Find a TenderAwarded
Published 11 Feb 2021, 17:08 GMT

Official UK procurement notice

DoF - Digital NI - Contact Centre Services for Government

Official notice

Authority: Department of Finance (Central government)·Consortium: 2 public authorities

ServicesCompetitive procedure with negotiation
Published estimate£100,000,000exc. VAT
Submissions closed 15 Mar 2021awarded 17 Jan 2022
Awarded to Serco Limited

What is being bought

Published requirement description

DoF is seeking to procure the services of a Supplier to deliver the following services as a minimum; a) Provision of a fully managed Contact Centre solution that can service the current needs and outcomes for Citizens. The Supplier is required to provide the infrastructure, technology, management, and resourcing of the Contact Centre. b) Servicing and management of calls for a 24,7 Flooding Incident Line requirements. c) Servicing and management of calls for Emergency Response requirements. d) Technology solutions deployed in the Contact Centre are to be extendable to back office Satellite Services to enable internal business areas to manage their own contacts and calls. In support of the above requirements, the following also needs to be provided; The Supplier will be required to plan and manage the transition of the services including engagement with the existing Supplier to ensure full Transition is completed no later than the 10th October 2022. The Northern Ireland NI Public Sector requirements for future Contact Centre services, coupled with pressures elsewhere in the NI public sector and the UK Government’s recognition of the need to consolidate common service provision, drives the requirement to consolidate Contact Centre Services for potential cost savings across the NI public sector. The scope of the new Contract will be scalable to cover the needs for shared Contact Centre services across the NI public sector. The transition of services will cover the existing service users (referred to Phase 1 organisations) whereas the Phase 2 organisations may opt to use this Contract at a later stage. PHASE 1 organisations are (procured and priced as part of this Procurement) - Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) Departments (including the Department of Finance (DoF) as the contracting party on behalf of all organisations), The Executive Office, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Department for Communities, Department of Education, Department for the Economy, Department of Finance, Department for Infrastructure, Department of Health, Department of Justice, Public Prosecution Service for NI, Compensation Agency, Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA), Forensic Science Northern Ireland, Forest Service, Land and Property Services (LPS), Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service (NICTS), Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), Northern Ireland Prison Service, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA), Northern Ireland Legal Services Agency (LSA), Rivers Agency, Youth Justice Agency, Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, Consumer Council for Northern Ireland, Education Authority, Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI), Northern Ireland Civil Service Pension Board, Northern Ireland Office, Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO), Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council (Planning Services ) and PHASE 2 organisations are (procured and a mechanism for pricing established as part of this Procurement should such organisations ascribe to this contract at a later stage). Other public sector organisations such as those bodies as covered by the Northern Ireland Public Procurement Policy (as listed in the attached document with this competition - Phase 2 Organisations).

CPV: Administration services · Building and facilities management services · Call centre · Computer equipment and supplies · Computer-related services · Contract administration services · Customer services · Financial transaction processing and clearing-house services · Interpretation services · Mailing-list compilation and mailing services · Office-support services · Payroll management services · +14 more

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1AwardedRenewalPublished value£100,000,000
Extensions: To allow for a sufficient return of investment, 7 years is considered an appropriate Contract duration. There will be an opportunity to extend the contract for an additional 2 years. Therefore, the potential maximum contract length is 9 years 7 years initial period and a potential 2 year extension. · To allow for a sufficient return of investment 7 years is considered an appropriate duration. There will be an opportunity to extend the contract for an additional 2 yrs. Therefore, the potential max. contract length is 9 years (7 years initial period and a potential 2 year extension). £100m is the estimated value of the contract over the 9 year period.Variant bids: not allowed

What it takes to win
i

How this buyer will score bids.

The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).

Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add more
How bids were scored
Quality: 59.5%Price: 27%Social value: 10.5%
Published sub-criteria (16)
  • AC1a Approach to implementation to include transition: 7.875%
  • AC1b Details of the roles required to deliver the implementation and assurances for how these roles will be made available, with appropriately experienced staff, for the planned transition period.: 2.625%
  • AC2a. Core Contact Centre and Satellite Services requirements: 8.82%
  • AC2b. Flooding Incident Line FIL: 3.675%
  • AC2c. Emergency Response Line ERL: 2.205%
  • AC3 Technology: 7%
  • AC4 Service Quality: 7%
  • AC5a Scenario 1 – Planned Seasonal Variation: 2.8%
  • AC5b Scenario 2 – Unplanned Increase in Contract Volumes: 2.1%
  • AC5c Scenario 3 – Change at Short Notice: 2.1%
  • AC6a Channel Shift Requirements: 6.65%
  • AC6b Continuous Improvement and Innovation: 6.65%
  • AC8 NPV of the Total Cost of the Services: 21%
  • AC9 Impact of Sensitivity Testing: 3%
  • AC10 - Pricing for Supplier Personnel Rate Card - Onboarding of New Services: 3%
  • AC7 Social Value: 10.5%
Published award criteria (16)
  • AC1a Approach to implementation to include transition: 7.875
  • AC1b Details of the roles required to deliver the implementation and assurances for how these roles will be made available, with appropriately experienced staff, for the planned transition period.: 2.625
  • AC2a. Core Contact Centre and Satellite Services requirements: 8.82
  • AC2b. Flooding Incident Line FIL: 3.675
  • AC2c. Emergency Response Line ERL: 2.205
  • AC3 Technology: 7
  • AC4 Service Quality: 7
  • AC5a Scenario 1 – Planned Seasonal Variation: 2.8
  • AC5b Scenario 2 – Unplanned Increase in Contract Volumes: 2.1
  • AC5c Scenario 3 – Change at Short Notice: 2.1
  • AC6a Channel Shift Requirements: 6.65
  • AC6b Continuous Improvement and Innovation: 6.65
  • AC7 Social Value: 10.5
  • AC8 NPV of the Total Cost of the Services: 21
  • AC9 Impact of Sensitivity Testing: 3
  • AC10 - Pricing for Supplier Personnel Rate Card - Onboarding of New Services: 3
Conditions of participation1
  • Suitability

    Candidates will be assessed in accordance with Regulation 58 of the Public Contract Regulations 2015 (as amended) as set out in the Information Memorandum and Instructions to Tenderers document and Selection Questionnaire. A selection process will also be used to identify economic operators, who having submitted a response to the Selection Questionnaire, sufficiently demonstrate to the Department’s satisfaction the appropriate technical and professional ability, economic, financial and legal standing to meet the requirements of the Contract.

What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 27 of 97 points: a 10% discount moves about 2.7 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.

Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record · publisher note attached
Procedure method
Competitive procedure with negotiation
Legal basis
CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Awarded
Procurement threshold
Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Yes (GPA)
Recurring procurement
No (one-off requirement)
First published
11 Feb 2021, 17:08 GMT
Last source update
25 Jan 2022, 10:55 GMT
Authority reference
3320512
FTS notice number
2022/S 000-002124
Classification (CPV)
Administration servicesBuilding and facilities management servicesCall centreComputer equipment and suppliesComputer-related servicesContract administration servicesCustomer servicesFinancial transaction processing and clearing-house servicesInterpretation servicesMailing-list compilation and mailing services
+16 moreOffice-support servicesPayroll management services
Delivery area
Northern Ireland (UKN0)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-02927b Find a Tender
Contract terms
Performance terms

The award of the Contract will be subject to the highest ranked Supplier demonstrating that the minimum requirements specified in the selection questionnaire continue to be met and that there is no material adverse change to the standing of the Supplier. The Contract award will also be subject to all other necessary due diligence being carried out by the Authority. Contract performance will be subject to the conditions specified in the contract, which may include social and environmental clauses in order to promote equality of opportunity and sustainable development. Further details are set out at Section VI.3 below and in the Procurement Documentation.

Review and risk notes
Review procedure

CPD complied with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended) and incorporated a. standstill period (i.e. a minimum of 10 calendar days) at the point information on the award of contract was communicated to tenderers.. That notification provided full information on the award decision. This provided time for the unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the contract was entered into.

Publisher note: The figure indicated in V2.4 represents the maximum contract value £100m. This is a maximum figure that reflects the potential scale of the contract and takes into account such changes to the scope/and or scale which may result from future operational requirements.

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: eTendersNI · Who buys & how to bid on eTendersNI
Supplier login requiredLanguage: EN
Access & registration note: Free Northern Ireland registration
Submission deadline
15 Mar 2021, 15:00 GMT
Submission channel
{"electronicSubmission"}
Accepted languages
en
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Timeline

15 Mar 2021 → 25 Jan 2022 · 4 dates
  1. Submission deadline
    15 Mar 2021, 15:00 GMT
  2. Invitations to tender expected
    19 Apr 2021, 00:00 BST
  3. Bids must remain valid until
    13 Jun 2021, 23:59 BST
  4. Notice published
    25 Jan 2022, 10:55 GMT

Notice history

2 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 25 Jan 2022
  1. Status changed to complete
    25 Jan 2022, 10:55 GMT
  2. Buyer details updated
    25 Jan 2022, 10:55 GMT

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded value £100,000,0001 contract exc. VAT
Bids received 3
Contracts signed 1latest 17 Jan 2022
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Serco Limited£100,000,000 †—Awarded

Contracts

  • DoF - Digital NI - Contact Centre Services for Government · Serco Limited

    Signed
    17 Jan 2022
    Value
    £100,000,000
    Status
    active

Bid statistics published by the authority

BidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
3bids · 3 electronic · 3 from abroad0——

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

2 public bodies on the notice

Department of Finance

Contracting authorityCentral GovernmentBody governed by public lawGeneral public services 303 Airport Road West, BELFAST, UK, BT3 9EDContact email

Consortium members and other public bodies

Dispute resolution & review bodies

  • The UK does not have any special review body with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures in public procurement competitions. Instead; any challenges are dealt with by the High Court, Commercial Division, to which proceedings may be issued regarding alleged breaches of PCR 2015 as amendedReview body N/A

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice
  • SERCO LTDAwarded supplier SERCO HOUSE, HOOK, UK, RG27 9UYContact email, phone

Official documents & specifications (2)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Tender pack and attachments

  • Economic and financial selection criteriatenderEconomic and financial selection criteria
  • Technical selection criteriatenderTechnical selection criteria