Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: INDEPENDENT ASSESSOR TO THE SHARED RURAL NETWORK (SRN)

UK-London: Services furnished by business, professional and specialist organisations.
Section I: Contracting Authority
      I.1) Name and addresses
             Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, United Kingdom
             100 Parliament Street, London, SW1A 2BQ, United Kingdom
             Tel. +44 2072116824, Email: Kate.Bell@dcms.gov.uk
             Contact: Kate Bell
             Main Address: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-digital-culture-media-sport
             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
      The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-London:-Services-furnished-by-business%2C-professional-and-specialist-organisations./64D9D29XJ7
      Additional information can be obtained from: the abovementioned address
      Tenders or requests to participate must be sent 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:
      I.4) Type of the contracting authority
            Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions
      I.5) Main activity
            Recreation, culture and religion

Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
      II.1.1) Title: INDEPENDENT ASSESSOR TO THE SHARED RURAL NETWORK (SRN)       
      Reference Number: 102282
      II.1.2) Main CPV Code:
      98110000 - Services furnished by business, professional and specialist organisations.

      II.1.3) Type of contract: SERVICES
      II.1.4) Short description: DCMS is seeking to Appoint an individual that will provide an assessment of the MNO’s capabilities to deliver their objectives within the SRN programme. The role of the Independent Assessor is to monitor the progress of the TNS deployment, through the DMSL’s TNS Delivery Framework and in line with Ofcom’s Notice of Compliance Verification Methodology. The Independent Assessor will provide external scrutiny and challenge to DMSL as they deliver SRN. The Contract will be in place from 26 March 2021 to 25 March 2026 - A contract term of 5 years , with The total budget, is proposed at £250,000 (exclusive of VAT) with an the option of an extension for a further 12 months.       
      II.1.5) Estimated total value:
      Value excluding VAT: 250,000       
      Currency: GBP
      II.1.6) Information about lots:
      This contract is divided into lots: No       
   
II.2) Description
      
      II.2.2) Additional CPV codes:
      71316000 - Telecommunication consultancy services.
      32412000 - Communications network.
      32412100 - Telecommunications network.
      32412110 - Internet network.
      
      II.2.3) Place of performance:
      UK UNITED KINGDOM
      
      II.2.4) Description of procurement: DCMS is seeking to appoint an SRN Independent Assessor who will provide an assessment of the MNO’s capabilities to deliver their objectives within the SRN programme. The Shared Rural Network will provide coverage to 280,000 premises and 16,000km of roads, with the biggest improvements in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales.
There will also be further indirect improvements over time, including a boost to ‘in car’ coverage on around 45,000 km of road, and better indoor coverage in around 1.2m business premises and homes.
The Contract will be in place from 26 March 2021 to 25 March 2026 - A contract term of 5 years , with the option of an extension for a further 12 months. The Project has a total budget of £250,000
      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: 250,000       
      Currency: GBP       
      II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system:
      Start: 31/03/2021 / End: 30/03/2026       
      This contract is subject to renewal: No       
      Description of renewals: Not provided
      
      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: Yes
      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       
      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
      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 - NO    
         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: 09/03/2021 Time: 16:00
            
      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: 09/03/2021
         Time: 16:00
      

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 maximum budget, including extension options, is £250,000 excluding VAT. Please note that, while not the only criteria, pricing is a key element of our evaluation criteria.
For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-London:-Services-furnished-by-business%2C-professional-and-specialist-organisations./64D9D29XJ7

To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/64D9D29XJ7
   VI.4) Procedures for review
   VI.4.1) Review body:
             Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
       100 Parliament Street, London, SW1A 2BQ, United Kingdom
       Email: Kate.Bell@dcms.gov.uk
       Internet address: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-digital-culture-media-sport
   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: 09/02/2021

Annex A