Find a TenderAwarded
Published 30 Nov 2023, 09:56 GMT

Official UK procurement notice

IT Services: Supply and Installation of a High Performance Computer Facility

Official notice

Authority: University of St Andrews (Education)

GoodsOpen procedureSME suitable
Published estimate£2,900,000exc. VAT31.3% below published estimate
Submissions closed 12 Jan 2024awarded 4 May 2024
Awarded to OCF LIMITED

What is being bought

Published requirement description

Supply and Installation of a High Performance Computer Facility at the University of St Andrews.

CPV: Super computer

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1The University is seeking to provide a high performance compute (HPC) facility to…AwardedRenewalPublished value£2,900,000

The University is seeking to provide a high performance compute (HPC) facility to support research and teaching. This will be vital resource for existing high-profile staff in many areas of current research and its importance is expected to grow in an era of expanding digital research and increasingly larger datasets, including computationally intensive approaches such as machine learning and generative artificial intelligence.

The proposed solution should provide at least 15,000 x64 compatible compute cores at 2GB RAM per core, excluding log-in nodes and peripheral devices. An alternative configuration providing the same or better level of performance would be acceptable.

The proposed solution should provide high-memory nodes containing at least one 4TB RAM and two 2TB RAM. An alternative configuration providing the same or better level of performance would be acceptable.

The proposed solution should provide a number of GPU Nodes whose combined cost equates to 20% of the combined cost of requirements above.

Data Storage

The University requires the following storage tiers as a minimum:

1TB of scratch storage per node

100TB of fast scratch storage to service parallel tasks

2PB of fast shared scratch storage

1PB of archive storage

Networking

The proposal must include a low-latency 100Gb network fabric connecting all nodes.

Extensibility

The proposed solution must provide a seamless means to extend to make use of public and private cloud resources.

Scalability

The proposed solution must be able to scale for each use case (fast throughput parallel processing, single-node high core-count and high memory processing, and GPU workloads).

Additional Support

The responses should include an optional proposal for the provision of user support services.

Please see ITT documents for full details. Additional information: All tenders for the University of St Andrews are administered through our eTendering System (InTend).To Express an Interest please go to our tender website at intendhost.co.uk/universityofstandrews ↗

Please note that 'Notes of Interest' placed via PCS (Public Contracts Scotland) are not automatically accepted

Delivery: Scotland · UK-St Andrews
Extensions: Se ITT documents.Variant bids: allowed

What it takes to win
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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: 70%Price: 30%
Published sub-criteria (2)
  • Quality: 70%
  • Cost: 30%
Published award criteria (2)
  • Quality: 70
  • Cost: 30
Staff
Names and qualifications of delivery staff must be submitted
What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 30 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 3 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
Open procedure
Legal basis
CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
Procurement category
Goods
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
30 Nov 2023, 09:56 GMT
Last source update
21 May 2024, 12:04 BST
Award evaluation window
12 Jan 2024 – …
Authority reference
ITS/291123/DD/SL
FTS notice number
2024/S 000-015993
Classification (CPV)
Super computer
Delivery area
Scotland (UKM72)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-041de6 Find a Tender
Contract terms
Electronic trading
e-invoicing allowed · electronic ordering · electronic payment
Review and risk notes
Review procedure

The University of St Andrews will incorporate a minimum of 10 calendar day standstill period at the point of information on the award of the contract being communicated to tenderers. This period allows unsuccessful tenderers to seek further debriefing from the contracting authority before the contract is entered into. Applicants have 2 working days from the notification of the award decision to request additional debriefing and that information has to be provided a minimum of 3 working days before the expiry of the standstill period. Such additional information should be requested from The University of St Andrews.

If an appeal regarding the award of contract has not been successfully resolved The Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2012 provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rule to take action in the Sheriff Court or Court of Session.

The anticipated review body in such cases would be:

Dundee Sheriff Court

6 West Bell Street

Dundee

DD1 9AD

Telephone: +44 1382 229 961

Anyone bringing court proceedings against the University of St Andrews must inform the University of St Andrews in advance of the alleged breach and its intention to bring proceedings. Any such action must be brought within 15 days of the date on which a decision is sent to them or published to challenge that decision.

Proceedings seeking an ineffectiveness order must be brought within 30 days of the publication of the contract award notice in the OJEU, or 30 days from the date of a decision letter to all tenderers concerned, and any candidates concerned, containing a summary of the reason for the recipient being unsuccessful, otherwise 6 months from the date of entering into the contract or concluding the framework agreement.

Where a contract has not been entered into the Court may, by interim order, suspend the procurement procedure. The court may also set aside a decision or actions taken by the University or order it to amend and document; and/or award damages. However, by express requirement the court may decide not to grant an interim order when the negative consequences of such an order are likely to outweigh the benefits, having regard to a number of considerations.

If the contract has been entered into the Court may, depending on the nature of the breach: make an ineffectiveness order; impose a financial penalty; shorten the duration of the contract; make any other order considered appropriate to address the consequences of ineffectiveness or shortening the duration or the contract; award damages.

Publisher note: All tenders for the University of St Andrews are administered through our eTendering System (InTend).To Express an Interest please go to our tender website at https://intendhost.co.uk/universityofstandrews Please note that 'Notes of Interest' placed via PCS (Public Contracts Scotland) are not automatically accepted (SC Ref:767175)

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: In-tend · Who buys & how to bid on In-tend
Supplier login requiredLanguage: EN
Access & registration note: Free · one account per buying organisation's portal · reCAPTCHA on signup

Tender documents are also served through a separate tool: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/universityofstandrews ↗

Submission deadline
12 Jan 2024, 12:00 GMT
Submission channel
{"electronicSubmission"}
Accepted languages
en
Participation fee
document
Bid validity
90 days from the deadline
Bids opened
12 Jan 2024, 12:00 GMT
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Timeline

12 Jan 2024 → 21 May 2024 · 3 dates
  1. Submission deadline
    12 Jan 2024, 12:00 GMT
  2. Bids opened
    12 Jan 2024, 12:00 GMT
  3. Notice published
    21 May 2024, 12:04 BST

Notice history

1 event · 2 releases on Find a Tender
  1. Status changed to complete
    21 May 2024, 12:04 BST

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded value £1,992,6511 contract exc. VAT
Bids received 99 from SMEs
Contracts signed 1latest 4 May 2024
Awarded toValueDateStatus
OCF LIMITEDSME£1,992,651 †—Awarded

Contracts

  • Contract 015993-2024-ITS/291123/DD/SL-1 · OCF LIMITEDSME

    Signed
    4 May 2024
    Value
    £1,992,651
    Status
    active

Bid statistics published by the authority

BidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
9bids · 9 electronic · 9 from abroad9——

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

University of St Andrews

Contracting authorityEducationBody governed by public lawEducation Walter Bower House, Eden Campus, Guardbridge, Scotland, KY16 0USContact name, email, phone Published organisation website ↗

Dispute resolution & review bodies

  • Dundee Sheriff CourtReview body DundeeContact phone

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice
  • OCF LimitedAwarded supplier OCF LTD, Unit 5 Rotunda Business Centre, Thorncliffe Park, Chapeltown, Sheffield, UK, S35 2PGContact 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