Transport for the North: Account Based Back Office for Travel (ABBOT) Services

UK-Manchester: Automatic fare collection.
Section I: Contracting Authority
      I.1) Name and addresses
             Transport for the North
             2nd Floor, 4 Piccadilly Place, Manchester, M1 3BN, United Kingdom
             Email: ist@transportforthenorth.com
             Contact: All communications must be via the e-sourcing portal: Delta via https://www.delta-esourcing.com/
             Main Address: www.transportforthenorth.com, Address of the buyer profile: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/
             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: http://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Manchester:-Automatic-fare-collection./743Y8R88YT
      Additional information can be obtained from: the abovementioned address
      Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically via http://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Manchester:-Automatic-fare-collection./743Y8R88YT 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: http://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Manchester:-Automatic-fare-collection./743Y8R88YT
      I.4) Type of the contracting authority
            Other type:: Sub-national transport body
      I.5) Main activity
            Other activity:

Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
      II.1.1) Title: Account Based Back Office for Travel (ABBOT) Services       
      Reference Number: Not provided
      II.1.2) Main CPV Code:
      30144400 - Automatic fare collection.

      II.1.3) Type of contract: SERVICES
      II.1.4) Short description: TfN is a sub-national transport body working in partnership with transport operators, local transport authorities (LTAs) and the Department of Transport (DfT) on its Integrated and Smart Travel (IST) Programme to deliver a multi-operator, multi-modal account-based ticketing solution. Central to the programme’s proposition is the Account-Based Back Office for Travel (ABBOT), the shared ‘back office’ to be used by third party operators. ABBOT will collect information on all trips (across multiple operators and modes initially in the North with potential of a national scope exc. London), reconstruct journeys, charge the best price for the completed journeys and disburse revenue appropriately to Transport Operators/ LTAs.
This Contract Notice covers the procurement of 2 lots to deliver the ABBOT managed services which include the design, build and run of the service and a pre-paid account solution.       
      II.1.5) Estimated total value:
      Value excluding VAT: 100,000,000       
      Currency: GBP
      II.1.6) Information about lots:
      This contract is divided into lots: Yes       
      Tenders may be submitted for: All lots
      Maximum number of lots that may be awarded to one tenderer: 2
      The contracting authority reserves the right to award contracts combining the following lots or groups of lots: The contracting authority reserves the right to award contracts combining the following lots or groups of lots: Lot 1 and Lot 2

II.2) Description
II.2) Description Lot No. 1
      
      II.2.1) Title: Managed Service to provide Account Based Back Office for Travel (ABBOT)       
      Lot No: 1       
      II.2.2) Additional CPV codes:
      30144400 - Automatic fare collection.
      30144200 - Ticket-issuing machines.
      30200000 - Computer equipment and supplies.
      30233300 - Smart card readers.
      48217000 - Transaction-processing software package.
      48480000 - Sales, marketing and Business intelligence software package.
      48600000 - Database and operating software package.
      48810000 - Information systems.
      48900000 - Miscellaneous software package and computer systems.
      50316000 - Maintenance and repair of ticket-issuing machinery.
      72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support.
      
      II.2.3) Place of performance:
      UK UNITED KINGDOM
      
      II.2.4) Description of procurement: II.2.4) Description of the procurement:
The scope of ABBOT includes:
•Integration with existing Operator front office devices (e.g. readers) via middle offices
•Data collection - gather or receive the ‘taps’ generated each time a customer presents their contactless bankcard or alternative customer media to a front office device e.g. rail gate or bus ticket machine
•Customer journey reconstruction - determining the journeys a customer has made from those taps received
•Fare determination - identifying the single leg journey fare for each constructed journey
•Delivering the programme’s ‘Fair Price Promise’, including capping and multi-operator products. This is identifying the best value cap, product or combination of products to charge a customer
•Settlement - seeking funds from a customer’s bank account
•Revenue apportionment - determining the revenue due to each operator for customer journeys made
•Revenue inspection – following the generation of taps from revenue inspection devices determining if a customer has tapped correctly in the course of their journey and if the customer should be charged an inspection charge and/or be prevented from further travel
•Providing a central source of Customer data to Operator contact centres to facilitate customer support.

It is TfN’s intent that the two ABBOT contracts (Lot 1 and 2) will be let for an initial period of 6 years (with a break clause after 3 years) with options to extend for a further 6 (3+3).
      II.2.5) Award criteria:
            Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents            
      II.2.6) Estimated value:
      Value excluding VAT: 90,000,000       
      Currency: GBP       
      II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system:
      Duration in months: 72       
      This contract is subject to renewal: Yes       
      Description of renewals: There are 2 optional extension periods of up to 3 years each at the Customer’s discretion.
      II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited:
             Envisaged minimum number: 3
            / Maximum number: 5       
      Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates: Not provided
      II.2.10) Information about variants:
      Variants will be accepted: No
      II.2.11) Information about options:
      Options:       Yes             
      Description of options: There are 2 optional extension periods of up to 3 years each.
      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: The Lot 1 provider will act as the service integrator for additional services required to deliver the complete value chain (including, but not limited to, Lot 2).
Although TfN require fully compliant bids, bidders will be allowed to propose alternative contracting approaches that meet TfN’s requirements.       
II.2) Description Lot No. 2
      
      II.2.1) Title: Pre-paid Accounts       
      Lot No: 2       
      II.2.2) Additional CPV codes:
      30144400 - Automatic fare collection.
      30144200 - Ticket-issuing machines.
      30200000 - Computer equipment and supplies.
      30233300 - Smart card readers.
      48217000 - Transaction-processing software package.
      48480000 - Sales, marketing and Business intelligence software package.
      48600000 - Database and operating software package.
      48810000 - Information systems.
      48900000 - Miscellaneous software package and computer systems.
      50316000 - Maintenance and repair of ticket-issuing machinery.
      72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support.
      30160000 - Magnetic cards.
      
      II.2.3) Place of performance:
      UK UNITED KINGDOM
      
      II.2.4) Description of procurement: The scope of this Lot includes the design, build and ongoing management of a prepaid account solution for the unbanked or those not wishing to use a bank card, providing a provision of appropriate transit token for customers to use and a means of managing the funding on those accounts.

It is TfN’s intent that the two ABBOT contracts (Lot 1 and 2) will be let for an initial period of 6 years (with a break clause after 3 years) with options to extend for a further 6 (3+3).
      II.2.5) Award criteria:
            Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents            
      II.2.6) Estimated value:
      Value excluding VAT: 10,000,000       
      Currency: GBP       
      II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system:
      Duration in months: 72       
      This contract is subject to renewal: Yes       
      Description of renewals: There are 2 optional extension periods of up to 3 years each at the Customer’s discretion.
      II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited:
             Envisaged minimum number: 3
            / Maximum number: 5       
      Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates: Not provided
      II.2.10) Information about variants:
      Variants will be accepted: No
      II.2.11) Information about options:
      Options:       Yes             
      Description of options: There are 2 optional extension periods of up to 3 years each.
      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: The Lot 2 provider will work with the Lot 1 provider, who will act as Service Integrator.
Although TfN require fully compliant bids, bidders will be allowed to propose variant alternative contracting approaches where these meet TfN’s requirements.       


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:          
      N/A    
      III.1.2) Economic and financial standing          
      Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents       
      List and brief description of selection criteria:       
      Not Provided    
      Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required (if applicable) :       
      Not Provided    
      III.1.3) Technical and professional ability    
      Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
      List and brief description of selection criteria:       
      Not Provided      
      Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required (if applicable) :          
      Not Provided   
      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       
      Where there is more than one economic operator, TfN requires a grouping of economic operators to take a particular legal form or a single economic operator to take primary liability or all parties to undertake joint and several liability.

It is expected that the Lot 1 and Lot 2 suppliers will enter into a tripartite agreement with a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) and TfN. The SPV will be an organisation comprising of member representatives of public transport operators.

It is expected that the Lot 1 supplier will provide service integration in managing other providers in the ABBOT supply chain including Lot 2.          
      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 NEGOTIATED
      IV.1.1) Type of procedure:   
   
   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.1.4) Information about reduction of the number of solutions or tenders during negotiation or dialogue: Yes.
   IV.1.5) Information about negotiation: Yes.
   IV.1.6) Information about electronic auction:
      An electronic auction will be used: No
      Additional information about electronic auction: Not provided
   IV.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
      The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes       
   IV.2) Administrative information
      IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure:
         Notice number in the OJ S: 2017/S 111 - 223295       
      IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
       Date: 20/08/2018 Time: 12:00
      IV.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates: 26/11/2018       
      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:
         Duration in month(s): 6
      
      

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.

Minimum information on economic and financial standing will be required as part of the SQ response.
A Parent Company Guarantee (in the form of a performance and financial guarantee) may be required on the terms set out in the contract which will be issued with any ITT documentation.

TfN has adopted the use of a web-based ‘e-tendering’ tool: Delta to manage this procurement, therefore, your tender must be submitted by this means.
Any communication concerning this procurement must be submitted through Delta via https://www.delta-esourcing.com/
Organisations wishing to be considered for appointment as a provider of these services must submit a completed SQ in compliance with the instructions and within the prescribed deadline.
TfN reserves the right to: (i) withdraw from the procurement process; and/or (ii) not to award any contract as a result of the competition called for by this notice; and/ or (iii) to make whatever changes it may see fit to the structure, timing, dates and content of the competition. TfN shall not be liable for any costs or expenses incurred by any candidates in considering and/or responding to the procurement process.
All discussions and meetings will be conducted in English. Tenders and supporting documents must be priced in Pound Sterling and all payments under the contract will be made in Pound Sterling.
TfN intends to issue the ITT to a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 5 Potential Bidders for each lot as a result of the evaluation process. TfN reserves the right to take only the highest scoring potential Bidders through to the next stage of the competition.

TfN is using a SharePoint site to provide access to Potential Suppliers to documentation related to this procurement. All information contained within the data room is to be used for the purposes of this procurement only.
To get access to the data room, please send a message via the message centre on the Delta e-sourcing portal via https://www.delta-esourcing.com/ providing the email addresses of people from your organisation who you wish to receive access to the data room. In order to limit administration, please provide a maximum of three email addresses per organisation (this policy may be reviewed and updated in future). TfN will provide access to those email addresses and you will receive an automated email with the link.
For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Manchester:-Automatic-fare-collection./948D3E95F2

To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/948D3E95F2
   VI.4) Procedures for review
   VI.4.1) Review body:
             Transport for the North
       2nd Floor, 4 Piccadilly Place, Manchester, M1 3BN, United Kingdom
       Tel. +44 1612440888, Email: IST@transportforthenorth.com
       Internet address: www.transportforthenorth.com
   VI.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures:
             Transport for the North
          2nd Floor, 4 Piccadilly Place, Manchester, M1 3BN, United Kingdom
          Tel. +44 1612440888, Email: IST@transportforthenorth.com
          Internet address: www.transportforthenorth.com
   VI.4.3) Review procedure
   Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:    
    Not Provided    
   VI.4.4) Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained:
          Transport for the North
       2nd Floor, 4 Piccadilly Place, Manchester, M1 3BN, United Kingdom
       Tel. +44 1612440888, Email: IST@transportforthenorth.com
       Internet address: www.transportforthenorth.com
   VI.5) Date Of Dispatch Of This Notice: 18/07/2018

Annex A