Forestry Commission: Helicopter Services for Aerial Surveillance in Support of Plant Health Operations

UK-Bristol: Hire of helicopters with crew.
Section I: Contracting Authority
      I.1) Name and addresses
             Forestry England
             620 Coldharbour Lane, Winterbourne, Bristol, BS16 1EJ, United Kingdom
             Tel. +44 0300067400, Email: arran.price@forestryengland.uk
             Main Address: https://www.forestryengland.uk/
             NUTS Code: UKK
      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/
      Additional information can be obtained from: the abovementioned address
      Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically via https://www.delta-esourcing.com/ 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
            National or federal agency/office
      I.5) Main activity
            Environment

Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
      II.1.1) Title: Helicopter Services for Aerial Surveillance in Support of Plant Health Operations       
      Reference Number: FEE/0794
      II.1.2) Main CPV Code:
      60424120 - Hire of helicopters with crew.

      II.1.3) Type of contract: SERVICES
      II.1.4) Short description: Provision of helicopter services for aerial surveillance and photography for plant health purposes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland       
      II.1.5) Estimated total value:
      Value excluding VAT: 1,500,000       
      Currency: GBP
      II.1.6) Information about lots:
      This contract is divided into lots: No       
   
II.2) Description
      
      II.2.2) Additional CPV codes:
      34711000 - Helicopters and aeroplanes.
      34711500 - Helicopters.
      35612300 - Support helicopters.
      35612500 - Search and rescue helicopters.
      60424120 - Hire of helicopters with crew.
      
      II.2.3) Place of performance:
      UKK SOUTH WEST (ENGLAND)
      
      II.2.4) Description of procurement: We will be awarding a framework agreement for the supply of helicopter services for aerial surveillance and photography for plant health purposes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. This framework agreement requires provision of helicopter services for aerial surveillance and is therefore not suitable for suppliers of UAV (drone) services.

Due to the legal nature of the requirement for this tender we cannot provide precise financial estimates. We cannot forward forecast the occurrence of disease, any impacts or the budget we can make available. The value of this framework agreement could therefore change subject to these parameters.

Our objective for this framework agreement is to work in close association with the successful bidder to provide expert helicopter services for aerial surveillance and photography for plant health purposes. This will enable us to generate results that are of benefit to the whole forest estate in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. This surveillance work is seen as key to improving the Forestry Commission’s knowledge of tree pest and disease progression and evaluating results of controls already implemented.

As the customer on this framework contract the Forestry Commission will aim to provide operational information to the Contractor as soon as it available to help with the successful completion of the contract. There is an expectation of rapid response from the successful bidder, upon our request, to provide piloted aircraft for the work detailed in the framework contract. Due to the nature of the work required and the time frame involved, a high degree of flexibility is required once a call-off contract has been issued.

Operational flexibility is required due to the variable timing of the spring leaf flush, weather conditions, disease progression, photographic conditions, and for contingency planning. A provisional plan will be drawn up between Forestry Commission’s Plant Health Forestry (Tree Health) contacts and the Contractor to cover the peak period of April to October but a high degree of flexibility will be required when consolidating the plan and providing rapid response to flight plan requests.
      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: 1,500,000       
      Currency: GBP       
      II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system:
      Duration in months: 48       
      This contract is subject to renewal: Yes       
      Description of renewals: Annual break points will be available within the framework agreement in January each year at which time we will decide whether the framework agreement will continue.
      
      II.2.10) Information about variants:
      Variants will be accepted: No
      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: Not provided       


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:          
      Not Provided       
      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          
      Not Provided          
      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 OPEN
      IV.1.1) Type of procedure: Open   
   
   IV.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system    
         The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement    
         Framework agreement with a single operator       
         Envisaged maximum number of participants to the framework agreement:
Not Provided           
         In the case of framework agreements justification for any duration exceeding 4 years: Not Provided    
   
   
   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: 18/12/2020 Time: 17:00
            
      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): 3
      
      IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders:
         Date: 18/12/2020
         Time: 17:01
      

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.
For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Bristol:-Hire-of-helicopters-with-crew./TFUR4ZK4M6

To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/TFUR4ZK4M6
   VI.4) Procedures for review
   VI.4.1) Review body:
             Forestry England
       620 Coldharbour Lane, Winterbourne, Bristol, BS16 1EJ, United Kingdom
       Tel. +44 03000676400
   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: 18/11/2020

Annex A