Watford Borough Council: Operation of the Watford Colosseum

UK-Watford: Recreational, cultural and sporting services.
Section I: Contracting Authority
      I.1) Name and addresses
             Watford Borough Council, United Kingdom
             https://www.watford.gov.uk, Watford, wd17 3EX, United Kingdom
             Tel. +44 1923226400, Email: derek.hatcher@watford.gov.uk
             Main Address: https://www.watford.gov.uk, Address of the buyer profile: https://www.watford.gov.uk
             NUTS Code: UKH23
      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
      The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Watford:-Recreational%2C-cultural-and-sporting-services./S5E2D4N356
      Additional information can be obtained from: the abovementioned address
      Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically via https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-title/6BTET63TAP 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
            Regional or local authority
      I.5) Main activity
            General public services

Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
      II.1.1) Title: Operation of the Watford Colosseum       
      Reference Number: Not provided
      II.1.2) Main CPV Code:
      92000000 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services.

      II.1.3) Type of contract: SERVICES
      II.1.4) Short description: Procurement of an operator for the Watford Colosseum for a period of up to c. 25 years. This will be on the basis of a lease and/or operating contract of the facility.       
      II.1.5) Estimated total value:
      Value excluding VAT: 37,500,000       
      Currency: GBP
      II.1.6) Information about lots:
      This contract is divided into lots: No       
   
II.2) Description
      
      II.2.2) Additional CPV codes:
      92300000 - Entertainment services.
      92320000 - Arts-facility operation services.
      79993000 - Building and facilities management services.
      45212000 - Construction work for buildings relating to leisure, sports, culture, lodging and restaurants.
      45212322 - Theatre construction work.
      
      II.2.3) Place of performance:
      UKH23 Hertfordshire
      
      II.2.4) Description of procurement: Watford Borough Council is seeking the appointment of an operator for the Watford Colosseum, to have full responsibility for managing and maintaining the venue for an operating period of c.25 years delivering a varied events programme for the benefit of the residents of Watford and wider area.

The Council has a number of objectives for new Watford Colosseum operational management contract, including:
-to operate the Watford Colosseum to eliminate any need for a subsidy for the facility and to provide a positive management fee payment or income to the Council
-for the appointed operator to provide a commercially successful, balanced and varied public events and arts programme
-to achieve greater daytime use of the Watford Colosseum, which could include use for conferences, corporate events and weddings
-to provide opportunities for community and cultural use of the Watford Colosseum
-transfer of risk on asset management (repair, maintenance and lifecycle replacement) to be transferred to the appointed operator. This will be achieved through a full repairing and maintenance lease and/or operating contract; and
-for the appointed operator to be responsible for all utility costs and any other charges linked to the operation of the Watford Colosseum for the whole contract period (BID levy and business rates).

The building facilities include:
-main auditorium which has a 1,280 seat capacity and 2,440 seated and standing (2,000 standing on the event floor (440 balcony seats), 600 banquet, 420 cabaret)
-café bar and Forum Restaurant
-the Grand Lobby and a number of smaller bars
-office accommodation and staff meeting room
-changing rooms.

The Council is currently heavily investing in the building and carrying out a full refurbishment of the interior and building systems to bring it up to modern standards and to seek to maximise its performance as a commercial venue, including reconfiguration of the bars, creation of space for selling merchandise and installation of advertising hoardings on the exterior
      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: 37,500,000       
      Currency: GBP       
      II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system:
      Duration in months: 360       
      This contract is subject to renewal: No       
      Description of renewals: Not provided
      II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited:
             Envisaged minimum number: 4
            / Maximum number: 5       
      Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates: Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates: Selection will be based on applicant’s SQ submission. Please refer to the SQ for a detailed understanding of the scoring criteria, weightings and how applicants will be ranked.
      II.2.10) Information about variants:
      Variants will be accepted: Yes
      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: The Council reserves the right to terminate the process at any time prior to award of contract.
The Council does not bind itself to accept any new tender received and reserves the right to call for new tenders should they consider this necessary.
The Council shall not be liable for any costs or expenses incurred by any tenderer in connection with the participation in this tender process.       


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:          
      The requirements are stated in SQ, ITPD and in the procurement documents.    
      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       
      As set out in the procurement documents          
      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 COMPETITIVE_DIALOGUE
      IV.1.1) Type of procedure:Competitive dialogue    
   
   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.1.6) 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: Not provided       
      IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
       Date: 29/07/2022 Time: 17:00
      IV.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates: 12/08/2022       
      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): 12
      
      

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 No       
   Electronic invoicing will be accepted No       
   Electronic payment will be used No       
   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.

The Council is keen to ensure that the procurement is open to a wide market and that there is genuine competition. The resources and range of services needed for the joint venture are such that the Council understands that it may receive applications from either a single organisation or organisations that may wish to collaborate to form a consortium (either by forming a separate legal entity or in unincorporated grouping).

Please note the estimated contract value is based on an assumed turnover of the facility over the contract term.
For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Watford:-Recreational%2C-cultural-and-sporting-services./S5E2D4N356

To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/S5E2D4N356
   VI.4) Procedures for review
   VI.4.1) Review body:
             Watford Borough Council
       Town Hall, Watford, wd17 3EX, United Kingdom
       Email: derek.hatcher@watford.gov.uk
       Internet address: https://www.watford.gov.uk
   VI.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures:
Not provided
   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:
Not provided
   VI.5) Date Of Dispatch Of This Notice: 24/06/2022

Annex A