Business Improvement : The Provision of a Countryside Management Service

UK-Hertford: Land management services.

Section I: Contracting Authority
   I.1)Name, Addresses and Contact Point(s):
      Hertfordshire County Council
      CHN303 County Hall, Pegs Lane, Hertford, SG13 8DE, United Kingdom
      Tel. +44 1992556710, Email: harrie.richardson-jones@hertfordshire.gov.uk, URL: http://www.hertsdirect.org/, URL: https://supplyhertfordshire.g2b.info/ (following the instructions given in Section VI.2 (Additional Information) of this Notice)
      Contact: Environmental Operations & Resource Planning, Attn: Harrie Richardson-Jones
      Electronic Access URL: https://supplyhertfordshire.g2b.info/
      Electronic Submission URL: https://supplyhertfordshire.g2b.info/

      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

   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: The Provision of a Countryside Management Service
      II.1.2)Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance: SERVICES         
         Service Category: 27

         Region Codes: UKH23 - Hertfordshire         
      II.1.3) Information about a public contract, a framework or a dynamic purchasing system: The notice involves the setting up of a framework agreement                                                        

      II.1.4)Information on framework agreement:      

            Framework agreement with a single operator
         Duration of the framework agreement:
            Duration in year(s): 4             
         Estimated total value of purchases for the entire duration of the framework agreement:
                                    
            Range between: 1,800,000 and 3,800,000
            Currency: GBP
                  
      II.1.5)Short description of the contract or purchase:
      Land management services. Agricultural, forestry, horticultural, aquacultural and apicultural services. Forestry services. Planting and maintenance services of green areas. Physical well-being services. Community action programme. Civic betterment and community facility support services. countryside management service,
         
      II.1.6)Common Procurement Vocabulary:
         70332100 - Land management services.
         
         77000000 - Agricultural, forestry, horticultural, aquacultural and apicultural services.
         
         77200000 - Forestry services.
         
         77310000 - Planting and maintenance services of green areas.
         
         98330000 - Physical well-being services.
         
         85322000 - Community action programme.
         
         98133100 - Civic betterment and community facility support 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 CMS develops, secures external funding for and delivers projects with local people and public landowners that enhance landscape and biodiversity, as well as encouraging people to understand and enjoy green space and the wider countryside.The Service plays an active role in engaging with and supporting volunteers and local action groups to identify and get involved in projects. The CMS also provides opportunities for more people to be active outdoors through volunteer led health walks and events, and encourages informal recreation through leaflets promoting the use of the rights of way network and green space and developing routes linking towns and the countryside. The CMS currently has 12.5 full time equivalent staff deployed across two (2) functions: other Land Management team which scopes, specifies and manages environmental improvement activity; and other Communities team which recruits, manages and trains volunteers and promotes getting active outdoors. The teams work together to devise, resource and deliver projects for and in partnership with volunteers – new and regular. Local people are actively encouraged to participate in projects at every possible opportunity. The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (as amended) (TUPE) is likely to apply to the proposed procurement.The Council is aiming, through a procurement process, to ensure that the services currently delivered by the CMS are developed and provided in a way that maintains and maximises the delivery of added social value and the extent and quality of environmentally beneficial activity in a way that is efficient, effective and financially sustainable. It is anticipated that a successful contractor would work collaboratively with local authority clients to continually improve and develop provision and find new ways of maximising use of available funds to benefit the people, wildlife and environment of Hertfordshire.For the avoidance of doubt, there will be no guarantee of work or any set volume of work under the proposed Framework Agreement.      
      
      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: 48 (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:
      please refer to the pre-qualification questionnaire document
      
      III.1.2)Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them:
      please refer to the pre-qualification questionnaire document
      
      III.1.3)Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded:
      please refer to the pre-qualification questionnaire document
      
      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:
      Not Provided      
      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:
         please refer to the pre-qualification questionnaire instructions document         
         Minimum Level(s) of standards possibly required:
         please refer to the pre-qualification questionnaire instructions document
      
      III.2.3)Technical capacity
         Technical capacity - means of proof required         
         
         Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if requirements are met:
         please refer to the pre-qualification questionnaire instructions document         
         Minimum Level(s) of standards possibly required:
         please refer to the pre-qualification questionnaire instructions document      
      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: 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   
   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: HCC1407526      
      IV.3.2)Previous publication(s) concerning the same contract: Yes
         Prior information notice
            Notice number in OJEU: 2014/S 102 - 178859 of 23/05/2014
               
         Other previous publications: No                

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



         Payable documents: No       
      
      IV.3.4)Time-limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
         Date: 22/09/2014
         Time: 12:00      
      IV.3.5)Date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates: 27/10/2014      
      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: PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY AS IT PROVIDES FULL INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO APPLY FOR THIS REQUIREMENT Hertfordshire County Council has moved to a new way of e-Tendering and worked closely with its Districts and Partners to create a joint procurement website called Supply Hertfordshire. This website is supported by BiP Solutions who provide a system called Delta which is the background platform to Supply Hertfordshire.The Tender Process This tender is a two stage process and you will only be invited to tender if you successfully pass through the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) stage. You must complete and submit a completed PQQ via 12 noon on 22 day September 2014. Tenders cannot be uploaded after the closing date/time. Step 1: Log In to Delta:To participate in this tender you will need to go into http://supplyhertfordshire.g2b.info/hpf/ log in with your USERNAME and PASSWORD. Please keep this USERNAME and PASSWORD secure, and do not pass it to any third parties. Step 2: Completing your PQQ: To complete the PQQ you will need to go into the Response Manager area and enter the Access Code GT83YMT9Z7. You will then need to download the relevant tender documents and complete. Any supporting documents should be cross-referenced to the relevant question. If the Council requires further information concerning your tender, your organisation will be contacted. However, please provide full details and answer all questions, as the Council reserves the right not to ask tenderers for any further information or clarification.Step 3: Uploading Your Completed PQQ: Once you have completed your PQQ you must then “upload” your completed response into the Tenderbox (Access Code GT83YMT9Z7). Please make sure you have submitted your completed tender to the correct Access Code, the Council will not be held accountable for any errors made by a tenderer in submitting your completed PQQ. If you are experiencing problems, then please contact the Delta helpdesk via email at helpdesk@delta-esourcing.com or call 0845 270 7050 (option 4) Monday to Friday 8:30am – 5:30pm for further assistance.The Council reserves the right at any time to cease the tendering process and not award a contract or to award only part of the opportunity described in this notice. If the Council takes up this right then they will not be responsible for, or pay the expenses or losses, which may be incurred by any tenderer as a result.The Council undertakes to keep confidential any information provided in the proposal submitted, subject to the Council's obligations under the law, including the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and/or a court order. If the applicant considers that any of the information submitted in the proposal should not be disclosed because of its sensitivity then this should be stated with the reason for considering it sensitive. The Council will then endeavor to consult with the applicant about such sensitive information when considering any request received under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 before replying to such a request however the final decision as to whether to disclose information or not remains with the Council as circumstances could arise, which are outside the control of the Council and require disclosure such as a legal requirement and/or court order. Due to the current economic climate, Hertfordshire County Council reserves the right to carry out additional financial checks on all companies tendering for this Contract at any time during the procurement process, to ensure that they continue to meet the Council's requirements and remain financially viable to perform the Contract.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, and the contract will be awarded on the basis of the most economically advantageous tender.
For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Hertford:-Land-management-services./GT83YMT9Z7

To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/GT83YMT9Z7
GO-2014813-PRO-5920335 TKR-2014813-PRO-5920334
   
   VI.4)Procedures For Appeal
      VI.4.1)Body responsible for appeal procedures:
      Not Provided

      VI.4.2)Lodging of appeals: Hertfordshire County Council will incorporate a minimum ten (10) calendar day (when using electronic means) standstill period at the point information on the award of the contract is communicated to tenderers. The Public Contract Regulations 2006 (SI 2006/5 (as amended)) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland). The aggrieved party is advised to seek independant legal advice in relation to remedies they can pursue under the Regulations.   
   
      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: 13/08/2014

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
      North Hertfordshire District Council
      Council Offices, Gernon Road, Letchworth, SG6 3JF, 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
      East Herts District Council
      The Council Offices, Charringtons House, Bishops Stortford, CM23 2ER, 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
      St Albans City and District Council
      Civic Centre, St Peters Street, St Albans, AL1 3JE, 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:
         4: Contracting Authority
      Three Rivers District Council
      Three Rivers House, Northway, Rickmansworth, WD3 1RL, 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:
         5: Contracting Authority
      Hertsmere Borough Council
      Civic Offices, Elstree Way, Borehamwood, WD6 1WA, 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:
         6: Contracting Authority
      Broxbourne Borough Council
      Bishops' College, Churchgate, Cheshunt, EN8 9XQ, 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:
         7: Contracting Authority
      Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council
      Council Offices, The Campus, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6AE, 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:
         8: Contracting Authority
      Watford Borough Council
      Town Hall, Watford, WD17 3EX, United Kingdom