REF:RCUKI2014BANNEX 1

INSTRUCTIONS TO SUPPLIERS

Tender for: RCUKI2014B

  1. Introduction

These instructions are designed to ensure that all tenders are given equal and fair consideration. Please ensure that you read the information provided in connection with this invitation to tender carefully and that your tender response includes all the information requested as your company will be initially evaluated solely on the evidence supplied in response to this invitation to tender.

  1. Timetable of Events

The tender return date is 9thJanuary 2015.

The evaluation of tenders will take place 12th-16th January 2015.

Any short-listing or award decision will be made shortly thereafter. Should face-to-face meetings or presentations be required, tenderers will be contacted with adequate notice.

Please note that we reserve the right to amend any of the dates stated in this section at anytime.

3. The Tender Response Evaluation Stages

Stage 1Tender Evaluation

A shortlist of suppliers will be produced after the Tender evaluation.

Stage 2Presentations by Short Listed Suppliers

If presentations are seen as necessary, the date and time for this activity will be arranged directly with each of the short listed suppliers. Suppliers will be evaluated onproposed methodology, understanding of the project objectives, relevant experience, proposed budget, track record and the way in which the overall presentation was made.

Stage 3Award Contract

Subject to meeting the Requirement and successful commercial negotiations the contract will be awarded to the preferred supplier.

4. The Tender Response

All of the sections below must be answered in the tender response.

THE REQUIREMENT

Tenderers are to submit a response by 11am (UK time) on 9thJanuary 2015. The response should outline how the tenderer proposes to meet the requirements of RCUKI as detailed in Annex 2, and deliver the service. The following is required as part of your response:

Your Company profile and if applicable, any Sub-Contractor’s Company Profiles

Please provide a profile limited to two sides of an A4 paper for each and every Company involved with your response including:

  • Company name, address, telephone and fax number, URL of Company web site.
  • Ownership of the business, its parent, related or subsidiary companies.
  • Number of years trading, including a profile of the development of the business since inauguration, and any planned directions for future development.
  • The current business focus and particular specialism of the business.
  • Recognised quality standards currently in force by the Company.

RESOURCES

  • The resources you expect to use to undertake the service. Include the number of staff you expect to use in providing the service. Where relevant, also include an organisational chart indicating responsibilities and reporting lines. Please indicate the level of staff participation.
  • The qualifications and experience of staff expected to undertake the service. Please provide CVs,maximum of two pages, for such individuals. CVs should be of named individuals who would be undertaking the work associated with the project and not of generic role types.
  • The likely level of input that will be required from RCUKI staff and at which stages of the project.

METHOD STATEMENT

Describe how you would achieve the deliverables required in the specification and an outline programme for undertaking the work. This should include an outline project plan, timeframes, indication of the number of days and those individuals envisaged for each element of the project. Specifically, you should include:

  • A summary of the bid highlighting how you will meet the evaluation objectives
  • A clear description of the proposed approach to be adopted, including how focus areas for the research will be defined and measured
  • Details of the evidence to be reviewed and the ways in which this will be analysed
  • A discussion of the practical and technical difficulties likely to be faced and how these would be addressed, including the approach to challenges involved with the large number of relevant organizations in India
  • A summary of the key risks to the project and how you will manage them
  • A description of how you will manage the evaluation, including quality assurance procedures and delivery against the timetable described in the Specification

QUALITY PLAN

Give details of how you will ensure a high quality service and your proposals for the monitoring and reporting on the quality of the service delivered, including the performance checks you will perform and who will perform them.

REFERENCES

The names and full contact details of at least two referees with whom you have recently undertaken similar work who may be approached to comment on your capabilities in relation to the project.

PRICING SCHEDULE

  • The vendor shall provide a firm (i.e. unchangeable) lump sum price which shall include consultancy fees, travel and subsistence expenses, and all other company costs. The tendered price should be broken down to show separate costs for the above cost elements within the tender price format table (Table 1 in Annex 3).
  • The price should be quoted in pounds sterling (£). If the tenderers’ company does not normally operate in this currency, please use the current (at the time of tender going live) exchange rate of 1 GBP = 96.74 INR. This exchange rate will be considered fixed for the duration of the project.
  • A daily fee rate for each direct staff member to be involved in the work should be shown in a labour cost table (see example format - Table 2 in Annex 3).
  • All prices quoted should be inclusive of VAT.
  • Payment will be made against mutually agreeable milestones.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This contract is offered under UK SBS Standard Terms & Conditions as attached. In your submission, please confirm that you accept the Terms and Conditions detailed in Annex 4 of this document.

If you do not accept the terms and conditions, please provide justification for this in your submission.

INSURANCE

Please provide details of professional indemnity and other liability insurance cover appropriate for the services described in Annex 2.

5. Incomplete Tender

Tenders may be rejected if the complete information called for is not given at the time of the Tender submission.

6. Tender Return

Electronic copies of the tender must be e-mailed the required date and time.

7. Receipt of Tenders

Suppliers must ensure that their Tender submission is delivered no later than the appointed time. Please note that UK SBS reserves the right not to consider tenders received after that time.

8. Period for which Tenders Shall Remain Valid

Your tender should be valid for acceptance for 90 days from the tender return date. The receipt of the enclosed tender documents shall be regarded as adequate consideration for maintaining the validity of your tender for the period requested in this letter.

9. Consortium

UK SBS will not contract with a consortium and any sub-contractor services introduced to deliver the Requirement. Any use of sub-contractor services must be declared in the tender response and the purpose of their engagement. Any Supplier awarded the contract will be liable and responsible for any sub-contractor services provided for the period of the contract.

10. Inducement

Offering an inducement of any kind in relation to obtaining this or any other contract with the UK SBS, RCUK India or SIN India will disqualify your tender.

11. Evaluation of Tenders

Evaluation of submitted tenders will commence on 12th-16th January 2014. The evaluation of the proposal will be on a value for money basis and be subject to the following criteria:

Capability

Including:

  • Quality of the project plan
  • Understanding of the project objectives
  • Relevant experience and expertise

Capacity

Including:

  • Sufficient resources for the requirement
  • Realistic timescales

Quality

Including:

  • Quality assurance processes

Price

Including:

  • Price of contract

Please Note: The RCUK, UK SBS Ltd does not bind itself to accept the lowest cost, or any, tender bid.

12. Tender Feedback

Following award of contract, feedback to unsuccessful Suppliers will be provided if requested.

13. Enquiries

Queries may be raised at any reasonable time during the tendering period with the appropriate contact as detailed below:

Technical:

Andrew Telford, Senior Programme Manager, RCUK India British High

Commission Shantipath, Chanakyapuri New Delhi .

Email: Tel: +91 11 24192416

Dr Rita Sharma, Senior Advisor, UK Science and Innovation Network, India

Email: l: +91 11 2419 2479

Commercial or Contractual:

RCUK India

British High Commission

Shantipath, Chanakyapuri

New Delhi 110021

Tel: +91 11-24192370

Email:

Please consider the time difference between UK and Indian Standard Time (IST).

Please note any questions regarding the tender may be published to other Suppliers if the answer is seen as relevant to all Tenderers, but will not contain information identifyingtenderers or their institutions.

The tender documents and any specifications, plans, drawings or information issued or furnished by, or on behalf of, the Council in connection therewith are issued solely for the purpose of enabling a tender to be completed and may not be used for any other purpose. Such tender and other documents and any information provided remain the property of the Council.

REF: rcuki2014 ANNEX 2

Background Information

1. Partners:

Research Councils UK

Research Councils UK (RCUK) is the strategic partnership of the UK’s seven Research Councils. Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC), Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Medical Research Council (MRC), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC).

RCUK India plays a key role in enhancing the UK-India relationship in science and research. In the last five years, RCUK, the Government of India and third parties have together invested close to £150 million in co-funded research programmes. Since its launch in 2008, RCUK India has facilitated an impressive portfolio of over 80 high-quality, high-impact UK-India research projects, involving more than 90 industry partners. Through these research programmes, RCUK India supports a strong, strategic and mutually beneficial partnership with India. This partnership continues to grow and strengthen the future of research to benefit society and enhance the prosperity of the UK, India and the world at large.

Science and Innovation Network

The Science and Innovation Network (SIN) support the UKs economic and social goals through international collaboration in science research and innovation and works to ensure that UK plays its part in addressing global challenges. SIN has officers in 28 countries and 48 cities around the world who develop country specific action plans and work to the following objectives:

  • influence science and innovation policies of governments, industry and academia to benefit the UK
  • improve UK policy based on international experience and emerging opportunities and challenges
  • stimulate strategic science collaborations to benefit the UK and deliver wider policy goals
  • harness international technology partnerships and investment to grow UK innovation capability

In India, there are nine SIN officials spread across Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai.

2. Mapping Project:

In continuation to our endeavor to understand the research and innovation ecosystem in India, this piece of work aims to commission a mapping exercise in an area that has been identified as UK-India priority theme for research collaboration by the UK-India task force on research and innovation.

Thepriority themeis:

  • Energy-Water-Food Nexus

3. Objectives:

Within the Energy-Water-Food Nexus priority areawe would like to identify:

a) Universities and Institutions

-Leading Indian research Universities and Institutions based on their publication metrics.As a guide, the number of highly cited papers published by authors working at the institute, in that priority theme, would be a typical measure.

b)Researchers

-Top researchers within Universities and Institutions identified above in the Energy-Water-Food Nexus theme.

-Additional top 20-25 individual researchers, in terms of their publication metrics, outside of these institutions (where they are not based in a previously identified high impact University/ Institute). Consideration should also be given on how to capture emerging researchers and centres of excellence within this priority area.

c)Funders

-Research priorities for Indian funders in Energy-Water-Food Nexus theme.We would like to know to what extent the funders (at national level)are working with the end-users. Are there already international collaborations in this theme and if yes, with which countries.

4. Budget

We expectthat bids for mapping this priority theme will not exceed £10K. However we do recognise that this is a large area and any bids over this threshold will still be considered in the decision making process.

5. Timeline for delivery

Bids should work around an 8 week timeline for creating the final report. The bid should include the opportunity for RCUKI and SIN colleagues to regularly feed in comments and view a draft version of the report.

6. Target audience for the Mapping work

The target audience for this report will be the seven Research Councils, Indian and UK policy makers, public and private companies, academics and researchers working in the area of Energy-Water-Food Nexus.

7. Description of priority theme:

Scope of the priority theme as defined by the UK-India task force:

Energy-Water-Food Nexus

UK-India Research under this theme will develop solutions for poor communities to benefit from low-cost energy storage, new designs for water-efficient energy systems and more equitable water allocation systems proposed for pilot river catchments. Research will develop innovative approaches to sustainably increase agricultural productivity in the context of resource efficiency. This will involve interactions with key stakeholders including farmers, retailers, industry and policy makers. Research under this theme will also develop approaches to reduce food wastage.

High Level Research and Innovation Objectives on the UK-India Partnership

1Developing efficient energy storage solutions for mini/off-grid renewable energy.

2Developing affordable and water-efficient energy technologies.

3Small modular thermal power plant designs that use 50% less water for cooling.

4Improving the scientific understanding of eco-hydrological system, including uncertainties and climate change, at the level of river catchment.

5Developing better understanding of changing water demand from different sectors (industry, domestic, energy, agriculture) in pilot river catchments.

6Developing better understanding of the governance, political economy and public participation in decision making on water resource allocation in pilot river catchments.

7Developing innovations to :

  • increase sustainable agricultural productivity
  • reduce waste
  • increase nutritional value
  • increase tolerance to biotic/abiotic stresses

by using agri-ecosystem approaches and through low cost access and efficient use natural resources (water, soil, energy) - with focus on small farms.

8Encouraging multi-functional use of land to deliver a range of goods and services.

9Developing low-cost technologies to reduce post-harvest losses across agri-food lifecycle including infrastructure technologies such as storage and refrigeration.

REF: RCUKI2014ANNEX 3

PRICING SCHEDULE

The supplier must provide the following pricing information presented in the format of the following tables.

Table 1 – Project Implementation Costs

Dates / Activity or Product Description / No of Units / Cost per unit / No of days / Cost per day / Total cost

Each collective bid should include the breakdown of costs per priority theme

Table 2 – Labour Costs

A daily fee rate for each of the various direct staff to be involved in the work should be shown. All prices quoted should be inclusiveof VAT.

Name / Grade/Position/Role / Cost/Day / No. of days / Total

REF: RCUKI2014 ANNEX 4

UK SBS TERMS & CONDITIONS FOR SERVICES