Northern Lighthouse Board
PRE-QUALIFICATION QUESTIONNAIRE
TENDER FOR THE PROVISION OF: PARLIAMENTARY SERVICES
REF: HQTR/PARL/0672
OJEU REF:2010/S 96-145569
1.Introduction
This Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (“PQQ”) has been issued by the Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses operating as the Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB) in connection with a competitive procurement conducted in accordance with the Restricted Procedure under the Public Contract Regulations 2006.
This PQQ sets out the information required by NLB in order to assess the suitability of Potential Providers in terms of their technical knowledge and experience, capability/capacity, organisational and financial standing to meet the requirement. During the PQQ stage, the intention is to arrive at a short list of between [5][1] and [8] qualified Potential Providers for formal Invitation to Tender against the requirement as advertised in OJEU Notice 2010/S 96-145569 dated 14 May 2010
Please be aware that if you are invited to tender, NLB may request to visit your premises, or undertake any appropriate action required as part of the tender evaluation and you may also be asked to attend an interview and make a formal presentation to the our project team.
No information contained in this PQQ, or in any communication made between NLB and any Potential Provider in connection with this PQQ, shall be relied upon as constituting a contract, agreement or representation that any contract shall be offered in accordance with this PQQ. NLB reserves the right, subject to the appropriate procurement regulations, to change without notice the basis of, or the procedures for, the competitive tendering process or to terminate the process at any time. Under no circumstances shall NLB incur any liability in respect of this PQQ or any supporting documentation.
Direct or indirect canvassing of any NLB Commissioners, NLB staff, public sector employee or agent by any potential bidder concerning this requirement, or any attempt to procure information from any NLB Commissioner, NLB Staff, public sector employee or agent concerning this PQQ may result in the disqualification of the Potential Provider from consideration for this requirement.
The object of the qualification process is to assess the responses to the PQQ and select Potential Providers to proceed to the next stage of the procurement.
In assessing the answers to the following questions, NLB will be seeking evidence of the Potential Provider’s suitability to perform the services in terms of economic and financial standing, technical and professional ability. Qualification criteria will be a combination of both financial and non-financial factors and will be in accordance with Regulations 23 to 26 of the Public Contract Regulations 2006.
NLB will not reimburse any costs incurred by Potential Providers in connection with preparation and submission of their responses to this PQQ.
All information contained within this pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) will be used to inform NLB’s project team relating to this project alone.
Potential Providers are advised to answer all questions. While a lack of response may not preclude you from consideration, NLB will request no further information before the evaluation of responses and the issuing of the invitations to tender. Therefore it is in your interest to ensure that your submission is complete at the time of sending. You may provide additional information, if relevant, with your PQQ submission.
2.Background Information
The Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses – operating as the Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB)and the Commissioners of Irish Lights (the whole of Ireland) together with the Corporation of Trinity House (England, Wales, Channel Islands and Gibraltar) - are the General Lighthouse Authorities (GLAs) with responsibility, subject to certain provisions, for the superintendence and management of “all lighthouses, buoys and beacons” throughout their respective geographical areas including “the adjacent seas and islands....” within and beyond territorial waters. In all, the GLAs provide some 1,200 traditional aids complemented by a mix of radio navigation aids for the safety of all mariners engaged in general navigation irrespective of who pays for the service, the size or type of the vessel, her equipment fit, the competence of her crew, or her flag.
Through an agreement with the Government of the IrishRepublic the three GLAs provide an integrated network of Aids to Navigation around the British Isles. This discharges both the United Kingdom and Irish Governments’ obligation under the International Maritime Organization’s Safety of Life at Sea Convention.
The costs of the GLA’s services are met from the General Lighthouse Fund (GLF). The income to the GLF comes mostly from light dues which are charged on commercial shipping at United Kingdom and Republic of Irelandports. There is no provision for Exchequer funding except in the Republic of Ireland and in relation to guarantees under the GLAs’ borrowing powers. The Secretary of State for Transport has a duty to ensure the effective management of the GLF and enable the adequate provision of aids to navigation at the minimum cost.
The Northern Lighthouse Board carries out the functions of the Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses who are constituted in terms of, and are given certain powers and duties by, Part VIII of and Schedules 8 and 9 to
the Merchant Shipping Act 1995. The subject matter of that Act is a reserved matter under Section 30 of and Schedule 5 to the Scotland Act 1998 and in terms of Section 29 of the Scotland Act 1998. NLB's affairs will continue to be subject to legislation passed by the United Kingdom Parliament. Ministerial responsibility will remain with the Department for Transport.
Under Section 193 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 NLB is the GLA for Scotland and adjacent seas and islands and the Isle of Man, and under Section 195 is vested with the responsibility for the superintendence and management of all lighthouses, buoys and beacons.Our Head Office is at 84 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 3DA. We have a waterfront operating base in Oban on Scotland’s West Coast and it supports our ships and buoy maintenance work; and provides facilities for helicopters. We have smaller business premises in the Northern Isles.
The efficiency of our Aids to Navigation are measured against international standards set by the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA). IALA is a non profit, non governmental international technical association. IALA’s aim is to harmonize aids to navigation worldwide and to ensure that the movements of vessels are safe, expeditious, cost effective and harmless to the environment.
Within its area of jurisdiction as a General Lighthouse Authority, NLB has various powers and responsibilities in connection with the provision, maintenance, alteration, inspection and control of lighthouses, buoys and beacons, under Section 197 of the 1995 Act as amended. NLB also has Wreck Removal powers under Section 253 of the Act.
For further information please see our website:
The Requirement
The Board’s requirement is for the provision of a full information, intelligence and advisory service to highlight public affairs issues directly or indirectly affecting the work of the Northern Lighthouse Board. This service will cover analysis of the proceedings and work of:
- The Scottish Parliament, its Committees, the Scottish Government and the political parties in Scotland.
- The Houses of Parliament, its Committees, the UK Government and the political parties in the United Kingdom.
- The European Parliament, its Committees, the European Commission.
- The Tynwald and the Manx Government.
Any additional work to be carried out e.g. a detailed report in relation to the impact of forthcoming legislation etc, will need to be subject to the negotiation of a separate project fee with the successful Tenderer or, alternatively, can be undertaken on the basis of an agreed hourly or daily rate outwith the tender price.
- Contract Information
This contract shall be for the supply of parliamentary services. The contract may be awarded in whole or in part, however NLB reserve the right not to make an award. Any quantities referred to within this PQQ will be indicative and official order(s) will be issued for requirements during the contract period. If the contract is awarded to more than one supplier, NLB reserves the right to place contract orders with the Contractor of their choice.
This contract shall be let for a period of 5 (Five) years with the option to extend for up to a further 1 (one)year. The contract shall commence in September 2010.These dates are approximate and will depend on final contract arrangements etc.
This contract will have scope to allow the other GLAs of the United Kingdom and Ireland, Trinity House (TH) and the Commissioners of Irish Lights (CIL) to purchase the services at any point during the contract period. Both Authorities have their own arrangements; however it may be more effective to use NLB’s arrangements in the future. This will be done by TH and CIL directly with the successful Tenderer using the contract rates, pricing etc which may need to be adjusted to allow for large volume discounts, annual price changes etc. There is no commitment to any purchase from either TH or CIL.
4.Time table
Set out below is the proposed procurement timetable. This is intended as a guide and, whilst the NLB does not intend to depart from the timetable, it reserves the right to do so at any time.
Date or[Target Date] / Activity
Friday 14 May 2010 / OJEU notice published with PQQ made available to Potential Providers.
Friday 14 May 2010 / Issue PQQ
Thursday 17June 2010 at 14:00 hours BST / PQQ Return Deadline[see Public Contract Regulations 2006 for timescales]
Friday 2 July 2010 / Evaluation of PQQs completed
Monday 5 July 2010 / Invitation to tender issued to qualified Potential Providers
Tuesday 17 August 2010 at 14:00 hours BST / Tender Return Deadline
18 - 24 August 2010 / Evaluation of tenders
2 -3 September 2010 / Presentations - Shortlist Tenderers
10 September 2010 / Alcatel 10 working day standstill period with issue of letter of intent
20 September 2010 / Contract Award. (anticipated or estimated dates)
21September 2010 / Contract commences (anticipated or estimated dates)
5.NLB’s Named Contact Point
NLB’s named contact point for the procurement is:
Fiona Lynch
Commercial Manager
Northern Lighthouse Board
84 George Street
Edinburgh
EH2 3DA
Direct Line: 0131 473 3131
Fax: 0131 473 2436
Email:
Please do not hasten progress of your application, you will be notified as soon as possible of the outcome of the exercise.
6.Instructions for Completion
You are invited to complete the attached PQQ and to submit it, together with any requested supporting information, to NLB by the deadline for return in accordance with the procedures set out in the paragraph below entitled “Submission of Completed Pre-Qualification Questionnaires”.
Potential Providers should follow the instructions outlined below when completing this PQQ and should answer all questions as accurately and concisely as possible in the same order as the questions are presented. Where a question is not relevant to the Potential Provider’s organisation, this should be indicated, with an explanation. Questions should be answered in English. The information supplied will be checked for completeness and compliance with the instructions before responses are evaluated.
Failure to provide the required information, make a satisfactory response to any question, or supply documentation referred to in responses, within the specified timescale, may mean that a Potential Provider is not invited to participate further.In the event that none of the responses are deemed satisfactory, NLB reserves the right to terminate the procurement and where appropriate re-advertise the procurement.
Potential Providers must be explicit and comprehensive in their responses to this PQQ as this will be the single source of information on which responses will be scored and ranked. Potential Providers are advised neither to make any assumptions about their past or current supplier relationships with NLB nor to assume that such prior business relationships will be taken into account in the evaluation procedure.
- Queries about the procurement
All requests for clarification or further information in respect of this PQQ should be addressed to NLB’s named contact point. No approach of any kind in connection with this PQQ should be made to any other person within, or associated with, NLB.
This PQQ is being provided on the same basis to all Potential Providers and NLB will not enter into detailed discussion of the requirements at this stage.
Any questions about the procurement should be submitted in writing by email, letter or fax for the attention of Fiona Lynch, Commercial Manager at the address given in paragraph 6 above. If NLB considers any question or request for clarification to be of material significance, both the question and the response will be communicated, in a suitably anonymous form, to all Potential Providers who have responded; have expressed an interest; or those that show an interest before the closing date for the submission of the PQQ. All responses received and any communication from Potential Providers will be treated in confidence but will be subject to this paragraph.
8.Additional Information
NLB expressly reserves the right to require a Potential Provider to provide additional information supplementing or clarifying any of the information provided in response to the requests set out in this PQQ. NLB may seek independent financial and market advice to validate information declared, or to assist in the evaluation.
- Consortia and sub-contracting
Where a consortium or sub-contracting approach is proposed, all information requested should be given in respect of the proposed prime contractor or consortium leader. Relevant information should also be provided in respect of consortium members or sub-contractors who will play a significant role in the delivery of services or products under any ensuing contract. Responses must enable NLB to assess the overall service proposed.
Where the proposed prime contractor is a special purpose vehicle or holding company, information should be provided about the extent to which the SPV/holding company will call upon the resources and expertise of its members to fulfil the Requirement.
NLB recognises that arrangements in relation to consortia and sub-contracting may be subject to future change. Service providers/suppliers should therefore respond in the light of such arrangements as are currently envisaged. Potential Providers are reminded that any future change in relation to consortia and sub-contracting must be notified to NLB so that it can make a further assessment by applying the selection criteria to the new information provided.
Details should also be provided in relation to the proportion of any contract awarded that the Potential Provider proposes to subcontract.
- Potential Provider contact point
Potential Providers are asked to include a single point of contact in their organisation for their response to the PQQ. NLB will not be responsible for contacting the Potential Provider through any route other than the nominated contact. The Potential Provider must therefore undertake to notify any changes relating to the contact promptly.
- Freedom of Information Act 2000*
The Northern Lighthouse Board is a public authority in terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and is under a duty to disclose information relating to all contracts it enters into with third parties with the exception of information of which the disclosure (a) would constitute an actionable breach of confidence owed to the party providing the information; or (b) would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of the party providing the information. This also applies to information supplied to us during the pre-qualification process. Our scheme for disclosing information is available from our website at
In respect of any information submitted by a Potential Provider that it considers being commercially sensitive the Potential Provider should:
- clearly identify such information as commercially sensitive;
- explain the potential implications of disclosure of such information; and
- provide an estimate of the period of time during which the Potential Provider believes that such information will remain commercially sensitive.
Please submit responses to 1, 2 or 3 as an Annex with the completed PQQ.
Where a Potential Provider identifies information as commercially sensitive, NLB will endeavour to maintain confidentiality. Potential Providers should note, however, that, even where information is identified as commercially sensitive, NLB might be required to disclose such information in accordance with the FoIA. Accordingly, NLB cannot guarantee that any information marked ‘commercially sensitive’ will not be disclosed.
12.Submission of Completed Pre-Qualification Questionnaires
The closing date for receipt of expressions of interest is Thursday 17June 2010at 14:00 hours (BST). Email and Facsimile copies will only be accepted if the original is received within two working days of this deadline. It is in your interest to ensure that all the information requested is provided in your PQQ submission and that your submission reaches us by the closing date.
Whilst PQQs must be returned in hardcopy using the label provided, you can also email your PQQ submission to if you wish to ensure delivery before the deadline. Please put “PQQ Ref:HQTR/PARL/0672 as the subject of the email. We have no limit on the size of email received however to ensure that there are no receipt problems please limit email size to no more than 10 Mb and there is no limit on the number of emails sent. We can receive emails in most formats and Word, Excel and PDF are preferable. Other types of file especially Zip files or encrypted file may cause problems and could hamper the delivery of your ITT. This email box is only opened following the deadline and the above procedure still applies. PQQs received after the closing date will not be considered.
Completed Pre Qualification Questionnaires should be forwarded using the label provided to:
Commercial Manager
Northern Lighthouse Board
84 George Street
Edinburgh
EH2 3DA
United Kingdom
Invitation to Tender PQQ Selection Criteria
The following criteria and weightings shall be used to assess the Pre-Qualification Questionnaires received with a view to forming a short list of suppliers to be invited to tender:
Economic & Financial Standing 30%