The Standard Fee will be paid quarterly in arrears. Transaction Fees (eligible upon completion of each HCA equity loan redemption) will be paid quarterly in arrears.

See MOI for further details of the Fee Structure and Payment Terms.
      
      III.1.3)Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded:
      Joint and several liability. The HCA reserves the right to require a consortium bidder to set up a single legal entity if awarded the contract.
      
      III.1.4)Other particular conditions:
         The performance of the contract is subject to particular conditions: No       
   III.2)Conditions For Participation
      III.2.1)Personal situation of economic operators, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers:

      Applicants will be asked to confirm in a pre-qualification questionnaire that none of the conditions set down in article 45 of EC Directive 2004/18/EC apply to their organisation or expression of interest      
      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:
         Refer to PQQ and MOI
      
      III.2.3)Technical capacity
         Technical capacity - means of proof required         
         
         Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if requirements are met:
         Refer to PQQ and MOI      
      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: No       
      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: No
Section IV: Procedure
   IV.1)Type Of Procedure
      IV.1.1)Type of procedure: Restricted
      
      IV.1.2)Limitations on the number of operators who will be invited to tender or to participate:
                        Envisaged minimum number: 5 and maximum number: 8         
         Objective Criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates:
         Refer to PQQ and MOI   
   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: HCAE14079      
      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: 10/01/2014
         Time: 13:00      
      IV.3.5)Date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates: Not Provided      
      IV.3.6)Language(s) in which tenders or requests to participate may be drawn up:         English
         


Section VI: Complementary Information

   VI.1)This Is A Recurrent Procurement: No
   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: All discussions, meetings and communications will be conducted in English.
The contract will be subject to English law. Tenders and all supporting documents must be priced in
GBP and all payments under the contract will be made in GBP.

Minimum of estimated contract value range is cumulative based on the initial two (2) year contract term

Maximum of estimated contract value range is cumulative based on the maximum five (5) year contract term, subject to extensions at the HCAs absolute discretion after year two (2)

The HCA will be the contracting authority for all PSA services.

In order to maintain service levels and facilitate transition of services the HCA reserves the right to amend the procurement timescales and commencement date of the service contract with the successful applicant at its absolute disretion.

The HCA does not warrant any of the indicative contract values or service volumes set out in this contract notice. Organisations invited to tender will be required to undertake their own due diligence in these matters and HCA shall have no liability to any applicant or bidder where actual service volumes differ from forecast estimates.

The HCA will not be bound to award a contract or contracts and may cancel the procurement at any point. Applicants are responsible for their own costs and participate in this procurement entirely at their own risk. The HCA shall have no liability whatsoever to any applicant or bidder in the event that it elects to abandon this procurement process without making a contract award, to award a contract for part of the service only or amend its requirements.

This procurement and award is subject to the transparency arrangements being adopted by the UK Government. These arrangements include the publication of tender documentation issued by the HCA and the contract between the HCA and supplier. Bidders should highlight any areas they consider commercially sensitive in order for the HCA to be able to honour our transparency obligations without undermining the bidder’s commercial interests.

Candidates are advised that the HCA is 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, confidential 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 HCA shall take such statements into consideration in the event that it receives a request pursuant to the Act which relates to the information provided by the interested party. Please note, it is insufficient to include a statement of confidentiality encompassing all the information provided in the response.

The HCA takes a zero-tolerance approach to bribery and corruption and sets high standards of impartiality, integrity and objectivity in relation to the stewardship of public funds and the management of its activities. The principles contained within this policy apply to both internal and external audiences, including anyone wishing to undertake business or engage with the HCA. Please refer to our Anti-bribery and Corruption Policy by visiting http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/ethical-policies for further information.

All dates included in this notice are provisional and potentially subject to revision.
To view this notice, please click here:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=81230036
GO-20131127-PRO-5294773 TKR-20131127-PRO-5294772
   
   VI.4)Procedures For Appeal
      VI.4.1)Body responsible for appeal procedures:
      Homes and Communities Agency
      St Georges House, Kingsway, Team Valley Trading Estate, Gateshead, NE11 0NA, United Kingdom
      Tel. +44 3001234500

      Body responsible for mediation procedures:
               Homes and Communities Agency
         St Georges House, Kingsway, Team Valley Trading Estate, Gateshead, NE11 0NA, United Kingdom
         Tel. +44 3001234500

      VI.4.2)Lodging of appeals: Not Provided   
   
      VI.4.3)Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained:
            Homes and Communities Agency
      St Georges House, Kingsway, Team Valley Trading Estate, Gateshead, NE11 0NA, United Kingdom
      Tel. +44 3001234500

   VI.5) Date Of Dispatch Of This Notice: 27/11/2013

ANNEX A