Invitation to tender
Cleaning Services to the Auditor General for Wales (Wales Audit Office)
Closing date: 14:00, Tuesday, 25 March 2014
Tender submitted to:
Tender queries submitted to:
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Invitation to tender: Cleaning ServicesInstructions to tenderers / 3
Introduction and background / 7
Lot 1 – 24 Cathedral Road, Cardiff CF11 9LJ / 9
Lot 2 – Unit 1A, Dragon 24, Penllergaer, Swansea SA4 9HJ / 13
Questionnaire / 16
Health and safety questionnaire / 17
Documents and information to be submitted / 18
Appendices
Appendix 1 – Lot 1 Pricing Schedule / 19
Appendix 2 – Lot 2 Pricing Schedule / 20
Appendix 3 - Terms and conditions of contract / 21
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Interpretation
1. In this invitation to tender ‘Wales Audit Office’ is used to refer to the Auditor General for Wales.
Submission of tenders
2. The tenders shall be submitted in electronic format to by 14:00 on Tuesday, 25 March 2014. Tenders received after the due date and time may not be considered.
3. If you are unable to complete an electronic tender, you may alternatively submit the tender in hard copy format by post to the address below. The Wales Audit Office, accepts no responsibility for the late delivery of tenders and you are advised to make due allowance for transit time.
Wales Audit Office
For the attention of Gill Greer
24 Cathedral Road
Cardiff
CF11 9LJ
4. Please submit queries in relation to the tender to .
Alternatively, you may contact Gill Greer on 02920 320501.
Alternative tenders
5. The Supplier must submit a tender which complies with the base specifications, but may in addition, submit an alternative tender with such variations being submitted as an attachment to the main quotation document.
Lots
6. The tender is being advertised in two Lots:
· Lot 1 – 24 Cathedral Road, Cardiff CF11 9LJ
· Lot 2 – Unit 1A, Dragon 24, Penllergaer, Swansea SA4 9HJ
7. Suppliers may submit a tender for one or both lots. Prospective suppliers submitting a tender for both lots must complete the pricing schedule and a response to the specification for all of the services in each Lot as part of the solution.
Details confidential
8. The Supplier (whether his tender is accepted or not) and all other recipients of the Invitation to Tender document (whether they submit a tender or not) shall treat the details of the documents as private and confidential. Any tender received in response to this enquiry shall be treated likewise by the Wales Audit Office except where requested in compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The Tenderer should refer to Clause 16.2 of the Terms and Conditions of Contract attached.
Prices
9. The prices stated in the tender will be deemed to be the full inclusive value of the supplies and services described in the Specification of Requirements, including all costs and expenses, risks and obligations set forth in or to be implied from the Invitation to Tender. The submission of a tender will be deemed to be an undertaking that the quotation price includes for the above costs.
Value added tax
10. All prices are to be stated in sterling exclusive of value added tax.
Expenses and losses in quotation
11. The Wales Audit Office will not be responsible for, or pay for expenses or losses that may be incurred by a supplier in the preparation of his tender or pre-contract meetings required.
Acceptance of tenders
12. The Wales Audit Office does not bind itself to accept the lowest or any tender, and in addition, reserves the right to accept part only of any tender. No tender shall be deemed to have been accepted unless such acceptance shall have been notified to the Tenderer in writing.
Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE)
13. TUPE Regulations apply to both service provisions in Lot 1 and Lot 2. Information regarding the staff employed by the outgoing suppliers is available on request, providing an indication of the staff transfer and cost implications. Contact details of the incumbent supplier will be provided to the successful supplier once the contract has been awarded to enable further information to be obtained.
Award criteria
14. Business shall be awarded to the Tenderer submitting the most economically advantageous offer with regard to the award criteria. The award criteria that will apply to both Lots are:
Criteria / WeightingPrice to include value for money
· Overall costs and value for money service / 30
Quality
· Quality Assurance and Environmental Management systems, Health and Safety, Insurance and Equal Opportunities etc
· Understanding the needs of the Wales Audit Office and the environment in which we operate. Evidence of a proven track record as defined in the specification of requirements to include a reference from a comparable client
· Ability to provide the quality of services required in terms of suitability, timeliness and flexibility
· Systems and resources available to undertake the requirements to include suitably qualified staff and evidence of training
· Evidence of capacity to fully deliver service, including emergencies, out of hours/weekend work and use of environmentally friendly products / Total 70
20
10
15
15
10
Payment terms
15. The Wales Audit Office payment terms are Net 30 days payable by BACS. Please detail in your tender your standard payment terms or alternative payment terms you offer (including discount for prompt payment).
Welsh Language Scheme requirements
16. The successful supplier must ensure that services provided through this contract are compliant with the Welsh Language Scheme or any successor schemes. Tenderers are also advised to refer to the Welsh Language Board’s publication Bilingual Software Guidelines and Standards.
General Equality Duties
17. Under the Equality Act 2010 (‘the Act’), the Wales Audit Office is subject to the General Equality Duty. The supplier will assist the Wales Audit Office in meeting the General Equality Duty in exercising its functions and have due regard to the need to:
· eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under the Act;
· advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it; and
· foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.
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18. The Auditor General for Wales (AGW) is the public service watchdog for Wales. Our mission is to promote improvement, so that people in Wales benefit from accountable, well-managed public services that offer the best possible value for money. The AGW is independent of government and is the chief executive of the Wales Audit Office, a corporate body established under the Public Audit (Wales) Act 2013.
19. On 1 April 2014, the Wales Audit Office will become responsible for providing resources for the exercise of the AGW’s functions, and on that date staff of the AGW will transfer to the WAO. Most contracts made in the name of the AGW will also transfer to the WAO on that date, including the contract that is the subject of this invitation to tender. This transfer will not affect the delivery or terms and conditions of the contract.
20. The AGW is the statutory external auditor of the National Assembly for Wales Commission, the Welsh Assembly Government, public bodies sponsored by the Welsh Assembly Government and the National Health Service in Wales. The AGW may also inspect and report to the National Assembly on further and higher education institutions. The AGW is also responsible for appointing the auditors of local authorities and criminal justice organisations in Wales and for the inspection of many services operating under the current provision of the Wales Programme for Improvement (WPI) and successor schemes. The auditors formally audit the accounts of local authorities and produce value-for-money (VFM) reports to help them to improve their services. These appointed auditors also audit councils’ annual improvement plans.
21. The Wales Audit Office employs around 230 people. 160 staff are located at its Cardiff headquarters – 24 Cathedral Road, Cardiff CF11 9LJ and 25 at Unit 1A, Dragon 24, Penllergaer, Swansea SA4 9HJ.
Cleaning services
22. The Invitation to Tender covers the services necessary to provide a cleaning service to the Wales Audit Office at 24 Cathedral Road, Cardiff CF11 9LJ and Unit 1A, Dragon 24, Penllergaer, Swansea SA4 9HJ.
23. The cleaning services will include daily cleaning Monday through Friday. The services will also include a provision for occasional weekend or out of office hours cleaning service as required.
24. You are kindly invited to tender for cleaning services to the Wales Audit Office:
· Lot 1 – 24 Cathedral Road, Cardiff CF11 9LJ
· Lot 2 – Unit 1A, Dragon 24, Penllergaer, Swansea SA4 9HJ
25. Suppliers may submit a tender for one or both lots.
Guidance
26. Prospective suppliers must provide itemise pricing for all of the services in each Lot they are responding to as part of the solution and highlight any areas which do not fully meet the requirement.
27. Supporting material that is not directly relevant to the tender response should be included as appendices.
28. All prospective suppliers will have the opportunity to visit and survey the sites, if required, prior to making their response. Requests for a site visit to the property can be made by contacting Sue Henry at 02920 320508 or by email at .
29. All prospective suppliers must provide a brief overview of a similar contract they have held within the last three years and a relevant reference customer who would be willing to provide a brief telephone overview of their experience.
30. The award criteria in paragraph 14 are brought to the attention of prospective suppliers and tenders should display how you will provide value for money and include evidence of previous work.
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Overview of 24 Cathedral Road, Cardiff, CF11 9LJ
31. The Cathedral Road property comprises of a period three storey building linked to a sympathetic three storey modern building with a self-contained coach house (24,305ft²). Floor plans of Cathedral Road, indicative of size and layout, are available on request subsequent to any site visits required.
32. There are various floor coverings throughout the building:
· Office – carpeted;
· Kitchens – vinyl (safety flooring);
· Toilets – vinyl (safety flooring);
· Shower rooms – tiled; and
· Main staircase – marble.
Specification of requirements
33. The prospective supplier will provide a cleaning service to Wales Audit Office at 24Cathedral Road, Cardiff CF11 9LJ. The service should be provided between the hours of 17:30 and 19:30 Monday to Friday and entry to the building will be strictly by security swipe card only. The prospective supplier must supply all cleaning equipment and cleaning consumables which include but are not limited to vacuum cleaners, mops, buckets, toilet brushes, waste paper bin liners, disinfectant and anti-bacterial products. All cleaning products supplied must be environmentally friendly.
34. The Wales Audit Office will provide tea towels, centre-feed tissue, toilet tissue, hand towels, black bags, clear compactor sacks, washing up liquid, dishwasher tablets and antibacterial liquid soap.
35. It is a requirement for a supervisor to be on site during the hours of 17:30 and 19:30 to ensure standards are met.
36. To comply with Safe Systems at Work the prospective supplier will be requested to supply prior to contract commencement and update annually, all necessary documentation to include as a minimum Risk Assessments, Liability Insurance and Method Statements. Prior to commencement of any works not detailed in the specification eg, working at height, further detailed documentation will be required.
Daily cleaning requirements
37. All areas
· empty all waste and recycling bins to include food waste and remove to designated area;
· provide clean bin liners for all bins;
· remove all dishes and cutlery from desks, meeting rooms and kitchen surfaces and place in dishwasher, when dishwasher cycle has finished place the clean dishes and cutlery in designated cupboard/area;
· damp wipe all meeting room tables;
· spot clean fingermarks from glazing to doors;
· spot clean spillage and marks on carpets where necessary;
· vacuum all high traffic carpeted areas; and
· sweep main marble staircases.
38. Kitchens
· disinfect kitchen sink units and wipe down working surfaces with anti-bacterial products;
· clean tiled surrounds in kitchen area;
· wipe tabletops and chairs with an antibacterial product;
· change tea towels in kitchens;
· sweep and damp mop kitchen floors with disinfectant solution; and
· replace paper towels where necessary.
39. Toilet/shower rooms
· clean and disinfect toilet fittings, including toilet pan, urinals, showers, basins, cistern handles, taps and cisterns;
· clean and polish both sides of lid and seats of toilets;
· clean and polish mirrors and tiles;
· fit new toilet rolls where necessary;
· replace paper hand towels where necessary;
· replenish soap where necessary; and
· check auto flush and grid free flow in urinals.
Weekly cleaning requirements
40. All areas
· dust all furniture, fixtures and fittings to a height of 6ft;
· damp wipe/dry polish all work surfaces and desks;
· clean glass to doors, pictures, bookcases and cabinets;
· clean and dust metal furniture and fittings;
· dust extinguishers and heating radiators;
· dust skirting boards and pipes;
· remove any marks from door furnishings;
· damp wipe all window ledges;